“First, contact all of Victor’s staff and discreetly assure them they donotneed to follow him to Baedcove if they don’t want to. Tell them if they do, however, then I will give them a twenty-five percent raise. It’s entirely up to them whether they take the offer or stay here.”
Stedman nodded. “Wise of you. Some might be swayed by the money, and it’s better he has staff who know how to handle him.”
“Exactly my thought process. Second, grab one of my spies and set them to watching Victor. He capitulated too quickly, and it’s conversely making me suspicious.”
“Ha, yes, agreed there. I also found it strange. I’ll get right on it.”
Hopefully it was just my paranoia at play here. If Victor left quietly, I’d be the happiest to see him off. He’d caused quite enough drama to last several lifetimes.
Seventy
James
I felt like I’d run around all day with the same organized chaos as a mother with quadruplets, but Ihadgotten things done. Important things, even. There was just one very important thing left to do today, and it might well be the most uncomfortable one yet.
Today, I’d meet Edwin’s family.
Technically, I knew them all. But in this lifetime, I had yet to meet them except for Lila. Needless to say, this wasnothow I’d wanted our first meeting to go. Unfortunately, this was how things had worked out, so the only thing I could do was make the best of it.
Edwin had arranged for a private dinner with only ourselves and his family present, which was the best way to handle this. I went where instructed, dressed in a somewhat informal suit in my preferred hunter green to give me a more friendly countenance.
Upon reaching the dining room doors, Dame Temperance planted herself in a guard position and gave me a bracing “Good luck, Your Majesty.”
“Appreciated.” Hopefully I didn’t need it. But I might. Butterfly wings fluttered in my stomach.
Sucking in a breath, I headed inside.
I hadn’t expected the whole family to be here already. Alban and Jehu, the two older brothers, lived in the next town over, but I saw them upon breeching the doors.
Of all seven siblings, only Edwin, Lila, and Jehu looked like their father. The rest of them looked much like their mother with the fair red hair, freckles, and blue eyes. I felt the weight of such eyes when every single person stopped talking and looked up, tracking me as I came in. About half stood to curtsey or bow, and I hastily waved them back down. This was a meeting not with King James, but rather with in-law James.
Edwin stood immediately and crossed to me, giving me a quick peck hello before murmuring quickly, “I don’t know where to begin to explain.”
“Introduce us?”
“Of course. James, this is my father, Anthony, my mother, Rosalie, my eldest sister, Claire, with her daughter, Maisie.”
The line continued around the table, with me greeting each person. The only person not here was Bradley, Claire’s husband, but I was told he was still on a boat and would likely catch up later tonight or in the morning. Lila popped up to give me a good hug, which did settle my nerves some.
With introductions all done, I sat at the head of the table, Edwin to my right, new in-laws surrounding me on all other sides. From the looks of them, everyone was more than a little overwhelmed right now, and it would behoove me to address that first.
“Rosalie?” I looked at my new mother-in-law and smiled. “How are you?”
“I do not know,” she said. Her eyes locked on mine as she observed me carefully. “I don’t know what to think. Please start from the beginning.”
The beginning, eh? That was a tricky question, although she didn’t seem to realize it. Perhaps if I blended past life with this life, the story would make more sense? “I met Edwin the day I came into the palace, about a week before I was adopted.”
I started there, with Edwin pitching in to explain his part as well. My husband’s hand stole into mine, gripping tightly. He was clearly nervous, although his poker face didn’t reveal it readily.
Anthony lifted a hand to stall me. “Wait, wait, you really just took one look at my son and knew he was the one for you?”
“It was a bit more gradual than that, but yes? I don’t have to explain how wonderful he is, surely.”
Caught, Anthony laughed softly. “No, you don’t need to explain how wonderful my son is.”
“He’s been my stalwart support since the first day I met him, going above and beyond what I needed, and it captivated my heart without question.”
Edwin eyed his parents uncertainly as he spoke. “I realize this is strange. Trust me, I tried to reason with him, but in the end, I couldn’t even slow him down. James isn’t your typical royal; he was raised working class. He doesn’t see me as anything other than his equal.”
