"So what now?"
"Now I give you the time you asked for.And I hope that eventually you'll decide I'm worth giving another chance."He moved toward the door, then stopped."But Betty?While you're thinking about whether you can forgive me, you should also think about what Viktor said to you today."
That surprised me."What about it?"
"About the alliance, about other options, about questioning whether the marriage was wise."His expression was serious."Viktor has always been ambitious.And he's never liked the idea of Valdoria aligning with the West instead of with Russia.I don't know what his game is, but I don't trust him."
"He seemed genuinely concerned."
"He seemed like he was planting doubts in your head about whether you belong here."Archie met my eyes."You do belong here, Betty.Don't let anyone, including me, make you question that."
He left before I could respond, leaving me alone in the library with too many thoughts and not enough answers.
I stayed there for a long time, watching the lights of boats in the harbor and replaying the day in my mind.The fight with Archie.Viktor's careful concern.Lady Caroline's veiled insults.The duchess who said complicated didn't mean impossible.
And Archie, standing in this very spot, telling me I was remarkable.
My phone buzzed with a text from Petra:The photos from tonight are already online.You look incredible.The press is calling you "dignified and poised" which is royal-speak for "we were wrong about her."
I pulled up the photos on my phone.There I was in the emerald dress, smiling at children, shaking hands with donors, standing next to Archie looking every inch the princess I was supposed to be.
And there we were together, his arm around my waist, both of us smiling for the camera, looking for all the world like a couple who had it all figured out.
If only they knew.
I was about to head back to my rooms when I noticed a book lying on the reading table, something Archie must have been looking at before I arrived.I picked it up and found it was open to a section on managing public scandals.
He'd been researching.Trying to figure out how to help me.
Despite everything, despite the fight and the hurt and the anger I was still carrying, that small detail made my chest ache.
Complicated didn't mean impossible.The duchess had said that.
I just had to figure out if I believed her.
CHAPTER 17
