Page 61 of Once Upon A Bear

“It is indeed,” Guinevere nodded. “Would you like me to get you a drink?”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you,” Sophia said, tearing up. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. You offered to get me a drink, not save my life. This isn’t worthy of tears.”

“You are carrying a miracle,” Guinevere said, patting Sophia reassuringly on the shoulder. “Everything is worthy of tears. I will fetch you a drink.”

There were plenty of servants mingling with platters and trays, and she could have flagged one of them down, but she relished the idea of having something to do. She hurried to the punch table and got Sophia a drink before making her way back.

“Oh, this is delicious,” Sophia said, taking a sip of lemonade. “It’s very refreshing. Thank you. I hear it’s made with the honey that Gideon harvests,” she added, turning to Guinevere with a sly look.

“I didn’t know that,” Guinevere said calmly. She didn’t want to start gossiping with Sophia about Gideon.

She was Gideon’s sister-in-law. It didn’t matter that she was Beatrice’s friend, or that she’d been raised as a commoner before discovering her true heritage and marrying Caspian.

There was no good reason to start chatting with her about Gideon.

It would only lead to tears on her part, too.

“I hope Beatrice has a chance to speak with you,” Guinevere said. “She was quite excited to hear that you were in town.”

“Oh yes,” Sophia said. “She and I talked earlier, while you were dancing with Gideon.” There was a sparkle in Sophia’s eyes. “I feel that you and I may soon have reason to get to know each other.”

“I don’t know about that,” Guinevere said calmly. “Lord Gideon seems to be quite busy this evening.”

The words were cool, and Sophia grinned. “Yes, I noticed he has been very preoccupied this evening. I shall have to see if I can get Caspian to have a word with him. He should be spending time with you.”

“I don’t need him to spend time with me,” Guinevere said, shaking her head.

“If you don’t want his attention, you certainly won’t get any. But I think you want it, and he’s simply being too much of a man to see it.”

Guinevere laughed. She liked Sophia.

It was true. She did want Gideon’s attention, even if she felt like she shouldn’t.

“I think that perhaps you and I will be great friends,” Sophia said, “if only we can get Gideon to pay attention to you.”

“What if I don’t want him to?” Guinevere asked, the words sticking in her throat.

Sophia eyed her shrewdly. “Do you really want him to leave you alone? Or are you just afraid of what will happen if he doesn’t?”

Guinevere’s heart sank to her stomach. “I don’t know,” she admitted, her words barely above a whisper.

Sophia patted her hand. “I think perhaps you should figure it out, because Gideon deserves someone who knows what she wants from him.”

“I agree,” Guinevere said resolutely.

“I think I must go find my husband,” Sophia said, smiling at Guinevere. “But I hope that you will think about it, and that you and I will get a chance to chat someday soon.”

“I hope so too,” Guinevere said, even though she had no intention of there ever being a reason for them to chat about anything. Because Sophia was right. Gideon deserved someone who knew what she wanted…and that was not Guinevere.

So she left, slipping through the back door and making her way through the estate, wandering the hallways until she reached the front door, then slipping out and heading for home.

With all the young ladies in there vying for his attention, he probably wouldn’t even miss her.

She didn’t fit into that world. That world was posh and glamorous and full of people who had been born to live like that. She was an illegal magic user. She did not fit in with his world, and he no longer needed her.

She had fixed his curse, and that was all she had intended to do with him.

Gideon Rendon was a wild animal, even if he no longer appeared to be one at times, and it was far kinder to let him be where he belonged than it would be to try to take him home with her, no matter how cute she thought he was.