The conspirators and their hostage whipped their heads to the door and held their breath. The tension in the room resembled a guitar string too tightly wound, ready to snap at any moment. “It’s me, Remi!” A voice beyond the door whispered. The tension dissipated, immediately. “Get in here, Remi,” Edwina hissed. The young apprentice stumbled into the room and slammed the door behind him. Everyone in the room winced as the sound echoed throughout the room. Edwina had to resist the urge to run her hands through her hair in irritation. It wasn’t Remi’s fault he was clumsy. “M-iss E-E-Ed-” Remi stammered. The poor boy tended to stutter when he was put under undue stress, another reason Edwina reigned in her temper. Edwina put a hand on his shoulder, “Take a deep breath.” Remi gulped, closed his eyes. Edwina watched his lips move as he counted silently. Everyone in the room seemed to breathe with Remi and a peaceful quiet settled over the gr

Claiborne was smiling, his eyes glittering with amusement. Edwina glared back, attempting to give him her most withering look. A look that she had used on the King on more than one occasion with success. Claiborne seemed immune and gave her a nod of recognition. He looked completely composed and at home across from the King. Dressed in all black, he cut an intimidating figure. His black suit jacket and dress shirt stretched across his chest, accentuating his surprisingly muscular form. His blond hair was slicked back today, giving him a harsher appearance. Lithe and dangerous, he sat with perfect posture, his legs crossed. His black dress shoes shined with polish. A beautiful diamond broach in the shape of a snowflake was pinned to his lapel and leaning against the couch next to him, a beautifully black walking cane. He was a study of contrasts, especially in the light and airy Blue Room. His pale skin and blonde hair seemed to match the room perfectly, but h

Edwina watched him leave, her face red with fury. How dare he threaten her like this! How dare he dangle the future of the kingdom in front of her like she was a pet in need of a treat! She wouldn’t let him coerce her into this sham marriage. Why did he want to marry her anyway? She was a commoner. Sure, she was a glorified secretary for the King, a position that held a lot of influence, but she had no dowry, no title to claim. She was merely Edwina Knight. She bit her thumbnail, still staring at the empty corridor Claiborne had occupied moments before. What was his endgame? Was he after political influence? Was there something she had stored away in her historian records that he needed? Her eyebrows furrowed in consternation. She turned abruptly and strode back toward the Blue Room. She didn’t know Claiborne well enough to make any sort of judgment about his character or his plans. The King was close with Claiborne. He would be able to shed some light on his

Alexander sipped his bourbon and stared out the window. The view from the second story of his townhome gave him a bird's eye view of his front door. He waited patiently for movement. Waiting for the messenger that would decide his fate. He placed his glass down and opened his cigar case. He pulled one out and lit it, eyes never leaving the street in front of him. He took a long pull of the cigar, letting the spicy smoke hang in his lungs, and waited for the slight burn he wanted to feel. He released his breath, smoke cascading around him. He needed to plan his next move. If Edwina said no, he needed a backup plan. He refused to give up. He would have her, no matter how long it took. But what was the best course of action… Even if she refused him, Claiborne planned to continue working with the King regardless. His threats were just empty words meant to goad his prey into his arms. His original plan had always been to help Edwina. Make her reali

In one week, Edwina Knight would become Edwina Claiborne, a duchess. This fact didn’t seem real to Eddie as she poured over and reviewed court documents for the upcoming week. She had been trying to forget all about her upcoming nuptials by immersing herself in work. She could tell Remi was dead tired trying to keep up with her frantic pace, and she had no inclinations of slowing down. A knock on the door had her setting down a particularly wordy document about tax levies on businesses. “Come in,” Edwina called. Her interest was piqued. Edwina didn’t get many visitors to her office and she knew that both Thackeray and Lily were busy today. She was curious who her mystery caller could be. The door opened and a woman Eddie had never seen before entered the room. She was a very tidy woman. Her brown hair was styled into a pristine bun with no loose ends hanging about. Her nails were filed and clean, her makeup un-smeared. She wasn’t a gorgeous woman, but Eddie w