Page 11 of Wicked Queen

“I don’t feel like talking about it,” I admitted, watching Elizabeth as she ran drunkenly ahead of us.

“Neither do I.”

“New subject then?” I asked. David opened the doors and I scooped Elizabeth up and carried her down the stairs, plopping her down when we reached the grass.

“How are you feeling with the baby…” he trailed off. “Sorry, Edward told me. We don’t keep secrets from each other. Hazard of marriage, I guess.”

“How refreshing,” I said dryly. “I’m fine. Honestly.”

“We just want to help in any way we can. I know you haven’t told Alexander. I won’t ask you why,” he added.

“Thank you.” I could strangle Belle for telling Edward.

David thought for a moment. “How worried should I be about this meeting?”

I grimaced at the question. I’d been hoping to avoid what was going on behind Alexander’s closed door. I opened my mouth and shut it again, not sure what to tell him.

“That bad, huh?” David gave a low whistle, which made Elizabeth clap. He smiled down at her. “What is it this time? Secret twin sisters in Sussex?”

“I wish,” I muttered. It had been easier for us to forgive Alexander when he was struggling to come to terms with his father’s secret child. This was entirely different. Alexander had known and he had kept it from us. I felt betrayed. I couldn’t imagine how Edward would feel.

“Christ. Will this ever end?” David looked to the sky, shaking his head and Elizabeth mimicked him. The movement proved a bit too advanced, though, and she toppled head first into the grass. David picked her up before the crying got past the initial lip tremble.

“Thanks,” I said, rubbing my stomach. The baby kicked me in greeting. “I don’t think it will end.”

“Too bad we’re stuck for life.” He grinned but it didn’t light up his face like usual.

“Are we?” I asked absently.

“Ummm.” His hesitation made me realize I’d actually said that aloud. “I guess not. Not like they are anyway, but…Clara, you’re not actually…”

“Of course not.” But my answer sounded forced, even to me.

“They’re not easy men to love,” David said in a quiet voice, “but isn’t that why we love them?”

“I used to think that. I’m not sure anymore.”

“I understand, Clara. I really do, but you and Alexander, you two have a love that only exists in poetry.” David probably did understand better than anyone else what it was like to have your world upended by falling for a powerful man.

“That might be true, but poetry isn’t real. It’s only pretty words.” Elizabeth reached out for me and I took her into my arms. She looked so much like her father with her dark hair and blue eyes. Her stubborn streak only cemented the similarities. Most days she was a beautiful reminder of our love. Today it physically hurt to look at her. I’d messed up. I’d pushed him too far. I’d destroyed us and she would pay the price for her parents’ broken love.

“What did he do?” David finally asked. “What—”

The slam of a door interrupted us and we looked up to see Edward stomping toward us. Even across the gardens, I could see the anguish twisting his features.

“Oh God, what did he do?” David asked again as his husband strode up to us.

“We need to leave,” Edward said in a clipped tone. He was looking across the lawns, but his eyes were trapped in the past.

“Edward, I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”

“It’s okay,” he cut me off. “I’m not angry with you. He told me…he told me that you didn’t know. I just can’t be here right now.”

He kissed Elizabeth on the forehead before grabbing David’s hand. “We’ll talk soon.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I watched them leave, feeling a little piece of my heart slipping away. My family was crumbling all around me and I was powerless to stop it. I could only try to survive the fall.

Chapter 6