Page 18 of Wicked Queen

I hung up and barked an order at the nearest assistant I saw to cancel my meetings for the rest of the day. The clock was ticking, and if I could deal with this before tonight’s family reunion, all the better.

Norris met me at the end of the south corridor. “You hung up.”

“I want to get this over with.” I continued past him into our family’s apartments only to stop when I saw the small gathering there. Edward was playing with Elizabeth on the floor while Henry and Clara watched. My grandmother was absorbed with something out the window, a sour expression turning her face.

She was the first one to spot me.

“How could you?” she called out. Every head in the room, even Elizabeth’s, swiveled to stare at me.

“You didn’t give me a chance to warn you that they arrived earlier,” Norris said under his breath. He clapped a hand on my shoulder for a second and took his leave. Apparently, I was to face the firing squad alone.

“And in a mood,” I muttered. I plastered a false smile on my face and moved to greet them. “Welcome.”

I stopped myself from adding home. The last thing I needed was my grandmother hearing a perceived invitation to move back into the palace.

“You gave us no warning you would be holding that infernal press conference,” Mary launched into her rant. “We were forced to come early to avoid the press.”

“I am sorry,” I said tightly. Weighing my options, I decided to get this family meeting over with, regardless of their presence. Neither my wife nor brother had rushed to acknowledge my arrival. In fact, Edward had joined Clara across the room. He’d picked his side: Team Queen.

Had she spoken with him? Had they planned to confront me?

I shook the thoughts from my minds. It didn’t matter.

“And then there’s the matter of your father’s bastard. You told him.” Mary cast a poisoned glare in Clara’s direction. “What will we do when he goes to the press?”

“He won’t,” Clara and I said together.

“Let’s deal with one thing at a time,” I said. Clara finally looked at me, the sharp edge of disapproval in her eyes. I’d always thought they were the color of the sea on a cloudy day. Now they were a storm.

I decided to change my tone. “I need to speak with all of you, anyway. I came as soon as Norris told me you were here.”

Edward rolled his eyes and shot Clara a frown. It was going to take a lot to convince them I was capable of reform, especially since I wasn’t so sure I was, either.

“I made an assumption that Sarah should return home—that she would want to—but I should have discussed it with you.” I forced myself to add, “With all of you.”

I didn’t give two fucks what half the people in this room thought, but saying so wouldn’t endear me to the ones I did care about.

“I’m not sure that’s for the best.” Mary sniffed. “Perhaps, she should stay with us for a time to acclimate.”

“Mother, we discussed this,” Henry broke in. “We will be in London for a few weeks. The doctors say she is asking to see her family.”

“You’re receiving reports from the doctors?” Edward asked him while glaring at me.

I held out my hands wondering if there was any point in telling him that this was news to me as well.

“Of course we are,” Mary said. “We’ve always been kept informed of her care. The reports were more regular from Albert, though.”

So much for digging myself out of this hole. My family had arrived with shovels to bury me deeper. And who was keeping them in the loop? I made a mental note to discuss it with Norris. I imagined it was some policy established before my father’s death. If I’d known…

“Where would she stay?” Edward asked. “I suppose there’s room at Clarence House.”

He looked green even thinking about it. At first, I couldn’t understand why. Then I remembered how young he’d been when Sarah had left. He barely knew her.

“You’re newlyweds.” Clara placed a hand on his arm. “Sarah lived here?”

I didn’t miss the accusation in the question. She knew very well that Sarah had lived here until the accident, but she wasn’t going to miss the chance to rub my nose in shit.

“This was her home.”