Page 25 of Cruel Dynasty

She sauntered over to speak with him. I saw my chance and unlooped my arm from Spencer’s, whispering, “Give me a sec.”

My heart pounded as I crossed the few steps to where Beatrice had sat a few minutes earlier. I paused, offering the warmest smile I could muster, and held out a hand. “We haven’t been introduced yet. I’m Kerrigan. I knew Beatrice at Woldingham.”

Edward took my hand and shook it gently, then gestured to the empty seat next to him. “Please sit down. In fact, I’m begging you to sit down before she gets back. I think Beatrice missed the memo that I’m not on the market...or rather, that I’ve never been on her market.”

“I can sympathize. I think she forgets that Spencer is spoken for, too.” I chuckled.

“Oh, that’s right. I heard Spencer was engaged. You weren’t at St. Andrews with us, though, were you?” he asked conversationally.

“No, I was at Oxford.” It was easier and easier to slip into Kerrigan’s history. Perhaps, because so little had happened to me in my life, I could adopt her past more readily. There was nothing to get mixed up over. But I knew I had to be careful. I might know the facts but there were plenty of details only she could know and remember.

“And you’re settling for a St. Andrew’s man?” he asked with the first genuine smile I’d seen from him. It changed his entire face, making him look years younger than he had when I’d first sat down. The Prince was good-looking and had a reputation as the more charming of England’s royal men. Like his brother, he’d gotten his looks from his mother. A royal in her own right, the late Queen had been exiled from Greece before marrying their father. Both of Edward’s parents had died tragically. It was another reason that I felt drawn to him, I suppose. We both understood loss, but I couldn’t begin to imagine what he had gone through.

“You’re a St. Andrew’s man,” Spencer pointed out, joining us. He stood next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. I reached up instinctively and held it. Edward’s eyes followed and lingered on our clasped hands.

He finally peeled his eyes away and grinned. It was all charm with no weight behind it. He’d slipped into the role he’d played most of his life. “I apologize for that fact often.”

“We’re not so bad,” Spencer teased. He tipped his head back in the direction where Holden held residence with his whiskey. “Present company notwithstanding.”

“Am I being insulted?” Holden called across the room.

“We’re talking about St. Andrews,” Spencer replied, not bothering to look at his brother. “That place we paid a King’s ransom to give you a degree.”

“I studied constantly at university, you know that?”

This time it was Edward who laughed, but his tone was good natured. “What did you study? I don’t think you ever stepped foot in a library.”

Holden sat up, leaning his elbows on his knees, and shrugged. His eyes met mine and locked on them. “The best lessons in life aren’t taught in books or classrooms. They’re lived.”

“How profound,” Spencer muttered. “What lessons did you learn?”

“Anatomy. Chemistry. Biology.” He flashed his perfect teeth in a wide smile. “Women’s Studies.”

“I don’t think that’s what you think it is,” I said dryly.

“I’d be happy to share what I learned on that subject.” He took a long swig of whiskey, then got to his feet. “Anytime, Kerrigan.”

Her name oozed off his tongue, each syllable drawn out and intentional. It was the first time he’d used it in weeks, since the accusation he’d made that night at Sparrow Court. Part of me had begun to relax, thinking I’d convinced him he was mental. But now I realized, he’d been biding his time while he waited for his moment. Holden Byrd was walking around with a bomb, and I had no idea when he might drop it.

Edward’s eyes slid to me and back to Holden, then up to Spencer, but he didn’t say anything. Was it that obvious that there were issues between the three of us? All the generosity I’d felt toward Holden this afternoon was quickly being depleted. It was one thing to act like a jackass, it was another thing to make it the primary purpose of your life.

“Dinner is ready!” Beatrice exclaimed, returning to the room completely oblivious to the tension around her.

She ushered us into the dining room where a table for twenty had been set for the five of us. Edward and Beatrice sat at opposite ends of the table. I was placed next to Spencer, or as close as the massive table allowed with Edward on my left, and Holden was across from us. It didn’t escape my attention that Beatrice had a Byrd brother on either side of her. It seemed she wasn’t all that interested in catching up with me or Edward, after all. That was fine by me as I had no real interest in her, but it was alarming how she seemed to flirt with both men in front of me, even knowing one was my fiancé.

At least, as far as she knew.

“So what have you been up to?” Beatrice directed her first round of questions at Spencer. “I never see you out. You can’t work all the time.”

“My position in my grandfather’s office keeps me busy,” he replied in a clipped tone.

“Ah, yes, Spencer Byrd, the future youngest Prime Minister,” she said with a giggle, completely ignoring the soup that had just been placed before her.

I thanked the server for mine, but picking up my spoon I found my stomach churning too roughly to eat. I was out of my element. The ridiculous thing was that I’d been out of my element for weeks now, but I’d managed to find my footing with Spencer. At least, that’s how it felt. I swirled my spoon in the bisque as I listened to Beatrice chatter away.

“You can’t be seriously worried about that with a wedding to plan. Is he helping you with that, Kerrigan?”

I looked up, surprised to be brought into the conversation. She seemed fine keeping Spencer’s attention all to herself. “Oh, um, our mothers are planning most of it.”