Page 23 of Secret Dynasty

“With the funeral and Spencer’s new responsibilities, maybe we should wait,” Iris suggested.

Caroline straightened, instantly appearing taller than she had moments ago. “It’s Spencer’s wish that they marry as soon as possible. He’s the head of this family now, so that decision is up to him.”

Spencer was the one pushing to move the wedding date up? He’d made it sound as though it was his mother’s obsession—a holdover from the plans for a political dynasty his grandfather had groomed him for. Why was it so important to him? And what about me? What about what I wanted?

As if she could read my mind, Iris pointed out exactly that. “Shouldn’t Kerrigan have a say?”

For a moment my anger over her betrayal ebbed. Maybe she was only looking out for me. She seemed to genuinely care about me, but was that only because she believed I was Kerrigan?

“She had her say. He asked her and she said yes,” Caroline said with a shrug as if my acceptance of Spencer’s proposal was a binding legal arrangement.

“It’s her wedding.” Iris sounded frustrated, and I realized she must have been having this same debate for days. She’d taken my side, even though it meant losing battle after battle.

“And it will be beautiful. She’ll have the wedding every bride dreams of,” Caroline said dismissively.

“Perhaps, we can include her in more—”

“I don’t expect you to understand how this works,” Caroline cut her off, her eyes narrowing to slits. “You’re new to this world. This is not simply a wedding. It is a political maneuver. It shows Spencer’s maturity and will help him when he makes his run.”

“Surely, he can’t be planning that for at least ten more years,” Iris said, tapping her manicured fingers restlessly on the marble countertop. “That leaves plenty of time—”

“The more established his family is in the public eye, the better. Ten years gives them time to marry and have children. She’ll need to produce an heir and at least two more unless that American bitch pops out more little royals.” Caroline chewed on each word like she could barely swallow the thought.

I no longer felt hungry. I clung to the shadows, even as part of me raged. How dare Spencer’s mother plan my future like this? Was I nothing more than a breeding machine to her? Spencer and I hadn’t discussed children much. Not yet. If he expected Kerrigan to immediately conceive it was news to me. But as sick as her assumptions made me, I didn’t see why she was dragging the royal family into it. King Alexander had thought highly of Lord Byrd, by all accounts. He’d taken the time to come to the funeral. Spencer had been cordial to him but not friendly. All that left me to wonder what the Byrds had against the monarchy.

“What does the queen have to do with any of this?” Iris asked the question I was struggling to answer myself.

“Every time she produces another baby, the public falls more in love with the monarchy. The people are so blinded that they can’t see that all power should be invested in the Parliament,” Caroline continued. “My son will change all of that, but he needs to be well-loved first. If England is hungry for a handsome, young family man and his pretty wife and children, we can offer an even better version.”

“Better?” Iris repeated.

“British,” Caroline clarified.

There was a pause. Iris stared at her as if waiting to find out this was all a joke. “I had no idea you were so prejudiced.”

“Don’t be dramatic.” Caroline waved off the dig. “We merely want what’s best for the country. You can’t blame us for that. But if you’re having trouble supporting this wedding, perhaps I should speak to Tod directly.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Iris said quickly. “I just want to make sure that Kerrigan’s needs aren’t forgotten in all the preparations.”

“Kerrigan is the reason we’re doing all of this.”

“Really?” Iris tilted her and stared at Spencer’s mother. “Honestly, I didn’t think you liked her.”

“I don’t,” she said without missing a beat. “But she’s the result of excellent breeding and she’s been groomed to step into this position her whole life. She knows her place.”

Iris blinked as if she’d misheard her. “Her place? You can’t actually believe that.”

“As I said, our circles operate differently than the ones you are accustomed to. Women like myself or Kerrigan understand the importance of appearances and networking, but we also know how important it is to be whatever the head of the family demands.”

“Like being a perfect wife and having babies?”

“It’s a fair trade. She’ll never know want. She’ll live in the lap of luxury. What more could a girl ask for?”

A caterer interrupted them before Iris could respond. A moment later, they returned to the party, but Caroline’s question lingered in my mind. What more could a girl ask for?

Now I knew why Kerrigan had run. Caroline was wrong. There was something she wanted, despite her wealth and privilege. It was the same thing I wanted. And it was something worth fighting for: freedom.

Chapter Thirteen