Page 54 of Secret Dynasty

A small collection of cigarette butts had collected in the corner of the second floor mezzanine, its number growing with each hour Eliza spent at Sparrow Court. We stepped into the autumn air. A crisp wind bit at our noses. Winter was already on its way. By the time we returned from our short honeymoon, the holidays would be here.

I tied my silk robe tighter around me, shivering a little in the brisk air. Eliza was wearing one in pink silk, a gift for the bridesmaids, courtesy of Iris. I’d completely sucked at being a bride and thinking of things like that.

My maid of honor lit a cigarette and took a long drag.

“So out with it,” she said. “You’re acting like it’s your funeral, not your wedding day. What’s up? Other than you hating Spencer.”

“It’s not him.”

“You are going to stick to that story, huh?” She tapped ash over the side of the railing, earning an annoyed look from the florist, who was busy finishing flower arrangements for the reception. Despite the rudeness of the event, the Byrds expected hundreds of people to attend. The plan was to get married in the ballroom and then host a cocktail hour on the veranda. A number of space heaters had been erected for the occasion to counter the chill. The location allowed time to convert the ballroom back for the reception. Caroline and Iris had gone over the schedule with me a thousand times. I had it memorized. But watching as the florist tucked white roses into a garland draped along the stone railing, none of it felt real.

“Can you believe this is actually happening?” Eliza said as if she could read my mind.

“No,” I murmured.

“I mean, a couple of months ago you were the shittiest waitress in West Bexby.” She grinned when I flashed her scathing look. “The truth hurts, babe. But now you’re marrying the future Prime Minister.”

“Don’t remind me,” I said miserably.

Eliza whirled around and grabbed me by the shoulders, stamping one foot in a mini temper tantrum. “That’s it. Tell me what’s going on now.”

“I don’t know where to start.”

“Let’s start with why you look like I just kicked your puppy,” she suggested.

“Is that a euphemism?”

“A euphemism for what?”

“Never mind.” I shook my head, knowing there wasn’t time to tell her everything. I hit the major points. Eliza listened, her eyes growing wider with each passing detail. When I reached the point where I went to bed with both of them, she clapped a hand over her mouth and danced in place like she needed the loo.

“You okay there?”

“Fine,” she gasped. “Go on.”

By the time I caught her up on all the important parts, she’d fallen into stunned silence.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of this was going on?”

“You knew about the DNA test,” I said. “The rest just felt less important.”

“Yeah, but you’ve been dealing with a lot. You should have called.”

I knew that, but part of me had been scared that she would see me differently after my identity was confirmed.. “I didn’t want to dump this on you,” I admitted. “There’s still so much I don’t know.”

“You should have made that therapist do the hypnosis,” she decided. “I mean, what if he did and you found out that it really was an accident — would you still be marrying Spencer?”

“I don’t think it matters to Spencer whether it was an accident or not.” I’d consider the same question myself, but I kept coming to the same conclusion. Spencer was only interested in one thing: winning. Admitting defeat wasn’t in his nature. But deep down I knew that something darker drove him. He wouldn’t lose me to Holden. His brother was his best friend and his fiercest rival. He would do everything in his power to prevent that from happening. There was no chance of escaping this arrangement. He’d meant his threats to come after my family, and now on the cusp of taking his seat in parliament, he had the means to do so.

The door to the mezzanine opened, and Iris poked her head out. “There you are.” She waved a hand over her face to clear a billow of smoke wafting toward her.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” Eliza dropped the cigarette butt onto her pile and put it out with her slipper.

“I was in the ballet,” Iris said dismissively. “Everyone smoked.”

“In that case, do you want one?” Eliza asked wickedly.

Iris pressed her lips together and then to my surprise, she nodded her head. She stepped onto the mezzanine, wearing her own pink robe. She wasn’t technically a bridesmaid, but when she’d mentioned the robes, I demanded she order one for herself. Things were still strained between us but I needed her on my side. Caroline had assured me that many of my acquaintances from university would be in attendance. Considering that I couldn’t remember them, it didn’t mean much to me.