Tansy stood in the shadows, aglow only from the soft light leaking from Abigail’s bedroom. Quietly, so as not to wake Abigail, I crossed the room and met Tansy outside the bedroom door.
“You know who that man is. You know what he’s done to your daughter.”
Tansy barely registered emotion. “The boy you assaulted like a common street thug? Or do you mean our daughter’s fiancé? Our valued friend’s son?”
“He’s lucky he’s not dead,” I gritted.
She sighed through her nostrils. “Let’s get to the point. You need something from me, and I’m… in a mood to give it to you.”
As far as I knew there was nothing I could offer this woman. Tansy Crowne had everything, but I’d spent enough time in this world to know the fact that she even came meant there was something she wanted from me. Something money couldn’t buy.
That thought didn’t reassure me.
“What do you want?”
She pursed her lips. “Break up with her.”
ABIGAIL
I woke to the sound of my mother’s voice, drifting into my bedroom like a dream.
Abigail…
Next came Theo’s voice.
Guards… Harlington…
I blinked, rubbing my eyes, adjusting to the soft light of my bedroom. I waited, ears perked, but only heard the sound of a door shutting, and silence.
“Theo?” I called out after a moment.
He came, still dressed in the suit he’d worn earlier today, though it was wrinkled now. Had he ever gone to bed?
“Did I hear my mom?” I asked, sitting up. “What were you talking about?”
His face was cold. It had been cold. It was worse than before; at least then he’d given me anger and contempt. Now there was nothing.
I rubbed my arm, trying to brush away goose bumps.
“She was reaming me for attacking her precious guest.”
He slammed the door.
Twenty-Four
ABIGAIL
The air was weird and toxic. For lunch, we all sat outside beneath a canopied table amidst the green gardens and sprawling lawn. It was reminiscent of a medieval tournament, minus the knights. At least the arranged marriages had remained.
I was next to Edward, and Theo? He was all the way down… next to Gemma.
Oddly enough, I had four new guards at my back, but I would trade every one for Theo.
“You look beautiful,” Edward said to my left.
“You look constipated,” I said without looking at him.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Theo. Gemma’s guard had come down with the flu. At least, that was what they said.