Page 60 of Waking Roslyn

Princess Marilee gestured to a doorway off to the left. “We can visit in the sitting room until dinner is served.”

Edmund and Lisette moved toward the open doorway, and I stayed several steps behind. I was just barely able to hear Her Highness as she said in an undertone, “It has been six years, my darling.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s magically turned into a good person. He treated you abominably.”

“Still, we will be civil, won’t we? His wife has done nothing wrong.”

“Of course,” he murmured in resignation.

Their clandestine conversation did not put me at ease. What misery had Edmund visited upon these people? And more importantly, what misery might he have in store for Lisette? The thought made my stomach ache.

We all sat and did our best to maintain a polite conversation, but Edmund’s expression of utter disgust was difficult to ignore, and his surly silence was the loudest thing in the room. How much had he drunk before we came? I could only imagine that he was quite far under the boot to be acting so uncivilized.

There was a general sigh of relief when dinner was announced.

It was a credit to their excellent upbringing that the princess, Sir James, and Lisette were all able to keep up a pleasant conversation during the meal, especially with Edmund looking unpleasant the entire time.

“And where did you grow up, Lady Rockwell?” Princess Marilee asked.

“Just outside Faehurst,” she answered. “My father has a house in the country. And what of you, Princess? How does Winberg compare to Dalthia?”

“Both are beautiful in their own rights. While I do miss my home in Dalthia, I’ve fallen in love with Sutton Manor, and you would be hard-pressed to pull me away from it for more than a short visit.”

“How convenient for your husband,” Edmund muttered into his goblet.

I looked from him to Sir James in time to see Sir James’s eyes flash. For a moment, I thought he would respond to Edmund’s words, but then he seemed to decide against it.

“And how do you find Dalthia, Sir James?” Lisette asked, probably hoping to move on from Edmund’s snide comment as quickly as possible.

“It’s as my wife said, lovely. We enjoy our occasional visits, especially the chance to spend time with her family.”

“Yes,” Edmund commented, “royal connections must be maintained.”

Sir James stiffened again, but before anyone could respond, Lisette jumped in again. “You have a large family, do you not, Princess?”

Dinner continued, and Edmund’s few muttered responses were pointedly ignored.

It was an utter disaster, and I was mortified on Lisette’s behalf. I could feel her humiliation, her hurt, and her anger even though she hid it fairly well.

Despite Edmund’s abominable behavior, I was optimistic that we would end the evening and maintain some sort of dignity. It didn’t matter that we were all desperately uncomfortable, I could tell that we all hoped to fake the pleasantries till the last moment.

But then a footman went to refill Edmund’s wine goblet. Apparently he didn’t want any more wine, or he was just determined to be unpleasant. Either way, he pushed the servant’s hand away, and because the footman had been mid-pour, wine splashed onto the table and Edmund’s knee.

He shot to his feet with a curse, pushing the footman out of the way when he tried to help.

Edmund’s reaction was dramatic and overdone, certainly, but the reaction of those around him was no less severe. Princess Marilee took in a startled gasp and went stiff, gripping the sides of her chair. Sir James stood, putting himself firmly between his wife and Edmund, and Falstone—who had been standing unobtrusively in the corner for the entirety of the visit—was suddenly at hand, placing himself beside Her Highness. He looked as if he’d like nothing more than to pummel Edmund.

Edmund, for his part, finished throwing his tantrum, brushed off his breeches with a napkin, and allowed the footman to clean up the spill on the table and clear away the goblet. When he went to sit down again, he finally noticed Sir James and Falstone.

He chuckled darkly. “Fussy little nursemaids, the both of you.” He shook out a new napkin with a snap and laid it across his lap.

Princess Marilee’s hands visibly shook as she set her napkin on the table and then rose unsteadily to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me,” she murmured and then walked stiffly from the room.

Sir James was only a couple steps behind and did not bother to excuse himself. He only turned to say, “Watch him, Falstone” as he hurried after his wife.

I was left stunned and speechless, and when I looked to Lisette, I could see tears of humiliation clouding her eyes. What had just happened? I didn’t understand it, and that was more disconcerting than anything.

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