Page 47 of Palace of Betrayal

Leo turned back to the window, and she couldn’t stand the lonely, isolated grief she saw in him. Walking slowly toward him she stopped and placed a hand on his back. He flinched but gave her a small smile when he realised it was her.

“Perhaps you two should talk in private and get this all out. There are enough secrets in this home and you two need to be united.”

His hand covered hers as she rubbed his shoulders. “Stay.”

Bebe looked to the King who nodded. “Please, my dear, I feel it would be good for my son to have you here for this.”

Gently she applied pressure on Leo’s shoulder to turn around and come back to the couch. He followed but took the seat beside her instead of his father this time, and she felt sympathy for the King.

“Most don’t know this, but when I met your mother she was here with Alwyn as his date. It was a party for your grandfather’s birthday and Alwyn arrived with the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Not just her outside beauty but inside too. She shone with a radiance I’ve never seen before.” He looked up at Bebe and gave a tip of his lips, the pain of losing someone he’d clearly loved fresh on his face like it had happened yesterday. “At least not until you walked in with my son.”

Bebe felt a blush heat her cheeks at the compliment he’d delivered and the spotlight it shone on hers and Leo’s relationship, whatever that was.

“We locked eyes and from that moment I knew I’d marry her. She broke it off with Alwyn that night and he was fine with it, never looked back. He was always with a different woman and said he was happy for us. We married and then you came along, and life was perfect until it wasn’t. I had only been King for a short time when your grandmother on your mother’s side died. Your mother was devastated and became horribly depressed. She stopped coming to state functions and kept to her bed. Then one day I came home to surprise her and found her in bed with Alwyn. It seemed they’d been having an affair for a few months.”

Bebe glanced at Leo who was ashen, his face grey with shock and realisation. Reaching for him, she curled her fingers around his and held tight as he leaned toward her seeking comfort, which she was happy to give him.

“Alwyn said it was my fault for ignoring her and putting the crown first. For her part, your mother was devastated, and I realised there were more people to blame than the two of them. Yes, they’d had the affair but only because I’d failed to see the signs of her loneliness. Your mother was devastated and wracked with guilt but we talked for many hours, and we wanted to fix things. Love was never an issue for us, communication was. We agreed to try again but out of the blue, three months later she had a heart attack and was gone forever.”

King Alfred’s voice wobbled, and she fought the desire to reach for him too and offer the comfort she knew he desperately needed.

Leo stood and moved to sit by his father, both men lost in grief and memories. “I blamed you.”

“I know, son, and you were right to do so. I gave too much of myself to everyone else and not enough to those who mattered.”

“No, you deserved her fidelity, no matter what. Mother could’ve told you how she felt but chose to seek comfort elsewhere. I remember her saying she was sorry to me over and over and never understood why. She felt guilty and so she should have.”

“Perhaps but I never blamed her.”

“You are too good a man. How can you stand Alwyn being in the palace? I’d hate him for his betrayal.”

“I did for a long time, but I realised my son needed family and whatever he’s done, he and Alain were family.”

“You forgave him for me?”

“I’d do anything for you. You’re my blood.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

Alfred gripped his son’s shoulder, tight. “Of course you do, my boy. You’ve grown into a man that would make any father proud. You’ll make a wonderful King one day.”

“In the meantime, we have to figure out how to stop this auction and find out who’s behind it.”

King Alfred looked at her and smiled. “Thank you, my dear. You’ve opened a lot of eyes since your arrival and healed some wounds too.”

Embarrassed to have the eyes of these two powerful and broken men on her, Bebe blushed once more, dropping her gaze to her clasped hands. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You did more than you know.”

“Well, then I’m glad. For my part, I agree with Leo that we should move you to a safe location. It will help us postpone the funeral and keep you safe.”

Alfred stood and, for the first time since she’d arrived, she saw the will of steel behind the gentle man. “No. I won’t run from this. I’ve allowed Alwyn enough freedoms in my life, and it’s time I stood up to him.”

Leo glanced at her, and she saw the worry for his father, written clear across his features.

Bebe stood, walking closer, anxious for the King’s safety now that she knew what a kind and forgiving man he was, ratcheted tight in her chest. “Your Majesty, please.”

Alfred took her hands in his as he looked up at her. “My dear, I know you mean well and wish to shelter me, but I’m the King, and a good leader never runs from a conflict. A true leader stays and fights.”