Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I stopped and took in a shaky breath. “And now she has to manage this, too? And the man she loves—who she didn’t get to have for years, by the way—is…” My throat tightened. “It’s not fair, Kenj. How can we ask this of her? It’s too much.”
For a long time, Kenji’s fingers brushed through my hair, his nails dragging lightly over my scalp, causing me to fall into the in-between space of wakefulness and sleep. His voice was laced with warm, quiet amusement. “When it’s someone you love, taking on their troubles isn’t a burden. It’s a blessing. You want to make their life easier. Fix their problems. Shoulder their worries. Lighten their load so they can live happy and free.”
His voice soothed me. The rhythm and cadence lulled me further into sleep as his reassurance helped me let go of my stress about Nan.
It wasn’t until the next morning, when I was on my way to an early breakfast meeting with Teddy Baines, that I fully processed the words Kenji had said.
And realized he hadn’t been talking about Nan at all.
TWENTY-ONE
KENJI
After the tumultuous night, I slept in later than usual. But when I woke up, I felt like I’d stepped into a goddamned Julie Andrews movie. The hills were alive, and I might as well have had clothes made out of curtains for how joyful I felt.
“Oh dear god,” Cora groaned when I swept into the kitchen and called out a cheery good morning. She dropped her head on the arms she had bent on the table. “He’s one of those. Can we call a quorum to have him booted from the family?”
Nan looked up, amused. “Good morning, Kenji. Landry wanted me to remind you he had an early morning meeting at Downing Street. He said to let you have a lie-in, and I’m happy to see you got it.”
I remembered Teddy’s breakfast meeting—a chance to introduce Landry to a few key MPs. While I was disappointed not to see him, I understood this was his job now.
If he wanted it to be, a voice in my head whispered.
I’d meant what I told him last night. Whether to be considered for Parliament or not was his choice, and if this was what he wanted, I’d stand beside him and help make it happen. I still worried that he wouldn’t be happy in politics—he’d been a tight ball of stress beneath his polished charm last night—but maybe the satisfaction of continuing his family legacy was enough to balance that out.
I wouldn’t push him either way, but hopefully, now that things between us were finally, beautifully settled, we could talk about it more.
In the meantime, I had my own work to catch up on. It had been far too long since I’d checked in, and I had a Zoom meeting with my assistant later this morning. Time to start reclaiming some of my responsibilities.
“I feel refreshed and revitalized,” I told Nan belatedly. “Thank you. It helped that I drank half a gallon of water in the middle of the night.”
Lydia swept into the room, rustling like an expensive curtain. “Sit up straight, Cora, dear. You look like you’re playing a bit part in a teen drama.” She pulled out a thick, leather date book. “I’ve been poring over our invitations after last night, strategizing based on Lord Twetts’s keen attentions to you. We’ll definitely attend the Kingsleys’ dinner party, and I think we’ll have to at least pop in at the Willow and Ink fundraiser…”
Cora let Lydia prattle on while the rest of us focused on breakfast. Ed happily sipped his tea behind the paper, and I wondered whether Jamie had actually spent the night with Cora or not. I glanced around but didn’t see evidence of him.
Finally, I nudged Cora with my toe and gave her interrogation eyebrows.
She squinted in confusion.
I widened my eyes and tilted my head toward the foyer—Jamie’s most likely escape route, assuming he knew how to operate the damn locks better than I did.
Cora’s hungover brain seemed to struggle.
“Booty call,” I coughed.
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks darkened. I tilted my head and blinked in silent demand.
She rolled her eyes and gave a slight nod before slumping over her coffee mug. “Mum, you have to stop. I’m not interested in Lord Twat. I mean Twetts. There is zero chance of a Davencourt-Twetts alliance. Please cease and desist.”
Feigning ignorance, I mused, “I think it would be better if Cora made an alliance outside the nobility. But they should still be wealthy and powerful, of course. It wouldn’t do to—oof.”
The back of her heel connected with the front of my shin. Thankfully, she was still wearing house slippers.
She stuck out her tongue, and I fought a laugh, feeling lighter and happier than I had in weeks.
Which, of course, was the exact moment Nan sucked in a breath, eyes riveted to her tablet, and muttered, “Oh, bloody hell.”