Theo was hovering in front of her, breathing heavily. The words hung between them, his lips having said the truths she understood all too well. His body was pressed nearly against her, and she ached with the closeness of it; the virility he exuded was too much. The faint smell of liquor wafted over her. It was intoxicating. He was intoxicating.

Addie could not give him the answers that he so desperately craved, but she also could not walk away from this man.

Subconsciously, she leaned in further, needing more, and he took the opportunity. Theo's lips claimed hers in a searing kiss. She had never felt something so hard and hot but also soft at the same time. Addie melted against him as his tongue searched for entrance into her mouth. She obligingly opened for him, and he brushed against her in a jolt of awareness. He groaned, and the satisfaction of it flooded her with desire.

Theo pushed her back so that she lightly hit the wall next to the settee, his hands roaming up and down her arms as he deepened the kiss. Her own hands reached up and around his neck, tangling her fingers in his bronze hair. Addie anchored him to her, kissing him back with unexplainable need.

"Theo," she gasped.

"I can't help it," he repeated in a ragged voice, clasping her face between his hands before drawing them together again.

Addie clutched him tighter, her legs nearly giving way beneath her. She knew he was breaking her down from the outside in, but she couldn't stop. He devoured her with skilled passion, his tongue darting between her lips, teasing her to no end. It was an acute sensation she had never experienced before. She couldn't restrain a whimper in response.

Theo jerked away, panting heavily. His face was flushed. "I shouldn't have done that," he said between breaths.

All she could do was shake her head, denying his words. She was unable to speak, stunned by the passionate embrace. It was one she had been shamefully imagining in her head for weeks. For once in her life, reality triumphed over fantasy.

"It's your turn, anyway," he said finally, spinning away from her as he did.

"My turn for what?" Addie managed to say, not willing to believe they were reverting to casual conversation after what had just occurred.

"To tell me the truth, remember?" Theo whirled back around, his face a mask of emotions.

Addie swallowed nervously.

He walked straight up to her, though didn't dare get as close as before. When he was an arm's length away, he took her hand gently in his.

"Who are you?" Theo asked quietly.

"You know who I am," she replied, equally quiet.

He began to shake his head in response, and Addie added, "I am Addison Singleton, your maid."

Theo closed his eyes for a moment, tilting his head up at the ceiling. When they opened, Addie saw the one thing she feared most—disbelief.

She refused to believe that he knew the truth, however. If he thought her Princess Adelaide, surely he would have just said so already, especially with what he had revealed here tonight.

God, she could not believe what he had revealed here tonight.

Theo stated that he was searching for Princess Adelaide as if it were the most offhand comment he'd ever said. As though it didn't break Addie's insides to hear. As though it didn't make her want to shout that she was right here.

But Addie couldn't. The papers Theo had given her said it clear as day. It was unsafe for her to be anyone but Addie Singleton.

By the last page she'd read, her gut was roiling. His notes were accurate and to the point. He had perfectly captured Princess Adelaide, her life summarized on these tiny pages. His assumptions of her uncle, the king, were valid, laying out the reasons why she had gone into hiding.

Strangely, it was comforting. Addie had many times second-guessed her decision to vanish in the aftermath of the accident. Could she have prevented this man from becoming king? Perhaps.

But Theo's work was a good reminder of what had been at stake for her. Addie had been too weak for the battle of thrones that would have inevitably ensued if she had gone back to the palace after the accident. Ernest had too many supporters, and Addie was woefully inexperienced. At least this way, she was alive. And maybe one day she would find the strength and the way to become Princess Adelaide again.

At the bottom of the page, there had been a note. Was a body discovered? it read in hastily written handwriting.

She had wondered, initially, what Ernest would do upon discovering her missing body. Would he raise the alarm, or would he allow her to fade into the shadows, hushing those around him into secrecy? She had known that time would tell, but time was all she had needed anyway. And he had done exactly as she had expected, ignoring his niece's missing body. It only gave her further ammunition for believing Ernest was to blame.

"Addie... " Theo began, drawing her attention.

"Please," she quickly interrupted him. "Please, do not ask me more."

Addie knew she was begging him now, asking too much of him, but she no longer had any other choices and found she no longer cared.

Theo took her other hand in his. "Whatever it is, I can help you. Whatever it is you are hiding, you needn't hide it from me," he implored.

Addie breathed a small sigh of relief that it did not appear he knew what she was keeping from him. Not exactly, anyway.

Addie shook her head. "I cannot, Theo. You do not understand." Theo reached up and touched her face to wipe away tears that she did not realize were falling down from her eyes.

"Help me understand," he whispered.

She shook her head again. "I cannot," she repeated, unable to muster any more words through her tears.

Addie was shocked as he gathered her into his arms, keeping her against his strong, hard body. Addie breathed in his embrace. For so long, how she had desired to be held like this. He brought her to the settee, carefully placing her down without letting go.

"I can protect you. You know that, right?" Theo said with quiet conviction.

Addie said nothing, but once again relief mixed with her sadness. There were many things that a duke could provide protection from, but King Ernest was not included in that. If Theo knew the truth, he would agree too.

If the rumors regarding George's marriage were true, it was possible Addie could not let herself stay hidden for long. But for now, she would relish in Theo's hold, his warmth. She would relish in simply being Addie. A maid and nothing more.

They lay there for a long time in the dark library before Addie's tears had dried and the exhaustion of it sent her into a restless sleep. When she woke, a blanket had been pulled over her, but the warmth from Theo was gone. Once again, she was alone.

****

When Theo informed Addie that she would be accompanying him to visit Andrew the next morning, she merely stared at him blankly.

He couldn't really blame her for her reaction. Confusion was now a part of his daily climate too, mostly because of her.

But regardless, thanks to his drunken and impassioned lack of self-control, she was a part of this now. If Andrew found out what Theo had told her, he would insist on seeing her anyway. So Theo figured she might as well come along from the start. Even though he had no idea who she was or if he should trust her. He really shouldn't trust her.

But Theo could not resist Addison Singleton. Which was why he'd had to leave last night. She'd been frightfully close to him, pressed against his chest and tucked beneath his arm. Theo had merely wanted to comfort her, but then his body, still reeling from their kiss, had begun to betray him.

He was a wretched man.

Addie met him outside by the carriage at precisely one o'clock in a lovely sage green frock. Most would likely call it plain, but Theo liked it. Her hair was once again tied in a bun, though wisps of it kept trying to escape her otherwise orderly appearance. She gave him a small and hesitant smile, taking the hand that he offered to help her inside the carriage. The touch burned through him as he remembered the way she ran her hands up against him last night.

As they settled down in the carriage opposite each other, awkward silence ensued. God, kissing her had been a mistake. Even if she had been the one to lean toward him. Even if she had responded eagerly to his touch, gasping his name in pleasure. It couldn't happen again, and now he was left destitute by the memories.

She was looking awkwardly around, and Theo realized he should say something.

"Addie...I am sorry for last night."

A sort of strangled laugh came out of her lips. And then she said lowly, "You needn't apologize, Your Grace. It is I who should be apologizi—"

"No," Theo said sternly. "Don't."

She pursed her lips together tightly, and all Theo wanted to do was kiss them again.

"So, just who is this friend of yours that has the Duke of Kingfield doing his bidding?" Addie changed the subject.

Theo contemplated a way to describe Andrew. "He is an old friend. In fact, he was my father's friend first. They were very close when my father was alive."

He broke off, unable to hold her sympathetic gaze as he spoke of his family.

"My father grew very ill when I was just a boy. I was thirteen when he died. After he passed, my mother stopped taking care of herself. She withdrew from the world, grieving her husband in private. One day she caught a chill, a slight illness that most would have quickly recovered from. But my mother had no will to recover, and soon she joined my father. Andrew stepped in as a father figure for me as I grew up. For that, I am forever in his debt."

Theo thought that was rather an understatement.

He looked back to see Addie nodding slowly as she slid his way ever-so-slightly. Theo watched her hand reach out toward him, resting softly on his knee. "I am sorry about your parents, Theo. But I am glad that you had Andrew. He undoubtedly did his job in raising a great man."

Theo's throat tightened. He wasn't sure the last time he had been paid such an unsolicited compliment, let alone sympathy. Coming from her, it could have been real.

"Thank you," he whispered in response. He cleared his throat before continuing. "It did not hurt that Andrew, the Duke of Weston, was, and still is, a powerful man. He was the very best of mentors. He opened doors for me that I wouldn't have opened without him."

Theo stopped short as Addie broke out into a fit of coughing, covering her face with her hands as she gasped for air. It alarmed him, and he immediately went to put his hand on her shoulder, but she merely waved his concern away. She took several deep breaths to compose herself before she could speak.

"I look forward to meeting him," Addie commented in a small voice. Theo assumed it stemmed from nervousness, realizing that he'd just spent the last several minutes building Andrew up to be a relatively intimidating man.

"You needn't be concerned, Addie," he rushed to reassure her. "He will be more than gracious to you, especially considering how helpful you have been to me."

Addie bobbed her head in silent agreement but did not say anything further. She studied the views outside the carriage, chewing on her lip as she did. Theo watched her quizzically. Honestly, he was a little taken aback. He recalled her utter lack of a reaction when she had met him in the streets, even after learning he was a duke. Was she that intimidated by the thought of meeting another?

Theo didn't have too long to think on it as they quickly arrived at a monumental Mayfair property that rivaled only his own. As the carriage door opened, he moved toward it before Addie placed a hand on his shoulder. He stopped to find wide eyes staring at him.

"Perhaps I should wait here, and if he wishes to speak with me you can summon me. I wouldn't mind in the least."

Theo narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Nonsense. I am certain he will wish to meet you." He grabbed her hand and flashed his most reassuring smile.

Addie seemed none too reassured, though. Hesitantly, she followed him out of the carriage and up the steps of the presumptive Jacobean mansion to meet the Duke of Weston.

****

Oh, the irony was killing her.

After the carriage accident two years ago, Addie had been unsure of where to go. She had known people that would have helped her, even would have hidden her, but there had also been a part of her that was relieved by the disconnection from them all.

Her grief had still been heavy, and should she have run to them, the duty that awaited her had been almost too much to shoulder. The possible danger that would have befallen her and the people around her felt imminent.

Admittedly, she had been scared.

So Addie hid. She hid until the day she had been walking through the bustling streets of London, considering if she should leave for America. Her thoughts had been interrupted when she passed a modern and crisp townhouse. It was newly built, somewhat out of place amongst London's old homes. She hadn't been the only one to notice either, as two women were standing nearby, gaping up at it.

The ladies were undoubtedly haut ton, judging by the elegant pelisses they wore and the pristine curls neatly pinned beneath their bonnets. Both women carried magnificently furry muffs despite the weather growing warmer by the day.

"I heard that Lord Bennett had it built for his new wife," one of the women had said in hushed tones. "They were to move in before the start of the season, but Lady Bennett insisted on hiring the servants herself, and none of them were up to snuff."

Addie's ears had perked up, instantly interested. She may not have had any experience in working as a servant, but surely she could manage, being that she was familiar with the workings of an upper-class household.

What Addie knew she did have, however, was a sharp mind and an obviously refined air. She knew how to present herself, and as it turned out, that was all she had needed to fool the snobby countess into hiring her even though her references had been manifested from thin air. She may not have been the most poised princess, but she was undoubtedly the most articulate maid London had ever known.

The job as a lady's maid had been so perfect that Addie had all but jumped at it. What better way to stay under the radar while still maintaining access to London's whispered conversations?

But today, it would seem, this job of hers would be her downfall.

Theo's friend, the Duke of Weston, had been close with her family. Addie knew him. And had she known that this was the Andrew that Theo often spoke about, she would have exited this ridiculous scheme at the first possible moment.

Addie cursed herself for not having put two and two together.

Given that Weston had always had an extreme dislike for her Uncle Ernest, Addie should have known he'd be the one that was set on searching for her. And that he would find her.

The problem was that Addie wasn't sure she was ready to be the woman—the ruler—he wanted her to be. Two years ago, she hadn't been prepared for what he would have asked her to do if he had known she was alive. To live in a world where her family did not.

Was she ready now?