Addie stayed in her bedchamber for precisely two whole days, lamenting her decision to say goodbye to the man she loved. The tears came and went, as did Emilia, despite Addie's continual insistence that she should just be left alone. Addie never told Emilia why she was crying, but somehow the other woman knew. But when Emilia did come to sit with her, not a single word about Theo was spoken. Just a complicit understanding of love lost.

As she adjusted to the idea of living without him, Addie couldn't help but admit an inkling of regret at having turned down Theo's proposal of an affair. She knew she had acted fiercely opposed to his offer, and that her words had hurt him, but the truth was Addie loved him so fervently that she ached deep in her bones. Everything felt bleak without him.

Addie also knew that she was doing what was right. She hadn't survived that accident to only dishonor her family. She owed this to the crown.

On the third day since they had moved into Lord Trotten's home, Addie vowed that she was done wallowing. She had a wedding to prepare for, after all. Not to mention a multitude of royal duties that she must be ready to attend to.

No, she must move on. But when Addie had asked Emilia if there had been any missives sent over for her, Emilia was hesitant to respond.

"Emilia, it is time for me to meet my obligations." Emilia glanced up from where she was sitting, surprised. Addie busied herself with smoothing the skirts of her newly acquired day dress. Lady Humphries had brought her so many garments that Addie was barely able to fit them in her bedchamber. Most were intended for her wedding trousseau, but Addie had also kept several out to be worn. She glanced at Emilia, who was still sitting, frozen. "Have there been any notes sent for me? If so, I would like to see them now."

"It is just that I'm not certain you are ready, Addie," Emilia said, uncertainty splayed across her face.

Addie sighed. "I'm not certain, either, but I find I have little choice."

Emilia had been sitting in the front parlor reading, content while curled up next to the fireplace. She patted the space next to her on the settee.

"Why don't you sit with me for a while, instead? It is rather early for correspondence, after all."

Addie responded with a stern stare but was saved from the reproving lady by a deep voice behind her.

"Lady Emilia, if Her Royal Highness would like to see her messages, she is more than fit to make that decision herself," Lord Trotten said, strolling into the room to settle in the chair opposite Emilia.

Emilia looked at Lord Trotten in a way that distinctly said she disagreed. But regardless, she unfolded her legs slowly, extracting herself from the cocoon she had built. "Why don't you have a seat by the fire, Addie, while I grab the notes. I know just where they are."

She left the room, but not without one final glare at their host.

Addie rounded on Lord Trotten. "Do be nice to her. She is just trying to be a friend."

Trotten folded his hands in his lap with a sigh. "Yes, I know. However, I also know that you don't need to be coddled or protected in the way that she thinks. Do you?"

Addie regretfully shook her head.

"I didn't think so." He shifted in his chair then, surveying her as he did so. "I also wanted to tell you something. In private," he said.

"Oh?"

"For several years now, I have played the role of confidante to your uncle. It was forced at first, by the King himself. I was his puppet. When it began, there was constant speculation on his part. I felt like he was constantly looking over my shoulder, sending me to do his bidding in parliament, summoning me to him at all hours of the night. But then, as time progressed, I began to initiate the contact. I began to suggest to him policies I knew he would support, and I began to earn his trust."

Lord Trotten fiddled with the brass buttons on his waistcoat as he spoke, but his intense expression never left Addie's.

"You see, he controlled me. And I knew that if I were to ever get out from under his thumb, I needed to turn the tables. I needed to control him, instead. I let everyone believe the falsity of our relationship, even the people closest to me."

He studied the door wistfully where Emilia had left.

"What does he have on you? Why are you doing this?" Addie asked, but Lord Trotten just shook his head.

"That isn't the point. The point is that while I will continue to play this role for the King until the time is right, please know that I am in earnest your forever ally, Your Highness, even if it may not appear that way publicly."

Addie nodded her gratitude, "Thank you, my lord. Though after everything you have done, you needn't convince me of it. I hope you know if there is anything that I can help you with, you should never hesitate to ask. And please, call me Addie, or Adelaide at least."

"Only if you call me Will." He smiled briefly before it changed into a grimace. "But I'm afraid this is a matter that I must deal with personally."

"I understand," Addie replied. "But what I don't seem to understand is why you won't tell her."

He was silent.

"You left her to keep her safe from whatever it is King Ernest has over you, no?"

Lord Trotten, Will, didn't even pretend to misunderstand. He nodded.

"Tell her that, Will."

"I don't want her involved. She would meddle, you know she would, and it would only result in her getting hurt." He raised his eyebrows at Addie. "I trust that you will not betray my confidence where Emilia is involved."

Inwardly, Addie disagreed with his actions to keep Emilia in the dark, but he was right; she would not betray him.

"Of course I will not," Addie replied. "But you should know, she is stronger than you may realize."

He laughed outright at that. "Oh, I realize it. That woman is too strong for me to control. That's the problem."

She considered his words.

"Perhaps if you stopped trying to control her, you'd find your solution," Addie challenged.

"Here they are," Emilia said breathlessly, arriving in the doorway.

Will's cool mask instantly reappeared at the sound of her voice. Addie couldn't help but shake her head in regret at the facade he insisted on. And at how it was breaking both himself and Emilia in the process.

Emilia strode gracefully to where Addie sat and handed her a small stack of letters and publications.

Addie looked down at the one on the top, the script delicate and fine, looping in the same way her stomach did at the sight.

"It would seem there is a date for my wedding," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "And I have received an invitation. How did they ever know where to send it?"

"It was sent to the Duke of Weston, and he had it delivered here," Will said solemnly. "Along with that note."

Addie moved her wedding announcement aside to open the message beneath it. She read Andrew's neatly scribed words.

Your Highness,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have been thinking of you and your days ahead. Whatever you decide, know that I am always here should you have need of me. This is your opportunity to determine who you want to be, Adelaide. Choose that wisely.

With the wedding date decided on and the special license procured, I have taken liberties in selecting my best staff to accompany you to the palace. If you no longer require them, please notify me at your earliest convenience.

Best of luck,

Andrew

Emilia and Will were quiet as she contemplated the letter, surprised that Andrew still believed she had a choice in the matter when the tangible proof of the wedding sat on her lap. Addie crumpled Andrew's note into a ball in her fist and threw it in the fire.

"What is it, Adelaide?" Emilia asked, concern in her voice.

"Andrew believes I can still change my mind about the marriage, but he is wrong," Addie responded, trying to keep herself from crying.

Will watched her thoughtfully. "No, I don't think he is wrong. You can always turn the other way. I just think you have come to a resolution that you will not."

Addie nodded, focusing on the note as the fiery edges grew until it was wholly consumed.

"Yes," she whispered.

"You are so brave, Adelaide," Emilia said, sounding breathy.

Addie choked on a dark laugh. "Brave?" she countered. "I ran away from this for two years. I've never sought this path."

"Exactly," Emilia pressed. "Bravery isn't about being sure of yourself. It isn't about rushing headfirst into danger, either. Bravery is knowing when to do the right thing, at the right time, even if it scares you."

Addie studied the other woman. The sun lit her face, illuminating her with an angelic halo around her golden ringlets. The edges of her were soft, but her mouth was drawn in a fierce line.

"Emilia Shepard, you would make a far better queen than I," Addie said finally.

She laughed lightly, then, breaking through the intensity of the moment.

"Just because I know bravery when I see it does not mean that I possess it."

Addie smiled. "There are different ways for women to be brave, Emilia."

Emilia grinned back and then pointed to the stack of publications in Addie's hand. "Never mind that. I do think you should read the Mischief in Mayfair that was released yesterday. It is quite brilliant."

Addie moved to grab the gossip rag, noticing Will as she did. He stared quietly at his hands, gripping them tightly before him.

"The Madame quite outdid herself," Emilia added, rushing over beside Addie to look at the article with her.

"Royalty Reborn," Addie began to read. "Sources confirm that Princess Adelaide is truly alive and has been hiding in plain sight in London's ton the past two years. You might have even seen her at the shops on Bond Street, and not even realized she was right before your eyes! While often overlooked during her father's reign, Princess Adelaide has now taken London by storm. It was announced this morning that she has consented to marry her cousin, Prince George, in a ploy by the monarchy to keep her from snatching their crowns completely off their heads. Rumor is that the wedding will take place in a fortnight, leaving the princess in line for the throne with her beloved husband. For now, it would seem she is sacrificing her right as Queen in order to make concessions for the good of the people that have been so ruefully neglected in the reign of King Ernest. Which leaves us feeling certain of why the king has kept her survival from us these two years when she would undoubtedly be favored over himself. The question is, who will the people favor as monarch now?"

Will let loose a low whistle as she finished. "Scarlett needs to be careful with that one."

"Scarlett?" Emilia asked, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Lady Humphries," Will clarified.

"What does Lady Humphries have to do with it?"

"So, you didn't know either!" Addie exclaimed; glad she hadn't been the only one out of the loop.

"Know what?" Emilia flung her hands up, exasperated.

"Lady Humphries! She's Madame Mischief," Addie explained, excited.

"She's what?"

"I know. I couldn't believe it either," Addie gushed. "Andrew and Theo told me after we visited Buckingham."

"Well," Emilia huffed, standing to place a hand on one hip. "It would seem Scarlett has some explaining to do."

Addie looked at Emilia in surprise and then glanced at Will, uncertain of her friend's response.

Will seemed uncertain as well.

"I had forgotten," he said slowly, "that Mischief in Mayfair rather dragged Emilia's name through the mud after our engagement ended."

"How nice that you had forgotten the slander I endured. And it was more than mud: it was a dousing in the Thames, is what it was," Emilia said hotly, glaring at Will now.

"She's a gossip columnist, Emilia. It is her job," Will said, trying to pacify her.

It was the wrong thing to say.

"That's easy for you to say when all she did was sing your praises." She paused to clear her voice dramatically. "It would seem that Lord Trotten, usually so refined and polished, finally came to his senses about the hot-headed Lady Emilia: a smoking pistol, she is, and he dodged that bullet. It was a hopeless match, anyway, for him to be with a lady as hopeless as her."

Emilia spoke in a mimicking, paltry voice, recalling the words that had been written about her. Addie had no doubt that she had memorized them with agonizing clarity.

"Is that really what she wrote?" Will asked, his brows knitting together.

"Yes, Will, that is really what she wrote," Emilia shot back and then walked from the room in a flash of skirts and golden hair.

Addie stared after her, trying to decide if she should follow or let her friend be. As if he could read her thoughts, Lord Trotten spoke. "Let her be for a while."

Addie frowned at him. "I'm not sure you are the best judge when it comes to how to treat Emilia."

He shut his eyes at that, genuinely pained. "You're right."

Then he opened his eyes and directed them at her.

"I really messed up, didn't I?"

Addie widened her eyes, staring right back at him.

"I'll say. It has taken you long enough to realize it, but it is never too late, Will. Lucky for you, she will be living here for a while: it is the perfect opportunity to fix things."

"I'm lucky that she is living here? It is pure agony, Adelaide."

She gave him a pointed look. "It doesn't have to be." And with that, Addie picked herself up and followed after her friend.