Missing Lily (Tales of Dalthia) (31 page)

“I’m sorry I had to lie, Rose.” I had not planned to apologize, but it came out none the less.

“Oh, Princess. Rhys explained everything. And to think, I had a princess sitting in my kitchen and I had no idea.” She abruptly pulled back. “And as for you disappearing—”

“I know that was unfair, and I tried to make up for it when I came back to tell you I was all right.”

“And didn’t wait for me to return.” Rhys’s voice was more teasing than accusatory, but I had no doubt that my actions still hurt him.

“It would have only complicated things.”
 

He brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers and gave me an understanding smile. “And to think, all I had to do was knock on my neighbor’s door and I would have found you.”

I pressed my forehead into his shoulder. “You were betrothed. I couldn’t interfere.”

He slipped a hand around the back of my neck and kissed my forehead. “I know, Lylin.”

Rosamond rubbed her hands together. “Well, come in. Come in. What am I doing? Making you stand in the entry.” She tried to herd me toward the sitting room. “Where are my manners for a member of the royal family?”
 

I barely suppressed a groan. “It’s just me, Rose.”

She put a hand to my cheek, and I was surprised to see tears glistening in her eyes. “I know it’s you, little one. I’m just so happy to see you, I can hardly see straight.” She took my hand and led me to a chair. “Now, you will let me dote on you to my heart’s content and I won’t hear another word about it.”

I smiled and blushed as I muttered a small, “Very well,” and watched her scurry from the room. She passed Rhys, who stood leaning in the doorway, a bemused smile on his face.

“Come sit. You have to let her dote on you, too.”

He pushed away from the wall. “She barely knows I’m here.” He sat next to me. “You have utterly stolen her heart.”

I looked at him, into the eyes of this man I so dearly loved, and couldn’t help apologizing one more time. “I’m sorry.”

His brow furrowed. “About what?”

“About not letting you see I was ok. I really wanted to, but you still didn’t know who I was.”

He was silent for a moment. Debating. “I went after you,” he admitted.

My answer was quiet. “I know.”
 

Shock blanketed his features. “You know?”

“I watched from the top of the hill.”

His face fell. “You were that close?”

I nodded.

He sighed. “And then I showed up at your home, as the one chosen for your sister.”

My heart ached to remember. “That was...a terrible moment for me. I was horrified and so jealous.”

“I can understand that feeling all too well. I didn’t realize just how out of control my feelings for you had become until Lord Wisen showed up.”

“I was always surprised that you seemed to not like him. He really was a decent man.”

“Decent, to be sure. And meant for you. Then he came up with that awful archery competition.”

“You didn’t enjoy that?”

“I truly enjoyed showing my superior skill, but then your sister decided there must be a victor’s kiss.”

“What was wrong with the victor’s kiss?” That was one moment I had relived and treasured every day since it happened. It bothered me to think that he felt differently.

“I hated not being able to kiss you the way I wanted.” His eyes dipped to my mouth as I blushed. “I
still
haven’t kissed you the way I want to.”

Now my cheeks were on fire, which made him grin. I buried my face in his shoulder to hide my embarrassment.

“Don’t worry. I plan to take the opportunity soon enough.”

I didn’t think my face could get any hotter. I was wrong. I pulled away to fan myself and talked in an attempt to divert his attention. “That opportunity might not come for some time. I forgot to mention that you will be receiving more guests this afternoon. My father is sending my lady’s maid along with more guards.”

I thought he might be irritated, but he surprised me by laughing. “I’ll take you with as many guards as your father wishes.” He brushed his fingers along my jaw. “I’m just glad you are here. How long do you get to stay?”

“I have no idea. I didn’t bother asking.”
 

***

After lying in bed for over an hour without even a hint of sleep, I decided to get up. I pulled on a dressing gown and left my room, quietly walking down the servants’ stairs and into the kitchen. I found some water and a leftover pastry and sat by the kitchen window, nibbling on my late night treat. My lack of decorum would have been chastised by my parents, but being in this house left me feeling like Lily. I lay my head against the cool glass and looked up at the full moon, smiling at my recollections of the day’s events as clouds moved over the moon, blocking some of its light.

I was pulled from my pleasant musings by the unmistakable noise of the main door opening, then closing. I tried to think of a good reason for someone coming or going at this late hour and could think of none. Then again, I could claim no intimate knowledge of the estate’s workings. I’d never been awake enough to notice such noises in the middle of the night. Perhaps Giles went out to check the animals on occasion. There could be any number of explanations.

It was probably nothing to worry over, but I wasn’t about to take that for granted. I moved silently across the room and through the dining hall until I could see into the entry hall and the corridor that led to the gallery. A dim light shone from Tobias’s study and I knew very well that Tobias was not at home—or at least, he was not
supposed
to be at home.

As I continued to watch, a figure slipped out of the study, swathed in a traveling cloak, still wearing riding gloves and boots. He walked carefully into the entry hall and started climbing the grand staircase. I backed up, but not slowly enough. The man turned toward me, then rushed in my direction. I dashed through the kitchen and up the servants’ stairs, breathing frantically, sure he would catch me at any moment. I reached the door to Rhys’s chamber and fumbled with the handle before stumbling inside.

“Rhys!” I shrieked, but I could already see him sitting up in bed. I ran to the side of the bed that was opposite of the door. “There’s a man!”

He sprung up, just as the shadow of the intruder stopped in the open doorway, then turned to flee down the stairs. Rhys chased after him, screaming, “All awake!”

Only a few moments later, lights came down the hallway, and several people ran downstairs. When I finally regained the feeling that had left my legs, I went out into the hallway and could clearly hear the disturbance in the front hall. I moved down the corridor to the top of the grand staircase and looked down on the scene. Tobias lay on his back, pinned to the ground by Rhys, who crouched over him, pushing a knee into his chest. Nearly all the men in the house stood around them, ready to intervene should Rhys ask, but they stayed on the outskirts of the hall.

“I should have known it would be you,” Rhys panted, then demanded, “Why are you here, Tobias?”

Tobias sneered, teeth bared. “This is my home,
brother
.”

“You’re no longer welcome here.” Rhys hauled Tobias off the ground, but kept a firm hold on the front of his shirt. “Now, why did you come back?” He shook him.

A wicked grin mixed with his sneer. “Why did I find a princess in your bed chamber?”

There was an audible intake of breath from the room at large, and also from behind me. I glanced back to see several maids, looking on curiously, clutching the fronts of their dressing gowns.

I turned back almost immediately to see Rhys throw Tobias across the room. “You dare make insinuations about Lylin?” he roared, advancing once again and pulling Tobias to his feet only to slam him up against a wall.
 

Tobias shoved him away. “It was a question, Rhys. And what’s your answer?”

Rhys cocked back his fist, saying, “You sniveling piece of—”

“Lord Fallon.” Everyone’s eyes turned to Captain Newel, who had stepped forward as he spoke.
 

Rhys’s fist was frozen, ready to deliver a harsh blow at any moment, but he turned to the captain.
 

“What is your answer?” The captain asked.

I turned to look at Nathaniel, who was staring at Captain Newel like he wanted to flay him.
 

My temper flared in indignation. Surely, he was not demanding an answer to such a ridiculous accusation?

“Was the princess in your chamber, my lord?”

Nathaniel stepped forward, no doubt to defend me, but I spoke first.

“Yes, I was.” My clear voice almost echoed as it floated down to the entry and every eye turned to me. I started walking down the stairs as I continued, “I entered because that man pursued me through the house after I saw him skulking about. I entered to warn the lord of the manor that there was an intruder in his home, and he ran out not two seconds later.” I arrived at the bottom of the stairs, but stayed one step up, wanting to keep the height advantage. “Do you have any other questions,
Captain
?”

His eyes dropped. “No, Your Highness.”

“Good. Then I suggest some of you take this opportunity to escort that man from the premises.” I turned, my back ramrod straight, and climbed the stairs once more, but stopped halfway up. “And you might want to search him first. He was in the study down that hall. No doubt he was looking for something.”

I went directly to my room, shutting the door firmly.
 
I removed my dressing gown and climbed back in bed, resigned to the fact that I would be staring at the ceiling for a long while. It took quite some time for the house to settle and even longer for my indignation to calm. I tried to take solace in the fact that Rhys and Nathaniel had so readily defended me, and that Tobias was gone. Eventually I was able to sleep.

***

Rhys and I managed to slip out on our own in the morning. We weren’t headed anywhere in particular. We just wandered and talked.

“I’m sorry about last night.”

I smiled. “Do you know that’s the third time you’ve apologized?”

“Yes, and I imagine I’ll apologize several more times before the morning ends.”

“But it wasn’t your fault.”

“That’s a matter of opinion.”

“How exactly do you consider yourself responsible for the actions of your brother?”

“I knew what he was capable of, and I didn’t guard against it.”

“What happened between you two?” He looked over at me, sadness dusting his features. “After you both left the palace, what happened?”

He let out a sigh. “He blamed me for Lorraina’s turning him away. And because he blamed me, his behavior became even more volatile, more violent.”

“Do you think he really loved her?”

“I know he did.” There was no hesitation in his response. “He loved her as much as he was capable of loving anyone. But I think he still loved himself more.”

“How do you know he loved her?” His certainty made me curious.

“After he woke everyone last night, we took your suggestion and searched him. Then I questioned him at length about the letters that we found in his coat.”

“Letters? Like the one I found in his study?”

“No, actually. The letters were from your sister.”

I stopped walking. “They wrote letters?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of letters?”

“Your sister’s letters were friendly and inquisitive. It seems she had a genuine interest in getting to know my brother.” His expression was puzzled.

“That surprises you?”

“I’ve never thought of my brother as approachable. Granted, that is probably because I’m used to his hostility toward me, but the idea that he could charm a young lady so thoroughly...”

“You said last night that he was no longer welcome in the manor. Why?”

He gave a deep sigh. “His violent outbursts have been escalating ever since we returned from the palace. Then, a week ago, I heard him fly into one of his rages. I found him screaming at Rosamond, who was backed against a wall and looked genuinely terrified.” He looked over at me. “Rosamond has known Tobias his entire life; she’s seen his outbursts time and time again. But I’d never seen her affected like that. And I’d never seen him so out of control.”

I hated to ask the
 
next question, but I had to know. “Because of Lorraina?”

His gaze fell to me as he considered. “I honestly don’t know. But it seems likely. And considering everything, I felt I had to cut him off. I couldn’t put my staff in danger that way.”

“Where did he go?”

Rhys shrugged. “He likely went to the inn that he is so fond of. He’s spent a good portion of his nights there over the years. He enjoys the unfettered access to wine.”

“And what if he comes back again?”

“Honestly...I don’t know. Besides,” he said, pushing my hair behind my ear. “I don’t really want to discuss Tobias right now.” He pulled me closer and my heart jumped into my throat, anticipation racing along my nerves.