The Concubine (Unexpected Circumstances 5)

I headed out the door without another word and heard Michael stand to follow me. It did not take long to find my husband, for the clamoring of sword on sword could be heard across the field. He was there with a half-dozen of his men, offering instruction and practice. Though I was sure he must have seen me, he did not come over to the fence as he usually did to greet me. After determining he was not going to do so, and he was obviously all right for the moment, I turned to head back to the castle with Michael following.

I returned to our rooms to find breakfast there, but I did not feel much like eating. The meal was eventually taken away untouched. I washed and changed into a clean dress with Janet’s help, then dismissed her immediately. I sat near the fire with Amarra at my side, stroking her soft fur as I watched the logs burn down and tried to keep my mind from straying to any unsavory thoughts.

Sometime near midday, I heard a knock at our door.

“Queen Sunniva asked me to bring these to you,” Hadley said softly. She handed me some sewing I had left in the Women’s Room some time ago.

“Come inside, Hadley,” I said with a wry grin. “I am quite sure our queen just wants to make sure we speak with each other today. She believes she is stealthy in her dealings, but I have learned her methods.”

I laughed slightly, but there was no joy in the sound. Hadley only smiled, and I gestured for her to sit on the couch in the morning room. My morning tea was still steeped in the pot, so I heated it to share with her. Once we were settled with our cups, I looked at her face.

Her cheeks were splotchy red and her eyes swollen.

“Hadley?” I reached out and touched her arm. She looked at me and took a deep breath before speaking.

“I am all right, my lady,” she said quietly.

“None of that in here,” I told her for the tenth time.

“I’m sorry, Alexandra.” She smiled a tight-lipped smile.

“Are you truly well?” I asked.

She nodded as she stared at her teacup. I huffed through my nose, immediately feeling anger in my breast that my only childhood friend was now apparently unable to speak with me. Is this Edgar’s objective, his real motive? To harm us from the inside?

“Hadley, please,” I said. “I know this is…most strange, but we are still the same two people, are we not?”

“We are,” she said.

“My position has not changed, correct?”

“Correct.”

“However, yours has,” I said, refusing to let the tension in the room continue without being named. “You are now a part of my family in a very different way than either of us ever expected. It is…awkward, but we will not let it come between us.”

Hadley looked up at me with trepidation.

“We will not,” I repeated.

“Of course not, Alexandra,” she said. She took another breath, squared her shoulders, and turned to me more fully. “You are right, of course. This changes nothing between us.”

“It changes much,” I said, for this was not going to be about denying what was happening. “It just does not mean we are no longer friends or that we cannot speak of it or any other topic we choose.”

Hadley smiled and nodded. I reached over and took her hand.

“Tell me, Hadley,” I said softly. “Tell me what happened last night. Branford would not speak of it.”

Hadley’s eyes went wide as I tried to keep my expression calm and unassuming. I did not wish to do anything that would keep her from telling me an honest account. I was not sure if I was altogether successful since Hadley’s expression remained doubtful.

Looking away from her, I closed my eyes and tried to force my own fears out of my mind. I did not really want to know, but not knowing was driving my mind in circles.

“Do you really wish to know these things?” she asked with tension in her voice.

“I do,” I told her, and

the look in her eyes reflected my own look of disbelief. As much as I wanted to ignore it all for my own sake, knowledge would put me at ease. “Branford refused to tell me, but I still need to know.”

Hadley seemed to understand, and we both took deep breaths before she looked toward the window and began speaking.