Page 20 of The Pureblood Princess
Overhead, the autumn sun is bright and full, though the air still carries a chill. The leaves on the trees have long since turned golden, and they drift lazily to the ground as Nadia wraps Eliza in a tight embrace.
“I’m going to miss you,” she says into her friend’s curly strawberry hair, and Eliza squeezes her tighter.
“And I you.” Pulling back, she holds Nadia’s arms tight. “But it won’t be so long now until John and I are back here for the wedding. Do you promise not to forget me between now and then?” Her smile is playful, and it makes Nadia laugh.
“I could not forget my dearest friend even if I tried.”
“Good. I’ll hold you to it.” Eliza winks one blue eye, then turns to bid goodbye to Contessa, who stands beside the carriage, draped in a gorgeous forest-green gown.
Now comes the hardest part of this entire visit: telling her mother goodbye.
Lady Gray is still exchanging farewells with Lord and Lady Rosetti, who seem to have taken quite the liking to her, if their easy smiles and quick laughter are any indication.
Theodore stands nearby, hands behind his back, ever the doting future son-in-law. Since that first dinner, he’s been endlessly charming, and seeing the warmth with which he interacts with her mother has put Nadia’s heart completely at ease. He seems to have swept Lady Gray off her feet almost as fast as he swept Nadia off hers.
After a final goodbye to the earl and countess, Lady Gray takes Theodore’s offered arm, and together they walk the short distance across the courtyard to the waiting carriage. Eliza has already climbed in and is waiting patiently, and Contessa steps away, giving Nadia an understanding smile as she goes.
“It was such a pleasure to spend these few days with you, Lady Gray,” Contessa says. “I look forward to seeing you again soon.”
“And you as well, Lady Livingston. It pleases me to know my daughter will have you to lean on during these changing times.” She lowers her voice, but Nadia’s enhanced hearing still picks up her whisper. “Perhaps you may help guide her through the...intricaciesof being a new wife. I’m not so sure I’ve properly... prepared her.” Lady Gray’s pale cheeks go slightly pink, and Nadia turns quickly away to avoid giggling.
If only her mother knew just how muchpreparationshe’s already done...
“She’s safe with me,” Contessa whispers, and she’s just reaching out to squeeze Lady Gray’s hand as Nadia composes herself and looks back up.
Now, with Contessa retreating toward the house, it’s finally Nadia’s turn to say goodbye. As soon as her mother steps forward, Nadia opens her arms, and tears immediately swim in her eyes.
“I don’t want you to go,” Nadia whispers, burying her face in her mother’s hair as she pulls her into a hug.
“And I wish I could stay.” Lady Gray squeezes Nadia tight, then presses a kiss to her cheek and pulls away. “My sweet Nadia,” she says, though the name doesn’t yet sound natural on her tongue, “you’ve done such a splendid job. This family...” Turning, she glances over her shoulder at Theodore and the other Rosettis behind him. “They’re wonderful. Truly. I couldn’t be happier for you.”
“Thank you, Mama. Your visit means so much to me. I suspect it wasn’t easy, what with Lord Gray’s feelings toward the Rosettis...”
“He means them no ill will, dear. There have been misunderstandings, but I do hope we can bridge that gap in time.”
Lady Gray squeezes Nadia’s hand, and yet again, Nadia finds herself holding her tongue, keeping back the dark truth surrounding the troubled relationship between the vampires and the hunters—namely, the Rosettis and Robert Gray.
Before Nadia can respond, Lady Gray averts her eyes and says, “Are you quite sure Robert cannot attend your wedding? You do know it will break his heart.”
Glancing over her mother’s shoulder, Nadia catches Theodore’s eye, and a darkness comes over him, though he says nothing. Once more, she sees that silver knife impaled in his chest, blood dripping down his waistcoat, the life going from his eyes—all because of Robert Gray.
“I’m sure,” she says. Then, in a softer voice, “And he broke my heart first.”
As the weight of her words settles between them, a cool breeze picks up from the east, sending more leaves swirling from the trees and dancing across the courtyard in a colorful display. Something about the beauty feels almost lonely, and standingin the autumn sun, looking into her mother’s misty eyes, Nadia realizes that nothing will ever be the same between them again. Though she will always reach out a hand and hold tight to her mother’s embrace, there is a void between them that can never be healed, and she’ll have to find a way to exist around it and in spite of it.
“I understand,” Lady Gray says, and though her eyes pinch in pain, there’s no resentment in her expression. She pulls Nadia in for one last hug, then kisses her on the cheek and quickly climbs into the carriage.
Eliza waves goodbye, and just before the footman closes the door, Lady Gray glances back. Tears streak down her delicately wrinkled cheeks, and the sight of them sends a jolt through Nadia’s heart.
The door closes with a click of finality, and then the footman climbs up onto the carriage bench, and they’re off.
As the carriage pulls around the courtyard and passes through the entrance onto the dirt road beyond, a sob catches in Nadia’s throat. With the Rosettis standing just behind her, she cannot succumb to tears. They may know the truth of her troubled relationship with her adoptive parents, but that doesn’t mean she has to wear her shattered heart on her sleeve.
A warm presence presses gently against Nadia’s back, and as she lowers one hand, Theodore catches it in his. He presses his fingers through hers and clasps her hand tight, and just knowing he’s here, that he’shers, somehow makes all this pain just a bit more manageable.
“I know just what you need to take your mind off things,” he says, and there’s a playful lilt in his voice that Nadia has come to recognize.
After quickly wiping the moisture from her eyes, she turns and gazes up at him. “And what might that be, my lord?”
