Page 51 of Adoringly, Edward
As if hearing his unspoken thoughts, the man nodded his head toward a young boy with wide eyes peeking his head out from behind a tree. “He decided to sneak out. Again. He might have just saved both of your sorry arses by doing so.”
Vivienne gasped and quickly bowed to Prince Sterling. Edward couldn’t find the energy to do so as well, especially as Gilberd grabbed onto his arm and hoisted him to his feet. He barely remained standing when the shock of his uncle’s death and the weakness in his body threatened to collapse him.
Gilberd didn’t stay by his side but rather approached his uncle’s body, crouching down to examine him. Edward had to look away. It didn’t seem real. All this time, Maxwell had been the one to poison him? He suspected his original doctor was somehow involved, too. His uncle had confirmed Clara’s innocence, and he felt immensely relieved that he at least had one family member he could trust.
“Forgive me,” Vivienne said, blinking rapidly. “I thought it was Clara. I was close. But not correct.”
He reached for her hand and squeezed her fingers. “Your warning gave me enough time to be on my guard.” His thumb caressed the back of her hand when she began shivering as if the chill only recently set in after the shock. “How did you find me?”
“I saw you from my window. I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been so worried about you.” She covered her face with her free hand. “You put me in a panic when I saw you fall. And again when you started running. I should have brought guards. But there was no time.”
“You saved my life, Vivi. Had you come even a second later…”
But then he inhaled sharply as he remembered her bare feet. He stooped to pick her up and relieve her feet from the frigid ground. But when he nearly collapsed the both of them, he grunted and shook his head, setting her back down.
“Nuh uh, this is not happening. My body is too exhausted.” Rather, he slipped his shoes off and helped her into them. They adorably dwarfed her feet.
Next, he took his dress coat off and draped it over her shoulders.
“You’ll catch a cold,” Vivienne protested.
“A cold is the least of my concerns right now.” And then he pulled her closer until she fit securely in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head. “You are the bravest woman I know.”
She tipped her head up to look at him and bit her lip, her immense worry still staring back at him. “Should we postpone the wedding?”
After her desperation to wed before she started showing, she sure didn’t seem to care now. Not after what had happened. But keeping her safe was of the utmost importance to him, whichincluded the sphere of her reputation and happiness. “No. We won’t let this ruin our day.”
Gilberd interrupted them as he gestured with his arm for them to follow the path back to the palace. “I’ll have other guards take care of this. I saw the entirety of what happened, so I can add an honest and detailed testimony. We’ll inspect your room, Lord Beaumont, and find evidence against Sir Maxwell.” And as they walked with the young prince trailing beside them, the guard turned to Vivienne. “Did I see you tonight? Or are you safely tucked in bed?”
Edward glanced at Prince Sterling as Gilberd said this. Hiding information from the monarchy was one thing. But what made Sterling an exception? The two almost seemed like friends with a fifteen-year or so age gap.
“Tell it how it happened,” she finally answered. “I likely was not the only witness.”
Another worry crept up for the young boy, almost an adolescent now. He was likely still innocent of this world. “He should not have seen that,” Edward murmured, watching as Prince Sterling kicked a rock across the path and lifted his head to gaze at the stars with a contemplative expression.
The guard released a long breath and glanced at the prince. “It’s not the first time the prince has witnessed death. He’ll be all right.”
They reached the palace, and Edward gave Vivienne one last embrace as Gilberd sent Sterling back to sleep and alerted guards about what had happened. Edward was bone weary, but he could not sleep when his family member was dead. All because he’d wanted his title.
He’d offered everything. Maxwell could have had his title and his money. But he’d brought this on himself. He’d chosen death over mercy.
Only minutes later, Gilberd returned with a grave look on his face. “One of the men guarding your room is injured, stabbed with the same weapon Maxwell had tried to use on you.”
Vivienne’s hand flew to her mouth. “Will he live?”
“He might. He’s recovering in the infirmary as we speak.” Then the man turned to speak to several other guards.
How could his uncle do this? Of course, money and fame made some men delirious with desire, enough to steal and murder. But he could hardly connect the man tonight with the man of his past.
“I need to return home,” he murmured in Vivienne’s ear as guards flitted around them, their activity drawing the attention from other nobles as well who wandered into the corridors with confused, sleepy expressions while wearing their night clothes. “Clara needs to know what happened.”
“What if someone else tries to kill you?” she asked through chattering teeth.
“The person who wanted me dead is gone. I’ll take guards with me, too.” He kissed her on the forehead and lowered his voice. “Wait for me at the altar. I promise I will be there.”
She nodded mutely as she handed him back his shoes and coat, replacing them with a thick, wool blanket instead. “Be safe, Edward.”
He lifted her hand and kissed the finger with his ring hugging it, conveying all the sincerity of the love in his soul with the single action.
