Page 8 of Duchess Material

Ed wasn’t expected to be there. He probably was unwelcome. This was about to get awkward.

“Shit… uh… um… give me a second.” Natalie stirred, hopping out of bed. “I had only… laid down…”

“I’ll be in the sitting room,” Robbie said. “Pour you a glass?”

“Uh… okay.” She was grimacing as she pulled on her knickers.

Her voice was pained.

“What do I do?” Ed whispered.

“I don’t know what is going on.”

“Do I need to jump through a window or something?” Ed asked.

“Nah. Hang out here. We’ll have a drink, bond, and then he’ll go home to Mummy.”

Natalie leaned and gave Ed a long kiss. She pulled her shirt on and dashed out. Ed didn’t have time to argue. Nor could he do anything to stop her. Instead, he got to hear the entire conversation through the door. For being such a big, fancy place, the walls were impressively thin.

Robbie began, “You did a bang-up job. I wanted to congratulate you. It was an impressive tour and a heavy lift. I’m immensely proud of you, Natalie.”

“Thanks.”

“Is everything alright?”

“Um… yeah.”

“Why are you being so odd?”

“I… I wasn’t expecting you,” Natalie said.

She was a dreadful liar.

There was a pause. Ed heard the King say, “Is there… do you have a visitor? Oh, you do. No, no… I’m so sorry, Nat.”

“He came to see me. It’d been so long and—”

“Well, what did you do, shove him in your wardrobe? Invite him out, Natalie. You’re a grown woman. It would have been fine to say so.”

Ed snickered to himself. She practically had.

“With you, I never know.” Ed could see her rolling her eyes in his mind.

“As long as he’s… you know… decent.”

“Dad, he does own shirts. I know it is an utter surprise.” Natalie laughed before calling out, “Darling, Dad comes in peace. You are released from hiding to come drink with us.”

“I don’t want to intrude,” Ed yelled back.

“No, no, you aren’t, Edwin. Come on now! He insists.”

A moment later, Ed Winslow emerged, nervous. He bowed, awkwardly. Robbie waved him off. Ed sat down next to Natalie, who poured him a glass.

“What is the occasion?” Ed asked, as if he hadn’t heard the whole conversation.

“Celebrating Natalie’s success,” Robbie said. “Very proud of her.”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

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