Devoted Nobility

Chapter 66

Sophia

Alexander kept true to his word. Food was delivered a few minutes after he left. I ate by myself. I didn’t feel like talking about what happened. I didn’t want to even think about it, but I did. My thoughts were mostly shock. I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t seem real and if it hadn’t happened to me, I would have called it a bluff. I wish it was. After dinner, I read. I chose a book that was as far from this situation as I could. It was about Alexander’s grandfather, King Edward II. It was boring, but had nothing to do with Matthew, so it was good enough. I got about halfway through the thick book before someone knocked on my door. I assumed it was Alexander, but it was Lucy who popped her head in.

“May we talk? It’s important.” She didn’t smile and her eyes were puffy with tears.

“Yes, yes. Come in.” I patted the chair next to me and she sat in it. “What’s wrong Lucy?”

She didn’t look at me and seemed to be trying to put words together in her head. She eventually opened her mouth, but kept her head low. “I should have listened to you or my conscience. I made mistake and I’ve gotten myself into some trouble.”

I wasn’t sure what her trouble was, but I could guess it had to do with the King. “Tell me what’s going on and I’ll help.” I was afraid it would be a situation that my aid would not change.

She wiped a sprawling tear from her cheek. “I wasn’t sure if it was true, but this morning I decided to stop teasing myself… My bleeding has ceased. It has for the past few days.”

I covered my now open mouth. “Your pregnant… with the King’s child?”

She nodded her head before breaking into a bout of hysterics. I just sat there. I wasn’t sure how to comfort her. I immediately knew how awful this situation was. The King enjoyed women as long as his actions had no repercussions. Bastard children were an embarrassment to high up members of society and it was the mothers who usually paid for it.

“What should I do?” She cried to me.

I had to reassure her and the only way to do that was to lie. “Tell him.” He would find out one way or another and maybe if she told him now, he would spare her. But there was no guarantee and nothing I could do to help her.