Where there's a Will, there's a Tiara | Complete (ONC 2021 Longlister)

13. Revelations

Our awkward meetings continued every other day. He took the opportunity to show me about the house and grounds and tell me all about the history of the art. If I'm being completely honest, the whole thing was not only awkward, but supremely boring. In case anyone had any doubts of my qualities as a queen, which was laughable at best, my distaste for British history was probably the nail in the coffin.

One afternoon, several weeks later, we had finished our latest discussion of some pre-war period of something. It's boring, sue me. Edward and I were sitting in the parlour at least I think that's what it was called — and drinking tea that actually had flavour, unlike whatever my grandmother tried to pass off. I shot a quick glance her way to see if she was watching us.

She was.

Time to turn it on, I guess, I thought to myself. I turned back to face Edward, whose attention had been taken by something outside the window. I was about to speak when my grandmother interrupted me. "I think, Adelaide, that we ought to consider your dress for this weekend's event."

Edward almost choked on his tea, causing two of the men around the edge of the room to lurch forward, but he waved them off and continued about the conversation as if nothing had happened. "I think perhaps this is something Adelaide and I should discuss, Nora."

I was looking back and forth between them, trying to figure out what event it was I was supposed to be attending, especially given that I knew of no such commitment.

"You are engaged, Sir. She needs to start getting used to that."

Edward stood and looked directly into Nora's eyes. "And I have told you, we will announce that when I am ready and not a moment before." Nora's stern look glared back at Edward's and I was left even more dumbfounded than before.

"Does anyone still want to give me a say?" I stood up and raised my hand like I were back in grade school. Something about those two reminded me of my scary second grade teacher, Mr. Bullwar.

"Yes," Edward replied, turning to face me. At exactly the same moment my grandmother replied, "No."

Oh, great.

"Well, then, Edward," his name still felt odd in my mouth when I said it, as though I shouldn't be calling him that. All my life I'd been taught proper titles and addresses. You don't just call the future king 'Edward.'

"Yes?"

"Would you mind telling me what this event is?"

"The charity polo I was telling you about. I believe that is the event to which your grandmother refers."

To which my grandmother refers? "And why is it I am or am not supposed to show up? Maybe I want to eat some too small sandwiches and watch people play a ridiculous game on horseback!"

His lips pulled into a slight frown and his brows pulled together as though he were sizing me up. What am I? A farm animal at auction?

"If you were to attend with me, as my fiancée, there would be no going back. The whole thing will be public and anything either one of us do for the next — well maybe forever — will be scrutinized. I wasn't sure you would want that type of attention."

"You mean you don't think I'm ready for the media to follow me everywhere because they are sure to uncover how uncultured and unlearned I am?" I pressed, curious how much of his motives were self-serving. No matter what Ezrah kept saying, Edward seemed like the kind of person who was too calculating to be trustworthy.

Nora's gasp from the corner reminded me why I hadn't acted this aggressively before: I'm supposed to be getting her to believe I'm responsible. Maybe this is responsible? Edward took barely a moment to reply to me.