I was going to find out just what the hell that reason was….and then I was going to get her back.
Chapter 16
Keira
Working at Wellington Castle was very different to working at Richmond Palace. For starters they were very different places; Richmond was kind of like a country estate that just so happened to be in the center of London, whereas Wellington was on the outskirts of London, just between Heathrow airport and Lego Land. It was a tourist destination, constantly filled with garishly-dressed groups, taking pictures of everything. Its grounds did not bear comparison with those of Richmond. It was still a pretty nice place to live, but I could easily understand why the royal family preferred Richmond and made that their base.
Following my twin discoveries that Andrew was engaged to be married (or arranged to be engaged to be married, or however the hell this ridiculous system worked) and that I was pregnant, my first thought was to quit. But that didn’t appeal to me for a number of reasons.
Firstly, I had a contract, and while I was sure I could get out of it if I explained things, I had no desire whatsoever to explain things. Secondly, I needed the money—if I quit, I would have to get another job anyway, and that would take time and seemed a bit pointless as I already had a job. Thirdly, while I didn’t feel cut out by nature to be a maid, the job did have its perks. There was the access to works of art of course, that I would hardly get in another job, but there was also something I found oddly and unexpectedly appealing about being part of this grand old English tradition. I was hardly a monarchist, but there was something intoxicating about the world and it was fun being around it. Fourthly, and this was perhaps the deciding factor, I was strong, and I would not be driven out of my job by this.
I wouldn’t conveniently disappear as the mothers of royal bastards are supposed to do.
That said, I did want to go somewhere. For all my determination not to be driven away, I also didn’t want to be around Andrew while I was figuring out what the hell to do about my pregnancy. Though I hated myself for the emotion, whenever I thought of him I couldn’t help doing so with tenderness. That tenderness was mixed up with anger and feelings of betrayal, but it was still there. Love didn’t go away overnight because you told it to, or even if the undeserving recipient of your love turned out to be a prick.
When I spoke to Rogers, asking for reassignment to another house, I was discreet as to the actual reasons for my desire to move, but I got the impression that he already knew. Rogers was an astute observer; he’d been in the house for decades and had perhaps seen similar things occur.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” he’d asked at the time.
I shook my head.
“You know where I am, Valencia.”
I nodded. “Thank you. If…if anyone asks.”
Rogers had inclined his head and that had been enough for me. He knew who I meant, and I knew that my secret was safe with him.
Even when Andrew tracked me down, I didn’t suspect Rogers. There was something about the man—a lifetime in service perhaps—that radiated trustworthiness and discretion. But, however Andrew had found out, the fact remained that he had, and so I was now in pretty much the same position that I would’ve been if I’d stayed at Richmond. Part of me burned to tell Andrew about the baby, but I wasn’t sure how he’d react and, in all honesty, I didn’t think that any reaction he might have would please me. Of course, he might do the honorable thing and propose to me instead of this Alexandra woman—but I didn’t want a husband who was only with me because he thought it was the right thing to do.
The bottom line was that anything he did would be influenced by his knowledge of the baby’s existence, and I wanted him to make his decisions because of me. And it seemed he’d already made that decision when he decided not to tell me about Princess Alexandra. He had followed me to Wellington Castle, but I was convinced that was simply in pursuit of his lost toy, not through any genuine feelings he had, except perhaps a feeling of desire.
It upset me to even think of Andrew—I wished it didn’t, but it did—and so, when he elected to remain at Wellington for the time being, I did my best to avoid him. In a large castle, that ought to have been easy, but Andrew was determined not to make it so, hunting me down and leaving notes for me. This was further proof of my theory: he was like a little boy who didn’t want a toy unless it was missing, at which point it became important again. As long as I ignored him, he would do everything he could to get me back, but once he had me back, he would most likely return his attentions to his bride-to-be. He hadn’t treated me with the respect I deserved when he had the chance, and it was too late now.