Winning Back the Duke by Fiona West

Author:Fiona West
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fiona West
Published: 2021-03-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

JAMES WAS WAITING FOR Rhodie outside the latrine. She’d been in there for quite some time, and he was starting to get antsy about it. He replayed their chessboard conversation over and over from that night. That’s where it comes from. The “don’t touch me” feelings, the coldness. She hates her body. She thinks she’s damaged goods. I made it worse with my flippant comments about her beauty. And I haven’t the slightest idea how to change her mind. Not as the knight or as the jester or any other member of her court. A wound so old, so internalized ...I don’t know if it can be healed.

He shifted his weight and debated knocking or going to get Joline to investigate. His phone rang, and it was a blessed distraction.

“Did my gift arrive?” Edward asked without the usual greetings.

James swatted at a mosquito. “You’ve sent me a gift? I haven’t seen it, no. I hope the rats haven’t gotten to it.”

“Not for you, mate. For Rhodie. It’s her birthday come Saturday.”

“That sneak. She’s said nothing,” James said.

“Of course she hasn’t. It’s Rhodie. She hates a fuss.”

“Even on her birthday? But that’s a day to be celebrated and sung to by one and all!”

“You’re going to go overboard, aren’t you?”

“You know me so well. How’s Abbie?”

“She’s, uh...” Edward gave a deep sigh. “I don’t know, mate.”

“She hasn’t run off again?”

“No, no, nothing like that. She’s just not herself. She’s dropped all her classes. She...she cries a lot. I’ve tried to get her out of the house, tried to encourage her to do something, anything, besides sit around and watch TV, but she is very firmly disinclined to listen to me. You know how she is.”

“Yes, I do.” My princess is the same way. “Give her time. She’ll come around.”

“I’m sure you’re right.”

The stall door banged shut behind Rhodie, who was already making her way back to the lab, still rubbing the hand sanitizer into her skin.

“I’ve got to go, Edward. Let me know if I can do anything to help.”

“Yes, I will. Bye.”

“Everything all right at home?” she asked without looking at him.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Plans were already forming in his mind as she got back to work. There was no way he was letting her birthday slip by unnoticed.

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