Other Girl by Mary E. Twomey

Author:Mary E. Twomey [Twomey, Mary E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-02T04:00:00+00:00

23

Early Morning Politics

Lugh and I stumbled into the castle in the wee hours of the morning, laughing and shoving each other as only old friends could do. Kerdik looked relieved to see me, in more than the usual “I missed your face” kind of way. “You’re back. Finally. I was starting to worry.”

I bounded up to Kerdik, surprising him by jumping up, wrapping my legs around his hips and throwing my arms around his neck. The longer his blood had time to work its way through my system, the less achy I felt. Only Lugh was with us in the foyer, so I laid one on my husband, reveling in the freedom I felt at finally being able to be young and celebrate my little political victory how I wished.

Kerdik’s tension melted for me as I kissed the frown off of him. “My, my,” he said, breathless with rapture. “Lugh, the next time you keep my wife out until dawn, remind me not to be cross with you if she comes back to me like this.”

“Aye. I’m beat, Prim. I’m turning in.” As Lugh passed by us, he caught my eye and mouthed, Thanks for the dance.

I inclined my chin to him. “Goodnight, Lugh. See you at lunch?”

He waved and blew me a kiss, then trudged up the steps a bit lighter than he’d been the day before. That was all I wanted for him – for his world to feel just a little bit brighter.

“To what do I owe such a beautiful greeting?”

I smooched Kerdik again, and then bit down on his lower lip. “Good day at work. Missed you like crazy.”

“I love your version of crazy,” he admitted as he kissed me again and again.

It wasn’t until I heard someone clear their throat that I paused our makeout and glanced over Kerdik’s shoulder. “Oh, hey, Yvette. Sorry. Didn’t see you there.” I squirmed out of Kerdik’s grip and smiled at the duchess.

“Care to explain what you’re doing to my marquess?” Yvette asked, her tone uncharacteristically sharp.

I smoothed my waves back, tucking a few loose strands into my ponytail. “Nothing I didn’t tell you about. I gave Marquess Clarisse the option of either moving back to live with the rest of her quadrant or resigning from her post.”

“I didn’t know you would act so quickly on it! Now I’ve got a sobbing woman in my parlor, and no clue what to do with her.”

“You don’t have to do anything with her. She’s just upset she can’t get out of it.”

“You’re wrecking all she’s worked for.”

I straightened, and though Yvette was the one in the grand gown with plenty of heavy fabrics with gold trim, I felt like the regal one in charge (because I was). “The only thing Clarisse should’ve been working for is representing the southern quadrant, which she failed to do. She was working only for herself, which isn’t what the throne pays her for.”

“It’s a delicate balance you’ve disrupted. Clarisse gave you a stack of gold

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