Rushing to Theo, Addie reassured, "You are interrupting nothing, Theo. I was merely escaping the crush of the ballroom and Lord Trotten was, presumably, doing the same." She glanced at the other lord, arching a brow in question. What had he been doing in the dark room?

Will cleared his throat. "Precisely."

But Theo did not look convinced. His gaze flitted across Lord Trotten's unreadable face for a beat before turning to Addie.

"It is rather dark in here, Adelaide. Enclosed. Far from the public eye, I should think. If I recall, you did not wish to engage in such trysts after your marriage. Or perhaps you just did not wish to do so with me?"

His gaze smoldered. With betrayal, with despair, with desire.

"This is far from a tryst, Theo," she gasped.

"I would like to second that statement," Trotten added blandly, as if bored by the accusation. Silence followed his statement. Theo continued his glaring campaign upon them both until Trotten added, "I think that is my cue to leave."

"I think perhaps not," a third male voice cut in, emerging from behind the slightly parted doorway to the ballroom. Addie's stomach dropped at the sound of her husband entering the space, causing Theo to shuffle to the side to allow the prince room. Behind her, Trotten let loose a hushed curse.

But not quiet enough for George to miss it.

"Quite right, Lord Trotten, quite right. What should noblemen such as yourself be doing in the company of my wife?"

"Her Highness is delightful company," Trotten replied smoothly.

"Delightful, is she?" George sneered. "I am more than aware of the ways that she is delightful.

I should hope that you do not understand her in the ways that I do, however."

Will's face was stony as he replied, "Certainly not, Your Highness."

George turned his attention to Theo, and Addie wondered at this display of playing the jealous husband. Did he really feel this vehemently opposed to her interactions with other noblemen, or was it simply a show for their sake?

Addie could be certain, however, of the verity of a similar display being presented by Theo as George stared him down. His hands were clenched against his thighs as a vein almost certainly bulged in his neck beneath his tight jaw.

"And you, Kingfield?" George asked icily.

"Certainly not," Theo repeated through gritted teeth.

"Quite exceptional," George said, clasping his hands together giddily, his demeanor changing instantly. He turned to look at Addie. "After all, I would so hate for Her Highness to be labeled a harlot."

Addie reeled back at the word, struggling to keep her face impassive. But in a way, he was right. By sitting in this darkened room with two men who were not her husband, she was risking her reputation. And it was only the very first public appearance she had made since her wedding! Though it hadn't been her intent when she had entered the doorway off of the ballroom, what had occurred was precisely why she had turned down Theo's offer to continue their relationship.

And now, not only was her reputation at risk, but Theo was looking at her with a type of strangled hurt in his eyes. He said nothing to George's accusation of her virtue.

Will, on the other hand, looked ready to defend her honor, but before words could be said, George grabbed Addie and yanked her across the room with a bruising grip. He sat her on the settee unceremoniously.

"I would beg of you to leave us now," George directed at Will and Theo.

Both men were hesitating, unwilling to leave Addie in the firm grasp of her husband. So Addie cleared her throat and insisted that they do so. "Your Grace, Lord Trotten, it was so nice to see both of you. I bid you a good rest of your evening. The night is still young, and I am certain that the ladies will be looking for you to fill their dance cards."

They retreated from the room with wary and disturbed expressions, and Addie barely held back a sob as the door closed behind Will and Theo.

"Did I not just tell you to avoid Kingfield?" George spoke harshly as soon as the door clicked shut.

She nodded, feeling afraid, for once, to speak.

"And immediately you run here to meet him! And what of Lord Trotten? What is his business in this?"

"He—he saw the duke and I come into the room, and he followed us in here," Addie lied shakily.

"Goddammit, Adelaide!" He grasped her tighter, shaking her with frustration. "He will say something to my father."

"He will not. I will speak with him, George."

George merely gave her a look. "You do not understand Trotten."

Addie didn't know what to say to that, so she remained silent. George's look turned curious as he assessed her face, undoubtedly blotchy with emotion. "Kingfield doesn't trust me. Did you see the look on his face as he left?" Apparently, the question was rhetorical because he didn't give Addie a chance to respond. "Do you reckon he will come back?"

"No," Addie said with certainty. Theo likely didn't trust George, but the look on his face as he sulked from the room was for her. It was her that he didn't trust. His anger lay with her. She had told him she didn't want to sneak around the darkened corners of the ton with men that were not her husband, and yet, he had found her unintentionally doing just that with Will.

George snorted. "You underestimate many things Adelaide."

"Such as?"

"You underestimate men. And that dress. More specifically, men's reaction to you wearing that dress."

Addie started to look down at her bodice but was interrupted by George's hand as it came to roughly cup her chin back up.

"I think this will be a very good opportunity for me."

"A good opportunity?" she wondered.

But George didn't respond; he pushed her down onto the sofa and pressed his tight lips to hers. Addie felt suffocated at the feeling of him on top of her and tried to sit up, but George merely pushed her further into the cushions. Addie's mind tried to process what he was doing, what he had meant by a good opportunity.

His lips moved over hers as he tried to deepen the kiss, but Adelaide was unrelenting to provide him further access to her mouth. George pulled back to say, "Come on, darling. Give us a show like I know you can." He rubbed his smooth thumb along the corners of her mouth in a caress that made Addie shiver, and she understood. She understood what he was doing, but before she could protest, George bent his head to kiss her along the path his thumb had just traced.

"George," she muttered, a half-protest, and at the same time she heard the creak of the door opening yet again. She felt his smile grow against the edges of her lips. "Right on cue," he whispered into her mouth, sitting her up and allowing her to breathe again.

"Kingfield," George said as if startled, but Addie thought he was doing a rather poor job of it. She looked to Theo and straight into his murderous expression. However, when he spoke, his voice was restrained. Disquieting.

"Your Highnesses, I apologize for the interruption," he said, the words a contrast to his distinctively unapologetic tone.

"Is there something you required, Your Grace?" George drawled, a positively smug-like expression upon his face. He sat up further, extending a hand to Addie to assist her to a similar position. She attempted to keep her bodice from falling as she rearranged herself on the couch. Theo's eyes flared from across the room. The light flooded in behind him, escaping from the ballroom in harsh rays. Quick-tempoed music suited for a Quadrille played lightly in the background.

"No," Theo said, the words clipped.

"Her Highness and I were just leaving," George said in reply, standing while motioning for Addie to do the same.

"I see," Theo said. He remained stuck in the doorway even as they approached. George, the wretched man, was making her face the man she loved after he had caught her, twice, in the arms of another. Addie couldn't speak because she didn't know what to say. She was no longer Theo's lover, but nor was she truly George's wife. She was no longer a maid in Theo's arms, but nor was she truly a princess.

At least, she didn't feel like one. She didn't know if she would ever feel like a wife.

Or a princess.

Or a queen.

Theo let them pass, his face unreadable. Addie gave him a pleading look as they came shoulder to shoulder, but his expression didn't change. George gripped her arm tighter, almost painfully tight, so she walked away without looking back.