Page 22 of Hooked

Rogue growled from his position at Marilee’s side. He’d always been a good judge of character.

My throat felt swollen shut, my voice nowhere to be found. The captain looked older, but he was still handsome and distinguished. A beautiful mask to hide a putrid soul.

Sir James approached Captain Huckley, looking more curious than wary. “Marilee, this is Captain Huckley. He is in need of a good mount. Captain Huckley, may I introduce my wife, Her Royal Highness, Princess Marilee of Dalthia.”

For the first time, Huckley was forced to look away from me so that he could properly greet Her Highness. A sickly sweet expression came over his face as he put on his mask of polite gentility. “Princess, it is a pleasure. I apologize for my rudeness. I was only surprised to see Lady Wendolyn after so many years.” He turned his eyes back to me and I fought the urge to step back, even with Falstone still standing between us.

“Oh.” Marilee looked to me and then back to Huckley. “You mean Cecily, my maid?”

“Maid?” He barked out a derisive laugh before fixing Marilee with a condescending smile filled with humor. “Begging your pardon, Princess, but she is no more of a commoner than you are. And her name is certainly not Cecily.”

Marilee’s eyelids fluttered and her brow jumped just a little, but that was the only sign of surprise that she allowed to show. I had told her of my birth, but I’d also told her that my family had fallen out of favor with society when I was only nine. No doubt she was surprised to have Captain Huckley claiming my acquaintance. Still, she did not waver in the slightest. Instead, she drew herself up, setting aside her friendly demeanor and slipping into her authoritative princess bearing instead. “Well, it was a pleasure to meet you. If you’ll excuse me, my companion and I have some things to see to. We’ll leave you two to conduct your business. Come, Cecily.” She turned and strode away with confidence, and I wasted no time following after her.

I could feel Falstone’s comforting presence at my back as we made our way into the house. Normally he would have stayed downstairs, but today he followed us all the way to Marilee’s door, leaving the tending of the horses to the grooms.

Once the princess and I were inside her chambers, my mind raced so fast that I could only stand there.

Captain Huckley had found me.

Now what?

Would he seek to reclaim me?

Had he already found another helpless female to enslave? Had she died too?

And if he was wanting another wife? Would he turn his nose up at what I had become and call himself lucky? I could hope, but I thought it unlikely.

“Cecily.”

I pulled myself out of the pit of worry and uncertainty that I was wallowing in and focused on Marilee. She had removed her own hat and gloves but still wore her riding clothes.

“I apologize, Princess. Let me help you.” I busied myself with helping her to change and she let the silence rest, but only for a few moments.

“Who was that man?” she finally asked as she stepped out of her riding skirt.

“I…” I couldn’t lie.

“You walked away from your old life, so seeing anyone from your past would be a surprise, but you didn’t look merely surprised. You looked frightened.”

I avoided her eyes as I laid down her skirt and picked up one of her favorite dresses. It was robin-egg blue with cream trim. I turned to her and held it down low so that she could step into it. “That was a long time ago.”

“I didn’t realize you had been out in society before going into service.” It wasn’t an accusation, but a gentle nudge to confide in her.

I took a deep breath, resigned to telling Marilee all she wanted to know. “My uncle liked people to think I was loved by him, and he was eager for me to find a husband who would take me off his hands,” I answered as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of her dress.

“Your uncle? Are your parents not living?”

“They were both living the last time I saw them.”

“When was that?”

“I last saw my father more than fifteen years ago, as he was being hauled off to prison. I assume he is still there—that is, if he hasn’t been executed for his crimes. The last time I saw my mother was the day she sent me off to marry Captain Huckley.”

She was quiet for a moment, and I focused on the shushing noise that the ties made as I threaded them through the holes in her gown. “Are you married, Cecily?”

I shook my head, grateful that the answer was a resounding no. “I never made it to his home.”

“Why not?”