Lily realized belatedly that James was not only her lover but he had become her best friend. She lay awake in bed, wallowing in guilt for her scheming. She'd caused problems for Irina and Sir Georg. Her mother had warned her. But she hadn't listened. 'Stubborn as a mule' as her father would say. She wanted to go to him, to go lay down beside him in bed and share with him how she was feeling. But tonight was his bachelor party and Edison had taken her Prince to the countryside for a night of drinking and playing cards with the boys.
James would return early tomorrow morning and then during the early afternoon, they would be wed. She lay awake, staring up at the canopy, deciding she'd never want to spend another night away from him again.
* * *
"I'm a father and I didn't even kn
