To The Traitor in My Bed - Chapter 40

“That makes sense. The order to demote the major was given yesterday.”

Christian, though capricious and unpredictable, never stirred things up without a reason. The problem was that his reasons often seemed outlandish. Lysander had an ominous feeling that this time would be no different.

“Caroline and I are about to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary, but unfortunately, we haven’t had an heir yet. As you know, I’ve been blessed with many siblings, but my late father was an only child. So, who do you think the problem lies with? Me or my wife? That’s what I’ve been wondering.”

The face of the man who had killed both his biological and half-brothers, yet claimed to be blessed with siblings, showed no sign of guilt. Lysander didn’t necessarily think it was wrong to eliminate rivals, but the thought still made him uneasy.

Christian reached out and grabbed Caroline’s frail, twig-like hand. The queen, still keeping her gaze lowered, remained motionless like a doll.

“At first, I thought the problem was with Caroline, so I brought in the kingdom’s finest physicians to take care of her. But it turns out the queen is just a bit weak, not incapable of having children. So this time, I decided to test things myself.”

There was only one method for testing one’s fertility, who couldn’t have an heir with his wife. It made Lysander uncomfortable, especially with the queen present.

“As a result, luckily, there’s nothing wrong with me. We’re both still young and healthy, so it’s fine if we don’t have children right away. But, if that seed I planted in a lowly woman were to sprout, that would be troublesome.”

‘Well, if you hadn’t planted that seed in the lowly woman in the first place, maybe this wouldn’t be an issue.’

Lysander knew better than to voice that thought aloud. He also began to understand why he had been called to the palace.

“Then, Your Majesty, do you want me to take over Major Klein’s place and that…”

“That lowly thing’s name? Heather Glenwell.”

Lysander hid his surprise. Glenwell wasn’t a lowly thing at all.

Count Glenwell’s territory was neighboring Darnell’s at the Upper Isle. Glenwell, with four daughters, had once arranged a marriage proposal for Lysander. One of the daughters had worked as a lady-in-waiting at the palace.

“…Should I find Heather Glenwell, Your Majesty?”

“Ah, no, that’s not it.”

Christian smiled.

“I already know she fled north, so finding her is just a matter of time. What I really want is something else.”

The king’s golden eyes turned toward Caroline. Caroline looked as frightened like a prey animal caught in the hunter’s gaze.

Christian seemed to enjoy this. Like a predator contemplating how to devour.

“When I found out that the lowly thing had dared to carry the seed of a Leonthart, I had her followed. Just in case she got the wrong idea and thought she had become the king’s mistress. But that Heather Glenwell, pregnant and all, somehow managed to escape the Swinton palace and travel all the way to distant Merilbon. How on earth could she have done that, huh? Caroline?”

Lysander felt like he had made a mistake in being called here.

Not him, but the queen.

The only one who could help a lowly lady-in-waiting escape the palace and evade the guards was Queen Caroline herself. Christian knew that. And Caroline knew that Christian knew.

So why had he been called? Lysander had no idea what to do if the king started abusing or assaulting the queen. Christian was the kind of man who would have no qualms about hanging a nobleman’s neck just for intervening in a domestic quarrel.

“Captain Cottenham, I hear you’re not married yet.”

Christian asked, never taking his eyes off the queen.

“That’s correct, Your Majesty.”

“As a married man, if I may offer a bit of advice, it’s better to choose a woman who talks a lot than one who says nothing. It’s much harder to get a quiet woman to speak than to silence a talkative one. See, the queen has not even said a word to me even while I’m making all this effort to protect her honor.”

Lysander noticed Caroline biting her lip tightly. He thought that perhaps, despite her beauty, the queen wasn’t all that clever. A man like Christian would quickly lose interest in a woman who fluttered around him with flirtations, but the queen was only managing to make things worse with her silence.

“I appreciate Your Majesty’s advice.”

Christian’s smile grew wider.

“Good thinking. But I didn’t call you here today to give marriage advice. Heather Glenwell left Swinton Palace three weeks ago without even informing the head lady-in-waiting. In a few days, Count Glenwell will likely come demanding that his daughter be returned, and the thought of it already gives me a headache. Especially if Lady Heather has said something unnecessary to her family in the meantime.”

Damn it.

Lysander now fully understood what the king was implying.

Anything that posed an obstacle, a distraction, or a potential future problem needed to be eliminated. That was the way the king ruled. Killing his brothers, imprisoning his sisters until their deaths, and removing rivals with assassination and executions.

Christian had even dealt with a rival in this way. Six years ago, when Daymond Havisham who was still the Young Baron had tried to run away with the unmarried Caroline.