Burn - Edmund Bridgerton II's story

Chapter 14 - A Royal Conundrum

"Kate!" Lady Mary Sharma gasped when she had entered Bridgerton House, finally saw her stepdaughter and embraced her tightly.

"Oh, mother..." Kate sighed and held her equally firmly. She had not seen either Mary or Edwina for over a year, since both of them had been residing in Prussia. Ever since Lady Danbury's passing Mary had spent more and more time abroad with Edwina. They had never spoken of it, but Kate suspected that something more than just friendship had grown between her stepmother and Lady Agatha Danbury, because Mary had been completely devastated after her passing, she had never found herself a new husband and had been staying at the Danbury House since their arrival in London in 1814.

"Didi!" Edwina exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Kate and the hug that had not yet completely ended between her and Lady Mary. "I have missed you so much..."

"And I have missed you, bon." Kate smiled back at her and tried to hold back the tears.

"Oh, and Anthony too...!" Lady Mary exhaled and rushed up to meet him, once she realised he was standing in the entry hall as well. He got an equally firm hug as Kate, who smirked at her husband because he looked exactly like Miles when he got a little bit too much affection.

"Lady Mary..." Anthony smiled somewhat strainedly, but hugged her back nevertheless and patted her on the back. Then he opened his other arm for Edwina as well, who gave out an excited little squeal and wanted to join in on the hug.

"Oh, Anthony! You have not changed at all...!" She shrieked. Anthony had been busy and had not been able to meet Edwina and Mary the last time they were in London, so it was almost three years since they had last seen each other.

"Surely he has got a few new wrinkles." Kate teased and caressed Anthony's cheek after her sister and stepmother had let go of him. He gave out an irritated 'humph' and whisked away her hand. "But, they are just a sign of a well lived life full of laughter." She added with a smile and gave him a soft kiss.

"Look at the two of you, still as much in love as five and twenty years ago!" Lady Mary sighed happily.

"Still, but not for long, if you keep joking about my wrinkles." Anthony huffed at Kate, but gave her a kiss on the forehead anyway. "I shall leave you ladies to it." He said with a polite bow and left towards the staircase, while Kate led her two honourable guests to the drawing room, where some tea and crumpets had been laid out.

"So... What brings you to London, on such a short notice?" Kate wondered once the three of them were sitting alone with their tea cups in front of the fireplace. Edwina immediately burst into tears and Kate reached for her hand. "Oh, do not cry, darling...! What is it...?"

"I... I finally left him... I have had enough, of all of it..." Edwina sobbed loudly.

"Left him...? But how...?" Kate asked, obviously realising who the 'he' was.

"Well, we are of course not legally divorced, we are royalty after all and have to keep up appearances, but... We have decided to lead our own lives, separately... He in Prussia and me in London..." She sniffed hopelessly.

"Alright, well... Maybe that is for the best...?" Kate suggested, trying to hide her cheer. She had been hoping for her sister to get rid of Prince Friedrich for over twenty years.

"It is. Him keeping his mistress openly at court was the last drop." Lady Mary chimed in sourly. "Or was there already two of them, I am not sure..."

"Narak..." Kate cursed. "What about the children?" She asked and Edwina began to cry so loudly that she was almost screaming. Kate held her hand even tighter in hers, thinking about the two boys she had met only a few times, even though they were already as old as her own sons.