Transformed [W&W Book 1]

Chapter 50

Things were very much as her new guardian had suggested they might be.

The king officially made James her guardian and he seemed quite content to let her do what she wished with his support. The whole matter was wrapped up neatly.

She continued to be swamped with attention. She felt uncomfortable and the seemingly endless supply of eligible rich and titled young men suddenly paraded before her only made her feel more awkwardly exposed.

Where were they when Francine was stealing her will?

Well, her wicked aunt had clearly kept them away, but that was hardly the point.

Wildwood was released from captivity in the healing ward a week after she had been. She spent as much time with him as she could manage but there always seemed to be someone with them.

Theresa felt nearly back to her old self. With the aid of the healers her leg was practically as good as new. She took to riding again, but even there she never seemed to be alone. There was constantly someone fussing over her wellbeing or trying to capture her favor.

How did Daphne endure the constant care and attention she received? Theresa's little taste of it was truly overwhelming. She understood and appreciated that people were trying to help, but she also needed just a bit of room to breathe, did she not?

She longed to be away from the royal castle and the capital, somewhere she would be away from the persistent eyes and the constant noise. What she needed was peace and quiet and solitude now that she no longer needed to be afraid of the threat of Francine.

Wildwood's health was swiftly returning. Daphne and Thomas announced that they would leave soon for Harding. They would travel with Wildwood as far as his estates and then would continue on to their own after seeing Wildwood settled. Mister Allendale and Jim would travel with them as well.

With her closest friends and family leaving, Theresa decided that she would leave as well. She could return to Waldwick and take control of what was her own. The idea of control pleased her, as did her imminent escape from all the clingy busybodies infesting the capital like fleas in a cat's fur.

* * * * *

Theresa was hiding in the library after she had managed to escape from a hoard of supposed admirers who did not know her at all.

She was not at all hoping that someone familiar might find her there.

Her journey was planned for the next day and her sister was departing the day after. All the arrangements were made. Theresa had decided to leave before they did because she simply did not want to be sitting around the castle without Daphne or Wildwood for company.

The trouble was she did not want to leave at all. Or rather, leave alone.

She sighed. It was all so troublesome.

"Oh, here you are."

"Good afternoon, Daphne."

"You look rather grim," Daphne pointed out.

"Thank you," she returned dryly.

"May I speak frankly?"

"You always do lately."

"I think you should stop moping around and just talk to him," Daphne suggested.

Theresa turned her head away and straightened her back. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Yes, you do. You're upset because you don't want to be away from Lord Wildwood."

"That's nonsense. I'm just sad because I'm going to miss you."