“We never had a male heir,” Constance explained. “Our land reverted back to King Broc.”

So many questions swirled through Reid’s mind. She settled on one. “Why didn’t my father tell me about you? For that matter, why didn’t either of you ever try to contact my sisters or me?”

“I can’t speak for your father,” Constance said as she stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and fetch some tea so you can warm up from your journey.” She exited the room.

Gregor lifted his right leg with his hands, adjusting it to the side a bit more.

“Is there something wrong with your legs?” Reid asked. She’d only seen a wheelchair once before.

“I was injured many years ago,” he replied. “Unfortunately, it has prevented me from doing many of my duties.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Her father had suffered a fall from his horse last season, which had allowed Reid to see first-hand the consequences of such an injury. Thankfully, due to her father’s insistence she be trained as a man would, it had been a simple matter to take over his duties for a few weeks until he was able to ride again. If she hadn’t been there—if he hadn’t raised her as he had—she wasn’t sure what he would have done.

“I heard your father named you as his heir,” Gregor stated.

“He did.” She held up the ring as if that were proof, wondering how the news had traveled so quickly.

“An interesting turn of events,” he said, forehead creased in thought.

“I agree,” Dexter said. “And I’m pleased Duke Ellington managed to do so given Marsden’s strict laws.”

Reid wholeheartedly concurred, especially seeing as how she’d spent most of her life trying to figure out a way around Marsden’s laws.

Constance returned, carrying a tray that held four teacups. She set it on the side table, then handed each person a cup. “We hadn’t anticipated our granddaughter or the prince coming to visit, so we don’t have anything special prepared,” she said as she resettled on the sofa. “Do you know how long you plan to visit?”

“Only a day or two,” Reid replied.

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Gregor said. “But we understand if this must be a brief visit. From what we’ve heard, you plan to be wed in three and a half weeks.”

Reid nodded, still not able to dwell on being physically married to Dexter.

“We’ll be traveling to the palace for the wedding,” Gregor announced.

“Speaking of weddings,” Reid said, “how did my father and my mother come to be wed?”