by Day Leclaire
In order to protect his child, he had to marry the mother. In order to protect Miri, he had to send her away. So, who held the greatest claim to duty and responsibility? He swirled the whiskey in his glass. He knew what his grandfather would say. The baby was his top priority because it was the most helpless and innocent. If it weren’t for the child…He downed his drink in a single swallow. Thank God for the pregnancy, because it narrowed his choices to one. If it weren’t for the baby, he’d be honor-bound to protect Miri from the coming storm.
It would be his duty to sacrifice what he desired most.
Eight
As soon as Brandt set eyes on Miri he realized that something had gone terribly wrong. Had she found out about the charges being leveled against him? Or was it even worse than that? He shot to his feet. The baby! Please, God, don’t let anything be wrong with their baby. After all that had transpired in the past twenty-four hours, their child had been the one good thing he could hold on to.
“What is it, sweetheart?” He circled the desk and wrapped his arms around her. “Is it the pregnancy? Has something happened to the baby?” he questioned urgently.
She shook her head, her eyes huge and dark and filling with tears. “I’m sorry, Brandt.” Her chin quivered and a tear fell, sliding down her pale cheek. “I was wrong. I’m not pregnant.”
“Shh.” He tucked her close and held her while she cried it out. “I’m sorry. I know how inadequate that sounds. But I am so sorry. I’d hoped—”
And so had she. Clearly, she’d wanted the baby as much as he had and he couldn’t help but celebrate that fact, even as he mourned the loss of the child he’d spent the past two days imagining. He’d wanted to have a baby with Miri, had looked forward to its advent in his life. And now he realized that not only was that an impossibility, it would never happen in the future. He’d make sure of that. In one brief second he’d gone from having it all, to losing everything.
Brandt steeled himself for what would have to come next. Now that he knew for a fact that Miri wasn’t pregnant, his choices had changed. He had a responsibility toward her. Honor and duty required him to protect her. And to protect her meant sending her home. There was no way he could do that without hurting her. But maybe it was just as well. If he hurt her, she’d be willing to leave. She’d want to leave.
He cleared his throat. “This seems to be the day for news, both good and bad.”
She lifted her head from his shoulder. “Which is the baby?” she whispered, her undisguised pain threatening to rip his heart from his chest. “Good or bad?”
“Do you have to ask?” He smoothed the hair from her face and knuckled a tear from cheek. “I’m sorry there’s no baby. I’d already made our child a part of my life. A part of our future.”
Her breath caught in a sob. “So had I.”
“There’s something I need to tell you, Miri.”
“The good?”
“Yes, the good.” It cost him to keep his expression encouraging, to act pleased with his news. “Now that our marriage has been annulled and there’s no baby, you’re free to return home.”
Her brows drew together. “How is that good news?”
Excellent question. “It’s good because I won’t be holding you here against your will any longer. I’m sure your family will be relieved about that. They feel, as do I, that it’s inappropriate for you to remain here, given the circumstances.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “You said Avernos was my home. You said we would remarry if the annulment went through.”
“That’s when we thought you were pregnant.”
“The baby?” She tore free of his arms and took a stumbling step backward. “The baby was the only reason for us to marry? Is that what you’re telling me?”
He hardened himself against the disbelief in her face. “I brought you here against your will, as you’ve told me on more than one occasion. Now I’m letting you go. It’s the right thing.”
“Please, Brandt. Don’t do this. I don’t know what’s going on, but I…” Defiance radiated from her. “I won’t go. Not until you tell me the real reason you’re sending me away. Is it my family? Are they threatening you?”
He had one final card to play, one he’d hoped to avoid using. His hands balled into fists. One guaranteed to work. “I repeat. I brought you here believing we were still married. It’s inappropriate for you to be here now that we’re not. It’s not just your reputation at stake. There’s still the election to consider.”
It only took a minute for that to sink in. The instant it did, the breath exploded from her lungs. “This is about winning the election? You’re sending me away because…because what? Having me in your bed when we’re not married might cost you some votes? You want to be king so badly that you’d sacrifice our life together to get it?”
He shoved out his response between gritted teeth. “Yes.”
She stood there for an endless moment, as though waiting for him to take it back. Bit by bit her hope died a slow death, while he died inch by inch watching it. Finally her chin shot up. “Fine. If that’s what’s most important, you can choke on your damned crown. I’ll go pack.”
He retreated behind a regal facade. “Thank you. I’ll arrange for your flight home. Tolken will inform you when the helicopter is ready to depart.”
Miri turned on her heel and walked from the room, her head held high, despite feeling as though her life had just ended. It wasn’t until she’d reached the hallway that she lost control. Helpless tears streamed down her cheeks. She ignored them, forcing her feet to keep moving, step after step, until she’d gained the privacy of their bedroom.
For endless minutes she stood in the middle of the room, looking around in bewilderment. She’d told Brandt she’d go and pack but she didn’t have anything to pack. None of the clothes littering the closet belonged to her, though she’d bet her last dollar that Brandt wouldn’t agree. Gifts, he’d call them. Well, she refused to take anything he’d purchased for her. She’d leave as she arrived.
The thought gave her direction, sending her flying to the closet. It didn’t take long to find the clothes she’d worn when she, Juliana and Alyssa had donned disguises and snuck out of the palace for their shopping trip to the mall. Was it only two short days earlier? It seemed decades ago.
After washing her face, she changed into the slacks and tee she’d been wearing that day, and braided her hair in preparation for the trip home. She was just gathering up her purse when her cell phone rang. She checked the incoming number and almost burst into tears again when she saw her mother’s name displayed.
“Mom?”
“I’ve just heard,” Rachel said without preamble. “Are you all right?”
Miri sank onto the edge of the mattress. “I don’t understand. How did you find out so fast? Who told you? Did Brandt call?”
“No, no. It was Lander. He got it from the Temporary Governing Council. Oh, honey. He’s very worried. He’s offering to help in any way he can.”
What? Miri lifted a hand to her throbbing temple. That didn’t make sense. How could the TGC know about her pregnancy? “I don’t understand. What’s Lander got to do with—” Something didn’t add up. “Let’s start over. Why are you calling?”
“I heard about the allegations against Brandt, of course.”
“What allegations?”
“Don’t you know?” Rachel made an impatient sound. “Unbelievable. He probably thinks he’s protecting you. That’s his grandfather’s influence, no doubt. Typical Verdonian man.”
Miri’s grip tightened on the phone. “Mom, for heaven’s sake! What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the charges that are being leveled against Prince Brandt,” came the crisp response. “They’re claiming he was working in collusion with Lauren DeVida to steal the amethysts and sell them on the black market. Ridiculous, of course.”
Miri shot to her feet. “That’s outrageous. Who’s claiming Brandt’s involved? Who’s ma
de these allegations?”
“The Temporary Governing Council. New evidence has come to their attention.”
“What evidence? Where? From whom?”
“I don’t know. Lander’s trying to find out.”
“Well, I’m telling you it’s impossible.” Realizing she was shouting into the phone, Miri attempted to modulate her voice. “Brandt would never steal from anyone, certainly not the country he’s sworn to protect. Not ever. Honor and duty are as much a part of him as blood and bone.”
There was a long pause, and then Rachel said, “You love him, don’t you?”
The gentleness in her mother’s voice almost proved Miri’s undoing. “Yes. I love him.” It took her a moment before she could continue, to gather her self-control sufficiently to think straight. “He’s sending me away, Mom. Our marriage has been annulled and since I’m not pregnant—”
“Pregnant!”
“Are you listening to me? I said not pregnant.”
“Yes, I hear you.” Rachel sighed. “As I said before, honey, it’s clear that he’s trying to protect you by sending you away. Obviously, he doesn’t want your reputation tarnished by all this nastiness.”
Was it possible? Miri sank back onto the edge of the bed. It was more than possible. Probable, bordering on definite. “Well, I’m not leaving him. Not now.”
“He’s not an easy man to thwart,” Rachel pointed out. “And he can be very persuasive when he chooses.”
Something in her mother’s tone caught Miri’s attention. “Just out of curiosity, how would you know all that?”
There was an awkward pause before Rachel replied. “Oh, all right. If you must know, Brandt convinced me to tell him when you would be away from the palace so he could contact you. He said he wanted to try and resolve your differences,” she admitted reluctantly. “A fat lot of good that did. First he abducts you, and now he’s sending you back again as if you were an article of clothing that didn’t fit right. The nerve of that man!”
Miri keyed in on the most vital part of her mother’s diatribe. “You told him where to find me?” She could scarcely believe it.
Rachel cleared her throat. “You were so upset,” she attempted to explain. “In so much pain. Even if things didn’t work out between you, at least you’d have made the effort. Darn it, Miri. I meant well.”
“I know you did, Mom. To be honest, I’m sitting here debating whether or not to thank you.”
“You say thank you, and I’ll say you’re welcome, and we’ll consider the subject closed. Now, how are you planning to fix this mess?”
Good question. “Give me a minute. I’m thinking.” Miri rubbed her forehead. “The first thing I need is for Juliana to take a look at whatever evidence the TGC has and see if she can figure out what’s going on. She found the discrepancy with Lander and cleared his name, maybe she can do the same for Brandt. Do you think she’d be willing to help?”
“She’ll help. I guarantee it.”
“Perfect. In the meantime, I intend to take a page out of Merrick’s book.”
“Oh, Lord. I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“I’m going to abduct my ex-husband.” Miri smiled grimly. “All things considered, it only seems fair, don’t you think?”
Brandt tossed down his pen. “What do you mean she won’t leave?”
Tolken shrugged. “Her Highness says she won’t leave unless you accompany her.”
“We’ll see about that.” Brandt thrust the papers he’d been working on into a folder and stood. Snagging his suit jacket from the back of his chair, he shrugged into it. “Let’s go.”
He found his wife—no, not his wife, he reminded himself—waiting on the lawn near the helo pad. She stood quietly off to one side, wearing a simple pair of bronze-colored slacks and a matching tee. She’d swept her hair back from her face and restrained it in a simple braid down her back. For some reason seeing her standing there, so small against the backdrop of the helicopter, with a single suitcase at her feet, made her appear delicate and helpless and lost. It took everything he possessed not to gather her up and return her to their bedroom and to say to hell with honor and duty and responsibility.
He fought to remind himself that Miri was anything but delicate, helpless, or lost. But that didn’t curb his urge to head for the bedroom with her. He crossed to her side. “What’s going on?” he questioned briskly. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just informed Tolken I wouldn’t leave unless you escorted me.” She lifted an eyebrow in a regal manner. “All things considered, I think it’s the least you can do. Don’t you?”
He briefly considered arguing the point. But if agreeing to accompany her meant her prompt return to Verdon, without further debate or discussion, he’d go along with it. “Fine. I’ll escort you home.” He snagged her suitcase and gestured toward the helicopter. “Shall we?”
He’d half expected her to refuse to take any of the clothes he’d purchased for her, and it relieved his mind to see her being reasonable about it. Even though barely a quarter of the clothes filling her closet could have fit in her suitcase, at least a few of the items wouldn’t go to waste. Tolken had them both on board in short order and as soon as he’d made certain everyone was strapped in, he joined the pilot and they went airborne.
Miri sat decorously at his side, hands folded in her lap, gaze focused straight ahead, and Brandt eyed her with deep suspicion. This was too easy. She had to be up to something. Before he had time to consider the endless possibilities for someone so impulsive, Tolken spoke to him through the headphones.
“There’s a problem, Your Highness. The pilot believes something’s wrong with the fuel line. He’s looking for a place to set down while he checks it out.”
“There’s a clearing not far from here.” Brandt shot Miri a concerned glance. His plan had been to get her out of harm’s way, not put her in it. “Have him watch for a lake slightly north of our position. There’s a cabin and boathouse at one end. There should be room to land there.”
The helicopter gave a slight stutter, than banked sharply in the direction he’d indicated. Within minutes the lake came into view. With smooth precision, the pilot landed not far from the cabin, recommending as he did so that they exit the craft and stretch their legs while he ran through his inspection. Brandt unfastened his seat belt, and Miri and Tolken followed suit.
“How long will it take to diagnose the problem?” Brandt asked, once they’d moved clear of the churning blades.
Tolken frowned. “I’m not certain, Your Highness. I’ll check with the pilot and give you a full report as soon as possible. If it’s going to take too long, I’ll call for a car. Would it be possible to borrow your cell phone? Mine doesn’t seem to be working.”
Brandt nodded, handing it over. “Yes, of course.” He was so relieved that Miri was safe, he didn’t care how long it took them to fix the blasted thing. If need be, he’d drive her all the way to Verdon.
“I’ll return as soon as possible,” Tolken said and trotted back to the helicopter.
Miri touched Brandt’s arm and gestured toward the cabin. “This seems familiar. Have I been here before?”
Turning his back on the helicopter, he gave her an odd look. “Don’t you remember?”
She shook her head. “No, actually I don’t.” She started across the knee-high grass in the direction of the cabin and he fell in step beside her. “When was I here? It must have been ages ago.”
“Fifteen years, maybe a few more. I’m surprised you don’t recall. This is where I rescued—”
Before he could finish, a loud escalating whine sounded behind them. Spinning around he watched in disbelief as the helicopter rose skyward. It hovered for a brief moment directly overhead, then banked to the south and vanished behind the tree line. All that remained in its place was Miri’s suitcase. It sat in the middle of a circle of flattened grass, an incongruous monument to his massive stupidity.
Cold anger bit deep and he turned it
on Miri. “What the hell is going on?”
“We needed to talk in private, where you couldn’t either walk out on me or send me away.” She shrugged. “Tolken was kind enough to assist.”
“Tolken is fired.”
To his fury, she didn’t appear the least concerned. “Merrick will be happy to pick him up. He’s been trying to lure Tolken away from you for years.”
“This is ridiculous.” He searched his pockets for his cell phone, swearing beneath his breath when he remembered what he’d done with it. “There’s nothing left to be said between us. You’re returning home now that there’s no reason for us to remain together, and that’s the end of it.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “Honor. Duty. Responsibility. How does sending me away jive with those?” Her eyes narrowed. “Or does it jive with another of those lessons you learned at your grandfather’s knee? Maybe this has to do with sacrifice.”
“This has to do with the fact that you’re not pregnant and we’re not married and—” Damn it to hell! What was the other thing? She had him so worked up he couldn’t think straight anymore. Oh, right. “And it has to do with my plans to steal the bloody throne from your bloody brother!”
She actually had the nerve to approach and poke a finger into his chest. “I don’t believe you. All that talk about the baby and a future together was just that? Talk?”
His mouth compressed. “I’m sorry. I know we discussed a future. But this is a better option.”
She shook her head in disgust. “It’s clear I have my work cut out for me.” Tramping across the grass, she snagged her suitcase and then headed for the cabin.
“I don’t have a key,” he called after her.
“I do.”
He bit off a word that would have gotten his face slapped if Miri had heard. He could practically feel the frustration leaking out of his ears as she continued on her merry way, impervious to his wrath. Unlocking the cabin, she had to shove at the door to get it open and he made a mental note to have it sanded at the first opportunity.