From Kiss to Queen

by Janet Chapman

  He made the mistake of winking at her. “Ow! Don’t bite, you witch!” he hissed, quickly drawing back his hand.

  “Alexi. What are you doing? You scared the daylights out of me.”

  “It’s not daylight yet,” he countered, giving her a frown as he rubbed his palm on his belly. “But the sun will be up by the time we get there. Now hurry.”

  “Get where?” she asked, sitting up and brushing her hair from her face.

  “We’re stealing you,” he told her instead of answering, “to go hunting.”

  “We?”

  “Sergei and me. We’re sneaking out and taking you with us. Ever hunt snow grouse?”

  Jane turned to Sergei, standing at the foot of the bed—looking much like she imagined the devil would look—holding three shotguns cradled in his arms. Slung over his shoulder were two packs. Jane recognized her gun and her long-lost backpack.

  She looked at Alexi and smiled. “No, I haven’t. Are snow grouse tasty?”

  “Delicious. If you’re lucky enough to get one in your oven. They’re elusive creatures.”

  Jane eyed both brothers again. “Why the secrecy?”

  Sergei shrugged his free shoulder. “We thought it would be easier to escape this madhouse while everyone was sleeping.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” she agreed. “Now leave and I’ll get dressed. Five minutes.”

  It took her nine, but the men were patiently waiting in the hall when she came out of her room. Jane followed them down the stairs and out the front door to find two huge four-wheel-drive trucks waiting, with dark-tinted windows and three men standing between them. She recognized Petri, who smiled at her as he moved forward to open a door in the first truck.

  She smiled back, but instead of getting in she turned and gave Alexi an incredulous look. “It’s going to take two big trucks to carry home all our grouse?”

  “No, little witch,” Sergei answered before Alexi could answer. “It’s going to take these trucks to escape Markov, if we don’t get going.” He turned serious. “I forgot your wounded shoulder. Will you be able to hunt?”

  “I’d have to be dead not to be able to hunt. I hold my gun against my right shoulder, anyway.” She grinned at him. “Lucky for me, Dorjan didn’t choose to hit that one.”

  Sergei’s eyes darkened with his frown.

  “Ah . . . Why aren’t we stealing Mark to go with us?” she asked. “He could probably use a little escape himself.”

  “This is our day to spend with our new sister,” Alexi said on a chuckle, all but lifting her into the backseat of the truck. “After the wedding, he’ll have you all to himself.”

  Wow, he’d called her sister. It hit Jane then that she was about to get an entire family—a rowdy, bossy family, consisting of an aunt, a father, three big brothers, and a husband. Wow.

  Petri drove the truck that she and Sergei and Alexi were riding in, the other two men following in the other truck. Within minutes they were out of the city and heading north into the forested land of Shelkova.

  “Oh, it’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed, looking out her window at the passing countryside.

  “I’m glad you like your new home,” Alexi said. He was sitting in the back with Jane, but was looking at her instead of out the window. “You can understand now why we are so adamant to keep this land for our people. Today we’ll be hunting a tract of forest that was cut about two years ago, but you’ll notice plenty of old growth still standing. Clear-cutting would be more efficient, but we prefer to leave the best of each species of tree to reseed.”

  Jane nodded that she understood. “And zonal cutting is better for the wildlife,” she added. “And new growth springs up quickly. Maine didn’t have much of a deer and moose population until harvesting began back in the seventeenth century and opened up the woods.”

  “Which is why we’re holding firm again the consortium, as they’re known for coming in and raping the land, then simply going in search of another country to exploit.”

  “That won’t happen here,” Sergei growled from the front seat. “Not as long as there’s a Lakeland on watch.”

  Jane nodded again, having no problem believing him. “But is it true what Mark said? Can you really stop these men?” she finished asking in a whisper.

  “We’ll stop them.” Sergei turned in his seat to see her. “Maybe not by killing them as you suggested, but the law we’re about to pass should be just as effective when it becomes illegal to sell any lands to outsiders—only lumber and finished products like furniture.”

  “And that will stop the threat against you?”

  “Against us, Jane. And yes, it will, as the consortium won’t be able to operate in Shelkova—with or without Lakelands in power.”

  “When will the law take effect?”

  “It’s complicated,” Sergei said. “Although most of the forest is government-owned, there are many other large and small landowners we must consider in order to be fair to everyone. Parliament is debating those very details right now.” He shrugged, facing forward again. “The law should be in effect in another few months.”

  Happy to hear that news, Jane went back to looking out her window. They made one stop before they began their day of hunting. The two trucks pulled into a homestead that was full of clutter, children, and lots of dogs running around.

  Jane was immediately enchanted.

  She didn’t even wait for Petri to open her door, but bounded outside and made for two small children having a party with no fewer than eight jumping, yelping puppies. She threw herself right into the center of them, sitting down in the dirt and suddenly getting swamped by clumsy legs and lolling tongues. “Oh, heavens! What happy little beasts you are,” she laughed, trying to protect her face. Not that she cared. Within seconds her hair was in tangles from being tugged on and chewed by the young dogs. The two children stood off to the side, their eyes widened in either awe or confusion.

  Jane made a grab for one of the puppies and pulled it away from her face so she could smile at the children. “Come,” she beckoned, waving them over and then patting the ground beside her. The little girl, looking about four years old, shyly moved closer. Jane laughed as one of the puppies grabbed the girl’s coat and pulled her down onto Jane’s lap, and she immediately protected the girl’s face from a tongue washing.

  Guessing the children didn’t speak English, Jane contented herself with starting a tug of war with the puppies, carefully wrapping an arm around the girl and encouraging her to help win the small war. Soon the boy joined them, not about to be left out.

  Sergei stood beside Alexi and watched their new sister make a complete ass of herself over two children and the boisterous litter of puppies.

  “Have you figured her out yet?” Alexi asked his brother.

  “Not yet,” Sergei said, shaking his head and grinning. “And you know what? Neither has Markov. He believes he has, but she’s going to keep surprising him for years to come. I’m afraid getting her to agree to marry him was nothing short of opening Pandora’s box.”

  “I like her.”

  “So do I. She’s genuine.”

  “She’s also perfect for Shelkova, and exactly what we need for a queen.”

  “And for a sister. Have you noticed how happy the household is? Dad looks and acts ten years younger. He’s like . . .”

  “Like before mother died,” Alexi finished softly. “We’ve all missed her, but Dad was especially hit hard by the hole she left in his life. Even the challenge of rebuilding a country wasn’t enough to reignite that spark, which is why he’s turning it over to Markov.”

  Sergei chuckled. “Poor Jane. She’s been fawning over Dad since she got here, telling him not to overdo it and to rest. She’s always trying to get him to rest.”

  “She’s going to explode when she finds out the lie we’ve all been perpetuating.”
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  “Dad can’t help it. He’s enjoying her concern too much. It’s been five years since he’s had such babying from a woman. Aunt Irina’s been great, but she knows Dad too well to fall for his sympathy attempts.”

  Sergei turned and held out his hand to the man approaching them. The poor fellow’s eyes kept darting from the two brothers to the crazy woman sitting on the ground playing with his children.

  “Yearman.”

  “Your Highness.”

  Sergei slapped the man on the back. “Today, Yearman, it is Sergei and Alexi. No ‘Highnesses.’”

  The man nodded agreement, his eyes darting back to the woman in the dirt, one daughter and four puppies on top of her. Between the yelping and giggling and shrieks, the din was near deafening. Sergei noticed an uncomfortable Petri standing nearby, looking ready to jump in should one of the young canines turn assassin.

  “I’d like for you to meet your future queen, Yearman,” Sergei offered, starting the stunned man on his way toward Jane.

  Alexi finally had to haul Jane out of the chaos and then dust her off. He tried to pat down her hair, but it was a hopeless task.

  “Jane. This is Yearman, the owner of the dogs and children. He’s coming hunting with us,” Sergei explained to the disheveled woman. His grin broadened as Yearman hastily pulled off his hat and bowed to Jane.

  “Your . . . Highness,” Yearman stammered, turning a dull red.

  Jane first looked bewildered by the title, and then startled. But she suddenly smiled and reached for Yearman’s hand. “Hello, Yearman. And my name is Jane. I like your household.”

  “Th-thank you.”

  “You’ve got some beautiful dogs. And children.”

  Yearman beamed, although Sergei didn’t know if it was the dogs or the kids he was more proud of.

  “They good hunters,” the man said, puffing up his chest.

  It was the dogs, apparently.

  “I have two come with us today,” Yearman went on. “They find you many grouse.”

  “Oh! It’s been years since I’ve hunted with dogs.”

  “Then let’s go,” Alexi chimed in as he brushed away two puppies that had just discovered the tassels on his boots.

  Jane turned to say good-bye to the kids and puppies, intending, apparently, to wade back into the group. But Sergei latched on to her and pulled her back to the truck. Yearman and his two dogs got into the second truck, which took over the lead as they left the homestead.

  Sergei, who was now sitting in the back, with Alexi in front, watched with amusement as Jane wiggled excitedly and asked question after question about grouse hunting in Shelkova, about Yearman, and about his dogs. Alexi did most of the answering, as he was the more avid hunter in the family. Or he had been, until Jane Abbot had arrived.

  It turned out to be a day Sergei would not soon forget. And neither would Alexi, judging by the scowl he wore all the way back to Yearman’s house. Jane and that infamous shotgun of hers had taken two grouse to every one of theirs.

  At first his new sister had complained they wouldn’t get any birds, considering seven people and two dogs would be tramping around in the woods making enough noise to scare the whales clear out at sea. But the bodyguards kept their distance and the dogs lived up to Yearman’s bragging. Alexi was soon disgusted and Jane was soon gloating, not the least bit shy about rubbing her success in Alexi’s face.

  Now they were all tired, Jane especially, Sergei feared. Their walk back to the trucks had her limping considerably, and Sergei was ashamed that he’d forgotten her bad ankle.

  It was because she made them forget. Once a person got to know Jane, they stopped seeing her limp. All they saw was her vitality, her enjoyment of life, and her impish smile. Those gunmetal eyes would light up at the least provocation and dance with merriment.

  No, a person didn’t see her limp at all.

  As soon as they arrived back at Yearman’s house, Jane was back out of the truck, sore or not, and back in the middle of the puppies. It was as he was standing there, as mesmerized as the rest of the men, that inspiration struck. Sergei turned and smiled at Yearman, then pulled him aside to have a little talk.

  “He should have accepted my gun,” Jane complained thirty minutes later, back in the truck that was headed home. “It was the least he could have taken. I know it’s not a fancy gun, but it’s serviceable.”

  A snort came from the backseat. “Are you kidding?” Alexi said. “Yearman’s going to triple the price of his puppies now. Between the prestige of having his dogs living with the royal family and what he’ll get for his pups, you just made him a rich— Ow!”

  Sergei grinned. Wisely having claimed the front seat again, he’d left Alexi to cope with Jane’s two new boisterous puppies—one of which was apparently fond of fingers.

  He couldn’t wait for Mark to see what his bride was dragging home this time.

  * * *

  First there was a bellow, then a curse (in Shelkovan), and then her name was roared.

  Jane walked into Mark’s office, not even trying to hide her smile, and went over and pulled one of the puppies out from beneath the desk, only to laugh when it brought Mark’s pant leg with it.

  “Dammit, Jane, these animals are going to be the death of me. That little monster just latched on to my ankle, and it won’t let go,” Mark said, forcibly prying the puppy’s jaws apart.

  Once free, he stood up and glared at Jane and her puppy, who was now happily ensconced in her arms and trying to lick her face. She did stop laughing, but couldn’t seem to quit smiling. And the puppy was anything but contrite. It went after him again, this time leaping out of her arms and going for his face. Mark caught the animal in midair and firmly set it on the floor, then pushed the puppy’s bottom down. “Sit!” he barked.

  The puppy lunged, and Jane broke into laughter again. And out of nowhere, the other puppy joined them, yelping crazily at the new game.

  “No! Down! Bad dog. Bad dogs!”

  They didn’t listen. That is, until Mark gave a deep, warning growl that sounded like a huge male wolf readying to pounce. Both puppies were so surprised, they immediately sat down.

  Mark nodded.

  And then he closed his eyes. “This better not be another test,” he whispered. He looked at her. “Because if it is, then you’re the one who’s going to fail.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “If you’re trying to see what kind of father I’ll be, then pay attention.”

  Mark hunched down in front of the two canines and stared at each of them. When one started to rise, he sat it firmly back on its bum and told it no. When the puppy stayed, Mark gave it a pat and a word of praise. The other puppy was jealous and whined but didn’t move. Mark praised it next. Then he looked up at Jane. “I will be a father who is obeyed and have peace in my home. Now, these two brats are going to learn some manners. And since you’re such an authority on manners, Miss Abbot, I expect you to teach them.”

  “But I’ve never had a dog before.”

  “Well, thanks to my brothers, you now have two. Teach them to behave, or they’ll be living in the barn.”

  “That’s not fair. They’re just babies. If they move to the barn, then so will I.”

  Mark stood up and stepped close and spoke softly. “No, as of tomorrow night, you will be moved into my bed.”

  She knew that. She just didn’t like to be reminded about it. Especially when Mark got that unholy gleam in his eye. That same gleam he’d been watching her with all week. The one he got just before he kissed her.

  And heavens, could the man kiss.

  Kissing was good. At least Mark seemed to like it as much as she did. But that’s what worried her. Tomorrow they were getting married, and tomorrow night she was sleeping in his bed. They’d kiss again, she knew. But they’d also do what they’d done on the Katrina
, and what Mark had done was suddenly shout and stop.

  What if he did that again? What if, again, he didn’t like it?

  Jane dropped her gaze to the maddeningly obedient puppies, whose eyes were only for Mark, their dripping canine tongues hanging out of their mouths and drooling all over the rug, looking pathetically hopeful of pleasing their new master.

  Did she ever look at Mark that way?

  Jane was afraid she did. More than once this week she’d actually had to pinch herself to stop from staring at him, unable to believe such a beautiful man wanted to marry her.

  And as much as it pained her to admit, she really had been testing him this past week. Heck, she’d been testing them all. And Mark still wanted to marry her, Reynard still wanted her for a daughter, and Irina still wanted to be her friend. Sergei, Dmitri, and Alexi still lectured her, but Jane could only smile at the memory of those lectures lately.

  “Now what in hell are you smiling at?”

  She immediately wiped the smile off her face, carefully schooled her features so she didn’t resemble the two puppies still patiently sitting on the floor, and frowned. “What was it you were saying?”

  He growled again.

  Both puppies cocked their heads and whined.

  Jane’s smile escaped for the second time. “Oh, yeah, I remember now. You want me to train my dogs. Any suggestions?”

  “Buy a book,” he snapped, looking down at the puppies and scowling. “What are their names, anyway?” he asked, trying to look unaffected by their worshipful gazes.

  “I can’t decide, so I think I’ll run a contest.”

  “What kind of contest?” he asked warily.

  “I’ll get the schoolkids of Shelkova to name them,” she explained. “Kids have great imaginations. We’ll give them a prize.”

  “A prize,” he repeated, that golden gleam back in his eyes. “What kind of prize?”

  “How about a ride in one of your fighter jets?”

  He shook his head. “Their parents would have fits.”

  “How about dinner here at the palace?”

  He nodded, that gleam intensifying. “Know what I’d ask for a prize?”