Liliana looked at him. “How open minded are you?”
“I don’t understand,” Eduardo asked.
“Nevermind.” Liliana shook her head and sat up straighter and reached for his hand. “I need to know something first.” She gripped his hand tightly with hers and pulled herself closer to him, bringing herself to her knees on the edge of the bed right next to him.
He stared at her in shock as she brought her lips to his and kissed him. Gently at first, as if testing to see how it felt, then instead of pulling back like he expected from a woman of a chaste background, she continued the kiss.
Her warmth and softness called to him and he desperately wanted to explore more of her. Enough so that he turned his body to be able to face her more directly. She released his hand and put her own hand against his chest, then up along his shoulder and neck sending shivers down that side of his body.
Eduardo couldn’t help himself and allowed his hands to rest upon her hips, then move to her back and pull her closer. She let out a little sigh that set his heart to racing and he leaned in closer to her, kissing her deeper and with more intent.
She was incredible. Her mouth moved against his with surety and passion that he’d not experienced before. She knew exactly how to set him alight.
That thought sent ice through his veins and he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away.
“What are you playing at?” Eduardo asked, the anger rising in his soul.
“What?” Liliana gasped in surprise.
“How are you so well versed in these things?”
“You mean kissing?” Liliana asked, with a seductive smile on her face.
“You’ve done this before?”
Liliana stared at him, her eyes losing the thrill of the moment and darkening in anger of her own.
“Of course I have.”
“You don’t deny it?” Eduardo spat. “Are you with child now? And desperate to make sure your babe would be my heir?”
Liliana’s eyes widened in shock. “How dare you! Just because I know how to kiss doesn’t mean you can sling those insults at me. Get out!”
Liliana pushed his shoulders and then struggled to get off the bed and away from him, though her movements were hindered by her injured arm. She whirled around shouted again. “I said, get out!”
Eduardo stared at her, unsure how to take her response. Was she angry he’d discovered the truth about her, or was this response genuine and he’d just offended his wife in the worst possible way?
Unable to come up with anything to do to fix his mistake, he did as she asked and left the room.
CHAPTER TEN
Lily stared at the door for long minutes after Eduardo left, breathing heavily and trying to decide what to do.
That kiss had told her so much about herself and Eduardo. There was more than just an attraction to his looks. There had been a spark—well more like an inferno—in that kiss. She’d never felt so alive before, and then he’d immediately assumed she was a loose woman just because she wasn’t afraid to show her interest in him.
And pregnant? As if. She’d never once been with a man before, and now her own husband wouldn’t believe her because she wasn’t clueless about how romance worked.
The nerve of the man.
If only she hadn’t sent him away. Right now she really needed him there to tell him off even more.
Her anger fueled her strength, and though she felt a bit of an ache in her arm, she didn’t feel tons of pain.
Knowing if she stayed in the room, she’d just let the anger fester even more and then the next time she saw Eduardo, she’d go berserk on him. No, she needed to get something to eat and have time to clear her head.
Lily opened the door to her room and stepped outside into the hallway, only to be met by a guard standing nearby.
“Take me to the kitchens, please.”
“I can have something brought up to you, Your Highness.”
Lily stared down the man, not in a mood to put up with any other kind of stupid man opinions.
“No,” Lily said. “You’ll take me to the kitchens.”
“Of course, Your Highness.” The guard bowed and motioned for her to follow him then hurried his steps to keep up with her quick pace.
He probably feared that if she didn’t eat soon, she’d take a bite out of him.
Lily held her injured arm at the elbow to keep it from jostling too much. She’d need to get a sling or something made to help keep it from moving around. The muscles hurt with just the slightest of movements, but as she assessed the damage, she realized she was incredibly lucky there wasn’t anything more wrong with it.
Hopefully, she could avoid any kind of infection. She didn’t know what the doctor that had attended her had done. But from what she could tell, the wound had been wrapped well, and the medicine she’d taken earlier had helped immensely with the pain. Of course, it had put her to sleep, and if it did that every time, she wasn’t sure she wanted to keep taking it.
The guard who’d led her through the estate motioned for her to wait a moment. He stepped through a doorway and spoke to whoever was inside, then turned back to her. “The kitchens, Your Highness. Emelda will take care of you.”
Lily nodded to him, then entered the kitchen and smiled at the cook, Emelda, and her staff inside. “I hope it won’t be a bother, but I wanted to get something to eat.”
“Of course, Your Highness. Whatever you want. But wouldn’t you be more comfortable in your own rooms? We could bring you something up there.”
“I needed to move around,” Lily said. “I will sit here at the table, and be out of your way, if that’s okay with you.”
“You may sit wherever you’d like, Your Highness.” The cook curtsied, then turned away and busied herself in finding Lily a meal. Lily appreciated the kindness of the people there, and knew she was probably breaking all kinds of expected behaviors and rules of etiquette, but right now, she didn’t care.
“Pardon, Your Highness,” a young serving girl said. “A drink for you.”
Lily looked at the girl and smiled. She was probably only about twelve or thirteen and had her hair pulled back in a braid. “Thank you.” Lily took the cup. “What’s your name?”
“Carmen.”
“Thank you, Carmen.”
“If I may say so, Princess. You were so brave yesterday. Thank you for saving our prince.”
Lily smiled at the girl whose eyes had gone to the wrapped arm.
“Of course,” Lily said. “He’s my husband. I’d do anything for him.”
The girl met her eyes and smiled, and Lily noticed the others in the kitchen had stopped what they were doing to watch the interaction. When Lily looked at the others, they all gave her a smile, then returned to their work and quickly brought her the food they’d prepared. In only a few minutes, she had enough delicious smelling food in front of her to feed about four people.
“I don’t think I could manage all this,” Lily said. “Please, join me, and tell me about yourselves.”
The cook looked at Lily as if she’d spouted nonsense and Lily realized she’d misspoke again. “That is, if you feel comfortable doing so.”
“We thank you for your kindness, Your Highness,” the cook said. “But there is much to still do.”
It was sad to think that the people here didn’t feel comfortable with someone like her. These people had taken care of her, and Lily really wasn’t a princess. She didn’t deserve any special kind of treatment. Though she did hope she could be of use to the people—if she stayed.
With Eduardo’s response to her kiss, she didn’t think she’d stay long. Maybe once she’d finished eating, and went back to her room, she should try calling for Dr. Lachele.
She’d given it a go. She’d been here for long enough to realize this wasn’t her place. Though her life back home was boring for the most part, she had friends and a job that she was good at. Who cared if it really didn’t matter that much in the long run? At least
she fulfilled a role and people could rely on her.
And maybe once she got back home, she’d start branching out into other kinds of books. Not relying on romance of the past to make her heart sigh. She’d go find a real live man.
But after sharing a kiss with Eduardo, she knew none of the men she’d dated in her own time could make her feel that same kind of hope and longing.
Lily shook her head sadly.
“Is the meal not to your liking, Your Highness?” the cook asked.
“Oh, no. Nothing like that,” Lily said. “It is delicious. I was just lost in my thoughts. And I think perhaps my arm is beginning to pain me. I wondered if you or someone might have a long strip of cloth I can use.”
“Of course, Your Highness.” The cook turned to Carmen. “Grab a sheet from the laundry.”
“A sheet would be too big. Maybe something about the thickness of the bench, and about as tall as me?”
The cook looked at her with a confused expression and Lily smiled. “I wanted to make something called a sling where I’m from. It will help my arm rest easier and allow the muscles to heal.”
The girl rushed away after the cook nodded and within minutes had returned with something that would work.
Lily took the fabric and laid it out across the table and examined it. She folded it and took one part of it, then asked Carmen to help her position it in the right place until she’d managed to get her arm inside the sling and instructed the girl to tie it over the other shoulder.
“What a clever thing to do, Your Highness.”
Lily smiled. “Thanks. I’ve seen it done before. Never thought I’d need to do it myself.”
“You are a rare woman,” the cook said.
Lily smiled at the other woman. “Thank you, Emelda. You are incredible yourself. Running a household and staff like this and keeping everyone fed. Thank you for caring for me tonight. I feel so much better now that I’ve eaten. But I do believe I should return to my room. I think I may need to sleep again.”
What she really wished for was some ice to put on her arm, but she knew that wasn’t an option. And she didn’t really want to take any more of that medicine that would make her sleep so deeply. She no longer wanted to find Eduardo and shout at him for his words. She did want to find him and see if she really wanted to stay here and be his wife, or if she was going to return home.
But showing up at her own time with an arrow wound in her arm would take a bit of explaining to do. She was sure all the girls at the book club would be so enthralled at her experience. Lily wondered how the rest of them were fairing. Had anyone else gone back in time since she’d left? She knew a couple of the other girls were planning on giving it a try. Had they found their true loves?
Hopefully they had found men less unreasonable and more interested in falling in love. This royal of hers was way too reluctant, but then at the same time, at least she hadn’t been forced into anything before she was ready. She did appreciate that he wasn’t expecting her to jump right into his bed. Now she just had to worry about the opposite.
And decide if she wanted to forgive him for his insults. What a bunch of garbage it was that men thought they could do whatever they wanted before marriage, but a woman had to be completely pure and clueless. Lily had always known she wanted to be married before sex. She wanted the full commitment and had made the promise to herself and God when she was younger. If Eduardo was a two-faced kind of man, she’d call Dr. Lachele right away and get her one-way trip back home.
Gah, she just had to stop thinking of that infernal man.
Lily stood from the kitchen table and headed toward the door she’d entered when the guard had brought her down. She expected to just work her way back to her room, but was surprised to see the same guard there.
“Shall I escort you to your room?” he asked.
“Why?” Lily asked. “Who told you to keep an eye on me?”
The guard gave her a look that indicated she should have known who.
“Eduardo?”
He gave a quick nod.
“Why?”
“To keep you safe of course,” the guard said. “With the attempt on Prince Eduardo’s life this morning, and your injury, the prince was clear in his instructions to keep you safe.”
“Where is he?” Lily asked.
“I don’t know.” The guard seemed surprised to be asked about the prince.
“I want to see him.”
“If you’ll allow me to return you to your room, I can send someone to find him.”
Lily debated for a moment on if she should insist he go roam the castle looking for the prince with her following behind, but now that her stomach was full and her anger at Eduardo had eased, she didn’t think she had the strength or inclination to search the castle.
“Lead the way,” Lily said.
The guard’s face relaxed and Lily sighed internally. Then a half wicked and half amused chuckled bubbled up inside her. She would have a lot of fun giving all these men in the past a piece of her mind and making them change their thinking bit by bit as she acted as a princess, and then someday, if she stayed, as queen.
She just needed to see Eduardo again to decide if she was going to be around long enough to give the guard some payback.
***
Eduardo stared into the fireplace in Vincente’s office now that he was alone. They’d gotten nowhere in determining who was behind the attempted assassination and Vincente had gone to bed.
When Eduardo had shouted for the guards to go after the man in the trees, he hadn’t seen anything, but Diego had reported that the assassin had been found nearly a mile away with his throat slit. No one knew who had killed him, but Eduardo worried it was done to prevent the man from giving anything away if he was questioned.
The entire country knew that Eduardo and his new wife would be traveling through Aragonia in order to allow the people to meet the new princess, and for them to collect the rents from the people. It was no secret his people didn’t revere his father, but had things actually gotten to the point where they would be willing to murder their prince?
Eduardo would be more alert from this point on. He’d not allow himself to get distracted by his wife again. Not out in public, and he doubted she’d want him to spend any time with her in private. Not with the way he’d accused her tonight after she’d kissed him.
The outrage in her face was so genuine, he didn’t doubt he’d misjudged her. But the fact that she knew so much of kissing concerned him.
Eduardo had kissed women before, and though his father had encouraged him to do whatever he wished, Eduardo couldn’t bring himself to emulate his father’s behavior. He wanted so much more than a life of indulgence and decadence. Eduardo wanted to make a difference.
But unless he could change the opinions of the people toward his father, then by the time Eduardo came to the throne at the king’s death, Eduardo doubted his people would trust him any more than they did his father.
His wedding tour was supposed to help the people of Aragonia see him and his wife as rulers they could trust. And instead of showing a united front for his people, Eduardo was so confused with where he stood with his own wife that he doubted they looked like rulers of one mind to the people of Aragonia.
He shouldn’t have planned this tour so quickly after the wedding. They hadn’t even had a chance to get to know each other. But the thought of keeping her there in the castle with his father’s overbearing presence had spurred him into this foolish mess he found himself in.
His father was once again affecting everything Eduardo did. Would he ever be rid of the trouble the man caused?
Eduardo turned at a knock on the door.
“Enter.”
A guard opened the door and spoke. “Princess Liliana has requested your presence.”
Eduardo stared at the man. He doubted she’d asked for him the way his heart had hoped in those few seconds.
“Is she well?”
“She has just finish
ed eating in the kitchens and is returning to her room.”
“She left her room? Was she alone?”
“No, Your Highness. Carlos was with her.”
“Why did she leave? Why wasn’t food sent up to her instead? She should have remained there and rested.”
“I am unsure, Your Highness. Shall I send an answer to her?”
Eduardo debated for only a moment. He really should go see her. To apologize for his earlier comment. And to see why she had left the room. Her arm needed time to heal, and it would do no good to have her fall ill because she wasn’t taken care of.
“I’ll go myself,” Eduardo said. It would be better in the long run to speak with her in person each time they had to communicate. He didn’t want to drive a wedge between them so early in their union.
Eduardo picked up the jacket he’d removed when he sat across from Vincente, discussing what had happened, and slipped his arms through the sleeves. He made sure his sword was belted at his hip again and squared his shoulders. He wouldn’t need his sword in this interaction, but wearing it helped him feel a little more prepared for what he would face.
The hallways were quiet except for the sound of his own feet and that of the guard with him. He maintained a steady gait, not too quick, and not too slow. He had to maintain the air of royalty and perfection as much as possible. He wasn’t afraid of his wife, and he wasn’t running to her beck and call either.
Before he climbed the stairs that led to the room he shared with Liliana, the pounding on the front door sounded from the distance.
Eduardo’s hand went to the hilt of his sword, just as the guard with him did.
“You go join them at the front. I’ll see to the princess.”
The guard nodded and rushed off toward the front doors to join the others who were assembling. Eduardo prayed for strength and safety. He must protect the princess.
When he reached the hall where his room was, the guard he’d set over her stood blocking the door.
“What is amiss?” the guard asked.
“I’m not sure,” Eduardo said. “Let me in, then guard this door with your life.”
RELUCTANT ROYAL, THE Page 8