So I let myself bask in the warmth he made me feel but tried to change the subject so I didn’t wallow in it so much that I forgot what was coming and got myself blinded-sided by it.
“How go things?” I asked him.
He rubbed my arm absently. “They go. The unrest is threatening to escalate and Arnell thinks a heavier military presence is the answer.”
“What do you think?”
“I think I should go back there and talk to Bronkala, face to face.”
I shifted slightly and finally looked up at him. “Is that a…good idea?”
“I do not know, honestly. But no one else has been able to get an audience with him.”
“Do you think you can?”
“Again, I do not know. I am hopeful I would have more chance than any of Arnell’s other captains.”
“Because you’re the crown prince?”
“Ja.”
“You sure he wouldn’t just kill you.”
“Maybe. It is irrelevant, though. Father is refusing to let me go.”
I nodded. Not sure if I was pleased his father was at least keeping him safe or unhappy that he couldn’t do what he felt he needed to do.
But when he smiled down at me there was no sign of the stony prince I saw in public, there was only tenderness. “Come. Let us not waste the time we have with unhappy thoughts.”
He kissed me again and I completely melted against him.
I felt like we didn’t have enough time, and we both behaved like it.
Our clothes were off within moments and we tumbled onto my bed together with what definitely felt like a deadline hanging over us. Which is not to say we rushed anything. Rather we made sure to savour the time we had, knowing it was eventually coming to an end.
Chapter Six
It was finally time for Lia’s charity fundraiser and I was being the dutiful sibling and going.
It seemed Dmitri and even Nico also appeared to be doing the dutiful sibling thing and going along for the excitable Kostin. Well excitable for Kostin. He was as composed as usual on the outside, but there was this adorable sense of buzz around him. Like it was taking everything he had to keep his enthusiasm contained within that robotic exterior.
Shelly and Gerta had put me in one of my Lia-clone outfits – a woven dress with matching jacket and neutral pumps – and made my make-up perfectly barely-there-but-making-me-look-ten-times-better-because-Dmitri-kept-me-up-late-not-that-I-was-telling-anyone-that, and my hair sat in one of those chignons I was actually starting to not hate.
When I walked into the entry hall, I actually did a double-take because Lia and I looked basically exactly the same. Which didn’t seem to matter quite so much because the princes were all basically dressed the same as well in their perfect suits. The only marked difference between them was the colour and the fact that Dmitri wore a waistcoat as well.
“Nico, got some time off?” I asked him when he smiled at me in hello.
Nico actually looked to Dmitri for a moment, but it was the eldest prince who replied, “The council believes our appearance at the fundraiser will put the crown in a…favourable light.”
I nodded. “That makes sense, I guess.”
“Come. Or we shall be late,” Kostin said, offering his elbow perfunctorily to Lia.
Lia took it, but after a moment of hesitation and it struck me how she dealt with her feelings for him on a daily basis. There was only a slight hint of shyness and discomfort about her, but I think I only saw it because I was looking for it and I knew her so well. Anyone else would probably not have noticed.
That’s probably why you think he doesn’t know you exist, you idiot, I thought fondly.
Then again, maybe her time with Rupert had let her put aside those feelings and explore other ones. I supposed only time would tell if my situation turned out to be more similar than I wanted to admit.
We got into the back of the waiting car. Again, a car full of security detail followed us out of the palace courtyard and through the streets of Albia. The car ride was quiet with the brooding, stony presence of Dmitri beside us all. It wasn’t the way I was used to seeing him now, but there was nothing about it that I didn’t like anyway.
The car took us out of Albia proper and to an older building in a sweet little courtyard with a big sign saying ‘Franciscan Children’s Home’. The whole place felt like it used to be a farm building and the outskirts of Albia had been built up around it, but this little slice of the past had been left behind.
People milled around the courtyard, a few children ran about here and there, there were pennant garlands hanging up, and an air of festivity hung about the place.
As the car pulled up, Lia started smoothing her clothes and hair nervously. I reached over and patted her knee. She jumped a little at the contact but gave me a warm smile when she looked at me.
“It’s going to be great,” I told her.
Lia nodded. “I hope so. The kid’s worked so hard on it all.”
A guard I knew by sight opened the door for us. Kostin helped Lia out, then Nico clambered out, followed by Dmitri. I was sure Nico was going to offer me his hand to get out, but Dmitri didn’t get out of the way. Instead, he turned and offered me his hand. I took it, unable to look at his face as that stupid smile crossed it. I looked down in the hopes of masking it as I got out and at least it meant I was able to keep an eye on my treacherous feet as heels met snow.
The five of us walked through the few people outside as they greeted Lia and Kostin in particular and smiled at the rest of us. We walked into a big open area filled with – as Lia had promised – stalls set up with all sorts of things and there were a lot more people inside as well as a few more children.
“Oh, there’s Miss Chapman,” Lia said, nodding to the right.
“We should go and say hello,” Kostin said and I wasn’t sure if he was letting us know or making the suggestion to Lia.
“So what do we do at these things?” I asked Nico as Kostin and Lia walked away.
“We look good, give away some money, and tell everyone else we know to give away their money.” He winked.
“Oh. Is that all?” I laughed.
He gave me that winning grin. “We also drink and eat.”
“Let me guess. But only a little so as to maintain the image of propriety and decorum.”
“Exactly. See? You’re a natural at this.” He touched my arm briefly as he laughed.
“Lady Tatiana?” I turned at the sound of my name and saw Eric.
“Lord Baker!” I laughed as I lifted my hand to him, remembering we were in public and all the protocols that dictated.
I felt the slight touch of a hand on my back and noticed Dmitri was passing me, then dragged my eyes off his retreating back and turned back to Eric as he made his way over to us.
“Your highness,” Eric said as he stopped beside me and bowed to Nico.
“Lord Baker. I didn’t realise you had a fondness for the Franciscan Children’s Home,” Nico replied, noticeably drawing himself up. Had we been alone, I might have teased him for preening.
“Oh, I didn’t even know they existed,” Eric said. “But when Natalia and Tatiana mentioned it at Dante Rios’ opening last week, I knew I had to come.”
“Lia and Anya are two of the most kind-hearted women I know. In fact, Lia has long been an advocate for the charity and Anya has been keen to get involved since she arrived.”
I looked at Nico quickly, but kept my mouth shut about my apparent keenness to be involved in my sister’s charities. Their faces were happy enough and their tones were polite enough, but it was pretty obvious that Eric and Nico were sizing each other up. And over me. Which was ridiculous. And hilarious.
I am a horrible person, I reminded myself as I waited to see what Eric would come back with and tried not to smile more gleefully than was necessary.
“Yes, I would agree with you,” was apparently what he chose. “When Lord
Barr and I took the girls to the gallery last week, Natalia told us all about her causes and it was only at lunch the other day – wasn’t it?” Eric looked at me, “that you were telling me how you wanted to make a difference in people’s lives somehow.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Nico got in there before me.
“I think films have a way of speaking to people. Provided they are written well.” If I were awarding points, Nico would have got one.
“If that’s what Tatiana chooses to do, then yes.” All right, Eric. Point to you, too.
I’d mentioned to Eric, like I mentioned to most people recently, that I wasn’t sure if I still wanted to be a scriptwriter. A scriptwriter who’d never written anything? That didn’t sound like the way I was supposed to be starting out. I’d just always liked the idea of it and no one else in class had ever come up with it, so I didn’t know how much of me wanting to do it was born of me convincing myself that’s what I wanted to do or whether I actually wanted to do it and just didn’t know how to go about it. Still, I had no other ideas so it was as good a starting point as any.
“Naturally, Anya would excel at anything she put her mind to.”
Well, that was slightly less impressive than I’d have expected from the prince with all the suave and charm.
“Lord Baker, we don’t usually see you at these events,” came a voice I recognised.
“Not usually, Miss Farraday. No. I thought I’d make an exception.”
“Charlotte,” I said in greeting and she smiled as she stepped between Nico and Eric.
“Tatiana, wonderful to see you again.” She curtseyed to Nico. “Your highness.”
Nico looked to me and I was adept enough at these situations to know that meant Nico had never met the Marquise de Ronique’s sister.
“Charlotte, may I introduce His Royal Highness Prince Dominic, youngest son to King Reginald. Prince Dominic, may I introduce Miss Charlotte Farraday, younger sister to the Marquise de Ronique.”
After a rueful smirk to me, Nico turned to Charlotte. “Ah, Miss Farraday.” Nico inclined his head, his hands clasped behind his back. “Pleasure to meet you. I hear you saved our Lady Tatiana at your sister’s tea?”
My hand shot out and whacked Nico before my brain thought better of it. As my cheeks heated a little, I looked at Charlotte apologetically. “I didn’t quite put it in those words.”
Charlotte waved a hand to dismiss my concern as she looked around, then leant towards me conspiratorially. “Vivianne has a select group of friends. I merely made sure Tatiana felt welcome.”
“You know I am capable of fending for myself.”
“I’ll say,” Eric said and my hand found its way to his arm as we shared a smile.
“Let’s not talk about my uncivilized side in public, shall we?” I pleaded and everyone laughed.
“Well I thank you for it all the same, Miss Farraday,” Nico said as though he had any right to be thanking her for such a thing and needed to remind everyone that we weren’t talking about me and Eric.
I managed to hold back a laugh at the odd possessive nature he was displaying, but a smile escaped so I looked away from the others and noticed that Amanda was also there and she’d found Dmitri.
There was a very surreal moment were it felt very much like Dmitri and I were both eyeing off the competition standing in the place we wanted to be. My heart race increased and I suddenly felt a little bit antsy.
I turned back to the others, who had continued talking while I wasn’t paying attention, and waited for a break in the conversation to excuse myself. I smiled at them all to reassure them nothing was wrong and slipped away.
I did the purposeful walk that would hopefully make it look like I was looking for a bathroom or something and stop anyone from trying to talk to me. Whatever I looked like, no one did more than smile at me politely in hello as we passed each other. I looked around the room as though taking everything in, but I was actually looking for a quiet place to take a breath.
The stalls were full of all sorts of food and drink and wares that I was pretty sure were for purchase.
There was a stall of little figurines. Some were remarkably fashioned and painted prettily and others looked like the pottery section of the art building at school – various states of ability were on display ranging from little more than misshapen lumps to slightly more recognisable shapes, both painted and not.
Another stall had a variety of knitted things – scarves and gloves and hats and toys. Again, the wares looked like people of various ability levels had made contributions.
One stall was selling what looked like handmade soaps. Another few had jams and preserves. There was a stall of quilts and pillows. Even more had packaged cakes and cookies and candies.
It looked like a whole community had come together to raise money for the children’s home and, as I marvelled at that, I remembered that my big sister had been a big part of making it come together. I felt a huge sense of pride and also a little of uselessness – I wasn’t surprised, but I was amazed that Lia had helped put this fundraiser together and I realised just how little I’d done with my life while she was busy studying and doing things like this.
I found my way out of that room and into another that had tables set up for the luncheon and more around the edges of the room with what looked like more expensive items on them that a few people were perusing. I had a look at the closest table and found it was a silent auction with things like fancy wines, balloon rides, and vouchers for stays at nice hotels, jewellery, and art, some of which I recognised only because I’d been at the gallery exhibit opening the week before.
As I looked around, feeling like I should probably put a bid on something because I caved under peer pressure like that, I heard some giggling and found myself heading in that direction.
Off the luncheon room was another room. This one was smaller and more colourful and full of children and toys. I wasn’t sure what the luncheon room was usually used for, but this felt almost like the room they stuck some children in to put them on display for things like this. I supposed there were worse ways of encouraging people to donate to an orphanage than letting them watch the orphans playing.
I leant in the doorway and couldn’t help smiling as I watched them all going about doing things kids do. Some were colouring, some had blocks, others had dolls and cars, some were playing dress ups and staging what looked like a story of epic proportions. And they were all laughing and yelling while they did it. Until that one girl stole that other girl’s blue crayon and they started fighting. Or that little girl crashed her truck into that little boy’s block castle and it came tumbling down amid tears.
I looked for the adults in the room, but they were busy with the blue crayon argument and other things, and an instinct kicked in. I hurried into the room, skirting a few kids running around, and dropped next to the little boy and his fallen castle.
He looked at me with big brown eyes full of tears and a wobbly bottom lip.
“Hi,” I said quickly and he looked me over carefully, which was probably the best reaction because I was a strange woman to him. I also wasn’t sure how bilingual kids under the age of five might be, so I said in Gallyrian, “My name’s Anya. I see your castle fell down.”
He nodded and the little girl with the truck crawled over.
“It was a very nice castle,” I continued.
“Tilly ran her truck on purpose!” he said, glaring at the little girl.
“Nu-uh,” Tilly said, shaking her head so hard her pigtails whipped her in the face.
“Uh-huh,” the little boy said.
“Georgie just build again,” she said, picking up a block and holding it out to him. I was glad they’re Gallyrian seemed as broken as mine usually did so I could keep up.
But Georgie shook his head, his lower lip still trembling.
“I can help?” I offered and they both just looked at me in surprise.
I nodded
in what I hoped was reassurance, slid off my heels, rearranged myself on the ground so my skirt wasn’t going to be flashing anyone, and picked up another block.
“Where shall we start?” I asked.
A few minutes later, the three of us were eagerly building a new castle together and all of us were smiling. They chatted away about people I had no idea about, but I exclaimed in all the right places as they talked. Both Tilly and Georgie seemed to have no problem climbing backwards and forwards, especially if it happened to be over my lap.
“Oh… Uh… My lady?” came an uncertain voice.
I looked up and gave a sheepish grin to one of the adults I’d seen earlier. “Uh, hi. I’m–”
“Lady Tatiana, I know,” she said, looking between me and something behind me.
I half-turned just as Georgie climbed into my lap again and my stomach crumpled uncomfortably. Amanda, Dmitri and Nico were standing just inside the room and I saw Kostin and Lia talking to the other adult.
“Uh… I’m not meant to be here, am I?” I whispered up to the lady.
She seemed to have as much trouble as me keeping her eyes off the beautifully imposing figure of Amada Schuller in the doorway. “It’s just not…usual,” she replied.
“You seem unusually…comfortable, Lady Tatiana,” Amanda called and everyone in the room heard the condescension in her tone even if not everyone understood the English she said it in, but there was no way I could call her out on it. “Isn’t it lucky Lady Tatiana’s found somewhere she…can be herself?” she asked Dmitri.
“Indeed,” was all he said and I felt fear grip my heart.
Dmitri’s face was totally stone-cold expressionless except for the complete unimpressed look in his eyes as he raked me over with the small child in my lap reaching for another block and holding it in my face.
“Anya’s turn,” Georgie said to me, totally oblivious to the fact that I’d probably made a total tit of myself again.
“Well, Miss Schuller,” Nico said, also in English, as he started walking over to where I was sitting, “It’s always been my belief that children are the best judges of character. I, for one, am always going to think highly of a person a child feels comfortable with. Don’t you think, brother?”
Some Proposal (I'm No Princess Book 4) Page 5