Julia stared at her big sister, fearing that Monica must have an awful disease. But the queen beamed as King Thaddeus took her hand in his, smiling broadly and gazing at her with adoration.
“We’re pregnant,” Monica explained.
And just as quickly, Thaddeus added, “with twins.”
“That’s why you look so awful!” Sheila Miller responded with a gasp, then blushed as she scrambled from her chair to embrace her daughter. “Oh, Monica, I’m so delighted!”
“The twins haven’t made life easy,” Monica admitted as she opened her arms to her mother, “and I’m not as young as I was when I had Peter.”
Julia rushed to hug her sister, as well. “I’m so relieved,” she whispered through her happy tears, “and so thrilled for you.”
“Does this mean you’ll stay?” Monica asked, looking at her intently.
“What?” Julia blinked at the queen, then looked around at all the royal family, who seemed to be anxiously awaiting her answer. “What do you mean?”
“I know you have a successful law practice in Seattle, and I hate to ask you to walk away from that, but I’m sure you’d have no trouble practicing law in Lydia if you wanted to, and it would make me so happy if you were closer, especially with the babies on the way. But I won’t ask you to—”
Julia cut off her words with a big hug. “Of course I’ll stay. I’d love to!”
Thaddeus’s sisters and brother and their fiancés all pressed forward for a turn congratulating the couple, and Julia backed toward the door, still stunned at the news, and feeling suddenly rather alone and left out. She’d always pictured her kids and Monica’s kids growing up together, but Monica was soon to be a mother of three, and Julia wasn’t even attached to anyone. Though she was thrilled for her sister, she couldn’t completely repress the feeling that she was being left behind.
She backed toward the doorway to the hall, ready to make her escape if her emotions overwhelmed her.
“I see that look.” A bass voice whispered near her ear as familiar fingers slipped around her hand. “You’re thinking of sneaking out again,” Linus teased. “Not without a guard.”
“Linus.” Julia turned to him and grinned, having thought about him all morning, but not having seen him. “Did you hear the news?”
“Yes. Twins. The entire kingdom will be overjoyed.”
“That, too,” Julia said as she beamed at him, unsure if he’d been informed of the king’s decision, which Monica had whispered to her just before breakfast. “And they’re going to award you with a medal for meritorious service. I get to pin it on you in a formal ceremony with your grandfather and anyone else you want invited.”
The teasing smile disappeared from Linus’s face.
“Aren’t you happy?”
“I am, but—” he shook his head “—they can’t award me a medal without reviewing my record. Jason will have to share with them—”
“He already did.”
“What?”
Julia looked up at him, brimming with emotion. “Jason shared everything on your record. They still agreed unanimously to give you a medal.”
“So I get to stay on as a guard? I never thought—”
“Linus,” she said as they backed into the hallway, unnoticed by the happy throng behind them, “they asked me this morning if I wanted you assigned as my primary guard.”
“What did you say?”
“I asked if it mattered that I was in love with you.”
“Julia.” His fingers swept the side of her face affectionately. “You must know how I feel about you. I fall in love with you more and more every time we’re together. If I wasn’t afraid of overstepping my bounds—” he glanced toward the happy royals hugging in the room beyond them “—I might have an announcement of my own to make.”
“An announcement?” Her heart skipped a beat.
“I love you, Your Grace. With all this talk of royal weddings—” he looked down at her, his eyes aglow with emotion “—I suppose it’s presumptuous of me to want to claim you as my own, but you must know, I’d marry you in a heartbeat. If only it were possible.”
Julia felt her mouth drop open slightly. “If you asked me, I’d say yes.”
Linus grinned and cast another look toward the oblivious party in the room beyond them.
“But your family...”
“My sister would wholeheartedly approve, and the king just wants to make her happy.”
“Well, in that case, would you marry me?”
“Yes.” She giggled, perhaps a little too loudly. Linus silenced her happy laughter with a kiss.
“But Julia—” he kissed the tip of her nose “—we should keep this between us for a bit. There have been plenty of royal announcements lately.”
“I agree. We should let them get used to the idea,” she kissed him again before continuing, “After all, they might argue that we don’t know each other well enough.”
“I know that I love you. That’s enough for me.”
“I feel the same way.” She cleared her throat and tried to remember the important thing she’d been going to say before he’d distracted her by proposing marriage. “Which is why I shared my feelings for you with my sister.”
Linus bent his head nearer hers, his lips tauntingly close. “What did she say?”
“She’s quite in favor of it as long as it doesn’t get in the way of you protecting me.”
Linus leaned down and kissed her then, wrapping his arms protectively around her as he drew her close. “I won’t let anything get in the way of protecting you.”
And he sealed his promise with another kiss.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt of Betrayal on the Border by Jill Elizabeth Nelson!
Dear Reader,
The royal guards of Lydia are more than bodyguards, more than watchmen or security personnel, more than men in a symbolic uniform, marching back and forth in front of the palace gates. The men of Lydia’s royal guard pledge to do all they can, by God’s power, to protect the members of the royal house of Lydia.
I’m so thrilled that you’ve picked up this first book in the Protecting the Crown series from Love Inspired Suspense. Defending the Duchess is just the first book in this series. There are more tales of romance and suspense yet to come. You can check my website at www.rachellemccalla.com for updates on the latest in forthcoming titles.
As you may have guessed, Lydia is a land full of love and adventure, both in a contemporary setting, and throughout history. The Protecting the Crown series picks up where the Reclaiming the Crown series left off. Look for her next book in the series Royal Heart in July 2013. The Protecting the Crown series also includes Love Inspired Historical stories. A Royal Marriage, which was released in December of 2012, tells about King John of Lydia and Gisela, the daughter of Charlemagne. And in November 2013, look for the story of John’s brother Luke.
The Christian kingdom of Lydia is a lovely place to visit at any time of year. I’m so glad you could join Linus and Julia on their adventures, and I hope you’ll be back soon.
God’s blessings on your journey,
Rachelle
Questions for Discussion
Julia travels to Lydia in large part because she is worried about her sister Monica’s stress levels, and she wants to support her as she adjusts to being queen. What do you think of Julia’s plan? What problems arise when we tie our goals to another person’s emotional state? What complications did Julia face?
From an early point in the story, Linus feels attraction toward Julia. How does he deal with his growing feelings? Do you think he made the right choices? Do you respect him more or less as the story goes on?
As the attacks against Julia’s person and property pile up, she thanks
God for sending Linus to help her sort through everything. What does this tell you about her attitude and her faith? Do you think it’s important to thank God for the good things, even when you’re overwhelmed by bad things?
Linus joined the royal guard in part because of his grandfather’s stories about being a royal guard. His grandfather helped him through his turbulent teenage years and kept him on the right track. Do you have people in your life who inspire and encourage you? What do you do to try to inspire and encourage others?
When Linus suggests to Julia that the people she works with might be connected to the attacks against her, she feels doubly distressed. Have you ever felt betrayed by a friend or associate? What is it about knowing the perpetrator that makes a crime more awful than if a stranger committed it?
In spite of her feelings of betrayal, Julia still feels guilty implicating her coworkers in the case when she hands over her evidence to the police. Have you ever felt guilty for “telling on” someone? Why does Julia feel the way she does? What do you think of her choice? Have you ever been in a similar situation? How did you deal with it?
As the threats against them grow more serious, Julia and Linus take comfort in the words of Psalm 25. Are there any particular Psalms that bring you comfort? What is it about them that’s comforting?
Galen let Julia exit the palace gates without a guard. Linus later notes that he’d have put Galen on leave for breach of protocol, though the sentinel had saved the lives of Princess Anastasia and Kirk two months before by defying orders from the former, corrupt head of the royal guard. What do you think of Galen’s choices? Do you think Jason was right to keep him on as part of the guard in spite of his previous failures to follow the rules?
Julia carries a weight of guilt that her sister, Monica, has been through so many trials. Julia wishes she could have supported her more in the past, and vows to make up for that in the future. Have you ever felt guilty when someone you love suffers? What can Julia reasonably do to support her sister? What can you do to be there for those you love, and what guilty feelings do you need to let go of?
Linus notices how Julia likes her coffee, remembers her favorite flavored water and thoughtfully brings her a drink when she’s thirsty. How do these little details communicate his feelings for her? Do you have people in your life who notice and remember things about you?
Scott claims he’s being set up as a scapegoat. The word scapegoat originates in the Bible, in the Old Testament (see Leviticus chapter 16 for the full story). The scapegoat carries away the guilt so that others will no longer be guilty. In much the same way, Jesus carries the guilt of our sins so that we can live freely. How do you feel about this burden that Jesus took on for our sakes? Do you live in gratitude for the freedom he bought for you?
When Linus realizes that Julia might share the growing feelings he has for her, he realizes he has to confess his juvenile record. Why does Linus feel it’s so important that Julia know the truth about him? How do you feel about the decision to keep him on as a guard? Where do you draw the line between justice and forgiveness?
Todd Martin has a glowing reputation, and his company is held in high esteem. At one point, Julia stated that she didn’t want the case to cast a negative light on Todd Martin’s company. Have you ever been so blinded by your regard for a person’s worldly reputation that you failed to see their true motives and actions? In what ways are reputations helpful, and how can they also be problematic?
When Julia learns her sister’s exciting news, she quickly makes up her mind to leave her old life behind and move to Lydia. What do you think of her decision? What other factors may have prompted her to make this choice?
Linus and Julia want to marry, but they’ve decided not to announce anything until they’ve gotten to know each other better. Do you think they make a good match? Are you happy that Julia has chosen to stay in Lydia? What would you do in her situation?
ONE
If that off-white chunk of clay was craftsman’s putty, Maddie Jameson would eat her tool belt. What was C-4 explosive compound doing on the kitchen table in this unit at Morningside Apartments? A chill rippled her insides.
Not everyone would recognize the remnants from the construction of a pipe bomb. To the untrained eye, the dab of C-4 could be mistaken for putty and the bits of wire and lengths of sawed-off pipe merely scraps from a handy-man project. But then, not many apartment-maintenance workers were ex–army rangers with Maddie’s skill set—or a history that meant she must keep her head down and her eyes peeled.
Those who hunted her were relentless and ruthless, and she was damaged prey. She needed to see them coming before they got to her.
Not that she ever knew exactly what hired assassin would be after her. She could bump into one on the street and not know it until he tried to take her out. Everyone was a suspect. If only she could figure out why she was marked for death. Had she seen something the night of the attack a year ago on the Rio Grande? If so, her head injury had erased it from her memory.
Was she the target of the bomb these Morningside tenants had been making? If the three attempts on her life within the past year were any clue, she’d be an idiot to think otherwise. Where was the bomb planted? Her caretaker’s apartment on the premises? Maddie’s mouth went dry. There could be collateral damage. Dozens of people—including children—lived in this building, and a bomb didn’t care who it destroyed.
Dear God, please don’t let innocent families be hurt because of me.
Fighting for a full breath, she looked down at the work order in her hand. No, she hadn’t made a mistake. The order listed this apartment and stated that the tenants had given permission for the maintenance person to enter in their absence in order to replace a torn window screen. But she’d checked the screens—they were whole. Why would the tenants give permission for her to enter the premises on a trumped-up excuse and then leave their bomb-making scraps lying around in plain view?
Unless this was a trap.
The air in Maddie’s lungs went arctic. Maybe the bomb was planted in this very unit. The timer could click down to zero at any second.
Her feet cried Run—seek safety somewhere...anywhere! But flight wouldn’t help the other people who could be blown to smithereens.
Sweat trickled down her scalp, despite the coolness blowing from the wall-mounted air conditioner. The scar above her right ear itched, but she ignored the sensation as she yanked her two-way radio from her belt and began to search the premises with her eyes. There wasn’t much space to cover in this studio apartment. A kitchenette. A living-room area with an easy chair and matching ottoman, a television the tenants had left blaring, and a couch that had been slept on, if the rumpled bedding was any indication. A hide-a-bed pulled out from the wall filled the rest of the space. That, too, hosted a nest of wadded bedding.
“Bill, do you have a copy?” Maddie spoke into the radio.
She took her thumb off the button and listened for a response. Silence answered. Great! The apartment manager had chosen this critical moment to be absent from his office.
Maddie gingerly cracked the oven door open and peered inside. No bomb. She checked the refrigerator. A half-gallon carton of milk, a partially eaten brick of cheese and an overripe peach, but no bomb. She opened the cupboards with one hand while using the other to keep calling for Bill every few seconds. Still no answer. Her throat tensed as if invisible fingers had tightened around her windpipe. A little voice in her head screamed she was running out of time.
The tenants in this unit had opted not to hook up a landline phone, and company regulations dictated that employees not carry cell phones. Bad policy in this instance. Maybe she should run to the office herself and phone for the bomb squad. But the bomb could go off in her absence and kill any of the neighbors above, below or on either side. If she found the apparatus, she could defuse it as well as—or bett
er than—the police experts.
She went to the clothes closet and pulled back the sliding door. Phew! The scent of onions rolled out. One of the owners of the stack of luggage that filled most of the space must have a love affair with the vegetable she most despised. Maddie let out a heavy sigh. She’d have to search each bag, and she’d be surprised if she didn’t find a different name on every airline tag. Crooks who wanted to fly under the system’s radar sometimes generated pocket money by walking off with pieces from baggage carousels and pawning or selling the contents.
From the hallway came the sound of male voices. They drew nearer...nearer...and then stopped on the other side of the apartment entrance. Maddie froze. The tenants were returning? Then the bomb wasn’t here. Her shoulders slumped, but then her gut tensed. It was too late to slip away unseen. She could hide in the closet with the onion odor, but to what purpose? If the tenants were in for the evening, she’d be found eventually. There was no way to exit this third-floor unit except through the front door.
Well, then, that’s how she’d leave. If she could bluff her way out, fine. If not... Tingles traveled down her extremities. Her muscles gathered. Combat instincts reared their ugly heads. Instincts she wished to forget. Instincts she might need. Again.
Maddie clipped the radio onto her belt and shoved the closet door shut as a click sounded in the entrance lock. A pair of men stepped inside, closed the door and then halted at the sight of her. Above a tall, whipcord body, a dark face with reddened eyes glared at her, lips peeled back from white teeth. Behind him, a short, pale man with doughy cheeks gaped in an astonished O.
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