His Majesty's Marriage

by Rebecca Winters

  His handsome face darkened with lines. “Yes. It’s something so serious we have to have a long, uninterrupted talk about it.”

  Lee swallowed hard.

  “You’re in pain.”

  “Yes. It has become unendurable.” His voice grated.

  “I was afraid of this. Oh, Raoul-” She moaned. “I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  “You’re right. As a result, the situation is more precarious than ever. You see, my wedding is still on.”

  “To Sophie?” she cried in astonishment. “Then she didn’t marry Luciano! Thank heaven!”

  A strange look crept over his striking features. “What are you saying?”

  “You don’t have to pretend with me, Raoul. I know that, given time, your marriage to her will work, and you’ll be able to win her love. She won’t be able to resist you-”

  “I think we’re talking at cross purposes.” He broke in on her abruptly. Shadows darkened his eyes. “I need to speak to you, but I’d rather do it in private than out here in the hall.”

  “Yes. O-of course. Come in.”

  He plucked her things from the floor and opened the door for her.

  Like before, her arm brushed against his chest on the way inside. But this time it was like fire devouring her flesh. Lee would go up in a lick of flame if he so much as touched her again.

  She heard the door close behind her. The click reminded her they’d shut out the world. It was just the two of them.

  Her heart turned over at the sight of his tall, whipcord-lean physique dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He had a hungry look around his eyes and mouth. She thought he might have lost some weight, yet he was more appealing to her than ever. His searching gaze took in the knit top and shorts she was wearing.

  “I’m glad you’re sitting down.”

  His remark set off more alarm bells. “Don’t keep me in suspense any longer,” she begged.

  “I don’t intend to.”

  He closed the distance between them and hunkered down in front of her bare legs.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered in an unsteady voice as one of his hands went to the calf of her right leg while the other removed the sandal off her foot.

  His dark-blond head was lowered in concentration.

  “Raoul?”

  The feel of his hands created an erotic sensation that wound its way to the very core of her being.

  “I wanted to see if this would fit.” A flash of purple and gold caught her eye before she felt him slide the other shoe onto her foot. It was one of the dainty high heels that matched the dress she’d left behind.

  “I told my parents I would marry the woman who’d worn this dancing with me, and no other.”

  Marry?

  Her thoughts reeled.

  Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly.

  His head came back up. She found herself staring into eyes that blazed blue fire. “You’re that woman.”

  Lee sat very still. “This isn’t a joking matter, Raoul. I-I know you’re hurting. So am I. But I left all playacting behind me when I boarded the plane for the States.”

  “So did I,” his deep voice grated. “Tell me why you’re still hurting. Is it because of Todd?”

  “Todd?” she cried out in surprise. “Heavens no! I can’t imagine why you would bring his name up at all. It’s your pain I’m worried about.”

  “I hope you mean that,” he whispered rather emotionally, “because you’re the only person who can take it away.”

  “But Sophie-”

  “What about her? She’s on her honeymoon with Luciano.”

  “They’re married?”

  “Yes. Several weeks ago, as a matter of fact.”

  His slid his hands up her legs, as if he couldn’t help himself. She almost fainted from the pleasure of it. Then he reached in his pocket and pulled something out. “I’ve come here so the real game of life can begin for us.”

  She gasped when she saw two different rings in his palm. He lifted one to her astonished gaze. It was a dazzling amethyst solitare.

  “If you choose this ring you’ll live in Jackson, Wyoming, with your husband and you’ll be known as the wife of Mr Raoul Mertier. He’s a banker and businessman with holdings in Europe and America which he intends to expand in order to take care of his family. He wants three or four children. They’ll travel to Switzerland as often as they can to see their grandparents.”

  When Raoul pressed the ring in her palm, it began to sink in that he was proposing to her. If she was dreaming, she never wanted to wake up.

  “I brought another ring. One I know you don’t want, but it’s important to me that I tell you about it.”

  He lifted it so she could see the bejeweled royal crest. “If you were to choose this one, you’d be the wife of His Royal Highness Prince Raoul Mertier Bergeret D’Arillac. There would be certain public duties attached to being my consort. You’d have private duties as well.” His eyes had kindled with desire. “You’d live in our own wing of the Château D’Arillac in Neuchatel. Any children born of this marriage would automatically be a prince or princess. They’d have constant access to their grandparents.”

  He folded that ring in her other palm.

  “Weigh them both very carefully, because once a decision is made there’s no going back.”

  “I-I can’t make a decision!” she cried in pain. “You’re a prince- You’d never be happy living here.”

  Before she could say anything else, he’d cupped her face in his hands. “Without you, I’ll never know another moment’s happiness. I’m in love with you, Lee Gresham.” His voice trembled. “That soul-deep, painful kind of love that won’t ever go away. It happened so fast and hard I’m still reeling. You were there when it happened, so you can’t possibly deny it. Tell me you love me,” he begged. “I need to hear the words.”

  Joy had welled up inside of her until she thought she might expire from too much happiness.

  “You know I love you,” she cried from the depths of her soul. “I can’t believe you love me back.”

  “Mon amour-” he cried, before their mouths met and clung with voracious hunger. He pulled her into his arms and then they were on the floor, bodies, legs and arms entangled. The rings tumbled on to the carpet.

  Swallowed up in a state of europhia, Lee covered his face and hair with kisses. Again and again she found his mouth, relishing its taste and feel.

  “I don’t think you have any conception of how much I love you, Raoul. At my house tonight, I sat there sobbing because I didn’t know how I was going to go on without you.”

  He lifted his head to look down at her. His fingers tangled in her silvery-gold curls. “I wanted to comfort you because I thought you were grief stricken that your parents weren’t there anymore.”

  “Darling-you have to understand. I wasn’t grieving for them. I’ve gotten past that stage. Of course I’ll always miss them. They were wonderful. But it was you I was mourning.” Hot tears trickled on to her temples.

  “Lee,” he whispered emotionally.

  “I thought deep down you cared for Sophie, that she’d hurt you. I couldn’t bear it.”

  “Let’s get something clear. We never loved each other, and never made any pretense about it. When I invited her to Zermatt I did it hoping she’d be so turned off by me she’d do whatever it took to break our engagement.”

  “What?”

  “If you don’t believe me, ask Philippe. It was his idea. You could have no idea of the feelings running through me when I saw you in the car instead of Sophie. Part of me was in agony, because it meant my plans had been dashed. But another part felt this compelling attraction to you that went more than skin deep. Within seconds I realized I couldn’t let you go.”

  “I didn’t want to go.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “My behavior was so shameful, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.”

  “Thank heaven for Philippe’s inspiration. We owe him everything,” he murmured huskily. “
Do you have any idea how wonderful you are? How incredibly beautiful you are?”

  “I could say the same thing about you. The memories of what we shared in Zermatt have been tearing me apart. I’ve relived every moment with you until I’ve made myself ill with longing.”

  His powerful body trembled. “We’ve both been tortured,” he admitted. “I almost ravished you in the bedroom of the chalet when I brought you the tea.”

  “I wanted you to,” she confessed honestly. “Believe me, it would have been mutual.” She stared back at him. “I love you so much. Since I’ve been home, I’ve found out what it’s like to ache for someone day and night.”

  “I know the feeling,” he ground out. “There were times whe-”

  “Don’t say it!” She silenced the rest of his words with her mouth. “All these weeks I’ve been terrified your parents would have picked another woman with a title for you to marry. I’m still having trouble believing any of this is real.”

  “Didn’t I give you two rings to prove this is no dream?”

  “Yes.”

  “I told my parents you’re the princess of my heart. They know the truth of everything and are looking forward to meeting you as soon as possible.”

  Lee sat up in his arms. “They don’t hate me?” Her voice quivered.

  “When they found out you were willing to subject yourself to public ridicule for Sophie’s sake, you won them over.”

  She had trouble swallowing. “Is the talk against you very bad, Raoul? A-are you a condemned man?”

  “Far from it. If anything, my popularity has risen to new heights now that Sophie’s surprise wedding to Luciano Bernaldi has already taken place.” He smiled before kissing one corner of her mouth. “Right now they’re in Greece. My palace sources tell me public sentiment is demanding to know the identity of my mystery lover. So what I think we’ll do is fly home and get you acquainted with my family, so we can make wedding plans. The only thing they have to know is that you’re going to be my wife. Without you, there is no life.”

  His voice rang with truth. She could no longer doubt the depth of his love. Flinging her arms around him, she burrowed her face against his neck. “I feel the same way. I love you, Raoul. I love you beyond comprehension.”

  “Thank God.” His voice shook. After kissing her long and hard, he finally relinquished her mouth long enough to say, “Here. Madame Simoness had this couriered to the palace before I left Switzerland.”

  Lee examined the letter he extended. “This is Sophie’s handwriting.” She tore the envelope open and began reading aloud.

  “‘My beloved friend-I will keep the beautiful letter you sent me forever. If you’re reading this, it means Raoul found you, and you’ve put the past away. I’m so happy for the two of you, and of course for me-’”

  Both of them laughed at her unique brand of honesty.

  “‘I cry all the time. Luciano thinks there’s something wrong with me. He just doesn’t understand what it’s like to be let out of the prison I’ve been in all my life. Only Raoul could possibly understand.’”

  “She’s right,” he murmured into Lee’s silky curls.

  “‘If you’re surprised that I know everything, don’t be. Madame Simoness is my friend too. Of course we both know she loves you best’.” Lee shook her head. “That’s not true! ‘Because you are the best. Raoul already figured out you have all the qualities of a real princess. That’s why he knew it was true love the moment he set eyes on you.’”

  He kissed her neck. “It was true love,” he whispered.

  It was impossible to concentrate with Raoul’s mouth doing the most marvelous things to her.

  “‘The only thing you lack is a title. That’s because you were born on the wrong side of the Atlantic.’”

  “Sophie!” Raoul’s chuckling had turned to laughter.

  “‘I wasn’t cut out to be his princess, but you are. It just goes to show you that, given time, la créme always rises to the top. Marry him and go live in his castle, the way you used to dream. You always wanted Raoul. Now he’s yours with my blessing.’”

  Lee blushed a deep scarlet and tried to hide the letter from him. But he pulled it away from her and finished reading it while he held her crushed in his arms.

  “‘You think I didn’t know about your secret fantasies? Ma chére, you were transparent over that gorgeous man from day one. That’s when the idea came to me to get the two of you together. But I had to bide my time until Daddy decided on a wedding date before I could put a plan into action. Raoul’s invitation for me to join him in Zermatt couldn’t have provided a more perfect set-up. I knew he’d get one glimpse of those pansy eyes and fall like an avalanche.

  “‘After you’re married, the four of us will be able to get together whenever we want. But I have to tell you-I can’t wait to see you riding in the carriage next to your prince after you come out of the cathedral. Luciano and I will be watching and waving. Blow us a kiss, chérie. Madame Sophie Bernaldi. P.S. Mother and Father don’t blame either one of you. They know two people can fall in love very innocently. In fact Mother said she wasn’t the least bit surprised, since she’s always been a little in love with Raoul herself. P.P.S. They love Luciano because he’s been willing to take me on and still loves me.’”

  Lee burrowed against Raoul, trying to hide her tears of happiness.

  Raoul ran his hands through her silken curls. “It looks like Sophie’s problem is contagious. But I have a remedy. Let’s get out of here. My private jet is standing by at the airport. We’ll have dinner on the plane and you can sleep all the way to Geneva. We need to be married to each other, mon amour. I don’t want to waste anymore time.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “Then that’s all that matters.”

  She cherished those words, but in her soul she knew it wasn’t all that mattered.

  Lee had fallen in love with an extraordinary man who had a special destiny. While she’d been reading Sophie’s letter it had come to her that it was her responsibility to see he fulfilled it.

  “Darling,” she murmured, “before we leave, there’s something important I need you to do for me first.”

  He pressed a passionate kiss to her mouth. “Anything.”

  Lee reached around for the rings and handed them back to him. “Will you put the amethyst on this ring finger?” She lifted her right hand.

  His hands trembled as he did her bidding.

  “I’ll wear this in remembrance of a prince who was willing to give up his kingdom for me. And now-” her voice caught “-if you’ll put the other ring on this finger?” She held out her left hand.

  His beautiful blue eyes looked dazed. Finally he slid it home.

  “This ring I’ll wear in remembrance of the man who’s going to be my husband, the father of our children, the man I’ll love and adore through eternity.” Her eyes fused with his once more. “It will be my joy and privilege to come live with you in your kingdom. Sophie spoke the truth. You’ve been the prince of my heart for a very long time, Raoul. You always will be.”

  “Lee-”

  He gathered her against him. For a long time they simply rocked back and forth. She felt the moisture on his cheeks with a sense of wonder.

  It made her feel a special kinship with Luciano, who’d also dared to reach out for an impossible love. One day they would have to compare notes. But not now.

  Now Lee had all she could handle while she held her destiny in her arms.

  THE KING’S BRIDE

  Lucy Gordon

  Lucy Gordon cut her writing teeth on magazine journalism, interviewing many of the world’s most interesting men, including Warren Beatty, Richard Chamberlain, Roger Moore, Sir Alec Guinness and Sir John Gielgud. She also camped out with lions in Africa, and had many other unusual experiences that have often provided the background for her books. She is married to a Venetian, whom she met while on holiday in Venice. They got engaged within two days.

  You can visit her Web
site at www.zyworld.com/LucyGordon

  Two of her books have won the Romance Writers of America RITA® Award: Song of the Lorelei in 1990, and His Brother’s Child in 1998 in the Best Traditional Romance category.

  CHAPTER ONE

  A SILENCE fell over the packed room. Lizzie looked up quickly, eager to see the man she’d come to find.

  His Majesty King Daniel, hereditary ruler of Voltavia, twenty-fifth of his line, thirty-five years old, monarch of his country for the last six months.

  Since he’d arrived for his state visit London had been full of official pictures, so she’d thought she knew what he looked like. But while photographs had shown the proud carriage of his head and the stern authority of his lean face, there was no way they could convey the vividness of his features. Lizzie noticed his eyes in particular. They were dark, but with a brilliance that she’d seen only once before, in a picture of his grandfather.

  He was tall but carried himself stiffly, and she guessed that a press conference, such as this, came hard to him. In Voltavia he was a monarch, with a good deal of power. He wouldn’t take kindly to answering questions from journalists, and Lizzie knew he’d been persuaded to give this conference only for the sake of ‘good international relations’.

  Before his entrance they had all been warned-no personal questions, no reference to his late wife. No questions about his three children, none of whom had accompanied him to London.

  Now he was here and every line of his body showed how ill at ease he felt. He took his seat behind a table on a platform, facing the crowd with a practised air of polite interest.

  The questions flowed. They were largely routine and his answers were the same, giving nothing away-the friendship of their two countries-mutual interests, etc, etc. Somebody mentioned his grandfather, the late King Alphonse, whose death, six months earlier, had brought Daniel to the throne. Daniel made a short, restrained speech in praise of his grandfather, whose lasting legacy etc, etc.

  In fact, as everyone knew, for the last ten years of his life Alphonse had lived in a twilight world, struck down by a massive stroke. At twenty-five Daniel had become regent, and king in all but name. But Alphonse was still associated with the great days of monarchy. His long reign had begun when kings had had real power, and his personal prestige had ensured that some of it clung to the throne, even as he lay dying.