He stepped out from behind the plant and could see the shock and fear on the other man’s face. Malachi didn’t recognize him, but he knew who the other voice belonged to. Mr. Bence turned around, a smile plastered on his face.
“Good evening again, Your Royal Highness.”
Time to play dumb. “Good evening, gentlemen. I trust you’ve both made a sizable donation?”
“Of course.”
The three of them walked together to the ballroom, with Mr. Bence violating protocol and entering first. The other man had the good sense to look embarrassed and allowed Malachi to enter next.
Rather than waiting for the next dance, he found his wife. Despite this one just beginning, he tapped on the shoulder of her partner. “Pardon me, sir, may I cut in?”
Mr. Padovano smiled. “Of course, Your Highness.” He looked back at Jessabelle. “Save me another one if you can? If not, I will see you in a couple weeks.”
“I look forward to it. Give your wife my regards, and tell her I hope she feels better.”
Malachi pulled her close. “What’s in a couple weeks?”
“I have dinner plans with Mrs. Padovano that Saturday.”
He frowned regretted what he had to tell her. “I’m sorry, Mia Belle, but we already have plans. You’ll have to postpone.”
* * *
“Mrs. Padovano, I’m so glad we could reschedule.” Jessabelle stood as the other woman arrived at the bistro near the palace. She found herself enveloped in another hug like the ones she imagined her mother would have given.
“I’m sorry I’m late, dear,” Mrs. Padovano said as they sat at the table in the corner. “I am glad we could reschedule, too. You have plans that weekend?”
Jessabelle nodded. “The king’s birthday. We’re all going to another house for a few days along with some of his friends.”
“Oh, I had heard something about that. They go every year for his birthday, don’t they?”
She shrugged as she took a sip of her water. “I have no idea.”
They placed their orders, and Mrs. Padovano smiled at her. “Now, what would you like to know about your mother?”
“Oh, anything. I don’t remember much about her.”
The older woman thought for a minute then launched into a story about a trip they’d taken to the zoo as teens. Her mother had quite a few male admirers, and they tried to one up each other in showing their feelings. One had fallen in the duck pond in an effort to impress her with some skill Mrs. Padovano had forgotten over the years.
Jessabelle laughed and finally worked up the courage to ask a question. “What about my father?”
“What about him?”
“Anything. I know it hasn’t been nearly as long since he died, but I don’t feel like I knew him very well at all.”
A wistful smile crossed Mrs. Padovano’s face. “Your father was quite the catch. Handsome, charming. Every girl wanted him to look her way, but from the day he met her, he only had eyes for your mother. She loved him so much and he her. They were devastated when they found out she needed a hysterectomy. Before long, though, she took a metaphorical deep breath and decided there had to be at least one child out there who needed a family. They talked about taking in older children, but for whatever reason they didn’t. In fact, one day I got a phone call from her, and I heard this baby crying in the background. She refused to tell me how they found out about you, just that you were a blessing straight from God. She and your father were so excited, and they loved you so much. She told me one time about the deal your father had with the king.”
“Did she really think it would happen?”
Mrs. Padovano sipped her coffee as she thought about the question. “I don’t think she thought either one of you would be forced into anything, but that you might be introduced to each other. If you hit it off, fell in love, then maybe.”
Jessabelle turned that over in her mind. What would her life have been like if her mother had lived? Would she have met Prince Malachi? Would they have married? Would she be as painfully awkward if her mother had been there to guide her through the tumultuous teen years? “I guess we’ll never know,” she finally answered.
“No, we never will, but I know there’s a plan in all of it. God knew what He was doing when you and Prince Malachi married. None of us can know for sure what that plan is, but there is one. I guarantee it.”
“I know.” Jessabelle couldn’t see it just yet, either, but she had to believe a plan existed in there somewhere. She’d even noticed herself thinking a bit differently about Malachi, especially when he kissed her.
Mrs. Padovano checked her watch. “I’m sorry to do this, sugar, but I do need to get going. I have an appointment this afternoon.”
The waitress chose that moment to show up with the check. Mrs. Padovano reached for it, but Jessabelle covered it with her hand. “It’s my treat.”
“Oh, thank you.” She held Jessabelle’s face in her hands. “I am so glad to have some time with you, dear. Please call me anytime.”
“I will.” After another hug, Mrs. Padovano left. Jessabelle paid the bill with her own debit card from before she married Malachi. She couldn’t explain it but it was important to her to do so. After adding a generous tip, she left the bistro, security in tow. She returned to the palace to discuss the trip with her new stylist, Debbie. Together, they picked out the clothes she would need for the different events, including two formal dinners and a multi-generational horseback ride.
One of the few bright spots was that the king’s former mistress had been seen boarding a plane early in the morning the day after she was presumed to have met with the king. There had long been rumors of secret tunnels, used in ancient times to escape from invading armies, but in times of peace as a way to sneak paramours in and out of the palace unnoticed. If they did exist, their actual locations were a very, very well-kept secret and could have been used for this meeting between the two of them.
After she and Debbie finished choosing what to take, Jessabelle checked in with Emily to make certain she wasn’t missing anything on her schedule. Emily said no, but that she had finally found some information Jessabelle had been waiting for.
“Thank you,” she told Emily as she took the slip of paper. “Can I just give it to you to mail out? Or where are the stamps?”
Emily grinned. “Just give it to me. I’ll take care of it.”
“What else did we learn about the family?” The girl who had approached her when she was at lunch with Malachi had never been far from Jessabelle’s mind.
That’s when Emily’s face fell. “It seems they had fallen on hard times due to her mother’s illness. They paid for the funeral and burial expenses on a credit card but have started an online fundraiser to pay it off. They’ve raised about half of it so far.”
“Can we give the rest anonymously?” Her heart ached for the other family. Her own experience was all too recent.
“I believe so.”
Uncertainty took over. “Can I?” she muttered.
Emily shifted in her chair. “Ma’am, I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward, but your husband gave you control over significant sums of money to be used toward almost any charitable cause you believe is worthy.”
“This isn’t a charity, though,” Jessabelle pointed out. “It’s an online fundraiser for a family.” She looked at the website Emily had pulled up and made a note of the money still required. “I’ll take care of it.” Her father had left her control over some of the inheritance, and she quickly made an anonymous donation covering the rest of the expenses.
Jessabelle sat down at her desk and took out the official stationary of the royal family. She thought through what she wanted to say before carefully writing it out. After rereading it, she left it with Emily and went to get ready for bed. A warm, satisfied feeling spread through her. Maybe she didn’t love all the trappings and expectations that went along with being a part of the royal family, but she certainly did love being able to help
others. And a while later, she fell asleep with a smile on her face, only to find her dreams plagued with nightmares she couldn’t quite remember when she woke up.
Chapter 29
Lizbeth tugged on the hem of her shirt. It was a bit shorter than she was comfortable with. If she raised her arms, skin would show. Though she had no problem wearing a bikini at the beach or a pool, this was a much more conservative venue. Some of the older generation of women would be scandalized if her belly button peeked out. A text kept her from focusing on it any longer.
LB - Royal family invited us to the mountain home this weekend for the king’s birthday party. Be ready.
Excitement warred with danger signals deep inside Lizbeth. She had always enjoyed hanging out with Mal at the mountain house. His wife would be there, too, of course, but the surroundings were second to none. She would be forced to see Malachi being solicitous to his wife. She knew he would be nothing less. But she would also have a chance to hang out with William and Yvette. Neither would bring dates and there was unlikely to be anyone else there but the two families. Why had the king invited them? He considered her father a friend, but they were seldom asked to anything quite like this.
She walked into the building and was taken to a waiting area. Her father joined her a moment later, but before he could say anything the door opened again.
“Are we ready?” Malachi didn’t look at either of them.
“Where’s the little lady?” her father asked.
Malachi’s face remained impassive. “She had a conflict.”
She could hear something off in his tone, but Lizbeth couldn’t put her finger on exactly what it was. “Well, they’re about ready for us.” Would he offer his arm as he had so many other times? Would she take it if he did?
Her father’s entrance to the room derailed her train of thought. He didn’t speak to Malachi, but held a crooked elbow her direction. “Ready, princess?”
She didn’t say anything, just nodded and slid her hand into his offered arm. He said nothing to Malachi, but walked through another open door and to the double doors that led into the banquet hall. He came to a stop directly in front of them.
The event coordinator frowned, but didn’t address her father. “Prince Malachi, if you could come here please. You’ll be announced and enter first. Mr. Bence, you and your daughter will enter shortly after.”
Lizbeth was pretty sure her father had some sort of plan that had just been thwarted. He glared at the woman before finally taking a couple of steps back. The coordinator spoke into her lapel and the door opened as Malachi was announced. Applause greeted the prince as he walked through the crowd, shaking hands or waving and smiling as he did.
“Mr. Bence, you may escort your daughter to the head table.”
Her father’s frown deepened. “After we are announced.”
“You will not be announced, sir. You are well aware of the protocol.”
Right. Since Malachi was unaccompanied, he was the only one who would have been announced. She felt her father’s tension mount, but he walked forward without saying anything else. Only a deep breath and a whispered prayer kept the tears from Lizbeth’s eyes.
The luncheon went as expected, with Malachi giving a variation on a speech she’d heard any number of times. She knew how to look as though she was paying attention while letting her mind wander. This time she contemplated writing a romance novel where the prince hero married the girl he was supposed to all along.
On one side sat her father. On the other...Lizbeth was pleasantly surprised to see Robert. She hadn’t known he was going to be there. She hadn’t seen him since that first date though they’d been talking on the phone every night for several weeks.
“Surprise,” he whispered when he had a chance. “I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered back. Under the table he reached for her hand and squeezed lightly. Her father had been very disappointed in her when the pictures of her and Robert appeared online, but Lizbeth didn’t care. She liked Robert and wanted to get to know him better. If only her dad wouldn’t scare him off.
The luncheon went by quickly, too quickly for Lizbeth’s taste, and she didn’t get to talk to Robert nearly as much as she would have liked. He got called away a few minutes before it ended. A text from him said they’d talk later.
She drove her own car home. When she reached her apartment, she found her father’s limo driver waiting outside the main door, car at the ready.
“Ms. Bence,” he greeted her with a small bow. “Your flight leaves as soon as you arrive.”
Her flight?
She wanted to question him, but he followed her father’s orders, no questions asked. Always had. If her father had any secrets, Jeeves would know them. The only things she knew about Jeeves was that it wasn’t his real name and he likely had questionable connections at some point in his past. She’d seen the nasty scar on his chest once and knew there was quite a back story to it, one she’d never have the nerve to ask about.
Lizbeth knew better than to ask anything, but climbed into the back seat.
No one told her anything. Not when the flight took off. Not when it landed. Not when she climbed into the back of another limo on the other end. She was in Ravenzario. That much she knew, likely near the home her paternal grandfather had built near the southernmost point of the island nation. Sure enough, they pulled through the gates a few minutes later.
No one else would be around. Gisepe and Marie took care of the house and grounds when no one was there and mostly stayed out of the way when someone was. Lizbeth suspected there were several reasons for that. Her father’s distaste for those particular staff members, kept only because of provisions in her grandfather’s will, as well as her suspicion he met girlfriends here more often than not when he came on “work trips.”
Just as well. She could work on her tan without worrying about lines in the middle of her back. Always annoying when she found the perfect dress but the swim suit line from her bikini left her pale right across the middle. She’d never really tan topless, so there was no danger of anything being seen that shouldn’t be.
By the time she made it to her room, she gave up wondering what her father could be up to. A swimsuit and cover up lay out for her. They were here often enough she left enough clothes for a week. With a shrug, she took the suggestion and changed, emerging into the mid-afternoon sunshine a few minutes later. The deck outside her room overlooked the pool and boasted a wrought iron circular staircase leading down to the lower level. One of the first things she noticed was a towel laying on one of the chairs.
The second was one of the finest male specimens she’d ever seen pulling himself out of the pool.
Well. Wasn’t this interesting?
* * *
A few days before the king’s birthday trip, the morning dawned bright and clear. Jessabelle woke to breakfast in bed. “What’s this?” she asked pushing herself into a seated position.
Malachi leaned over and kissed her. “I heard back from Jamison Genealogy.” He hurried on before she could get her hopes up. “They haven’t found anything on your parents yet, but they did verify that your birthday isn’t correct.”
She’d known it was likely coming, but, in some ways, the wrong birthday hit harder than the adoption itself. “All right.” Was he trying to soften the blow somehow?
“Your real birthday is the same as my father’s, not a month from now. Since we’ll be at the country house celebrating my father’s birthday, I wanted to give you your own day.”
The thought of all of it overwhelmed Jessabelle. She hadn’t asked him when the date was and hadn’t looked through the paperwork herself yet. All of her favorite breakfast foods from their trip to the States were laid out in front of her, including pancakes a glass cruet of warm syrup on the side. That she even knew the word cruet instead of a “syrup pitcher thing” spoke volumes about how much she’d learned since the wedding. A cheese and ba
con omelet with more bacon on the side. The only thing missing was French toast, but that would be overkill.
Malachi sat on the bed while she ate and talked about the things that had been going on in their lives. They talked about her talk with Nana Yvette the day before. She’d had the chance to visit the former queen several times and loved getting to talk with her. In recent weeks, Jessabelle and Malachi had been to a few events together, but many separate as well. She found herself being more and more drawn to him as they talked.
“I wanted to let you know something, Mia Belle. From everything I’ve heard from the others in attendance, your appearances are light years beyond the first one. That tells me you’ve worked hard to get where you are, being comfortable with people you don’t know well.” And when he said things like that, it not only made her blush, but awakened things inside she wasn’t quite sure what to do with.
When she finished eating and got ready for the day, they spent it doing low-key things she enjoyed-watching a movie and playing Scrabble, and capping it with a very nice dinner in their dining room. It told her how well he knew her, even though they’d only known each other a few months.
Jessabelle was already in her brand new, incredibly comfortable, pajamas when Malachi came in to change out of his clothes. She stayed in the seat near the roaring fire combating the slight chill. Malachi emerged from the closet a little bit later, toweling his still wet hair.
“You have to leave early for your appearance at the other orphanage, Mia Belle. You could probably sleep on the way there, but it’s not that long a trip.”
She looked up to see him standing there and something clicked inside. With a few steps she came to stand in front of him, resting a hand on his t-shirt covered chest. “Thank you for everything today. Knowing that I’d rather stay in and do casual things together-that tells me how much you’ve paid attention to what I prefer. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.”
Jessabelle leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him, full on the mouth. He dropped the towel and his arms wrapped around her as he returned the kiss. She let the kiss build in intensity, loving every second of it and being petrified at the same time, until Malachi broke away.
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