So what was he doing sniffing around Ariadne?
He didn’t like any of the answers that came to mind.
Letting none of this show on his face, he filled his plate with an array of small sandwiches and biscuits, then took a seat in one of the few open spaces remaining—on the sofa next to Ariadne.
Out of deference to her rank, none of the gentlemen had seated themselves beside her, leaving the sofa unoccupied except for herself. But he outranked everyone in the room, including her, which meant he could sit anywhere he liked.
He hid another smile as he sank down beside her, noticing the way her lips thinned with barely concealed annoyance. Gracefully, she shifted a couple of inches away to put more space between them.
He laid a napkin across his knee and began to eat.
He watched her silent struggle as she decided whether to offer him tea, but a lifetime of training could not be ignored, not even by Ariadne.
“Would you care for tea, Your Royal Highness?” she inquired, reaching toward the silver urn.
“Nein,” he answered in his native Rosewaldian dialect. “A small beer would be appreciated, however.”
Her gaze met his, her lips parting as if she longed to make some retort. Instead, she nodded toward a footman who waited in a far corner.
“A beer for His Royal Highness,” she informed the servant.
The man gave a smart bow, then departed.
She turned back to her retinue of admirers, smiling widely at them even as she strove to ignore Rupert. “So, gentlemen,” she said, “if I remember correctly, Lord Norling was just about to tell us about the most amusing wagers currently being laid at the clubs. Pray do continue, my lord.”
Norling, the marquess, cleared his throat, looking uncomfortably at Rupert before speaking. “Yes, well, I seem to recall one about Viscount Hertsly. He bet his friend that he could shovel . . .” He frowned, his words trailing away as if reconsidering. “Well, no, maybe not that one.”
He paused, running a hand over his thinning pate. “There’s another tale, highly droll . . . It concerns eels, but—” He broke off again, shooting another unsettled glance at Rupert.
Rupert said nothing. He just sat calmly eating his snack.
“Yes, well, again, not really suitable for ladies, Princess.”
“Oh, pray do share, my lord,” she entreated. “You have us all most intrigued, myself in particular.”
Norling stuck a finger inside his cravat as if it had suddenly decided to strangle him.
“Yes, Norling,” Rupert drawled. “By all means, regale us with your tales that are, by your own admission, wholly unsuitable for the ears of ladies.”
The marquess’s face paled and he shot to his feet. “A-another time perhaps. I am dreadfully sorry, but I just recalled that I am promised at my solicitor’s office in fifteen minutes. I shall have to hurry to make it across Town.” He bowed awkwardly. “A pleasure as always, Your Highness. Prince.”
And then he was gone.
Several other of the gentlemen suddenly remembered appointments of their own and began making their excuses as well. A veritable exodus ensued as they hurried out the door.
Rupert’s beer arrived. He sipped it as he watched the byplay, finding Ariadne’s gentlemen callers as entertaining as a production on Drury Lane.
Ten minutes later, only two remained—the king’s horse-toothed cousin, who sat cramming his mouth full of biscuits, and the dark-haired lord. The latter looked amused and relaxed, one arm draped over the back of his chair. With leisurely ease, he rose to his feet and strolled forward.
“Princess,” he said, “I too ought to depart. As one of the first to pay you a call, I have no wish to overstay my welcome.”
“Not at all, Lord Selkirk. You may stay and visit as long as you wish.”
Selkirk smiled. “You make a tempting offer, but I really must go. What time shall I come for you tomorrow? Does nine o’clock sound agreeable?”
Ariadne extended a hand. “Most agreeable. I look forward to the occasion.”
Selkirk made her an elegant bow. Then he turned. “Come along, Bartsby,” he told the king’s cousin. “I believe you have made deep enough inroads into the tea tray for one afternoon.”
Bartsby made a huffing noise that couldn’t be understood past the food in his mouth. Hastily he swallowed; then he too rose to his feet.
“Your Highness,” Selkirk said to Ariadne. “Your Royal Highness,” he added to Rupert.
Rupert lifted a brow and drank more beer.
Bartsby made a pair of darting bows, then followed the other man from the room.
Sudden quiet descended.
Ariadne glanced over at the lady’s maid, who sat with her head bent inconspicuously over her sewing. “Jones,” she said.
The woman looked up.
“I believe it is past time for your tea. Why do you not go ahead and take it now while you have no pressing duties?”
The lady’s maid hesitated briefly, then secured her needle into her sewing. “Yes, Your Highness. As you wish.” She cast a quick glance between Ariadne and Rupert, then gathered her belongings and left the room.
The moment they were alone, Ariadne rounded on him. “What exactly do you think you’re about, coming in here like that?”
“Like what?”
“Oh, don’t act so innocent. You know exactly what. You deliberately decided to disrupt my afternoon.”
“That is an awful lot of d’s for one sentence. Perhaps you ought to rephrase.”
Her green eyes flashed fire. “Don’t be flippant. You came in here specifically to chase away my gentlemen callers and you know it.”
“Is that what I was doing?” he drawled. “As I recollect, I stopped in for a sandwich. They’re quite good, by the way. Would you care for one?”
Her lips grew tight. “No, I would not care for one. Ooh, you can be insufferable sometimes. I don’t know how Emma abides you.”
“She’s my sister. She doesn’t have a choice.”
Ariadne glared at him and he gazed steadily back. Abruptly, she blew out a breath and rolled her eyes skyward, her lips twitching ever so slightly, as if she were fighting the urge to laugh.
He remembered how they’d felt, those lips, and wondered what she would do if he leaned over and kissed her now. But such passion, however pleasurable, was not to be repeated, he reminded himself. There would be no more lessons of that sort, since hopefully she had learned hers that night in the study. As for himself . . .
Far more dispirited by the realization than he had any right to be, he consoled himself in his beer.
“In regard to your accusation that I came to shoo away your gentlemen callers,” he continued, “I would remind you that if said gentlemen possessed any steel in their spines, they would not have been so easily scattered.”
“Mayhap not, but then, you are unfairly intimidating when you wish to be. You are a future king, you know.”
“True.” He took another swallow of beer, then set the glass aside. “So why is it that my supposed powers of intimidation never seem to work on you?”
A little smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Ah well, that comes from my being of royal blood and knowing that underneath that formidable exterior of yours you are still just a man. An extraordinary one, but a man just the same.”
“Extraordinary, hmm?” Leaning back, he played his fingers slowly over the silk on the back of the sofa. “I believe that is the first compliment I have ever had from you.”
Her eyes turned intensely green; then she looked away, busying herself with the tea tray. “Yes, well, do not get used to it. You have already made your opinion clear on the subject of my private life. I will thank you not to interfere in it any further.”
So she didn’t like his interference, did she? Well, he would stop when he decided he was done and not a minute before. “I would have no cause to intercede in your affairs were it not for the lack of wisdom you have so recently displayed.”
He chuckled and reached for another sandwich; the chicken and watercress was especially delicious.
“Fine,” she declared after a moment. “I shall depart.”
“Sit,” he commanded. Reaching over, he caught hold of her wrist to keep her where she was.
She arched a reproachful brow. “Manhandling me again?”
“No,” he said, making no effort to release her. “Just keeping you in your place, that’s all.”
“As I said before, you are insufferable.”
He laughed and finished his sandwich. Only then did he let her go.
“Stay,” he warned, not certain she wouldn’t bolt off the sofa.
“I am not one of your trained spaniels.”
“No. They are much better behaved. Now, before you fly into the boughs completely, ease my mind and tell me that you have put aside this nonsensical notion of yours and that today’s gentlemen callers were suitors vying for your hand in marriage.”
“I could tell you that, but then I would have to lie. I don’t like to lie.”
“Ariadne,” he said on a growl, “I thought surely after the other night—”
“That you would scare me off? Not a bit, Your Royal Highness. You will find that I am made of far sterner stuff than that.”
“Stuff is right, since your head is full of stuff and nonsense on this subject.”
“Now you are insulting me. I really must leave before I say something I will forever regret.”
“Oh, don’t hold back on my account. We are better friends than that, I should think.”
“Is that what we are? I have to confess I had never thought of us as such.”
He tipped his head to concede her point. “Then as my sister’s friend, pray continue.”
“What is the use? We shall never agree. Just let me be, Rupert. I ask nothing more.”
And that is exactly what I should do, he realized. It is her life to ruin or not as she chooses.
“So you and that man, the one who mentioned an outing tomorrow. Where is he taking you?”
She frowned, clearly suspicious. “Lord Selkirk. We are going riding in the park. And no, I haven’t decided to take him as my lover, if that is what you are wondering.”
“Good God, I should hope not. I trust you are taking a groom? It is far too early to be out alone with such a man.”
“There are plenty of people in the park at that hour, so I shall be perfectly safe.” She paused. “What do you mean by such a man?”
“Perhaps you are not aware, but Selkirk has something of an unsavory reputation.”
“Oh? In what way?”
“He gambles, for one.”
“Yes, well, many gentlemen like to test lady luck. That is nothing out of the norm.”
“Except that when he does it, he cannot afford to lose.”
“You are saying he is penniless?”
“Scraping by.”
He watched as she took in that information. “I thank you for letting me know, but since I am not considering marriage to him, I can see no reason why his lack of wealth should trouble me. If I should decide on him, I have more than ample funds to keep both of us amused.”
“Ariadne, don’t do this. You will only end up getting hurt.”
Something in her expression softened. “I have been hurt before. Should I be again, I am sure I shall recover in due course.”
He considered that for a moment. Someone had hurt her. He wondered when that had happened and who had done the damage.
He glanced down, surprised to find that his hands were fisted. Deliberately, he forced his fingers open again.
“Now, if you will please excuse me, Your Highness,” she said, taking refuge in formality. “I really must go to my rooms. I am promised at the theater tonight and wish to rest.”
He could have argued further; words crowded like pebbles in his mouth that he longed to spit out. But as she said, what was the use? Her ears were closed to his exhortations.
If only he were in Rosewald. He could have her locked in the dungeons until this insanity of hers wore off. But he was in England, where everything was so annoyingly civilized—at least on the surface.
No, he would have to think of another way to keep her from bringing ruin down upon her head. Until then, he would let her believe she had won.
He could wait.
He was good at waiting.
And at winning.
Chapter Five
A light breeze blew warm and pleasant against Ariadne’s cheeks the next morning as she rode through Hyde Park. Although there were a number of other people scattered throughout the park, the grounds were not crowded, certainly not the way they would be later in the day when the Ton emerged from their homes to promenade there like flocks of preening, brightly colored birds.
Having endured such scenes on more than one occasion, she much preferred this quieter alternative, where she could actually ride her horse rather than be confined to a tedious, stop-and-start walk.
At her side rode Lord Selkirk, his roan gelding an excellent match for her spirited bay mare, Persephone. The two horses were enjoying the carefree outing just as much as their owners.
She looked over at him, and he smiled at her, his teeth very white in his darkly handsome face. Grinning back, she kicked her mount into a full-blown canter, leaving Selkirk to give chase. He did, catching up easily, his skills as a horseman quite admirable. They were both laughing by the time they slowed their horses to a sedate walk.
The vigorous ride had tugged more than one pin loose from her hair. Inhaling deeply to catch her breath, she tucked an errant curl behind her ear. “Oh, I’ve missed that. In the country I ride nearly every day.”
“Then the city must feel sadly confining to such an excellent horsewoman as yourself.”
“Well, my skills are no more than adequate, particularly given this sidesaddle and riding habit, but I thank you nonetheless. As for London, it has advantages the country lacks. I find I cannot complain.”
Ariadne took a moment to tuck another stray wisp of hair underneath the edge of her tall riding hat. “I must remember this stretch of park grounds in future.”
“Yes, at this hour it allows for a very tolerable bit of exercise.”
“Indeed.”
Silence fell between them, but one that was not uncomfortable.
Ariadne stole a sideways glance at Selkirk, contemplating the attractive lines of his profile. Rupert had warned her against him, but rather than taking heed, she had left her groom behind and gone out with Selkirk alone.
And she had been right to do so. In the past half hour, nothing untoward had happened. She and Selkirk were enjoying what anyone would agree was a very pleasant excursion to a very public park. Once again Rupert was exaggerating the risks.
He really ought to learn to mind his own business.
What had he imagined he was up to yesterday, chasing off all her suitors?
Except that he had not chased away Selkirk. He had left on his own terms without falling victim to Rupert’s domineering presence.
Good for Lord Selkirk.
But why was she thinking of Rupert at all? Even here the dratted man found a way to plague her. Determined to banish him from her mind completely, she turned and showered Selkirk with a brilliant smile.
He seemed surprised, his dark eyes agleam with some hidden thoughts. Then he too smiled. “I was wondering, Princess, if you might allow me the opportunity to take you up in my new high perch phaeton. I recently had the pleasure of acquiring the vehicle in a game of cards.”
“How lucky for you,” she said, suppressing a frown.
Rupert had told her Selkirk was a gamester. But as she had decided before, what of it? Besides, in this instance, Selkirk had won, had he not?
“Yes, dame fortune was on my side. So what say you? Shall we take to the roads together?
”
She opened her mouth, on the verge of replying, when a new rider cantered into view. She recognized the huge black stallion at once, just as she recognized the man—tall and golden-haired and unmistakably Rupert.
She bit back a curse.
What is he doing here?
But of course she knew exactly what he was doing here.
The wretch.
She wondered how long he’d been riding around in the park, searching for them.
And clearly their presence had not gone unobserved by him either, she realized, watching as he turned his horse with a silent command and steered the great stallion in their direction. The thoroughbred’s hooves ate up the distance between them as if it were nothing.
Soon, Rupert was drawing to an easy halt, while she and Selkirk did the same.
“Hello, Princess,” he said. “I trust you are well this morning.” He paused, his gaze flicking quickly over to the other man. “Snelbert.”
Ariadne caught the tiny gasp that rose in her throat, somehow managing to stay silent.
“Selkirk, Your Royal Highness,” Selkirk corrected with calm politeness. “And good morning.”
Rupert paused for a scant second, making no effort to acknowledge his mistake—assuming it had been a mistake—before returning his attention to her. “They said at the house you’d gone riding. I wondered if you might head this way.”
So he wasn’t even going to pretend that he hadn’t come looking for her. Well, at least he wasn’t adding liar to his list of infractions.
“Yes. Lord Selkirk kindly invited me to enjoy the park with him. It is usually quite pleasant at this hour of the morning. So few unanticipated interruptions from passing acquaintances, you see.”
Rupert’s lips twitched, clearly registering the hit. But he in no other way acknowledged any understanding of her remark.
“So true,” he replied. “I take pains to avoid the place in the afternoons. Morning is the only time one can enjoy a decent ride here. I confess that I greatly miss the forest trails in Rosewald. They are so peaceful.”
The Trouble With Princesses Page 5