Charlotte & Nate (Royals of Valleria #4)

by Marianne Knightly

  “Alex.” She pressed the barest of kisses to his neck, to avoid any lipstick transference, and tightened her grip around him. “It’ll be okay. Valleria will get through this. And I told you, as far as our wedding’s concerned, I don’t care where we get married or how we do it, just that we do.”

  “I know.” When he’d told Rebecca the wedding may have to be pared down, she hadn’t flinched. ‘The good of the country is more important. As long as we’re married, what else matters?’ she’d said. He challenged anyone to believe she wouldn’t be an excellent queen after that.

  “It’s too bad an ancient law keeps us from marrying for a year after the engagement’s announced. We could just sneak off into the night and elope.”

  “You’d better make sure my mother’s not nearby if you say that again. God help the son who marries without telling the Queen.”

  Rebecca smiled against his skin. “You know, I don’t think my mother would be all too keen about it, either.”

  “Probably not.”

  She sighed. “Well, then. I guess we should just be boring and appropriate in public from now on. You should probably step back a little.”

  “But I’m terribly comfortable nestled up against you like this.”

  “It’s a dance floor, not our bed.”

  He nuzzled her ear. “I wish we were in bed. Shall I tell you all the naughty things I plan to do to you later?”

  She shook her head against his jacket. “Please don’t. I’m almost a puddle as it is.”

  “But you make the most adorable puddle.” He leaned in closer. “Especially when you’re naked and flushed underneath me, your legs spread wide and just waiting for me.”

  “Alex, stop.” Her breathing was getting shorter, her olive skin blushing like a bride.

  He kissed her neck. “Until later, darling.”

  “Count on it.”

  The chaste kiss they gave each other was accompanied by the flash of several cameras pointed in their direction.

  ***

  “Poor Rebecca,” Grace said in her refined English accent, her hands much more demurely around Marcello’s.

  “You think so?” he murmured, giving the love of his life a once over. “I’m actually kind of jealous.”

  “Jealous?”

  “Sure. I’d love to kiss you right now, tuck you against me and breathe you in.”

  “Marcello.”

  He pulled her slightly closer, her waif-like frame elegantly draped in a bold, dark blue. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “You didn’t. I suppose I still get surprised when you say things like that.”

  Given Grace’s past, which she was still recovering from, it was a miracle she’d even opened her heart to him, and Marcello was thankful for it every day.

  “Well, one day, when you’re not so surprised anymore, let me know.”

  “Why?”

  “You’ll see.” He knew she wasn’t ready for marriage again, at least not yet. So, the ring he’d bought would stay in the family safe until she was. She loved him, was committed to him, that was all that mattered.

  “That sounds vague.”

  “It was meant to be.”

  She sighed and rested her cheek against his. “I’m not that fond of secrets.”

  “I know,” he said, rubbing his hand along her back in soothing motions. “Trust me to know you’ll like this one.”

  “I do trust you, more than anyone.”

  “Good.” They continued to dance, the lights twinkling, the colors swirling around them. Marcello’s eyes narrowed as he took in two of the guests across the room speaking in a huddled corner; he filed the information away for later and kept an eye on them while he danced.

  “Are you positive you’re happy with staying here through the holidays?” Marcello asked.

  She pushed back to look him square in the eye. “More than happy. I don’t have many happy holiday memories in England. I’d like to make some with you, no matter where we are. It is our first holiday together.”

  He grinned. “That it is. Do you know what you’d like for Christmas this year?”

  “Just you.”

  “You’ve already got me. But, if you won’t give me a hint, I’ll just have to think of something completely over the top.”

  “Marcello,” she said in a warning voice. “Maybe we just shouldn’t exchange gifts this year.”

  He chuckled. “Nice try. I suppose I’ve neglected to tell you about our family’s tradition for the holidays.”

  “Oh, dear.” She looked wary, as she should. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like this.”

  “It’s nothing terrible. We just have this horrible tradition of opening one gift in front of everyone.”

  “Just one?”

  He nodded. “The rest we can open in our rooms. Given the things I’m dreaming up for you, that’s probably best.” A blush swept across her pale cheeks and he wanted to kiss its progress across her skin.

  “You wouldn’t make me open something like that in front of everyone, would you?”

  He tightened his hold on her. “Of course not. But, imagine if you will, a horde of nine children forced to open one gift in front of everyone.”

  “Was it awful?”

  “Terrible,” he said smiling. “My brothers always tormented our sisters with snakes – live ones by the way – and anything gross or squeal-worthy they could think of. We brothers tortured each other with ‘inappropriate’ magazines and all manner of embarrassing things.”

  She laughed, a high tinkle that sounded like the brightest music. “Surely, you don’t do that anymore.”

  “Not usually, but we still find ways to embarrass each other.”

  Her smile fell away. “They wouldn’t find a way to embarrass me, would they?”

  “No,” he said fervently. “I’ll make sure of it. They’ll probably tease you, but they would never deliberately hurt you. You are part of the family, after all, even if there’s not a paper stating so.”

  “Your family’s been great, so accepting. I suppose I keep waiting for the moment they’ll turn on me.”

  “Is that what you expect from me?”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t. I really don’t. But your family and your country are so important to you. What if you had to choose one day?”

  “Then I’d still choose you, but you never have to worry about that. Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. It’s not going to.”

  She pressed a light kiss on his lips. “You’re so good to me.”

  “You’re just as good to me. I love you, Grace.”

  “I love you, too, Marcello.”

  ***

  Nate was hiding in a dimly-lit corner nursing a drink while he watched the glitter and glamour of the evening around him. He’d spotted Katya here with another date, but he didn’t think that would stop her from seeking him out. Hiding from Katya, however, did not keep his mother from finding him.

  “Ask me to dance, Nathaniel.”

  He looked wary, but knew that in public he had to do as he was told, even as a man in his thirties. He finished off the drink, took his mother’s hand, and led her onto the dance floor.

  When they began a slow turn around the room, Genevieve pasted a smile onto her face. She nodded regally as people passed, Nate following her lead and doing the same.

  Eventually, Nate caught a blur of white in the corner of the room and a flash of light brown hair. Charlie.

  “She’s here, isn’t she?”

  Nate glanced down at his mother, who was significantly shorter than him, and only tall enough to reach mid-way up his chest. “She has a name.”

  “Charlotte,” she said softly. “I know what it is.”

  “Then I suggest you use it.”

  “Oh, don’t be mad at me.”

  Nate quirked an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I?”

  “Your father gave me quite a scolding for what I said. It was a rightly deserved scolding, too.”

  “I
know it was.”

  “I apologized to Charlotte.”

  “I know. I was there.”

  Genevieve shook her head. “I mean after that. Late this afternoon, before the dinner.”

  That was news to him. “Were you trying to throw her off her game? Make her ruin the dessert you ordered at the last minute?”

  “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you know about that.”

  “No, you shouldn’t.”

  “I wanted to put her at ease. She doesn’t trust easily, does she?”

  “No, she doesn’t,” Nate muttered. “Intuitive of you to pick up on it.”

  “I see myself in her, you know. I see myself in Rebecca and Grace, too.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, I wasn’t royalty when I met your father. Despite what everyone says now, we didn’t have an easy time of it. The things people said, well, I still don’t think I’m over it, not even forty years later.”

  “I knew you weren’t royalty, but you were still upper class.”

  “It’s true that’s how most people will remember it, but it’s not entirely the truth. Would it surprise you to know that I’ve been in Charlotte’s shoes before, to a certain extent? That I’ve struggled and fought and clawed my way up from the ground?”

  Nate blinked, almost stopped dancing. “Yes, that would surprise me. What happened to you, Mama?”

  She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, not anymore. I just didn’t want Charlotte to go through some of the things I’ve been through. I suppose seeing the two of you together just brought back too many bad memories and I lashed out.”

  “Is that why you ordered a new dessert hours before dinner?”

  She nodded. “I know it was a terrible thing to do, but Charlotte’s tough. If she’s going to take over for Coco, she needs to handle things like this. Coco actually suggested it, as a sort of test, but I went along with it.”

  “Coco suggested it?”

  “I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had to change menus at the last minute. It happens, and Charlie would be the one dealing with it. The timing of the request was just awful, though.”

  “I don’t think she knew it was a test.”

  “I told her when I saw her earlier today, and she understood. She is a professional, after all.”

  “The consummate professional.”

  “Anyway, I hope you’ll forgive me. I hope she will, too.”

  “Mama.”

  “Charlotte said she would need to think about it. I don’t blame her.”

  “Of course I forgive you. I’ll talk to her.”

  “Just give her time. It’s not easy to adjust to dating a prince.”

  “So, it wouldn’t bother you if we ended up together?”

  “No, it wouldn’t.” She tapped her cheek with a gloved hand and Nate bent down and kissed her cheek.

  “Just be happy, Nathaniel. If she makes you happy, then be with her.”

  As the song ended and a round of light clapping rang out, Nate escorted his mother off the dance floor. “Do you need anything, Mama?”

  “Just your father. Would you mind getting him for me? I’m going to take a seat for the next dance.”

  Nate made his way through the throng, people bowing and curtsying as he passed; it made for very tedious and slow progress. When he finally reached his father, he was in discussion with Marcello.

  “Nothing yet, then?” Gabriel asked in a low voice.

  Marcello shook his head. “I’ve been watching all the Council members, though. Byron and Tim have been whispering all night.”

  “Conspiring?” Nate asked.

  “It looks like it. They must think we know. If that’s the case, and I were them, I’d plan something for tomorrow’s budget presentation. I’m going to have of my team sweep the Council chambers tonight, while everyone’s here.”

  Gabriel’s eyes sharpened. “You think they’ll try to disrupt the proceedings? Perhaps hurt someone, or even all of us?”

  “I think they might try.”

  “That doesn’t make sense,” Nate said. “It would benefit them if we announce the debt and austerity budget. Our approval ratings will plummet and they’ll look all the better for it.”

  “Unless they think we’re getting too close to the truth,” Marcello countered. “Then all bets are off. Self-preservation would force them to take drastic measures.”

  From the corner of his eye, Nate saw Charlie slip onto the terrace. “Let’s talk tonight after dinner. Papa, Mama wanted me to tell you she’s sitting out the next dance.”

  Gabriel nodded. “I’d better head over there. If she’s sitting out, the Prime Minister and his wife will be, too, per protocol. Keep me updated, Marcello.”

  As his father left, so did Nate. This time, when he made the journey across the room, he resented every bow and curtsy as they prevented him from seeing her. He resented being a prince as it made things more difficult and made her defensive.

  But, as he stepped out into the crisp, night air, memories of the picnic he’d shared with her invaded his mind. And then she was there, her body a shadow in the dim moonlight, calling to him.

  Chapter 15

  Charlie was exhausted. Hours of running around had made the day go by too quickly. The food was all set, and now it was just up to the waiters to serve it. Despite the exhaustion, she felt exhilarated, and was far too keyed up to go to sleep just yet. She wasn’t on clean-up duty tonight, so she couldn’t use up her energy scrubbing down the kitchens.

  She’d walked onto the terrace, wondering if Nate would be there waiting for her; he wasn’t. She hadn’t messaged him, instead letting fate decide if they’d meet. She’d wanted to tell him about seeing his mother earlier that day, but only the cold, dark night was there to keep her company, as it had been for so many years before.

  When she thought she heard someone walking nearby she tensed. A few moments passed before she heard a creaking sound, followed by the click of a door closing and a voice speaking.

  “I’ll say it again: you look beautiful in the moonlight.”

  Her body shivered at the low cadence of his voice, and she turned to face him. So, he had been the one lurking. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be here.”

  “I could have said the same about you.” Nate walked up and put his arms around her, and she didn’t mind one bit. “I saw you walk out and decided to join you.”

  “How’s the party going?”

  “As well as can be expected so far. Our Australian guests seem pleased with it all, though I have no doubt they’ll prefer the dessert best.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. Are you ready for tomorrow? What time is the presentation?”

  “First thing, just after nine. I’m required to do some ridiculous pomp and circumstance, and then I present it. Everyone yells at me, I’m accused of ruining the country, they’ll probably ask for my arrest, and by noon it should all be over with, one way or another.”

  “Oh, Nate. Is it really that bad?”

  He nodded. “We still don’t have enough evidence to arrest anyone. My brother’s working on it.”

  “Will I see you tomorrow?”

  His face contorted in a rueful smile. “No doubt. My face will be plastered everywhere by half past nine.”

  “I don’t mean that.”

  “I know.” He leaned down to drop a kiss to her chilled lips. “I’m happy you want to see me, Charlotte-mine.”

  Every time he used that nickname, her heart felt full, an alien feeling she just wasn’t used to. She lifted up on her toes and kissed him, pouring into it the words she was beginning to feel but couldn’t quite say.

  “Mmmm,” he hummed. “What was that for?”

  “Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. It felt right.”

  “That it did.” He brushed a hand over her hair, and she felt another alien emotion: love. Feeling too much, she stepped away from him and looked out over the terrace.

  “What’s wrong?” No judgment, n
o pity. Just concern. She’d felt it so little in her life, she wasn’t sure what to do.