The Army Doc's Secret Princess

by Emily Forbes

  She had barely known Cam either, yet that hadn’t stopped her from imagining all sorts of alternative futures.

  She had to stop thinking about Campbell. About how easy and simple things had been. About how she’d felt she could be herself. She knew he would argue that she hadn’t been. That she was a princess, not a commoner. But she hadn’t felt common. She’d felt alive. Happy. Free.

  She didn’t want a life dictated by royal protocol. She’d imagined a whole other life for herself. In Australia. With Cam. But obviously that wasn’t going to be her future.

  Maybe she should just accept her fate and the husband her parents had chosen for her.

  Perhaps she should try to imagine a future with Tomas. He deserved that chance.

  She would try to be open to the possibility that he could be a good match for her, that she could grow to love him.

  Viktoria knew the evening was a success. Her mother’s meticulous organisational skills were at their peak arranging functions like this and she never settled for anything less than perfection. The palace ballroom was filled with royalty, celebrities, politicians and family and their tiaras, dresses, medals and jewels sparkled under the lights of dozens of chandeliers. Champagne flowed as white-coated staff seamlessly moved around the guests passing out myriad hors d’oeuvres. The band were excellent, and the dance floor was full.

  Viktoria accepted each dance that was requested of her, although she made sure to stay close to the band where the music was louder and made conversation difficult. It was easier to dance than to talk.

  As she thanked her dance partner at the conclusion of a song Tomas appeared beside her.

  ‘Bonsoir, Your Highness.’ He bowed slightly and held out a hand. ‘May I have the next dance?’

  ‘Bonsoir, Tomas, comme-va?’ she said as she placed her hand in his, accepting his invitation.

  He was taller than her, slightly balding. Blond, not dark. Angular, not handsome but pleasant-looking.

  She knew she was comparing him to Cam and she knew that was unfair. No one was going to measure up to Cam. And she was well aware too, as Tomas placed his hand on her hip, that there was no spark, no nervous excitement, no anticipation of something bigger. She wasn’t being swept off her feet, nor did she feel even remotely as if she might dissolve while he held her in his arms.

  She closed her eyes and imagined she was in Cam’s embrace. Imagined the warmth of his hand, the touch of his fingers on her skin. She felt disloyal but she couldn’t stop herself. This was not what she wanted for herself, for her life, but she couldn’t figure out how to get out of it.

  Tomas was talking. It was hard to pretend she was in Cam’s arms when all she could hear was the sound of another man’s voice. She opened her eyes and forced herself to concentrate, to be the perfect hostess she’d been raised to be. ‘Pardon?’

  ‘I was saying how excited I am for you to see the house I have purchased for us.’

  ‘You have purchased a house?’ she asked, dampening down her dismay that he’d done so without her approval, without her permission. Would she be allowed a say in anything?

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Where is it?’

  ‘San Fernando.’

  She hadn’t envisaged that. She had pictured them living in Berggrun. She’d pictured herself living in Berggrun, she realised. She hadn’t actually pictured herself living with Tomas. She wondered if her parents had given their approval for her to move away.

  Why wouldn’t they? She probably wasn’t expected to live in Berggrun for ever. But if that was the case why couldn’t she live anywhere she liked? In Australia, for example?

  ‘I thought you might like to visit next week,’ Tomas was saying. ‘Once our engagement is official. It is a blank canvas; I thought you would like to decorate it.’

  She tried to picture the sort of house he might choose but all she could imagine was an airy white house perched on top of a cliff. Cam’s house.

  ‘It’s a big house,’ Tomas added. ‘It will keep you busy for quite a while.’

  She made a non-committal sound, struggling to be enthusiastic, as Tomas guided her confidently around the dance floor. She wanted more for herself than to spend her days decorating. Between the heads and shoulders of the other couples she caught a glimpse of a dark-haired man and, for a moment, she thought it was Campbell but, before she could get a proper look, Tomas had turned her around and she’d lost sight of him.

  She told herself she was imagining things but that didn’t stop her from searching the edges of the dance floor and the corners of the ballroom as Tomas spun her around.

  On one pass she saw Freddie. She hadn’t realised he was going to be back from Australia in time for the ball, but it was the man standing beside her cousin, watching her, that caused her to stumble.

  He was here.

  Cam was here.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Tomas asked. He held her a little more firmly and managed to keep her on her feet.

  Viktoria was breathing quickly. Her heart was racing. She stood with Tomas in the middle of the dance floor as she stared across the room. Her brain had frozen.

  ‘I think I need some water,’ she managed to stammer.

  ‘Of course. Come. Take a seat.’ Tomas guided her from the floor to a seat several metres from where Freddie and Cam stood. ‘I’ll bring you a drink.’

  She was barely aware of Tomas leaving her side. Her eyes didn’t leave Cam. She held her breath as he came towards her. She didn’t blink, couldn’t blink. She was terrified that if she closed her eyes, even for a second, he would disappear.

  She still wasn’t certain if she was imagining things but now here he was, standing in front of her.

  She wanted to throw herself into his arms, to feel his embrace, to make sure he was real. But while that was what she would have done if they were in Sydney it was not the way a princess behaved.

  She looked from Cam to Freddie, trying to make sense of what she was seeing, and realised she wanted to cry. She wasn’t sure why. She thought she was happy. She was happy to see him, but she wasn’t sure what his appearance meant.

  She stood up and kissed Freddie on both cheeks, all without taking her eyes off Cam.

  Freddie stepped back and Cam reached for Viktoria’s hand. Heat shot through her and she thought her knees might give way as her insides dissolved in a pool of delicious anticipation. She was overwhelmed by all the sensations that she had been longing to feel. Just one look from Cam was enough to melt her, let alone the touch of his hand.

  He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. ‘Hello, Viktoria.’

  Hearing her name on his lips, just her name, not Your Highness or Princess, was the sweetest sound. She’d missed being that person. She’d missed him. It had been less than a week, but it felt like a lifetime.

  ‘Cam... What are you doing here?’

  ‘I’ve come for you.’

  ‘For me?’ Her voice was husky and the room was swimming slightly. She really did need a drink but the last thing she wanted was to still be standing there, with Cam, when Tomas returned.

  She swayed on her feet and Cam caught her at the elbow, steadying her. Her skin was on fire. Her head was spinning.

  She looked to Freddie. She didn’t know what to do.

  ‘Go. I’ll keep Tomas occupied,’ he said.

  Viktoria didn’t argue. She took Freddie’s cue and slipped through one of the glass doors that were set into the arches along one side of the ballroom. She wanted to take Cam’s hand, but she knew she had to wait until she was sure no one was watching them. She probably shouldn’t be leaving the ballroom with Cam; in fact she knew she definitely shouldn’t be doing this—there were rules, lots of rules—but sometimes they just had to be broken.

  The glass doors opened onto a large flagstoned patio. Potted conifers and several clusters of chai
rs were arranged around the space but there were also a few secluded seating areas tucked under arbours. Discreet gas heaters took the chill out of the late autumn air. She led Cam to a corner of the patio where they were out of sight of the guests in the ballroom.

  She perched on a small cushioned seat and reached for his hand, pulling him down to sit beside her. The spot she had chosen overlooked the ocean and far below them the lights of hundreds of boats docked in the marina shone like handfuls of stars scattered across the water. But Viktoria wasn’t interested in looking at any of that. Fairy lights strung over the arbour twinkled above them, giving her just enough light to take in Cam’s features. She stared at him, recalling every feature, as if afraid something might have changed in the past few days. But he looked as gorgeous as always.

  Tall, dark and still incredibly handsome. As perfect in a tuxedo as he’d been in his army fatigues.

  ‘When did you arrive? How? Why?’ Her head was still spinning, and his presence made no sense.

  ‘About an hour ago. I came with Prince Alfred. The Palace was keen to have the services of a doctor on board the flight from Australia as a precaution following surgery. He was fine but it was a long flight and he suggested I might like to come with him. I was happy to accompany him, but I really came to see you.’

  ‘But I cannot spend time with you. Tonight is the one night when I have obligations.’

  Cam was only semi-aware of his surroundings, of the palace with its view over the marina, of the fairy lights and conifers, but it was all overshadowed by Viktoria. She was breathtakingly beautiful, outshining everything and everyone else. She tugged on his hand and pulled him down to sit beside her.

  ‘I would have come sooner,’ he said, ‘but I didn’t know if you’d want to see me. I didn’t realise what I was losing until you had gone and then I figured I couldn’t just walk up to the palace unannounced, and knock on the door asking for you. Prince Alfred offered me the opportunity to come with him and I realised I’d always regret it if I didn’t take the chance to see if I could rectify the mistake I’d made.’

  Cam knew Viktoria had a duty tonight as a hostess. He hadn’t even planned on staying long. Prince Alfred had assured him he would get him into the ball and Cam’s intention had simply been to let Viktoria know he was in Berggrun. That he had come to see her, and then he was happy to wait until tomorrow.

  ‘I was stubborn and confused and I should not have let you leave. I needed you to know that, to know that I have come for you. But I will wait. I will wait until tomorrow. I will wait for as long as it takes for you to hear what I have to say.’

  ‘Tell me now.’

  ‘I came to Berggrun to tell you that I don’t expect you to give your life up for me. I was foolish. I didn’t want to let you down. I didn’t think you needed someone like me in your life. I’m still not sure if you do, but I needed to find out one way or the other. You pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I didn’t handle that well. Since the incident I prefer my life to be controlled. I don’t like unexpected changes. When you arrived, you disturbed my life and my first reaction was to resist, to shut down. I wanted my life to be smooth. I didn’t want the unexpected. But then I realised that my life would be boring. Your speech at the Games reminded me not to be afraid. I didn’t want to think I might never see you again. If I did nothing I was being cowardly. If I did nothing I was going to miss out on life. On experiences. On you. That is why I am here.

  ‘For you.

  ‘I want you to come back to Australia with me. Or I will stay here. I don’t mind. I just want to be with you. I want to be happy.’

  ‘I want you to be happy too. I want us both to be happy, but you are too late.’

  ‘Please, I’m begging you for a chance.’

  ‘No, you do not understand. You are too late. It is too late for us. Things have changed.’

  ‘What things? It’s only been a few days.’

  ‘Tomorrow I will be engaged to be married.’

  ‘What did you say?’ Cam was certain he had misheard her. He blamed jet lag.

  ‘I am getting married.’

  ‘Married? To whom?’ His stomach churned as he waited for her reply. He fought back a wave of nausea.

  ‘The Duke of San Fernando.’

  Who the hell was that?

  ‘When was this decided?’ he asked as he picked up her hand. Her ring finger was bare. ‘You’re not engaged yet.’

  ‘No, but it is all arranged. There is a banquet tomorrow to announce the engagement.’

  ‘Tomorrow?’ His heart sunk in his chest, coming to rest like a lump of lead in his gut. ‘Are you in love with this guy?’

  ‘I like him. I hope we could have a good life together.’

  ‘You like him? What the hell does that mean?’

  ‘It means I have an agreement with my parents, and they made the arrangements.’

  ‘Arrangements? You’re talking about an arranged marriage? Who in the world still does that?’

  ‘We do. I am expected to marry by the time I am thirty. It is a Berggruner tradition. It is my duty.’

  ‘And then what?’ He was horrified. ‘You’ll spend your days handing out trophies and opening hospitals? I thought you said you wanted more than that.’

  ‘I do. And I thought I could have more, but I made a promise to my parents before I went to Australia. I am running out of time.’

  ‘I thought you were coming back to attend a party, to celebrate your father’s twenty-fifth anniversary as Prince; you never said anything about a fiancé, arranged or otherwise.’

  ‘I did not think it mattered any more. Our relationship was done.’

  ‘I came here to see if there was a way forward for us...’

  ‘I am sorry, Cam,’ she said as his heart broke into tiny fragments. ‘I made a promise. There is nothing I can do. It is my duty.’

  She had healed his heart only to shatter it all over again.

  The rest of the night passed in a blur for Viktoria. Cam had requested a last dance, but she turned him down. She had no choice. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hide how she felt about him. That she wouldn’t be able to conceal her love for him and she couldn’t broadcast her feelings to the world. Not in front of Tomas, her parents or the press.

  Cam had left the ball and Viktoria felt that she was losing her mind. She couldn’t focus; her head was full of thoughts of Cam and she was consumed with dread. Was she making a mistake? She was certain she was, but she didn’t know how to rectify it.

  She knew she needed to see him again. She couldn’t let him go without one more goodbye but there was nothing she could do tonight.

  She slept fitfully, tossing and turning while she debated her options, before finally deciding she would need to enlist Freddie’s help. She didn’t know where Cam was staying, she hadn’t thought to ask, but she was sure Freddie would. She’d need to call Cam, to ask him to come back to the palace. She would have gone to him but she was wary of the paparazzi. She knew there were rumours that her engagement was about to be announced and speculation about who she would be marrying. She couldn’t lead the press to Cam, and she couldn’t leave Tomas exposed. She couldn’t risk bringing dishonour to him or her parents.

  Freddie gave Viktoria the details of Cam’s hotel and her heart was pounding as she dialled the number, only to have her hopes and dreams dashed when she was told that he had already checked out.

  He was gone.

  She was too late.

  She couldn’t believe what she’d done. She couldn’t believe she’d let him go.

  She felt sick. What was she going to do now?

  Before she could figure that out Brigitta appeared to let her know her parents had requested her company for breakfast.

  Viktoria felt as though she was sleepwalking as she returned to the patio where her parents were seated. All tr
aces of the ball had been cleared away but she still couldn’t help but think that the patio would always be the last place where she had seen Cam.

  She was dimly aware of exchanging pleasantries with her parents and trying to listen to their opinions on the ball, but her mind was primarily filled with her own troubles. Until her father caught her attention. ‘We want to speak to you about Tomas.’

  Viktoria’s heart sank like a stone. They were going to tell her the process for today’s announcement.

  ‘We are concerned that we may have been too hasty, that Tomas might not be the right choice for you,’ her mother added.

  Viktoria frowned as she tried to translate her mother’s meaning. ‘Are you giving me more time? I am almost thirty.’

  ‘A tradition isn’t set in stone,’ her father replied. ‘Things can change. Your mother and I thought you were happy to let us suggest a partner for you after what happened with Luca. But the choice is yours. If you’re not certain, you can wait.’

  ‘Is it true you met someone in Sydney?’ her mother asked.

  ‘How did you know that? Did Freddie tell you?’

  Her mother nodded. ‘Is he someone special?’

  ‘Oui.’ Viktoria couldn’t keep the smile from her face at the thought of Cam, until she remembered that she had no idea where he had gone.

  ‘We think you should discuss your situation with him. We want you to be positive you are making the right decision.’

  ‘I do not know if it could work, how it could work.’

  ‘There’s no way to be certain of everything in life but if you want something badly enough, if it’s worth something to you, then you have to try. Do you love him?’

  Viktoria thought of the way Cam made her feel. The way she felt when he kissed her. When he held her hand. When he made love to her. When he opened his heart to her.

  How she felt when she had to say goodbye. ‘I do.’

  ‘Then you need to speak to him again before you make your decision.’

  ‘Do I have your permission?’ she asked her father.

  ‘Of course. And our blessing. Now, go to him, talk to him.’