Be My Prince (6 page)

He was persistent. She would give him that.

Lucille joined her at the window. “Is someone here?”

“Yes, Prince Nicholas has come to call. Does he not have anything better to do?”

And why does Randolph not come himself? Why must he send his handsome younger brother?

Lucille cheerfully smoothed out her skirt and pinched her cheeks to summon some color. “I suspect he has come to deliver another invitation. This is most excellent. It proves you have passed all the tests so far.”

“We shall see.” Alexandra sat down by the unlit fireplace and picked up her embroidery. A few minutes later, the butler announced Nicholas’s arrival.

“Welcome,” Lucille said.

She offered him tea, but he remained standing.

“Good afternoon, ladies. Permit me to extend an invitation to you both to join me in the royal coach this afternoon for a leisurely drive to Hyde Park. My brother is there now, enjoying an afternoon stroll, and with high hopes he sent me to fetch you.”

Lucille blushed the color of a ripe red apple. “Why, of course we would be delighted to join you!”

“But we couldn’t possibly intrude upon your kindness,” Alex quickly added. “We shall take our own coach, though it is very generous of you to offer.”

His blue eyes narrowed with roguish determination. “I assure you, my lady, it is no intrusion. In fact, Randolph would be most disappointed if you refused.”

Alexandra did not wish to argue in front of her stepmother, but returned his determined gaze with an equal hint of warning.

She had told him, in no uncertain terms, how she felt. How dare he disregard her wishes?

“Well, there you have it!” Lucille stepped forward and plunged herself into the fray of their stubborn, clashing stares. “We simply cannot disappoint the future King of Petersbourg.”

“No, we cannot,” Nicholas replied with a satisfied grin.

Alexandra forced herself to nod politely and went to gather her gloves and bonnet.

*   *   *

“Is it your intention to spoil my chances with your brother?” Alex asked irritably as they arrived at the park and she took hold of Nicholas’s hand in order to descend from the coach. “I hope that is not the case, sir, for I would very much like us to be friends.”

Despite the fact that she was wildly annoyed with him, she simply could not afford to lose his favor.

Lucille had already walked off to speak to a lady she had met at the Carlton House ball, which left Alex stranded alone with this infuriatingly handsome obstacle.

“I assure you,” he replied, “I have only the most honorable intentions in regard to your happiness. There is nothing that matters to me more.”

The coach behind them drove away, and Alexandra looked up at him in the blinding sunlight. His gaze feathered across her skin and down to her neckline, which unnerved her beyond words.

“You make me uncomfortable,” she confessed.

“How so?”

He had to ask?

“You spoke candidly the other night,” she explained, “but I hope I was also candid in return. I am not looking for a torrid affair with you or any other man. I am devoted to Randolph.” She looked around. “Where is he? I would be grateful if you would take me to him.”

Nicholas inclined his head curiously. “How can you be devoted to someone you only just met?”

She returned her attention to those captivating blue eyes that were such a torment to her in every way. “I could say the same to you, sir. You hardly know me, yet you declared yourself after three short minutes in a gallery. And from what I know of your reputation, you are notorious for leading unsuspecting ladies down a pretty but perilous garden path.”

He studied her face carefully. “So it is my reputation that has ruined your opinion of me.”

“Yes, but does it matter either way? The result is the same.”

“It matters to
me,”
he replied, “for I would also like us to be friends.”

Lucille returned to join them. “It is quite crowded here today, is it not? I wonder if Prince Randolph is nearby.” Rising up on her toes, Lucille raised a hand to shade her eyes from the sun. “I do not see him. Do you see him, Alexandra?”

“No, Mama,” she replied. “Not yet.”

“Shall we walk then?”

Nicholas clasped his hands behind his back and strolled casually beside Alexandra.

“It is quite a large park,” she coolly mentioned. “We might not encounter him at all.”

Knowing this man’s motives, Alexandra realized he could easily have lied about his brother even being here. He might say anything to lead her astray and tempt her away from her goals.

“We will search every corner,” he helpfully replied.

They chatted about the weather for a while. Then Lucille cried out, “Oh look, there he is!”

Alexandra turned.
Indeed.
It appeared that Nicholas had not been toying with her after all. His brother
had
graced the park with his presence—but was presently kissing the gloved hand of a blushing young lady in a bright blue dress.

Lucille quickened her pace and kicked up a bit of dust as she left Alexandra and Nicholas behind.

“I believe my stepmother is awestruck,” Alexandra said.

“Then perhaps
she
should marry Randolph.”

It was a rather tempting suggestion, Alex thought, but it wouldn’t give her what she wanted.

They approached the squealing pack of young women, who all appeared ravenous for a single taste of handsome royal meat. They seemed perfectly prepared to fight to the death for it.

“My word,” Alexandra said. “I’ll never get within fifty paces without being torn to shreds.”

Nicholas watched the spectacle with dark disdain. “That’s always the way of it, and it pains me to say that I’ve become immune. It has been like this in Petersbourg for years. It doesn’t shock me in the least. Not any longer.”

“I cannot imagine ever becoming immune to something like
that
.” They watched the appalling spectacle for a few minutes more. “No wonder he came to England,” she said with a sigh. “Though I suspect he must be disappointed to encounter the same thing here, when he had only hoped to escape it.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

She turned to him. “I must assure you, sir, that I am nothing like those women, and if you will permit me, I wish to apologize for their behavior. They do not represent the majority.”

He regarded her intently. “Apology accepted, but I beg to disagree. I believe they
do
represent most women—at least the ones who are seeking a proposal of marriage from Randolph. Except for you. As you say, you are not like them. Why is that?”

She sensed he wanted to know it for himself, not for his brother, but she would answer the question regardless, for it was information that could improve her chances with Randolph, and she genuinely hoped that Nicholas would eventually give up his pursuit when he realized it was futile.

Which it was. She would not let it progress any other way.

“I suppose I am different because I have been living outside of society most of my life,” she explained. “After my uncle sent us away, we gave up our hopes for grand marriages. Or perhaps I am jaded.”

He stared at her in a way that made her feel apprehensive.

“Aren’t we all?” he replied.

A fast breeze blew through the treetops. She laid a gloved hand on her bonnet to keep it from flying off and looked up at the sky. “Where did that come from?”

Nicholas looked up as well. “Life is a mystery, is it not? Do you wish to be escorted to my brother now?”

She wanted to say, “No, not yet,” but it was a thoughtless impulse. Mr. Carmichael had invested a great deal of money with the understanding that Alex would do whatever it took to secure the Petersbourg throne—even push and shove her way through a crowd of silly young females. There had even been some suggestion that she should entrap Randolph in the worst possible way, but she was determined not to let it come to that.

“Will you help me?” she said to Nicholas. “If you truly believe I am not like the others, can you not find it in your heart to talk to your brother on my behalf so that I might avoid this sort of thing?”

He glanced at his brother. “But
why
do you want to marry him? And please do not insult me by telling me you are in love with him, because I know that is not true.”

She sighed. “I’ve already told you of my situation, and I will not lie. I am ambitious. I wish to do something meaningful with my life.” At that, she looked up at him. “Have you ever been knocked down by someone, Nicholas? Have you been treated unfairly? If so, then you will understand how it has a way of rousing you to struggle to your feet and fight back harder than ever before.”

He considered that for a moment. “So there is a hint of vengeance in your scheme,” he bluntly suggested.

Vengeance?
If he only knew how close he was to the truth.

“I would not call it that,” she cautiously replied. “I simply have something to prove, that is all, and I am proud. I want the very best for my sisters and me. They deserve happiness, and so do I. I make no apologies for that.”

“Nor should you.”

“I believe people should have the freedom to improve their situation if they so desire,” she continued, “and to embrace their destiny, and to follow their hearts, no matter how difficult a road it might be to achieve a certain thing.”

His eyebrows lifted. “Those are inspiring words, Lady Alexandra.”

They both looked at his brother, who was now strolling toward the river. Lucille was following the crowd, but she turned and waved at them to follow.

Nicholas offered his arm and Alex accepted it, but they did not hurry to catch up. In all honesty, she was not ready to end this conversation, which came as a surprise considering how she felt about this man.

“I must warn you,” he said. “It is not easy to be a royal.”

I know. Otherwise my family would still be alive.

But of course, she did not speak those morbid words. Instead she grinned lightheartedly at Nicholas and gestured toward the crowd of women. “Oh, yes. Clearly your brother looks miserable at the moment.”

Randolph had just taken the hand of a young girl, no more than twelve years old, and he was waltzing across the grass with her while everyone laughed and applauded.

“I’m afraid he is a bit of a flirt,” Nicholas said.

“I’ve noticed.”

They reached the crowd of onlookers and joined in the applause.

Randolph spotted them at last and bowed chivalrously to his dancing partner, who blushed and giggled. He excused himself from his admirers and came striding with good cheer toward them.

Alex leaned close to Nicholas. “Will you help me, then? I would be forever grateful.”

He looked her fondly in the eye. “I cannot say no to you, my lady. Your happiness is mine, so I suppose I have no choice in the matter.”

Her heart turned over in response to those words. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. It caught her off guard and she felt suddenly flustered.

“Good afternoon, Lady Alexandra!” Randolph said as he reached them. Lucille came trotting along behind him. “I am delighted that Nick could convince you to visit the park today.” He held out his arm. “Would you care to take a stroll with me down to the water?” He turned to Lucille. “With your permission of course, madam.”

“Permission granted,” she cheerfully replied.

Alex let go of one prince’s arm and did not look back as she walked off with the other. But in the privacy of her own mind she wished overwhelmingly that Nicholas was the one who would wear the crown, because
he
was the one she desired.

*   *   *

Nearly a half hour later, Prince Randolph escorted Alex back to Lucille, who was waiting under the shade of an oak tree with Nicholas.

“What a lovely afternoon for a stroll,” Lucille said. “Did you enjoy yourselves? What do you think of our park, sir?”

“It is almost as delightful as the pleasure of Lady Alexandra’s company,” Randolph replied. “I have sent for the coach, which should be along at any moment. I do hope you will both attend the play at Covent Garden on Tuesday. Do you have tickets?”

“We do indeed,” Lucille replied.

“Very good then. Ah, look. Here is your driver. Nicholas, will you see the ladies safely home?”

“It would be my pleasure to do so.”

The coach pulled to a halt on the lane, and the ladies bid the prince farewell before allowing the footman to escort them into the vehicle. Alexandra seated herself on the elegant blue leather upholstery and took a deep breath.

She was relieved that was over. There were far too many moments when she’d found it difficult to manage a sincere smile because she felt no spark of attraction whatsoever for Prince Randolph. Not that she’d expected to fall in love with him. In fact, she’d expected to fight a long-standing battle with her contempt for him.

When it came to his roguish younger brother, however, her blood rushed with excitement and no amount of self-restraint seemed to make any difference.

She could not bear it. It was going to drive her mad.

“How was it?” Lucille asked. “He seemed quite enraptured. He must have been if he was willing to leave all those other young ladies behind. You were the only one he singled out to escort along the path.”

“He was very charming,” she flatly said.

“Charming? That is all you have to say about it?”

Alex was not in the mood for Lucille’s blunt interrogation. There was a sickening knot in her stomach the size of a turnip, and she just wanted to sit quietly for a moment. “He was charming and gentlemanly and everything else, but please don’t speak now. Nicholas will be here shortly.”

Just then, his large form loomed in the open doorway of the coach. He gripped the handrail and swung inside.

“You are so kind to see us home,” Lucille said to him.

He smiled at her. “I trust it was a pleasant afternoon for you?”

“Oh, it was much more than pleasant! We are both so grateful that you decided to pay a call today. Perhaps tomorrow you will knock on our door again and there will be some other grand adventure awaiting us!”