One-Click Buy: November Harlequin Presents (7 page)

His eyes narrowed as he studied her face. She had surprised him again with the softly spoken barb, and now his mind was awash with her fresh, sleepy scent. He had to forget how good they were together; he had to ignore the fact that there were leaves in her hair and he wanted to pluck them from the mass of tangled gold.

A greater contrast to the impeccably groomed Princess Anastasia would be impossible to imagine. Carrie's face was creased and blotchy where she had pressed it against the ground, and she looked…

‘Can I go now?'

His gaze sharpened at her question. Her voice was as gentle as it always was, yet he sensed an edge behind it. She was anything but defeated. ‘You've been very clever, worming your way into my mother's confidence. If one door shuts another opens as far as you're concerned, doesn't it, Carrie?'

‘Do you think I started the fire at the hotel, too?'

‘I'm merely suggesting you make the most of every situation.'

‘What situation?'

‘You didn't know it was my mother's hotel, of course.'

‘Your mother's hotel? No, of course I didn't know. How could I?'

Her surprise appeared genuine. ‘By reading about the family,' he suggested. ‘You should know the Fierezzas have many interests on the island.'

‘Which you imagine I researched before I got here? Do you really think I targeted your mother's hotel?'

‘I think you're bright. I think you came to Niroli on a mission. And from what I know of you from when you worked for me I don't think you'd be here at all unless you had every loophole sewn up tight.'

‘Well, that's where you're wrong, Nico,' she assured him. ‘Where my personal life is concerned I don't seem to have much of a hold on it at all. And, for your information, it was the taxi driver who recommended your mother's hotel. He telephoned ahead as we were driving from the airport to book me in.'

‘A quirk of fate?'

‘If you like,' she said, ‘but I certainly didn't engineer it.'

‘And you want me to believe this, along with all your other lies?'

‘I've never lied to you, Nico.'

The air between them was charged with tension. Nico was so close she could see the amber flecks in his searing blue gaze, so close they shared the same breath, the same air. But as always he reacted in a way that surprised her. Dipping his head, he brushed her cheek with his lips, stopping just short of her mouth, and to her eternal shame she closed her eyes and swayed towards him.

‘It's that easy, isn't it?' he said gently. ‘
You're
that easy.'

When she didn't reply he put a finger beneath her chin and tilted her face up so she was forced to look at him. ‘You wormed your way in here, and now you think you're going to have a good, long stay at the palace. Well, let me put you straight, Carrie Evans. You get twenty-four hours to live your dream, and then you're out of here.'

She closed her eyes against the contempt in his gaze. Nothing she could say would make him believe her, but she couldn't walk away. ‘Whatever you think of me we have to talk, and I'm not leaving Niroli until we do.'

‘Are you threatening me, Carrie?'

‘I'm stating facts—'

‘So, hell hath no fury?'

‘You think this is about revenge?'

‘What else?'

‘You think I followed you to Niroli because I can't forget what happened between us?' That was part of the truth, Carrie realised, but she couldn't throw away her life on a hopeless cause, not with a baby to protect. ‘You don't know me, Nico. You don't know me, at all.'

‘Well, perhaps it's time I found out more,' he said coldly. ‘Shall we start with how much it would cost me to get rid of you?'

Carrie flinched. ‘Half an hour of your time is all I'm asking.'

‘When?'

‘Tomorrow night after dinner…' She didn't want to rush into anything, she had tried spontaneous and knew she wasn't good at it.

‘I thought I made it clear that your deadline for leaving the palace is tomorrow…' Nico stopped and his face darkened with anger as he read the situation. ‘Oh, I see,' he said. ‘My mother has extended an invitation to her new protégée for dinner tomorrow night.'

‘I'm sure you can spare me half an hour—'

‘You're sure of a lot of things, aren't you, Carrie?'

‘Until tomorrow, Nico…'

She turned on her heel, burning with shame from what he thought of her, but Nico brought her back. She held herself stiffly in his arms, eyes closed as she fought the urge to respond to him. But he knew she wanted to and with a sound of contempt he let her go and walked away.

‘Y
OU
poor child…' The words had burned themselves into Carrie's mind. She woke the next morning in her bedroom at the palace in a state of panic. Clutching the sheet to her chest, she gazed around, wondering where she was and who had spoken to her. Her mind was still sleep-drenched and wouldn't function properly. It took a few moments to accept she was alone and the presence talking to her was a voice in a dream.

Slipping out of bed, she padded barefoot across the room to open the heavy curtains on another soft Nirolian dawn. The view of the silver lake tinged with pink was so beautiful she stood for a moment with her eyes closed inhaling the scent of blossom. It could have been such a happy time if things had been different…If Nico had only cared for her, just a little.

It promised to be another hot day. The sun was already burning off the low-lying mist, and she could see the rowing boats bobbing lazily by the boathouse. It was easy to imagine Nico sitting across from her in one of the tiny vessels, his muscles flexing as he rowed her out on the lake…But as that was unlikely to happen she might as well have a shower, Carrie thought in her usual down-to-earth way; a long, cold shower.

She was becoming good at stretching the truth, Carrie thought, rubbing her hair dry as she walked out of the bathroom, and it wasn't something she was proud of. To make matters worse Princess Laura appeared to accept everything she said without question. They had struck up a friendship based on a mutual love of the natural world and painting, but it was becoming harder all the time to hide her feelings for Princess Laura's son. There were no miracles waiting to happen, her dreams were futile, and her baby needed something more tangible than a daydream to secure its future.

Princess Laura had arranged for Carrie's breakfast to be sent up to her room. Seeing she was already dressed, the young maid insisted on laying everything out for her on the vine-hung balcony outside the small sitting room.

‘Only if it's no trouble for you,' Carrie said.

‘No trouble at all,' the maid assured her with a shy smile.

The princess, with her customary sensitivity, had found Carrie a cosy suite of rooms close to her own. Carrie's balcony overlooked a pretty walled garden with welcoming proportions more like those of the home of a friend, rather than the vast palace grounds.

‘I prefer this wing,' the princess had told her, and then Carrie had discovered to her astonishment that they had adjoining apartments. ‘Only special people stay here…' Princess Laura had said.

Carrie was living a lie she had no stomach for. She wanted nothing more than for the truth to be out in the open, but couldn't say anything while Nico stood like a roadblock in her way.

A discreet tap on the door of the apartment brought Carrie's pacing to a halt. But when she opened the door there was no one there…Then she spotted the envelope on the floor. Carrie's eyes widened as she read the handwritten note. It was from Princess Laura, offering her accommodation at the palace for the duration of her stay in Niroli, which the princess hoped would be for longer than a few days…‘We have far too many empty rooms here, Carrie, and I did enjoy your company. Please say you'll stay…'

As Carrie clutched the sheet of paper to her chest she knew that if she could have chosen anyone in the world to be the grandmother of her baby it would be Princess Laura, but Nico would never allow it. Princess Laura was everything a grandmother should be, but the princess was like a golden chalice hanging just outside her baby's reach.

This was one of the reasons he had left Niroli as a young man of seventeen, Nico reflected dryly as his mother advanced. Having finished his final lap, he checked his time: fifteen hundred metres freestyle in a few seconds over fifteen minutes. Not quite Olympic standard, but close. Planting his hands on the side of the swimming pool, he sprang out, water glistening over his tanned, athletic body.

Snatching up a towel, he buried his face to hide his smile. His mother was in full dragon mode. Behind a deceptively homely face Princess Laura hid a steely determination. He knew that was probably what had saved her when his father had been killed. Tossing his towel into a laundry basket, Nico was thankful for his mother's strength of character. She had been broken when she had received the news of his father's death, but had thrown herself into her charity work with renewed vigour, and that had been her salvation.

Straightening up, he wrapped a clean towel around his waist. Raking his hair into some semblance of order, he drew himself up to his full height…all the better to read the invisible banner his mother was waving above her head. It had a single name on it: Carrie Evans.

Carrie was going to stay
how long?
Grinding his jaw as his mother stalked back the way she had come, Nico vented his silent rage at the sky. He would not tolerate Carrie inveigling her way into the palace and winning over his mother into the bargain. The only reason he'd kept quiet was because he wasn't ready to reveal Carrie's state of health, or the lies she kept telling him. Fortunately, his mother didn't appear to know about the so-called pregnancy, but to be told by her to back off and stop treating Carrie like an underling was insupportable. And to be assured that she was under his mother's protection…

Right now he could cheerfully throw Carrie Evans over his shoulder and take her to the airport himself and put her on the first flight out of Niroli…But that wouldn't solve a thing, because, knowing Carrie as he did, she'd get the first flight back again. For now, he would tolerate her presence. He would wait his moment, and then he would expose her for the liar she was.

‘You must have new clothes, my dear…'

Carrie had learned that Princess Laura didn't do questions, and that statements were more her line. She couldn't help smiling as she walked back towards the quaint arched doorway that marked the entrance to her apartment. When she had tried to tell Princess Laura that she didn't need any clothes the princess had silenced her with nothing more than an arched brow. There was a formal dinner that night, she had said, to which Carrie was invited. Carrie hadn't needed to be told that a market-stall dress wouldn't do for that.

And now the princess had worked her magic again…Clapping her hands, she had invited dressmakers hovering just outside the open door to join them. And from that moment silks and satins, chiffons and jewelled net had been draped around Carrie, while pins and scissors had flashed in the light. A fabulous ball gown had been created where she stood.

It had been like a dream…

Maybe if it had been a dream she might have thrown herself with more enthusiasm into the pleasure everyone else was getting from her transformation, Carrie thought, but she knew that she would never belong to this life, and that Nico would never accept her. Hearing a tap on the door, she turned. ‘Come in…'

It was the young maid again, who curtsied, making Carrie blush. ‘There's no need for that,' Carrie assured her, and now the maid was blushing, too.

‘These are your clothes,
signorina.
'

As Carrie reached forward to take a few garments from the girl she had to step back as footmen marched past her wheeling a collection of boxes and bags. ‘There must be some mistake,' Carrie said with concern as she followed the footmen into her sitting room. ‘I didn't order these…'

‘But Princess Laura insists,' the maid told her.

Carrie guessed that when Princess Laura gave an order, no one, with the possible exception of Nico, dared to refuse her. And what could she do? The footmen were already unloading the trolley, and now the maid had disappeared into her dressing room and she could hear hangers clicking…drawers opening and closing again. ‘Are you quite sure this isn't a mistake?' Carrie insisted, following the young girl into the room.

‘Quite sure,
signorina.
The princess—'

‘I know,' Carrie cut her off with a smile, ‘the princess insists.'

As the young girl smiled agreement Carrie looked in awe at her beautiful ball gown. It had been run up in record time, and looked even lovelier beneath the lights in her dressing room. Jewels twinkled on the bodice, and the note attached to it said…Carrie's heart sank as she read the words written in the princess's unique hand. She was to be Princess Laura's special guest at the top table, which meant she would be sitting with the royal family practically next to Nico. But how could she keep up the act that he meant nothing to her when he would be seated within touching distance and Princess Anastasia would be drooling over him?

She had to, Carrie told herself firmly, and she should be grateful to Nico's mother for giving her the opportunity to see Nico under such formal circumstances. If she acquitted herself well he might be inclined to spend more time with her after the meal.

She had nothing to feel embarrassed about, Carrie told herself, glancing at the dress again. Princess Laura had wanted her to feel comfortable at the banquet, and had ensured that the dress she wore was beautiful. The dinner was going to be a glittering affair and it was unlikely anyone would have packed something suitable for an occasion such as this one in their holiday suitcase. She could borrow the dress for one night, and then hand it back. She could have it cleaned first…she would ask the young maid, or the girl at the boutique, where to go. This wasn't the time to be trying to find an excuse not to go to the banquet; this was the time to seize an opportunity.

Reading through Princess Laura's note again, Carrie knew she couldn't refuse. ‘Please do come, Carrie,' the princess had written. ‘I must have someone decent at my side. These events can drag on so without the right company….'

Decent? The word tolled like an accusation in Carrie's head. She was about as far from decent as…It made her wish she could tell the princess everything. Their conversations had spanned so much, but had never ventured towards the baby. They had even talked about Carrie's ambition to become a professional artist one day, when she had almost forgotten how much she wanted that, herself.

She looked up as the maid politely excused herself, saying she would be back later to help Carrie dress. Carrie thought a walk through the grounds might help to relax her in the meantime. She had an idea forming, and was eager to look at the gardens with an artist's eye. Her intention was to paint something special for Princess Laura to thank her for her kindness.

Carrie found several spots where she would have liked to set up her easel. There were winding paths and woodland glades as well as the more formal gardens. And then, of course, there was the lake and the pavilion…The grounds of the palace went on and on, and she was glad she had brought a pad and pencil so she could make a start with some preliminary sketches.

Slipping off her sandals, she ran across the cool, spiky grass towards the lake. But she drew to a halt long before she reached the water's edge. Nico was there with Anastasia, and the princess looked so beautiful. She was wearing a slim sheath in brightly coloured patterned silk that hugged her slender body like a second skin, and high-heeled shoes, which Nico was making her take off before allowing her to step into the rowing boat. And now Anastasia was laughing and holding on to his arm as she slipped off the first shoe. When both shoes had been removed Anastasia secured a large-brimmed straw hat to her head and then looked up expectantly at Nico…

Nico didn't respond, he was gazing away across the lake, Carrie noticed, and seemed distracted, and then very slowly he turned towards her…

He stared at her. Nico stared straight at her. It was as if they had an invisible bond between them. But then the princess, unused to losing anyone's attention for even a moment, took hold of his sleeve and gave it a little shake. Nico turned back to her, and with a gracious smile and a nod he offered Anastasia a steadying hand as she prepared to board the small boat.

They made a perfect pair, Carrie thought. They were both so good-looking, so confident. They made her feel shabby and insignificant by comparison. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to run back to the palace, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, forcing her to watch Nico as he climbed into the small craft. He stood with his legs planted firmly to steady it, as Anastasia settled herself in front of him. Anastasia laughed as he cast off, and the sound carried across the silver water like a well-bred reminder of Carrie's place in life.

Hardly knowing she was doing it, Carrie narrowed her eyes to study the perspective. There was nothing more romantic than watching a man putting his back into a stroke. She gave a little smile as Nico pulled away from the small jetty, and was on the point of returning to the palace when she heard Anastasia calling to her. She certainly had no intention of slinking away. Turning, she smiled and raised her hand to wave.

‘Oh, look, darling…it's that little girl from your office. Doesn't she look quaint in that sweet little dress? Good morning, dear…'

As the princess trilled her greeting Carrie's jaw firmed. An air rifle and a few well-placed shots below the waterline of the little boat might not have gone amiss…Failing that, a reef, though no doubt Nico would negotiate it safely.

But as the boat pulled away and they both lost interest in her Carrie felt stupid and gauche, and the market-stall dress that had been such a life saver in the heat seemed suddenly dull in comparison to Anastasia's glamorous designer outfit. Then Nico turned as if to check that she had gone, and the look he gave her suggested he knew how she felt about his beautiful companion.