The Prince's Pregnant Challenge (The Royals of Monaco, #2) (2 page)

“My choice is to ride my own horse.”

“And you shall, in due time.”

“Give me back my horse!” Liane shouted. She rarely showed any emotions. Charles had taught her that a woman of her stature should not be easily angered, should not shed tears and she should not raise her voice. But something about Jean Pierre made her lose control. She already disliked him and now, here he was taking her horse without her consent and he did not even attempt to apologise!

“Relax, I am only taking her for one lap,” he said. He turned around to face her. “It's only a horse,” he added. Liane's jaw dropped open.

“And what is wrong with your own?” she asked him.

He shrugged his shoulders. “This is a fine horse. I wish to test her out.” He mounted without another word and rode off. Tracey approached Liane.

“Can you believe that?” Liane asked Tracey. In all the years she had been going to the country club, no one ever behaved with such rudeness. And why was it that he was suddenly coming on the same day and time as her? She had managed to go years not running into him and now in the last month, he was everywhere. And what was worse was that everyone was going out of his or her way to do things for him and he was taking full advantage. One snap of the fingers and people were running to do his bidding. Liane was fed up with him. He was only a cousin to the crown prince, not the prince.

“Well, that’s interesting,” Tracey said. Liane whipped her head in her direction.

“What is interesting?”

“Your reaction.”

“What about it?”

“I don’t think I have ever heard you raise your voice.”

Liane rolled her eyes and leaned against the wooden railing. She knew that she was overreacting but she had just had a rough day dealing with Charles and his demands and riding was the only thing that got her through the day and now she was forced to wait to ride her own horse.

Tracey and Liane stood there watching Jean Pierre ride. Liane was growing increasingly impatient and continued to fume at his behaviour. As she glanced around, she saw the other female members standing around as he rode around the track. They giggled as they vied for his attention. She couldn’t understand the attraction. While he was good looking, he wasn’t anything special and his behaviour made him that much more unattractive to her. 

Finally, Jean Pierre finished riding and dismounted in front of Liane before handing her the reins and walking off. He did not even bother to apologise or thank her.

“See how rude he is?” Liane asked Tracey.

“But handsome.” Liane narrowed her gaze as Tracey laughed. “I know he is arrogant. Just relax, Liane. You have your horse now. Hopefully he won't steal her again.”

Grunting, Liane mounted her horse and headed out to the track. She could relax now and for the next hour, she could forget about the pressure she was under from her mother to become a good crown princess. She could forget about the constant stream of visitors that came to her house every single day trying to win her over. Horseback riding was the only thing she could control in her life, and she was not going to let someone like Jean Pierre ruin it for her.

***

A
fter Liane finished riding, she took her mare back to the stable and gave her a treat while one of the stable hands removed the saddle and gave her a rub down. When she arrived back in the changing room, the girls were whispering about her and how lucky she was to share the same horse as Jean Pierre. Liane frowned as she dressed quickly. There was nothing special about sharing a horse with Jean Pierre; especially when he took her without permission.

As she left the club she ran into Jean Pierre in the reception area. “Oh, come on,” she mumbled as she tried to walk past him but he started speaking to her.

“What shall I compensate you with?” he asked. His tone was rather sardonic.

“If there’s no apology coming out of your mouth, then please refrain from speaking to me,” Liane replied as she attempted to brush past.

Jean Pierre laughed. “She is still annoyed about it,” he said to his entourage as they all laughed. Liane rolled her eyes. He was so ill mannered and felt that he could do whatever he pleased without consequence. She stopped walking, but Tracey grabbed her arm.

“Let it go,” Tracey said and quickly ushered Liane out of the building.

“He is so smug about it,” Liane burst out as soon as they walked out of the building. Liane shook her head and walked to her car. She simply wanted to go home and forget this ever happened. She really hoped that she did not run into him again and that he would crawl back under whatever rock he came out from. 

9 months ago

L
iane was enjoying lunch with her sisters on a Saturday afternoon. She felt so relaxed just hanging out with them. It was even better because the weather was just right. It was warm and there was a cool breeze. It was the first Saturday Liane had off in months.

“Macee, slow down and eat properly,” Francesca scolded. Macee frowned at her sister and carried on eating. Liane smiled.

“Leave her alone,” Liane said.

Francesca shook her head. “How have you been enjoying riding?” she asked her sister.

“Just fine.”

“What is the matter?” Macee could instantly tell that there was something bothering her.

“Jean Pierre,” Liane said with distaste. She took a sip of her drink. Macee and Francesca looked at each other.

“What about him?” Francesca asked.

“He's an arrogant man who does not deserve us speaking about him. Let us speak about something else.”

Mrs LeBlanc walked out of the house and headed to where her daughters were sitting. Macee pulled a face. “Our mother looks like she is on a mission,” she said. Francesca and Liane turned as she approached them and joined them at the table.

“I have good news for you,” Mrs LeBlanc said to Liane. “Macee eat properly!” she added as she looked at her youngest daughter eating in an unladylike manner. Macee rolled her eyes. She was really getting sick of her mother and sister commenting on her every move. If it was not her eating, it was what she wore or how she walked.

“What is it mother?” Liane asked.

“We have been invited to the palace for dinner on Tuesday.”

Francesca gasped. “To meet with the Crown Prince, I assume?” she asked with excitement.

Liane gave half a smile. She had not seen him in a very long time. Maybe if they met, she would have some feelings towards him, but at that moment, she felt nothing.

“Yes.”

“Can we come?”

“No.”

Francesca's face dropped. She could count the number of times she had been to the palace on one hand. She loved the palace and wished that she could go more often, but her mother always found reasons for her not to go.

“I will find you something suitable to wear,” Mrs LeBlanc said. Macee snorted.

“I am sure she can pick out her own clothes,” Macee said.

“What do you know?”

“Please, do not start,” Liane said. Her mother and sister were always at odds.  They disagreed about everything. Mrs LeBlanc wanted her daughter to be a lot more ladylike, but Macee did not listen. She did not want to be a pawn in her mother's scheme to attain power and status.

***

L
iane slipped on the dress her mother had purchased for her. It was a peach-coloured sleeveless dress, which accentuated her breasts and had wide pleats around the skirt, which touched her knees. She wore low heels, a pearl necklace and matching earrings.

When they arrived at the palace, a maid greeted them before escorting them to the dining room. They were served cold beverages whilst they waited for the royal family to arrive.

Prince Louis walked into the room with his mother. He was dressed in a white shirt and grey trousers. Just as they were about to sit down, Jean Pierre walked into the room. Liane wanted to frown but she held it together. Jean Pierre on the other hand looked surprised to see her.

“Cousin, this is Liane, my fiancée,” Prince Louis introduced Liane to Jean Pierre.

“We have met,” Liane said.

“Really?”

“Yes, at the country club but I was unaware that we are to be family soon,” Jean Pierre said. He moved closer to Liane. “Mademoiselle,” he said before he kissed her on both cheeks. Liane suppressed a frown and forced a smile instead.

“Excuse us,” Prince Louis said, as he left the room to speak with Jean Pierre privately. The two were quite close and Liane could not understand why. They were so different. The Prince always adhered to his duties; he was well mannered and never had scandals in the news. While he too was arrogant, he was not as bad as Jean Pierre was.

When the prince returned, he sat down opposite Liane. “I feel better knowing that you and Jean Pierre attend the same country club,” Prince Louis said to Liane as he unfolded his napkin.

“Why is that?” she asked. She certainly did not feel better.

“There will be someone to come to your rescue should you need assistance.”

Liane forced a smile as she picked up her cutlery. During dinner, there was of course much talk of politics. Once a week, Charles educated Liane on popular political subjects and made sure she was up to date on all current events. Liane was able to engage in a discussion with them but it was of no interest to her.

Her mother took the opportunity to praise Liane to the queen. She never missed the chance to praise her to anyone who would listen.

“She has definitely blossomed into a fine young lady,” the queen said with a smile. She clearly approved of Liane.

“You are too kind, your majesty,” Mrs LeBlanc replied.

“You have completed your higher education, am I correct?” the queen asked Liane.

Liane picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth before she replied. “Yes, I completed a degree in History.”

“That is impressive.”

“Which is your preferred century?” Prince Louis asked her.

“The sixteenth century, your highness,” Liane replied.

“Why is that?”

“I found the tale of Mary Queen of Scots very intriguing.”

After dinner, at the suggestion of the queen, Prince Louis and Liane continued their talk outside. “Her demise was rather sad though,” Liane said. “A queen killed for treason. It is such a shame.”

“It is a shame indeed.”

“I favoured Henry the Eighth,” Jean Pierre said. He was sitting outside when they walked up.

“Why is that?” Prince Louis asked with a smile. It did not surprise Liane that Jean Pierre would like Henry the Eighth. Any man with fidelity issues would favour him.

“He was a wise man.”

“With six wives,” Liane replied.

“When a man is widowed, is it not okay for him to take another wife?”

“Not when he is responsible for their deaths.”

“His marriage to his first wife was annulled. She died after and he had nothing to do with it.”

“Annulment,” Liane said sardonically. “That was the political term for it. It was really just a divorce because he wished to marry his mistress,” she added.

Prince Louis stood there amused as he watched Jean Pierre and Liane debate. They both seemed so passionate and intent on proving that their side was the correct choice. He could understand Liane’s interest, but why was Jean Pierre so passionate to the point of being argumentative?

“Anne Boleyn did not bed the king until they had wed,” Jean Pierre said.

“She was still his mistress and he took another when she was queen,” Liane replied.

“As King, he had the right to have mistresses.”

“As a man of honour, he should not have had mistresses.”

Jean Pierre laughed. “He was not the first king to seek solace elsewhere,” he said.

“It was not solace that he was looking for and he bedded far too many women.” It is not that Liane did not know that kings always had mistresses, concubines and harems. It was the fact that she disliked Jean Pierre. It did not surprise her at all that he was a fan of Henry the Eighth. He seemed to like the fact that he had six wives and could have any woman he wanted, instead of praising the work he did as a monarch.

Prince Louis laughed. “I dare say that I must call a stalemate on this debate.”

8 months ago

I
t was the country club's one hundred year anniversary and they were hosting a party in celebration. Liane was not planning to attend, but Tracey showed up and insisted that she come with her. Refusing to take no for an answer, she opened Liane's closet.

“There are a million clothes in here and yet there is nothing suitable for you to wear,” Tracey said to Liane. Most of her clothes were for formal events.

“That is a sign that I should not be attending this event,” Liane said as she shrugged her shoulders. 

“Nonsense, we can find something somewhere in here,” Tracey replied as she pulled clothes out. With a “ta da,” she stepped out holding a red cocktail dress. “Where have you been hiding this one?” she asked as she held it up to the mirror. “Put it on.”

Digging in her bag, Tracey pulled out a pair of Louboutins. “It’s a good thing we wear the same shoe size, because I knew that you wouldn’t have anything appropriate.” As Liane slipped on the shoes and looked in the mirror, she had to admit that she looked good. Instead of wearing her hair pinned up, Tracey had brushed it out so it draped around her shoulders, dropping below mid-back. Tracey added a bit of blush to accentuate her lovely bone structure that she never showed off and a touch of sparkle to her ears with a pair of diamond earrings and she was ready to go.

They arrived at the country club and were ushered over to the outdoor venue where the party was being held. There was a DJ, a dance floor, several cabanas for lounging and a bar.

“Time to mingle,” Tracey said as Liane reluctantly followed. Many people greeted them, especially Liane, who was constantly asked about the crown prince. They told her how lucky she was to be engaged to him as they asked to take pictures with her.

“This is not my idea of fun,” Liane said to Tracey. She hated how people never bothered to get to know her when they met her. They immediately started discussing her engagement to the prince. Tracey rubbed her shoulder.