To Charm a Prince (2 page)

“Do you remember any of this?” Victoria whispered.

“Vaguely, but Angelica would remember best,” Samantha answered.

Their party walked upstairs to the second-floor ballroom. Charles Emerson, his son, Alexander, and his daughter, Venetia Emerson Campbell, stood at the top of the ballroom and spoke with guests. The orchestra played at the opposite end of the room and consisted of a cornet, a piano, a cello, and two violins.

Samantha saw Angelica and Robert step onto the dance floor. The marquess and her sister seemed made for each other. Perhaps Aunt Roxie was correct that Angelica would marry Robert Campbell and, one day, become the Duchess of Inverary.

Turning to speak to her aunt, Samantha froze as the uncanny feeling of being watched, overwhelmed her senses. She looked around but detected no one paying her any particular attention. Still, the uncomfortable feeling persisted.

And then Robert Campbell stood in front of her. “May I have this dance?”

Samantha felt her face reddening and panic rising in her breast. She wished her sister hadn’t put the marquess up to this. “Would you mind terribly if I postponed our dance until later? I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by this crowd.”

The marquess nodded. “Whenever you feel ready.”

“I’ll dance with you,” Victoria spoke up.

“Tory, ladies do
not
invite gentlemen to dance,” Aunt Roxie scolded.

“I was just about to ask,” Robert said, holding out his hand to Victoria.

Angelica sidled up to Samantha. “Why won’t you dance?”

“I have no wish to become a spectacle.”

“I promise, you will not—”

Again, Samantha felt uneasy. Someone was definitely watching her. And then she saw him.

With his arms folded across his chest, the gentleman leaned against the wall and ignored the circle of female admirers surrounding him. Easily the handsomest man she’d ever seen, the gentleman in black evening attire stared at her with an intensity that made her feel weak-legged. He held her gaze captive for a long moment and then perused her body slowly as if savoring each curve. He lifted his gaze to hers again and inclined his head in her direction by way of a long-distance greeting.

Samantha gave him a cold stare and then turned away. A moment later, unable to control the impulse, she peeked at him.

He was still watching her. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. When he nodded at her again, Samantha inclined her head in his direction. Her lips turned up in an answering smile.

“Did you hear what I said?” Angelica asked.

Samantha focused on her sister. “I beg your pardon?”

“Never mind.”

The dance ended. Robert and Victoria joined them.

“Here comes trouble,” Robert whispered, his lips quirking.

Samantha glanced in the direction he was looking. Venetia, the marquess’ widowed sister-in-law, walked in their direction. With her was the gentleman who’d been staring at her. She hoped he wouldn’t ask her to dance.

“Lady Angelica, here is Prince Rudolf to renew your acquaintance,” Venetia said.

Samantha struggled to keep from laughing. Her sister was caught in an outrageous lie, having bragged to the other woman that the Russian prince had once proposed marriage to her.

“Your Highness, how good to see you again,” Angelica said, bluffing her way out of a bad situation. “You remember my sisters, Samantha and Victoria.”

Samantha nearly swooned when the prince looked at her and said, “I could never forget such beauty.”

“You haven’t danced with me, Robert,” Venetia said, feigning a pout.

“I was looking forward to our dance.” Robert held out his hand. “Shall we?”

Once they’d gone, Angelica said, “Thank you, Your Highness, for going along with my fabrication.”

“I suppose we were the closest of friends?” Prince Rudolf asked.

“In a manner of speaking.”

The prince smiled. “Did you leave me brokenhearted?”

“Absolutely devastated.”

Samantha studied the prince while her sister spoke with him. Prince Rudolf was as tall as the marquess, a few inches over six feet. Like the marquess, the prince was broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted, and magnificent in his formal evening attire. Fathomless black eyes shone from his handsome face, accentuated by his black hair.

Prince Rudolf turned to her unexpectedly, asking, “Would you care to dance?”

His invitation surprised Samantha. How could she refuse a prince?

“Your Highness, I suffer from an old injury,” Samantha said, a high blush staining her cheeks.

Concern etched itself across his features. “Are you in pain?”

“No, I limp when I walk.”

Prince Rudolf fixed his dark gaze on hers. Samantha felt her knees go weak and knew why he’d been surrounded by so many admirers.

“Then you will dance with me,” he commanded her, holding his hand out.

Samantha dropped her gaze to his hand. Nervous indecision gripped her. More than anything else, she wanted to dance with him.

Acting on instinct, Samantha placed her hand in his. As if he knew her fear, he gave her hand an encouraging squeeze to bolster her confidence and escorted her onto the dance floor.

Samantha relaxed as soon as she stepped into his arms. The prince danced with the ease of a man who had waltzed a thousand times.

Swirling around the candlelit ballroom in his arms, Samantha felt as if she were floating on air, and became intoxicated by the music and the man. Her aunt’s prediction flitted through her mind.

“I feel as if everyone is staring at me,” Samantha said.

“They are watching
me
, not you,” Prince Rudolf told her. “People are always curious about royals. By the way, you dance divinely.”

“You mean, divinely for a woman who limps,” Samantha corrected him, dropping her gaze to his chest.

“Speak to me, not my chest.” When she looked up, Prince Rudolf told her, “l meant,
you
dance divinely.”

Samantha felt the heated blush staining her cheeks. “You dance divinely, too.”

That made him smile. “I thank you on behalf of the myriad dance masters who tutored me.”

Samantha smiled at that.

“You have a beautiful smile and should use it more often,” the prince told her.

“People who smile for no apparent reason are considered unbalanced, Your Highness,” she said.

“Unfortunately, that is true. Please, call me Rudolf.”

“Familiarity with someone of your stature would be improper,” Samantha said.

“I am a man as well as a prince,” he told her. “I want to call you Samantha and cannot do it unless you call me Rudolf.”

“Very well, Rudolf.”

“I like the sound of my name on your lips,” Prince Rudolf said, making her blush again.

The music ended, and Samantha turned to leave the dance floor with him. The prince held her arm in a firm but gentle grip and refused to budge.

“You will dance with me again.”

Her aunt had said no more than twice with any gentleman but hadn’t specified if the dances could be back to back. “Is that proper?”

“Royalty must be humored.”

Samantha inclined her head and stepped into his arms for the next waltz. She glanced in her aunt’s direction and saw the older woman nodding at her.

Circling the ballroom in the prince’s arms felt like a dream. Samantha couldn’t help thinking that her fear of dancing had been foolish.

“Speaking while waltzing is customary, Samantha.”

“I’m sorry, Rudolf.”

“What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking you speak perfect English,” she hedged.

“Your thoughts were not about my lack of an accent,” Prince Rudolf said. “However, I will admit my mother is English and tutored me herself.”

The music ended before she could reply, but again the prince refused to let her go. “I’m sorry, Rudolf,” Samantha said. “My aunt insisted that I should not dance more than twice with any gentleman.”

“Your aunt did not intend for you to offend a prince by refusing to dance with him,” Rudolf told her. “Dancing two times with the same man applies only to commoners.”

“I am the second daughter of an earl,” Samantha said. “That makes me a commoner.”

“I will compromise.” Rudolf placed his hand on the small of her back as he guided her off the dance floor. “You will accompany me to the refreshment room and share a glass of champagne with me.”

Samantha didn’t know what to do. Her aunt hadn’t given her instructions about drinking champagne with a prince. She supposed that left her free to do what she wanted.

“I would like that.” In truth, Samantha didn’t want to see the prince dancing with another woman.

Together, they left the ballroom. She refused to look in her aunt’s direction lest she see disapproval stamped across the woman’s features.

“Strange, I don’t remember the ballroom, only the foyer and my mother’s fragrance,” Samantha said without thinking.

The prince gave her a curious look. “I do not understand.”

“I lived in this house until I was seven years old,” she told him.

“Your parents sold the house to Emerson?” Rudolf asked.

“The villain stole it from my father,” Samantha said, a bitter edge to her voice. In the next instant, she realized she had said too much.

The prince had stopped walking and turned to stare at her. Surprise had etched itself across his features.

“I should not have said what I did.” Samantha touched his arm. “Please, do not repeat it to anyone.”

“I would never betray a trust,” the prince assured her. “Under the circumstances, I cannot understand your parents accepting Emerson’s invitation.’

“My parents are deceased,” Samantha told him. “The gentleman you saw is the Duke of Inverary, and the lady is my Aunt Roxie.”

“The Duke of Inverary?” the prince echoed, his dark eyes gleaming with interest “I must hear this story.”

“Another time, perhaps,” she said, glancing around. “I wouldn’t wish to be overheard.”

Prince Rudolf led her to the stairs instead of the refreshment room. “We will postpone our champagne to walk in the garden while you relate this story to me.”

Samantha halted at the top of the stairs. “Is that proper?”

“You are safe with me,” the prince assured her. “I would never compromise your reputation.”

Samantha relaxed but began to have doubts as they followed several couples downstairs and headed for a stroll in the garden. She felt certain her aunt would not approve, but when she looked at the prince, she was unable to turn back and let him go. If she was going to live a lonely, miserable existence, she might as well have one evening to remember.

Rudolf and Samantha stepped into a summer’s night created for romance. Fog clung to the ground like a lover, but the sky overhead was clear, a full moon shining down on them. Torches had been lit, providing light for the couples who strolled around the garden. Mingling flower fragrances wafted through the air.

Rudolf took her hand in his and led her across the garden toward a silver birch tree. “Tell me about the Duke of Inverary.”

Heedless of her gown, Samantha leaned back against the birch tree. The solidness of its trunk comforted her.

“His Grace, an old friend of my father’s, opened his home to us and insisted on sponsoring my sisters and me,” Samantha told him.

“How generous of him.”

“Your Highness, you have been waltzing with a pauper,” Samantha whispered, merriment shining from her blue eyes and a smile on her lips. “I have nothing to recommend me.”

The prince stepped closer and, with one finger lifted her chin. “You have a great deal to recommend you,” he said, his voice seductively low.

Samantha stared into his eyes, mesmerized by their dark intensity. His handsome face inched closer. The scent of sandalwood, so arrogantly masculine, assailed her senses and made thinking impossible. His face hovered above hers for one brief, tantalizing moment. And then their lips touched.

Samantha surrendered to this new sensation. Standing within the circle of his arms and pressing her lips to his felt as natural as breathing. And then it was over.

“You are as delicate as a Bulgarian rose and more mysterious than Asian jasmine,” Rudolf whispered, his lips hovering above hers.

Dazed by his kiss, Samantha stared at him through enormous blue eyes but remained silent. Rudolf traced a finger down her cheek. “Thank you for the gift of your first kiss.”

That jerked her into awareness. How did he know she’d never kissed a man? Was her inexperience so obvious?

“How did you know?” she managed to ask.

Prince Rudolf placed the palm of his hand against her cheek. “Your skin burns with embarrassment, surely a sign of a first kiss.”

Samantha smiled with relief. Apparently, she hadn’t done anything incorrectly. “Tell me something more about yourself,” she said, looking at him from beneath the thick fringe of her sooty lashes.

“What do you want to know?”

“Tell me about Russia.”

“My homeland is cold.”

“You told me your mother is English,” Samantha said. ‘What about the others in your family?”

“They are Russians.”

Samantha realized he was teasing her. She cast him an unconsciously flirtatious smile. “How do princes really pass their days?”

“We issue commands to inferiors,” Rudolf told her, a smile on his lips, “while we are wearing our crowns.”

“Wearing the crown is necessary to issue commands?” Samantha asked, tilting her head back to look into his dark eyes.

“A prince should never be far from his crown,” he said, a smile flirting with his chiseled lips.

“Sometimes we princes rescue maidens like you from dragons.”

“Is that what you are doing tonight?” Samantha asked, growing serious. “I mean, rescuing me from society’s dragons?”

“Do you need rescuing, my lady?” Prince Rudolf stared into her eyes.

Samantha tore her gaze from his, feeling as if he could see into her soul and knew her deepest secrets, fears, and insecurities. Only family knew of her pain. She had too much Douglas pride to let anyone else, especially this man, see her pain.

“How do English ladies pass their days?” the prince asked, changing the subject when she remained silent.