by Leslie North
And then…time got away from her as the girls got Katie talking about herself. She explained about her love of journalism—something that had started when she was not much older than them—and they had been enthralled.
At some point, the girls dug a notepad out of a desk in the corner. Katie had just explained what an interview was, and both of them were interested in asking her hard-hitting questions, such as what is your least favorite food and are puppies better than kittens. All three of them were giggling when the door swung open and in walked none other than Prince Armin.
She had to stifle a gasp at the sight of him. The photos of him on the Internet did the man no justice. For one thing, he was much taller than she expected. For another, his hair wasn’t orange—it was a deep auburn that begged her to run her fingers through it. And he was muscular. So muscular. The suit he wore set his body off in a way that made her short of breath.
Katie leaped up from the couch, grabbing her purse. He was so attractive.
And he was going to be so pissed at her.
How could she have done this? She’d meant for it to be a short visit, and now—
“I am so sorry, Prince Armin,” she said, ducking her head. “I didn’t meant to intrude. I was on my way out of an interview when an incident with a ball led me to meeting Lily and Seraphine—” She shook her head, mortified at the jumble of words coming from her mouth. “I should be going. It was lovely to meet you, girls. I—” What could she say to two orphans who were now set to become princesses? “I hope you have a wonderful day.”
Lame. So completely lame.
And then, to add insult to her own injury, she turned back to Prince Armin. “The girls seem so happy here.” She wanted to clap her hand over her mouth. “I’m—I’ve got to go.”
He moved in front of her with the grace of a tiger, his blue eyes locked on hers. “What makes you say that?”
“That I have to go? Well, I need to meet with some other people, and—”
“What makes you think they seem happy here?”
Behind her, the twin girls engaged in a tug-of-war over the notepad.
“They seem so…open and friendly,” she said honestly. “I won’t pretend to know what they’ve been through, but they’ve both been so pleasant and welcoming to me.”
This was not how meeting royalty was supposed to go, not in the least. Katie didn’t know if she should bow, walk out of the room backward, or disappear in a puff of smoke. Right now, the puff of smoke seemed like a great option.
“Were you here applying for the position as their nanny?”
“I…was.”
“And?”
The prince was questioning her.
About a member of his own household.
This prince. Who made her feel breathless with just a look in his general direction.
“It…didn’t seem to be a good fit. Ms. Mirzoyan seemed to want something else out of a candidate, and I don’t want to step on any toes. I’ll see myself right out, sir, and—”
“I run my own household,” he said, his voice on the edge of a growl. “Ms. Mirzoyan assists me, that’s true, and this place wouldn’t function smoothly without her. But I make the final decision. And those two girls—” He gestured behind her “—haven’t taken to anyone like that in months. What’s your name?”
“Katie Crestley.” She straightened her back and dipped her chin a little, a good compromise between a handshake and a curtsy.
“Well, Ms. Crestley—if you want it, the job is yours.”
“Oh, I—you have no idea how much—yes.” Katie straightened up and pressed her lips together. “Yes. I want the job.”
“Excellent. I’ll inform Ms. Mirzoyan. You’ll start first thing in the morning.”
2
Three weeks.
Twenty-one days.
Nearly a month.
Katie couldn’t believe how quickly the time had flown. It was as if Armin had snapped his fingers and made the days disappear.
He’d plunged her straight into her new job the next morning. A scowling Ms. Mirzoyan had shown her the basics of the afternoon schedule on an off day as she moved her things into the suite she’d be staying in—a snack, a music lesson, playing in the garden, dinner, reading, and bed. Once the two of them had been tucked into a nursery the size of three of Katie’s apartments, Ms. Mirzoyan had shown her to her own suite of rooms down the hall. The rooms were around a quiet corner, and while the space was much smaller than the girls’ suite, the furnishings were the same understated quality. Delicate polished wood. Fine sheets and blankets.
Katie could get used to that.
But she hadn’t had much time to spend in her room. The girls were busy, and she went wherever they went. She spent all day on high alert. There was no room for error in this job. She felt it more keenly after the way she’d lost her position in entertainment journalism. She was going to do this job by the book, without a toe out of line. The prince and Ms. Mirzoyan had been crystal clear that the schedule was to be followed to the letter, so that’s what she did.
It hadn’t been much of a struggle…until today.
Lily perched in a window seat in their nursery, gazing mournfully out the window at the springtime sunlight streaming down outside Whitestone.
“Why so sad? Your piano lesson starts in half an hour. Aren’t you excited?” Katie kept her tone bright as she sat down across from Lily.
The little blonde girl’s eyes were huge, and the corners of her mouth tugged down in a frown. “No. Not at all.”
“We’d rather play outside,” chimed in Seraphine. “It’s so lovely out.”
“We’d rather play at the park,” said Lily with a glance at her sister. “It’s not very far away.”
“No. Close enough that we could walk there. But we always have to drive,” said Seraphine.
Her heart ached for the girls. They had a demanding schedule, it was true. And Mrs. Mirzoyan had been explicit about following it.
And yet, with those big eyes on them…
“Oh, all right. Let’s get your jackets and we’ll sneak away to the park for a little while. It’ll be our secret.”
The cheers from the two girls almost gave them away, and for a second, Katie was besieged with second thoughts…but it was too late—she was committed. She bustled them out a side door of the castle with purpose in her step. Nobody stopped them—not even the bodyguard who always hovered near the girls. Within five minutes, they were at a beautiful little park, carefully maintained, with a playground that had a climbing castle in the center built to look like a smaller version of Whitestone. The girls ran to it, hair flying behind them, and quickly climbed up into a tower.
Katie took a seat on a nearby bench, welcoming the break. She kept her gaze firmly on the girls. She’d broken one rule, but she wouldn’t dare look at her phone or anything else. The bodyguard wasn’t in her line of sight—he tended to be pretty discreet—but she knew he could see her.
The sisters were so close. Katie could see it even from where she sat on the bench. The two of them played together in a kind of dance, their movements mirrored or nearly mirrored, one following the other, then switching like birds in flight.
A man sat down on the other edge of the bench and spoke to her. “The girls seem to be doing well,” he said.
Katie stole a glance at him. It was a pretty intimate comment to make. Goose bumps rose on her skin. But who was he?
“Yes,” she said neutrally. “Pleased to meet you, Mr…”
He extended his hand. “My name is Ciril Papazyan. I’m the editor for the Stolvenian Defender.” He added the name of the paper in Stolvenian—E Pashtpany.
“Oh.” Tension rose at the base of Katie’s spine. “I know about your paper. And I have nothing to say to you.”
She could see his grin out of the corner of her eye, and it was more than a little unsettling. “I’m not surprised,” he said. “You know about my paper, and I know about you.”
He
r jaw clenched, Katie watched the girls go over a miniature drawbridge and back into the castle. “Oh?”
“I’m surprised you’re a nanny now,” Papazyan said lightly. “How would that happen, for a woman with your particular notoriety?”
Katie stood. It was past time to get away from this man. “Goodbye,” she said firmly.
“Look, Ms. Crestley, Stolvenia is undergoing a transformation. Surely you’ve seen that with your own eyes. And with your position at Whitestone, you have a rather enviable front-row seat.”
“My position has nothing to do with you.”
He leaned back against the bench, his arms spread over the back. “It has everything to do with the prince and his family.”
“So?”
“So, I’m offering you an opportunity.”
“I don’t want it.” Katie wanted to leave, to run away, but she couldn’t abandon the girls and she didn’t want to make a scene.
“All you’d need to do is keep your eyes and ears open, take some notes, and pass them along to me every once in a while.”
“No.”
“Think about it.”
“I won’t.”
“You were a big name in the States, Ms. Crestley. Your reputation has preceded you.”
“That was a long time ago,” she insisted.
He laughed. “And now what? You’re just going to be a nanny until you retire?” Papazyan scoffed. “A woman like you doesn’t just drop out of the media race.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “Unless you’re willing to admit defeat.”
Katie bit her lip, trying to look as stoic as she could. Admitting defeat was anathema to her. It was why she’d chased new jobs all over Europe. It was why, when she was down to her last few dollars in her bank account, she’d applied for a long-shot job close to the action instead of going back to the United States with her tail between her legs.
Not that anyone would have been there to welcome her. Her parents had died in a boating accident when she was young, and she didn’t dare leverage any of her old professional connections.
Papazyan was right that she wanted to be a journalist again—but not like this. Not as something underhanded and deceptive, spying and digging up dirt on people who’d chosen to trust her. She was through taking the easy, dishonest road—she’d learned that lesson and then some.
“If you were to assist me, it’s highly likely you could come back to the fold,” he said, his voice as even as if he were commenting on the weather. “You were meant for journalism. I could find a place for you here, in exchange for a bit of your time.”
He sounded so calm and confident, so certain that this was an offer she wouldn’t be able to resist. Once, he would have been right.
But not anymore.
“Katie!” cried Lily, and she whirled to see the girls waving at her from on top of the castle’s turret. “We’re up so high!”
“Yes!” she shouted back to them. “But come back down now, girls, it’s time to go.”
She turned back to Papazyan. “No, thank you. Please leave us alone.”
Then she went to the center of the playground, collected the girls, and headed back for the rest of the afternoon schedule.
“I’m not sure about this project, Prince Armin.”
Alexei Mihailo was the foremost property developer in all of Stolvenia, but the man was currently exuding an uncharacteristic timidity that Armin didn’t appreciate. He was normally enthusiastic, throwing himself into whatever Armin suggested, but not today.
“What’s the problem? If it’s a matter of contractors, you can have your pick.”
“It’s not the contractors.” Alexei was having a hard time meeting his eyes. “It’s the optics.”
“Optics?”
Armin had never seen the man look more uncomfortable. “I’m not sure now is a good time for us to work so closely together.”
Armin’s frustration welled. “If you don’t want to take palace contracts, then say it, Alexei. Don’t waste my time.”
The other man raised his hands in the air. “It’s not personal, Prince Armin. It’s about the business. Some of our high-profile clients are putting the pressure on not to work with the royal family.”
Armin shook his head. “If your clients are anti-royalists, you need better clients.”
Alexei folded his hands on the table. “People want to feel as if they’re the ones building the country, not the monarchy. I agree with you that the orphanage has a crucial role in our society. That’s why I’m hesitating.”
“Because you think we can’t get it done?”
“Because the entire project could end up tainted with an anti-royalist sentiment. That’s the last thing I want for a project of this importance. The anti-royalist faction is loud and getting louder, and if they raise objections to this project because of your participation, it’s the orphans who’ll lose in the end.”
“You’ve made your point, Alexei.”
Alexei nodded, waiting.
“But I don’t see how the public could disagree with the project, regardless of who’s involved.” Armin noted the subtle sigh Alexei gave before he continued speaking. “This is necessary work. The building itself, as you know, is nearly eighty years old. The piecemeal repairs aren’t enough to keep it standing for much longer, and the interiors are insufficient to house the number of children they take in. We need to do better.”
“I agree, but—”
“I plan on making this a comprehensive rebuilding. The entire structure needs to be revitalized. I also want an educational wing added so that the children who live there can enjoy access to the same books, technology, and other programs available to other children in the kingdom. I won’t have them left behind by the rest of the country. These children have lost their parents, so that means it’s up to all of us to fill that role and make sure they’re provided for. Do you understand?”
“I do, Prince Armin. I do understand. And might I say, you’ve done a truly remarkable thing in taking those two dear children as your daughters. It’s a fine example for the rest of us, and—”
Armin’s assistant came quietly into the room and around behind his desk. “The nanny has returned with the girls,” she whispered.
He nodded back to her.
“We’ll continue this discussion later, Alexei. Remember that the people who partner with me on this project will be remembered as doing good for all of Stolvenia.” Without allowing the man to reply, Armin rose to his feet and exited the room, heading for the girls’ nursery.
It was time to find out what the hell Katie had been thinking.
Armin pushed open the door to discover…
…utter tranquility.
Katie sat in the window seat with the girls, whose heads were bowed over matching notepads.
They were doing their homework.
All three of them looked up at him when they noticed his presence.
“Hi,” Lily said shyly, and he couldn’t help giving her an affectionate smile. His heart sank a little when, as usual, she didn’t return the smile.
“Hello, sweetheart.” He focused his attention on Katie. “Can I see you outside for a moment?”
She gave each of the girls a pat on the head. “I’ll be right back in. Work on these problems, okay?”
“Okay,” they chorused, and Katie followed him out and into the hall. She gently shut the door behind them.
By then, Armin’s anger was back, full force. It was a struggle to keep his voice down. “What on earth were you thinking, taking them out against the schedule?”
He could see her bracing herself. “The girls were…well, Prince Armin, they were exhausted from the lessons. They needed a break. They need some time to have fun, and play.”
“Playtime is already in their schedule. They have several hours each afternoon and evening to do as they please on the castle grounds.”
“That’s true,” she said, but there was a fire in her dark eyes. Katie lifted her chin and met his gaze. �
��But it’s also true that they’ve experienced a great loss. A tremendous loss. They feel…out of control. They’ve been swept up in a totally new lifestyle. I’ll be the first to say that it is a lovely one—but it’s still strange and unfamiliar, and they needed a little bit of control back this afternoon. I gave it to them with a trip to the park.”
Armin couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. “Oh, so now your part-time experience as a nanny qualifies you as a child psychologist?”
She set her jaw. “No. The fact that I lost my own parents when I was a little older than they are now qualifies me to speak on the matter. I’d say that’s pretty relevant experience.”
Armin was rendered speechless for several moments, and he was not a man who was easily rendered speechless.
He had been thoughtless, he realized. Totally thoughtless. Though when it came to his daughters, he knew he had the tendency to overreact. Even though they didn’t care for him nearly as much as he cared for them.
“I’m—I’m sorry, Ms. Crestley. I didn’t know.”
She accepted his apology with a gracious nod. “It was a long time ago. It still hurts, though—even now. So I know what they’re feeling.”
“I only want to ensure that…that they’re safe.” He was not used to having to explain himself at all, and the words came out a little roughly. “I want them to have the best future possible, and give them a way to honor their parents.” His throat tightened painfully. No—not here, not in front of the nanny. “They were some of my closest friends. Some of my only real friends.”
“I understand that.” There was no way Katie could truly understand it, but he very nearly believed her when she said it. “But there’s no way they can grow up to be stable, well-adjusted adults if they never have any freedom to test their limits.” She seemed to sense that she’d raised his hackles, because she quickly continued. “Not limits that would put their safety in jeopardy, of course. But every adult I’ve ever known takes the occasional day off.” Katie smiled tentatively. “Some of them even visit the park.”
