The Princess

by Lori Wick

  As she watched, a moment of pain seemed to cross his face. His eyes narrowed, and his chest lifted in a sigh. Shelby wanted to look away—it seemed so private—but she kept on staring.

  Where she got the courage to speak she did not know, but when he looked at her she said very quietly, “It looked as though you were thinking of Yvette just then.”

  Nikolai looked back at her. “I was. How did you know that?”

  “I didn’t know, not for certain.”

  Again Nikolai’s gaze went back to the clear blue water of the lake. “She enjoyed this lake house. Her family lived on the Mediterranean, and she always loved seeing the water. Then there was a storm when we were staying here one night, and she never wanted to come back here alone.”

  “I’m not crazy about storms myself,” Shelby told him. She glanced up at the house. “The wind would be scary against all those windows.”

  “A tree came through one of the windows in the living room. That about did her in,” the prince said. His voice had dropped as he shared, and Shelby watched as tears came to his eyes. Shelby’s own eyes were huge in an attempt not to join him.

  “I didn’t expect to feel this way,” he said softly. “I came without thinking.”

  “Would you like us to leave?” Shelby offered, and Nikolai looked at her for a moment, working to stem his emotions. Shelby only looked back at him, her eyes full of understanding.

  You’re just as sweet as everyone says you are. Tell me, Shelby, do you ever put yourself first?

  “No,” Nikolai said at last, giving a small shake of his head. “I think it will do me good to stay, but thank you for offering.”

  Nikolai fell quiet then, and Shelby let him. They both still had their eyes on the lake when Colleen, the cook and housekeeper for the lake house, came to offer them coffee. This they enjoyed in silence as well.

  Shelby’s thoughts began to drift, and for a time she might have been alone on the deck. When she did think to look over at her husband, she found him as he had found her: sound asleep.

  “Okay,” Shelby said, her eyes and voice intent. “Put a stick in this little tower and one here in this larger one. Now, what do you think?”

  “This is the best sand castle in the whole world,” the little boy on the beach informed her.

  “I think you may be right, Monty. What else do we need?”

  “Some water,” Monty exclaimed, grabbing the bucket and heading toward the small waves that lapped at the shore. Shelby watched him with a smile on her face. He had told her he was five, and Shelby would have been concerned but took note of the fact that his babysitter never let him out of her sight. She had smiled at Shelby but kept her distance as the little boy asked the redhead on the beach if she wanted to play. What she wanted to do was fall asleep in the sun, but she took one look at his huge gray eyes and said yes.

  “I’ve got the water. Now we can build more.”

  “All right. Where shall we add?”

  The remodeling was just getting started when Monty spotted his sister.

  “Oh look! Jenny’s coming, and she’s bringing the prince. Hi, Prince Nikolai. We’re making a sand castle. Come play with us.”

  Monty threw himself at Nikolai when he was near, and the prince swung him up into his arms for a hug. Clearly the two were familiar.

  “Hello,” Shelby said to the little girl who had come with the prince. Shelby guessed her to be three or four years older than her brother.

  “Hello,” she said, smiling when Shelby met her eyes. “Are you the princess?”

  “Yes. I’m Shelby. Did I hear Monty call you Jenny?”

  The little girl nodded as she dropped to her knees in the sand. “It’s short for Jennifer.”

  “I like that name.”

  “I like your hat,” Jenny said, taking in Shelby’s huge straw hat. “I have one, but I didn’t wear it.”

  “I have to or I’ll burn.”

  “My Aunt Lucy has red hair, and she burns whenever she comes to visit.”

  Nikolai had dropped onto the beach as well, his long legs curled to his side as he rested a palm in the sand. He had woken from his nap and found himself alone. His stomach had rumbled so he went in search of food, which he ate on the deck. That was when he’d spotted the hat on the beach. He had still been watching when Monty Stevenson joined her. Even with as little as he knew, it wasn’t any surprise to him that she seemed to welcome the child’s presence.

  “Are you going to live here all the time now?” Monty asked hopefully as he dropped into Shelby’s lap.

  “No, just until Monday,” she said as she put her arms around him, not seeming to care about the sand and moisture he was getting on her cotton dress. “But I think I’ll visit again.”

  “We live here,” Jenny informed her. “Our mother is going to have a baby, so sometimes we have to go to Grandma’s, but when Misty babysits us we can stay here.”

  “Is your mother not feeling well, Jen?” the prince asked. It was the first comment he had made.

  “She’s real tired, and the doctor said she has to rest or the baby might be hurt.”

  Nikolai nodded but knew that the situation was probably much more complicated. He had known the Stevensons for many years and made a mental note to check on them.

  “We need a king and queen,” Monty declared suddenly. “We have to have a king for our castle.”

  “Go get your men, Monty!” his sister told him. “You know the ones.”

  “Okay. I can bring the cars too. We’ll make a road.”

  Monty was off before anyone else could speak, and Misty told Jenny to stay put until they returned. Shelby and Jenny began to work the sand and talk. Nikolai helped as well, but what he did the most was watch Shelby. She knew she didn’t look her best, but she didn’t think he would be rude enough to scrutinize her for that. Not until Jenny scrambled off to get some water did he speak.

  “Are your arms going to burn, Shelby?” he asked, noting that the rest of her was shaded with the hat or covered with her dress.

  “I put sun block on,” Shelby said, looking down at her arms for signs of pinkness and not finding any.

  “What protection factor?”

  “I think it’s 50,” she said as she dug into her bag. “Here it is. Maybe I should put some more on.”

  “That’s probably a good idea.”

  For some reason the conversation and his concern dwelt in her mind for the rest of the day. They ended up eating lunch on the beach with the children and then disappearing inside to lie around with books. Dinner was informal but plentiful, and Shelby turned in early.

  I can tell he’s trying, Lord. He looks after my well-being, and I think that means he’s trying to take this seriously. If I could just assure him that I don’t have huge expectations of him—if I could just find a way to show him that he can be himself when he’s with me . . .

  The thought no more materialized than Shelby realized what she had prayed. Was it fair to ask God to help Nikolai act himself around her when she wasn’t sure she was doing that with him?

  How does a person stop blushing and get comfortable? was Shelby’s last question before she slept. She hoped by morning she would somehow have an answer.

  Nikolai didn’t bother with his jacket for breakfast, but he did come downstairs early on Sunday morning completely ready to attend church. The stairway was wide open to the living room below, so the prince was only halfway down when he spotted his wife. She was under a blanket, sleeping on the sofa. To give her privacy yet still be available, Kris had positioned himself by the kitchen door. Nikolai went to him.

  “Is she not feeling well?”

  “I think it was the storm. I heard a noise about 1:30 and came in to find her sitting on the sofa. She said something about the window breaking and not wanting to go back upstairs. She sat up for a good two hours before lying down and falling asleep.”

  Nikolai looked over at his wife. He approached quietly but reached for her shoulder as soon as he
was near.

  “Shelby,” he whispered. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah,” she said with a dry throat as she tried to open her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

  “No. You fell asleep on the sofa. Do you want to go up to your bed?”

  Shelby blinked at him and tried to focus. “Do you have a meeting?”

  “No, I’m just ready for church early.”

  “Oh, that’s right, it’s Sunday. May I get ready and go with you?”

  “Certainly. Are you up to it?”

  “I think so.”

  She blinked and sat up, tugging her robe a little closer around her. Kris was no longer in the room, but she remembered speaking with him and had the impression that he had just been there. Shelby made a move to rise, and Nikolai moved from her way. She felt awful but thought that a hot shower might clear the webs.

  “Take your time, Shelby,” she heard Nikolai say as she mounted the stairs. “We don’t need to leave for almost two hours.” Shelby thought she might have waved but wasn’t certain. All she wanted to do was get her eyes open and stay on her feet. She worked on this for the next 90 minutes and finally sat down at the kitchen table across from her husband, who was still reading the paper. He set it down and stared at her. She wore a mint green jacket and skirt; her blouse was white.

  Shelby started on the coffee Colleen had set in front of her but was certain she knew what her husband was thinking. Finally she said, “I know, I know. I should go shopping this afternoon and fill these bags under my eyes.”

  Nikolai laughed. “Actually I was thinking that you don’t look as though you’ve lost any sleep at all.”

  “Thank you,” Shelby said succinctly, not sure she believed him.

  “Did I scare you about storms up here?”

  She took a thoughtful sip of coffee and said, “I’m not sure. I do know that I’m not at all crazy about storms, and when I woke and heard the rain and wind, I felt rather panicked. Somehow I thought it would be easier to be in the living room.”

  Again Nikolai watched her.

  “You’re doing that a lot lately,” she gained the courage to say.

  “What’s that?”

  “Staring at me.”

  “I’m sorry, Shelby, but I guess I’m a little amazed. You’ve been placed in such an unusual situation, but most of the time you seem so at ease.”

  Shelby gawked at him for an instant before bending her red face back over her cup.

  Nikolai felt he learned a lot in those few seconds. She wasn’t the type to rattle on or flap about when nervous. Her movements were totally composed, but she tended to blush. Did that mean she wasn’t as calm as she appeared?

  “I guess I just meant that you’re very poised,” Nikolai said, feeling he needed to explain. “I shouldn’t have expected less, but somehow I did.”

  Shelby now understood. “I think any composure you might see comes with interpreting for my father on various occasions and being asked to stand in front of large groups of strangers.”

  “Was he deaf from birth? I can’t remember if you’ve ever said.”

  “No. As a child he ran a very high fever, which resulted in his hearing loss.”

  “Can he hear anything?”

  “No.”

  “How was that for you and your brother?”

  “We’ve never given any thought to it. As you might expect, we learned to sign at an early age, and that’s been the norm for as long as I can remember.”

  “Can you teach me some sign language?”

  “Sure.”

  “All right. Teach me how to say something to your father the next time I see him.”

  “Okay. This is how are you? Do you want to try that?”

  Nikolai didn’t even hesitate. Shelby found he was a quick study, so much so, in fact, that if Ivan hadn’t told them the day limo was ready, they might have been late for church. Once in the car they fell silent, each thinking about the time during breakfast, a time when they had both forgotten their reserve and been themselves. It would have been easy to speculate over the camaraderie they shared during breakfast, but neither was ready for such introspection.

  Thankfully, both were able to put the morning behind them in time to concentrate on the service. The pastor of Lake Alston Community Chapel was preaching from the book of 1 John. Shelby’s Bible study had studying that book, so she listened carefully, thankful for the detailed outline he provided. She found it very helpful, and he covered two points that she was excited to share with her class. She was still writing when the service ended.

  “You look as though you’re afraid you’re going to forget something,” Nikolai mentioned quietly as he watched her.

  “I am,” Shelby answered as she finished writing. “We’re studying these letters in my Bible class, and I want to tell the women a few things Pastor Bingham said.”

  “He would welcome any questions you have if something wasn’t clear,” Nikolai told her. “I’ve gone to him several times over the years, and he always takes time for me.”

  “I’ll remember that. I think it’s so special to come to the lake house and still have a chance for fellowship. Is there a service tonight?”

  “Yes. Six o’clock. I usually attend.”

  “May I come with you?” Shelby asked softly, not wanting to push in or presume.

  “Certainly,” Nikolai said, thinking he wouldn’t have turned her down for the world.

  Shelby smiled up at him. Wanting to say thank you but thinking it might be insulting, she remained quiet.

  “Ready to head back to the house?”

  “Yes, I think I’m ready for lunch.”

  “You didn’t eat breakfast, did you?”

  Shelby shook her head no but didn’t speak. They were acting so normal that for a moment she wasn’t sure how to think. That they might eventually fall for each other had never actually occurred to her. The thought stayed with her all through lunch. She was still thinking about it when she stretched out on a deck lounger, a book in hand, and fell asleep before she could read two pages.

  “How about we go out for lunch on the way home?” Nikolai asked Shelby the next morning. “There’s a great restaurant in Upper Nave about an hour from here. We’ll make it your birthday lunch.”

  “I would like that,” Shelby told him with pleasure. “Is it dressy?”

  “Not at all. I’ll be in jeans.”

  Shelby followed suit, and just an hour after they left for Faraday, they pulled into the parking lot of The Bayside. The staff had called ahead for a reservation, and five minutes later the prince and princess were shown to a table on the open deck, a view of Princeton Bay and the Capetown Mountains spread out before them.

  “Oh, Nikolai,” Shelby breathed, “this is lovely.”

  “Not quite a picnic but still outdoors. We can shift around until you’re in the sun or stay under the umbrella.”

  “I’m fine where I am. Thank you.”

  Nikolai watched her, waiting to see if she opened her menu, but she seemed in no hurry. Her eyes took in the mountains and then the water for long moments before she noticed him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said as she hurried to open the menu. “I’m daydreaming, and you must be hungry.”

  “Tell me something, Shelby. Do you ever take care of yourself, or do you spend all of your time looking after the needs of others?”

  “You make me sound like a selfless individual, Nikolai, and I’m not,” she said frankly. “Had I looked over and found you studying the water, I wouldn’t have mentioned the menu, but I assumed because you were looking at me that you were waiting to order.” Shelby tipped her head to one side and continued softly, “I don’t know what your expressions mean, and I don’t want to be a bother. I know I’m sounding selfless, but in truth, I’m still just a little afraid of making you angry. So you see, I’m really doing it for myself.”

  “Thank you for telling me,” Nikolai said sincerely. “As a rule, I don’t anger easily. You’ll have t
o learn that since I’ve shown you differently, but if you’ll just keep being as honest with me as you were just now, it will go a long way toward our future.”

  “Are you ready to order, sir?” a waiter, who had just appeared, asked.

  “I think we’ll start with something to drink,” Nikolai said smoothly, “but we’ll need a little more time with our menus.”

  Shelby ordered a tall glass of iced tea, and Nikolai asked for lemonade. They studied the menus in silence—the selection was vast—and eventually found meals that sounded good.

  “Do you know what surprises me?” Shelby suddenly asked.

  “What’s that?”

  “How easy it is to live at the palace. I dreaded it,” she admitted. “I felt I would have no privacy and do everything wrong, but no one makes me feel that way. I can come and go in the kitchen any time I like. One thinks of that kind of thing as being taboo, but it isn’t.”

  “It probably is in some royal households, but not in Pendaran. You’re right, Pendaran is different that way. I for one am quite glad about that.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

  “Do you miss home?”

  “Yes, especially not having contact with my parents on a daily basis. Other than my two years at school, I’ve always lived at home. I miss them.”

  “Do you go home much?”

  “About once every two weeks, and I talk with my parents on the phone, but it’s not the same.”

  “I felt the same way when I moved into the north quadrant. I was so lonely at first that I had dinner with my parents at least three times a week.”

  Shelby smiled. It was so hard to imagine him lonely or at a loss.

  “What does that smile mean?” he asked, still watching her closely.

  Shelby told him and watched him shake his head.

  “You’re as bad as I am, Shelby. I assume you’ve accepted all of this with complete aplomb, and you think I’m rock steady.”

  Shelby laughed a little at the accuracy of his description, but neither admitted to the other that he was thinking about the future, and that if events followed a logical course, they would both know each other well enough not to be in doubt about such things. The prince simply couldn’t handle opening himself up that much at the moment, and Shelby, because she’d never shared such closeness with a man, could not imagine it. They both felt relieved when the waiter came to refill their drinks and take their orders.