by Lori Wick
The red in Nikolai’s face could only be matched by Shelby’s, which was nearly purple with mortification.
“The apology should come from me,” Nikolai said stiffly. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.” He said not another word, gave a slight nod in her direction, and strode from the room.
Shelby watched him leave but couldn’t bring herself to look at the housekeeper or minister. She gathered her papers, her eyes downcast.
“Thank you for breakfast,” she said just before she walked out, still not looking at either of them.
On her exit, Arlanda and Murdock shared a long look, both feeling as miserable and confused as the princess had looked.
The prince felt a headache coming on as the day limo took him to his first appointment. He had told himself that if he just had a little time it would be easier, so he had stayed away for a week. Now he’d made a complete fool of himself.
He was not accustomed to seeing anyone but the staff in the kitchen. Having the princess sitting there was the last thing he had expected. You have no one to blame but yourself, Nick, and you know it. You could have stayed and talked to her a little, but no, you ran like a fool.
“And that’s just what I am,” he said softy. “A fool.”
“Did you need something, sir?” Ivan, his driver and companion, asked from behind the wheel.
“No. Thank you, Ivan.”
Nikolai gave himself a little shake. He had to meet with a Council member in a few minutes, and his head must be clear. Much as he needed to think of a way to handle this marriage that he found himself a part of, he welcomed the excuse to put it from his mind for a little longer.
“The king said he had a picture,” Shelby said in the quiet of her room. “I assumed he’d shown it to his son.”
Shelby sat down on the sofa in the small sitting area in one corner of her bedroom, her gaze on the window. As had become her routine, she was scheduled to meet with Kris, a man the palace referred to as her companion, just before lunch, but right now she wondered if she had time to go home for a little while. She didn’t want to talk about the scene in the kitchen, but she thought it might do her some good to see her mother.
She bit her lip as she tried to remember if she was to call ahead to the garage or not. She was on the verge of going to the phone when someone knocked on her door. Shelby opened the door to find Murdock waiting in the hall.
“Oh, Murdock, I was just wondering whether I should call ahead to get my car or just walk down to the garage?”
“It’s up to you. If you do call, they can have it started and waiting for you or even delivered to the door. Or if you like, one of the limos can take you wherever you wish.”
Shelby nodded.
“Are you ready to go over your schedule, Princess Shelby, or should I come back?”
In truth, Shelby had forgotten all about reviewing her schedule, but she covered nicely and told the house minister to come in. By the time the two of them had gone over everything, it was too late to go to Henley. She went down to the garage before lunch to meet with Kris, telling herself the worst was over and hoping it was true.
The prince was glad to be done with his meeting and headed back to the palace. He had a good deal of paperwork staring at him and some phone calls to make. He still hadn’t decided how to handle his encounter with Shelby.
Ivan sat competently behind the wheel while they were at a stoplight, and although Nikolai’s mind was busy, his gaze began to roam. What he saw at the corner caused his brows to rise.
“Is that Kris sitting on a bicycle, Ivan?”
“I believe it is, sir.”
“What is he doing?”
Ivan had summed up the situation in a heartbeat. “He’s watching over the princess, sir.”
Nikolai’s eyes began to scan the street before he realized he was staring right at her. Clad in long bike shorts, a baggy T-shirt, helmet, knee guards, elbow guards, wrist protection, sunglasses, and in-line skates, stood his wife. While he watched, the light changed and she took off in a smooth glide, Kris just ten feet behind her on a bike. Nikolai knew his mouth was open but was too amazed to care. Gawking until they were out of sight, he tried to find her when the car pulled forward into traffic. He caught a glimpse of her as she maneuvered down the street, but she was clearly not headed back to the palace. Nikolai was only glad that he was. He still had paperwork and phone calls, but they were going to have to wait. He needed to see Murdock first.
“Not only does she enjoy skating, sir, she has a bike. She’s been out a few days on that.”
“And Kris goes with her?” Nikolai asked for the second time, needing to make sure.
“Always, sir.”
“Does he keep a close watch on her? Faraday is much busier than Henley.”
“I believe they are both very careful, sir.”
Nikolai leaned back in his desk chair, his eyes on the ceiling, his brow lowered in thought.
“Does she always eat breakfast in the kitchen?”
“Yes. I can tell she’s quite comfortable there.”
“What about lunch and dinner?”
“When she’s here, we serve those in the dining room and she eats there.”
Nikolai didn’t need to ask if she ate alone; he’d eaten plenty of meals alone in the dining room. It wasn’t at all unusual for him to ask for a meal in his sitting room just to avoid the loneliness of the spacious room.
“Is she home tonight?”
“No, sir. She’s been invited to dine with some of the Council members and their wives.”
“I was asked to that, wasn’t I?”
“Yes, but you declined. Councilman Royden was already expecting you.”
Nikolai was torn between relief and disappointment. He had to find a way to see his wife and get to know her on some level, but the thought alone left him at a complete loss. What would he say to her? How did one talk to a wife who was nearly a stranger?
“Is there anything I can do, sir?”
“Just this, Murdock. I would like Hank or Kris to call as soon as they leave the Lindells’. If I’m still at the Roydens’, call Ivan.”
“I’ll take care of it, sir.”
Murdock took himself back to his duties then, his heart very light. He had lost a bit of hope in the kitchen that morning, but the concern on the prince’s face was very encouraging. It might take some time, but it looked as if there might be a happy marriage after all.
“She is the sweetest girl I’ve ever met,” Moyra Lindell, Shelby’s host, told her husband, Tyler, as soon as she had a chance. “I’m so sorry Nikolai couldn’t be here. He must hate to be separated from her.”
“We’ll have to have them again,” Tyler decided, thinking of how lonely the prince had seemed at times and how much he would enjoy seeing him with his new wife.
Across the room with a woman she knew from her Bible study, Shelby was blissfully unaware of the Lindells’ plans. She was very pleased to see her friend—she hadn’t known anyone else—but the evening as a whole had been something of a trial. She hadn’t had over five bites of food. Every time an hors d’oeuvre or her fork had headed toward her mouth, someone had asked her a question. For the most part, the people were very kind, but she was quickly seeing that she was something of a fascination. Shelby could have told them that she was no such thing, but until they all grew used to seeing her, it looked as though she was going to be invited out to dinner but not allowed to eat.
The evening ended on a friendly note, but Shelby couldn’t stop the growling of her stomach as Hank let her into the car. She had no more than taken a seat in the formal limousine when the phone next to her rang.
“Hello,” Shelby answered uncertainly.
“Princess Shelby, could you lower the window for a moment?”
“Oh, certainly.”
Shelby cast about for a switch, and when she couldn’t find one, listened as Hank told her where to look. The moment the window between them was lowered, he turned to speak
with her. Shelby finally remembered to hang up the phone.
“Princess Shelby?” her chauffeur began.
“Yes, Hank?”
“Is there anything I can get for you?”
For a moment Shelby sat in embarrassed silence, knowing that he had heard her stomach growl. Thinking he must be tired, she was tempted to say no, but he’d put the light on over his head, and she caught his look, a look of compassion and an eagerness to serve.
“Did I see a Burger Haven on the way, Hank?”
“Yes. Does that sound good?”
“Yes, please,” she said very softly, sitting back with relief. Food was on the way.
Hank, who knew every foot of the drive into the palace, how things looked when all was calm, and every inch if there was a change, saw in an instant that the prince was waiting for his cargo. He also suspected that the princess hadn’t seen him at all. “Oh,” he heard her say softly as the door was opened and a figure loomed above her.
Indeed, it took Shelby a moment to even see who was giving her a hand out. Catching herself, she snatched her greasy hand back very quickly and explained without even looking up, “My hands are a bit messy. I don’t want to get you dirty. Oh,” she said again, this time looking up and recognizing her husband.
“Did you have a purse or a coat?” Nikolai asked softly.
“No. I don’t, I just—I don’t,” she finished lamely, glad for the cover of darkness on her red face.
The prince gestured to the door, and Shelby preceded him, asking herself the whole way if something was wrong. She didn’t think he had been around the first week they were married, but neither did she think it was normal for him to meet her when he was home.
“Did you have a good time?” Nikolai wasted no time in asking.
“I did, yes. I hadn’t met the Lindells before. They were very kind.”
“Who else was there? Do you remember?”
Shelby named a few couples and Lenore from her Bible study. As they talked, the prince moved them into one of the upstairs salons and directed Shelby to a chair. She found herself under his scrutiny for a moment and thought she was expected to fill in the silence.
“Did you have a good evening?”
“Yes,” Nikolai said politely. “I was invited to the Lindells’ as well, but I had a meeting I could not miss. Thank you for attending for both of us.”
Shelby nodded. There were questions on her mind, but she didn’t want him to think she was prying.
“The streets in Faraday are busier I think than those in Henley,” he said suddenly. “Are you careful on your skates?”
Shelby blinked in surprise but then nodded yes. “I try to be. It’s hard to find quiet streets, so I do try to watch out.”
The prince nodded. He didn’t even know this woman, but right now the thought of having her harmed was unbearable to him.
“I could drive to another area to ride,” Shelby offered suddenly, “if you would rather I didn’t ride in town.”
This gave the prince pause. Had she really just volunteered to adjust her plans on his say-so? This seemed unreal to him.
“Where would you go?” he asked out of pure curiosity.
“Right now I don’t know, but I could look around and find a place or ask Kris or Murdock. If it bothers you, I will.”
A moment later the prince frowned. She almost sounded as if she had rehearsed that line. Or did she hope to gain his approval by saying only what he wanted to hear? He worked to push thoughts of comparing Shelby to Yvette away, but it didn’t completely work.
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” he said at last, his voice a bit cool. “Just be careful.”
Seeing that he hadn’t cared for the idea, Shelby only nodded. His face had been so polite, but now he looked a bit testy. She watched him in uncertainty, just wishing she could go to bed.
“I’d best let you retire now,” the prince said formally. “Unless there was something you needed.”
“No, thank you. I’ll say goodnight.”
Like a perfect gentleman, the prince stood, but Shelby was only slightly relieved. Something had gone wrong; she just didn’t know what. She readied for bed, praying for wisdom all the while and wondering when she would know where she stood, or if she ever would. The idea was so depressing to Shelby that she forced herself to concentrate on sleep before the thought could blossom. Had she known that for the next month she would see the prince only from time to time and find him little more than a polite stranger, she might not have been able to push the thought away. Indeed, the prince and princess went in different directions most of the time. Shelby had no reason to believe that this was not normal and carried on as best she could.
To the outside world all seemed well, but Nikolai Markham knew better. What he didn’t know was the high price he would have to pay, and that the day of reckoning was much closer than he would ever have imagined.
“Okay,” Shelby studied Fran’s bangs and bent to make another cut. “Check the mirror now.”
“Oh, Princess Shelby, you’re a dream. They’ve been driving me crazy.”
“Do they look even?”
“They look perfect. Where did you learn to cut hair?” the older woman demanded.
Shelby smiled. “My father’s a barber. I’ve always had the knack.”
“Well, I can’t thank you enough. The shop said they couldn’t fit me in until next week. The back I can live with, but not these bangs.”
“Do you want me to do the back? I’d be happy to.”
“No, this will be fine. Arlanda said you cut her hair yesterday and Gilbert’s last week. I think you’ve put in enough time for now.”
Shelby only smiled. She honestly didn’t mind. Some days she was so busy she couldn’t find herself, and other days, like this one, she found she had time on her hands. She left the kitchen porch just moments later. Her schedule was so clear that she was headed home to see her mother. They were going shopping and to lunch. She could hardly wait. Not 30 minutes later she made her way to the car barn, feeling as though she had the entire day at her disposal, climbed into her small green sports car, and headed toward Henley.
The king, watching her leave from an upstairs window, knew it was time to speak with Nikolai about the relationship. He had been hesitant to probe too deeply before now, but it had been more than a month, and the loving father in him had to know how his son was doing.
However, the time to speak with him didn’t come for another 24 hours. Nikolai came to see his parents, and when Erica was called away to the telephone, Rafe suddenly felt the time was perfect.
“How is Shelby?”
“She’s fine,” Nikolai spoke quietly.
“Do you know that personally or from Murdock?”
Nikolai looked at his father a moment before answering.
“I keep track of her. She seems content with her schedule and such.”
“Any chance she’s expecting?”
Nikolai blinked. Did his father really think…He then caught the older man’s eye.
“I don’t care to joke about it, Father.”
“No, I don’t suppose you do. I’m sorry. I do wonder, though, how long you’re going to wait to get to know her.”
“It’s only been a month.”
Rafe nodded. He knew only too well how one month could turn into six, and then six months into a year, but he kept silent on this.
“You said you knew it would be hard, Nick. Has it been better or worse?”
This really was the last subject Nikolai wanted to discuss, and the short answers he gave his father told the older man as much. The king did not grow angry, but he knew very well what his son was about. He debated just how direct his next words should be, but before he could speak, Erica returned. While remembering the patience of Jesus when it came to working with the disciples, Rafe reminded himself that not everything needed to be covered in one day. He continued to pray, content to wait on God for a better time to discuss the princess.
With a schedule change that would be easier to discuss with both the prince and the princess, Murdock had asked Shelby to wait in Nikolai’s office. Shelby had never been in this room before and wasn’t even comfortable sitting down, but she liked the colors and the way the prince had things arranged. She stood just five feet inside the door and let her eyes do the walking. Some of the bookshelves were full of leatherbound volumes, and there were tall oak file cabinets too. It all looked so neat and important that for a moment, Shelby felt a bit insignificant.
“What are you doing in here?”
The prince’s voice startled Shelby so much that she jumped and spun, her face looking guilty for no reason. She watched the prince come into the room, his face showing his disapproval. Her thoughts scattered, Shelby began to back toward the door.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, bumping into the doorjamb before she found the actual doorway to the anteroom. Once outside, the office door was shut, and Shelby looked around in dismay. She knew she’d handled it badly, but he had so taken her by surprise. Debating what to do next, Shelby decided to take a seat in the anteroom and wait for Murdock. She had been waiting only a few minutes when the office door opened.
“You could have told me Murdock asked you to wait here,” the prince began without preamble, his voice still agitated. “He just called to explain he would be late.”
“I’m sorry,” Shelby said again, and without thinking the prince took his anger out on his wife.
“Are you always such a little doormat?” he asked suddenly.
Shelby blinked. “No.”
“You could have fooled me,” Nikolai muttered as he turned away, shooting an angry glare in her direction.
At a loss, Shelby moved against the wall and stood still.
What in the world have I done? What am I doing here? I don’t even know this man.
