She clutched her flower necklace and turned toward the queen. “I can have any one of these?”
“Absolutely.” The queen walked toward a side table, set with tea and small vanilla cakes.
Donna followed her and Beth who went to join the queen and Martina, Blackwell’s mother. She sucked in her breath. Was it rude to ask about money? She didn’t want Blackwell to be surprised with a bill he hadn’t expected. “And they are free?”
“My gift to you.” The queen didn’t blink as she gestured toward the racks. A servant poured her a cup of tea once she was settled.
A knock sounded from behind the door they’d just entered through. Donna turned around and saw two women her age that she recognized as the princesses. She held still. Would they welcome her?
Kristin pushed the more pregnant Renee inside and held out her hand to shake. “Sorry for intruding but we heard you are from Miami?”
Her heart thumped. There was no way either of these women were once normal, they were so polished and beautiful, but she held her arms at her sides. “Yes, I live in South Miami, near Sunset.” Or she used to, anyway.
Renee rubbed her belly. “Lovely area. Part of me misses Miami, though Avce is wonderful.”
“I think so.” Donna said and felt her cheeks blush. She knew who they both were but there was no way they knew anything about her.
Kristin prodded her friend, but then placed her hand on her heart. “Sorry, I’m Kristin. This is Renee. She’s usually the more friendly of the two of us, but she’s winded these days.”
Renee leaned against the wall. “You’ll find out what pregnancy is like soon enough and then we will see.”
The queen waved her over to the table to join them.
Kristin tilted her head and asked, “We came to see if you needed help finding a dress?”
Donna nodded and waved at the dresses. “There are so many. I don’t know where to begin.”
Renee stood straighter and waddled toward the first rack. “Let’s go by personal style. What kind of clothes do you like to wear?”
Donna glanced at herself in the mirror admiring the fitted Chanel suit. “Baggy, usually. I like shawls and flowing skirts. I’ve always preferred comfort over anything else.”
Renee placed her hand under her chin and stared at her. Then she went to a rack and asked, “So, bohemian?”
“Sure.” Donna joined Renee who was already sorting dresses.
Kristin said, “She’s good. Renee found mine and Amy’s dress. Give her a minute, and she’ll have a pile for you to go through.”
Renee kept shifting through dresses and placing a few in a stack.
Donna and Kristin went through piles but nothing called out to her as her. Donna kept her head high as they went through the first of many racks. “They are all lovely.”
Renee walked over to them with a pile of five dresses and hung them on the back of a tall chair.
Donna saw the first one and her breath caught in her throat. The lace was old-fashioned, as was the 1970s style, but she liked the long lacey sleeves.
Kristin asked as they walked over to what Renee found, “What do you do for fun, Donna?”
She turned toward Kristin. “Read. I know that sounds boring but I love the escape of traveling to other worlds or time periods.”
Kristin laughed as Renee waddled toward the next hanger. “Not boring at all. Renee is heading the board for education reform and we’ll need a leader to ensure our libraries here are up to date and modern.”
Both women stared at her and silence bloomed.
Would there be time in her day to take that on? She’d have to give it some thought. Donna went through the dresses and all of them were lovely—how could she choose? The quiet irked her and she turned around and gazed back at the two women, who waited expectantly. “Are you asking me?”
“Yes.” Renee continued while rubbing her stomach, “You have a master’s in library sciences and your library was bustling with patrons—which is why the mall builders spoke to your retirement board and paid you off.”
She froze, unable to move. That was supposed to be a secret. The princesses must have looked her up with better resources than most small countries. Renee went to sit down and propped up her feet and Kristin brought her a vanilla cake.
“I’m not supposed to talk about that,” she said.
Donna tried on a few dresses in an adjoined dressing room with a mirror and the seventh dress that Kristin pushed in the door made her feel gorgeous. It had jade flowers like her necklace embedded into the collar and bottom and while it was form-fitting, it didn’t bunch her waist together. She could breathe and it still looked great.
“This one is perfect!” Renee and Kristin came into the dressing room and whistled.
They helped her walk out, straightening her train. Donna twirled as she neared the table and Beth’s smiling face made the moment bittersweet—she missed her family but was so grateful for Beth. Renee announced, “I agree. This is it.”
“You look lovely,” Beth said with tears in her eyes.
Martina nodded her approval.
Donna’s heart sped up. She had found her dress. She hadn’t thought this was even a possibility. She’d never dreamed she’d marry, not after Harry.
She floated back to the dressing room and changed into the black suit. She hung the gown on the hanger and hugged her waist. When at last she came out to join the other ladies she saw a familiar frizzy-haired woman in cherry red glasses pass the open door. Donna asked, “Is that Cassidy Bright? I mean Lady Cassidy?”
“Where?” Kristin looked around.
“Who?” Renee looked to the queen apologetically. “I’ve not memorized all the nobles yet.”
Donna walked toward the door and pointed in the direction Cassidy had disappeared. “She went down the hall.”
Kristin folded her arms and glanced in the same direction. “That’s the IT Department. I’ve never met the employees there.”
“Lady Cassidy is to marry Lord Sky. It would be nice if she could join us.” Donna added, “She was nice to me yesterday and she grew up in the US too.”
Renee pinched the other princess and Kristin started to laugh at the prod. “Yes. Let’s go get her.”
The three of them walked down the hall and Kristin knocked on the IT Department’s door. As they walked in, Cassidy opened her laptop from her seat behind a black desk. “Can I help you?”
Donna waved hello.
Renee asked, “Lady Cassidy?”
She shrugged and said, “Here, I’m just the IT Department.”
Kristin stepped forward with a huge smile on her face. “Are you the one that sent my Antonio to me?”
Cassidy’s brown frizzy hair seemed to fall in front of her face as if it had a mind of its own. “It wasn’t me. It was my computer program, Your Highness.”
“Well come with us,” Renee said. “We hear you’re getting married as well and you clearly could use a makeover to match whatever dress you want for your wedding.”
Donna hoped Renee hadn’t meant to sound harsh so she corrected it. “You made us happy, Cassidy, and we’re hoping we can help you too.”
Kristin nodded. “Definitely.”
“I didn’t mean to sound rude,” Renee apologized. “You’re the first noble I’ve met here who hasn’t done their hair in some updo with pearls and diamonds every time we meet. You seem like one of us.”
Cassidy crossed her arms. “I don’t want to talk about my impending nuptials.”
If she needed help, Donna had to find a way to help her. She’d want someone to help her escape if the situation was reversed. “Do you not want to get married to Remington?”
Cassidy pushed her long hair out of the way. “I will marry Remy, but I’m protesting as much as possible.”
Kristin crossed the room and stood beside her. “Well, you’ll need a dress too and there are enough for hundreds of brides in there. Please pick one as my thanks for bringing me my Antonio.”
/>
Cassidy considered this before she agreed. “Okay, thanks.” Cassidy said. “But no one tells Remy. If I must marry him, then he can see my new look on my wedding day, not before.”
All three nodded. Donna walked beside her newest friend as they returned to the room.
“You look cheery,” Cassidy said and stared at her profile.
“I am.” Donna smiled. Tomorrow she’d marry a man she’d never dreamed possible.
Cassidy placed her hand on her arm as they neared the door. “Donna, be on the lookout for my sister if you can.”
Donna blinked. Something seemed off as they went into the room. “Why?”
Beth had wrapped the dress in a cover and had it hanging beside her seat. “Wait a second.” Cassidy went over and paid respects to the queen, which took less than a minute but had to be done. Donna worried she’d mess up on all of the nobility’s rules.
Once she returned, Cassidy lowered her voice so only she could hear, “I think she’s up to something. Chelsea was angry about something that happened, not that she would tell me what. Just be on high alert.”
Donna patted her hand. Everything had to be fine—she trusted Blackwell. “Blackwell and your Lord Sky are riding their horses today. We should be okay now.”
Cassidy shrugged while she went toward the first rack of wedding gowns, a sea of white lace. “If you say so. But if I was you, I’d go soon and guard my true love.”
Her cheeks heated as if she was on fire. “Why would you say Blackwell is my true love?”
Cassidy ran through the dresses fast, her eyes scanning each and making a judgment Donna couldn’t decipher. “It’s what the computer said.”
Perhaps this was why Cassidy felt wrong about marrying Blackwell’s friend. Donna quietly asked, “So who does the computer program say for you? Anyone we should contact before your wedding?”
“No one important.” Cassidy went on to the second rack.
Renee invited in a pretty-looking man that Donna assumed was gay—the fluorescent pink shoes and matching tie gave her the biggest clue. He went right toward Cassidy and his scrunched up face of horror at Cassidy’s hair made Donna certain about his orientation. He said, “We’ll have to cut off at least three inches and perhaps a keratin treatment will bring out the shine.”
“Last chance,” Donna said to Cassidy and poked her as the man lifted her hair, like he was looking for buried treasure among the curls. “Whoever the computer says doesn’t have to be important. Finding true love matters.”
Cassidy said nothing to the stylist, but she met Donna’s gaze. “So you’re truly happy with His Grace?”
“Yes.” She trusted Blackwell with her life and she wouldn’t do anything again to ruin their chance at happiness.
Cassidy leaned closer. “Then listen closely. Chelsea is pretty spiteful right now. Just be on guard until after the wedding.”
Donna’s skin grew cold. “She’s your sister. Why are you telling me this?”
Cassidy ignored the stylist and went back to the dresses. “She’ll try to take my place next, sister or no, and part of me wants to see how Remy handles it.”
Perhaps she’d missed something about Cassidy and Blackwell’s friend—who was he, exactly? “How long have you known Lord Sky?”
Cassidy let out a huge sigh. “All my life. We went to the same schools in California until our parents regained their titles and we moved back here. We were on the same flights from and back to Avce and we even went to college together. Unfortunately, I saw too much of him, and he saw me. But I don’t matter. What matters today is my sister.”
Donna would remember that Blackwell was innocent and not jump to conclusions. She nodded. “Got it. Thanks.” She then turned toward her older friend. “Beth, are you ready? We should go.”
The queen stood, her posture straight. “I’ll have your dress shipped to Woodbridge Hall within the hour.”
“Thank you.” Donna hugged the queen, Renee, Kristin and Cassidy. Martina rose to leave with her and Beth.
Once she was done with her goodbyes, she felt her limbs shaking. Trusting Blackwell should be easy. Cassidy looked at whatever her sister did as a test, but Donna couldn’t ever do that. Being rejected for another hurt too much to even consider letting the test unfold.
20
Blackwell fed his horse the last bit of apple as the stable hands came toward him.
He patted his horse and joined Remington near the door of the stable.
They walked in companionable silence toward Woodbridge Hall. Blackwell hadn’t wanted to talk about Remy’s upcoming wedding or his own as he was happy to marry but his friend might not be—he’d heard Remy’s stories of a certain girl who’d treated him wrong. Not once had Remington called Cassidy by name. Blackwell, raised in Colorado, had never met the Bright sisters, who had been raised, like Remington, in California. He and Remington had become fast friends as young adults in Avce.
They followed the path from the stables toward his home, when suddenly the boom of music echoed in the air and the windows seemed to pulse from the living area. He slowed down and watched the front door warily.
Remington stopped. “What’s going on?”
His gaze narrowed—ten years ago, his pal might have organized a party to celebrate the last night of being single. “I’ve no idea. Did you put together a bachelor party?”
“No.” Remington walked a little faster toward the house and Blackwell followed with a sense of urgency. “With my grandmother dying, I didn’t think it appropriate.”
They ran up the front steps and Blackwell reached for the door that also pulsed from music inside. “Well, let’s find out what the ruckus is—I can’t imagine anybody else putting something together—nobody knows.”
Young, naked women frolicked all over the living room. From a quick count, he saw 50, but doubled his estimate when the door to the ballroom opened.
His entire body grew hot and it wasn’t from his lower parts. Donna would never believe him if she came home to the stench of floral perfume.
Remington patted him on the back and whistled. “This looks more like an orgy than a bachelor party.”
Right. He reached for his phone that wasn’t in his back pocket—he’d left it in his room for the ride. He crossed his arms and stared at the long stairwell that had naked women on every step. “Where is security? None of these people should be here and they need to go before Donna comes home.”
Remington took his phone from his back pocket but instead of offering it to Blackwell, he turned around and smiled with the phone in the air. “She won’t like all these naked women.”
Blackwell blinked as three sirens joined the picture that his friend snapped of himself. He scoffed. “Are you taking a selfie?”
“Cassidy isn’t going to care what I do or who I do it with.” He shrugged, and handed his phone to Blackwell showing only the key pad.
Before he met Donna, part of his anger had been because he’d have to marry a stranger and live his life with someone who didn’t care. His heart warmed that his life was different now in a good way. “If you say so. I couldn’t live like that. Donna is going to be angry—rightfully so.”
A car cut its engine out front and he turned toward the front door.
Donna.
Blackwell’s body tightened.
As if on cue, five different women came over and caressed him. He practically jumped out of his skin as he shouted, “Get off me. Now.”
The door opened and Donna stared at him. He saw the pit of blackness that grew inside her gaze, the shine of love in her eyes dimmed. She held the door but it opened wider and his mother and Donna’s friend, Beth, joined her.
“Blackwell?” Donna asked as both women stood like sentinels beside her.
His marriage was over before it began. The tension in his spine felt like he’d break in two. “Donna! I don’t know what’s happening. We just came back from riding.”
Remington took his phone from Blackwell. “I’l
l vouch for your fiancé. We were both shocked when we walked through the door.”
Martina Oberlin, Dowager Duchess of Oakley, shook her head and stared at all of the women. “Where are the lights and security?”
Good question. He walked over and turned on the lights but he felt his face was still flushed. “Mother, I swear…”
His mother took her phone from her pocketbook and met his gaze as she raised her voice. “I’m calling the police. If any woman is still here within five minutes, they will be arrested.” Her no-nonsense tone used to make him and his friends quake as children; it now had the same effect on the ladies as they rushed past him. Donna was in danger of being run over and he stepped in front of her to block her from the chaos. “Hold on.”
She reached out and held onto his hips. The smell of various perfumes made his nose twitch. As the door closed, he sneezed.
“Bless you.” Donna let go of him, then walked around and looked up at him. “I was almost trampled in the mess.”
Beth stood next to his mother near the side. Both of the older women seemed fine, though his mother said, “The police are coming. I want to know who is responsible for this.”
If there was anyone left in the house, they’d have minutes, but he heard cars racing away down the long drive and out the open gate. He had a good guess who had set him up.
Donna reached up and brushed his clenched jaw. “Blackwell, are you okay?”
He stared into her warm gaze and his heart beat at a calmer pace—she wasn’t angry. “You believe I had nothing to do with these women being here?”
She let out a sigh and patted his cheek again. “Yes. Even if Cassidy hadn’t warned me, I would believe you.”
Remington asked, “My Cassidy?”
He’d forgotten his friend was still there.
Donna huffed out her chest and turned toward Remington. “She said Chelsea was angry and intended to do something.”
Remy winked mischievously. “Well, I have to get back to my grandmother, but I’ll thank my future sister-in-law for that two minute bachelor party.”
Forbidden Duke (Princes of Avce Book 4) Page 12
