A Very Merry Princess

by Susan Mallery

  Bethany had been humiliated. Her parents had offered her the chance to return to El Bahar and she’d taken it. Private tutors and her love of learning had meant she’d finished high school only two years later. She’d gone to college in Tennessee. Older and wiser, she’d been exceptionally careful about dating.

  She’d fallen for a sweet guy—a slightly nerdy engineering major. They’d taken things slow. When they’d finally become lovers, he’d secretly taken pictures and sold them to a tabloid. While there hadn’t been actual frontal nudity, there’d been no confusing what—and who—was in the pictures. The headline—I Deflowered a Princess—had added to the clarity of the moment.

  Once again a devastated Bethany had retreated to the safety of the palace walls. Her father had threatened to hunt down the young man in question and throw him in the dungeon while deciding which of several horrible ways to punish him. Her normally even-tempered mother had agreed. When Bethany surfaced from the shame, she’d been more concerned about what she was doing wrong.

  Other people managed to grow up in the limelight without so much as a misstep. Was it because she was just some kid from Riverside, California? Was there a whole “to the manor born” thing she was missing? Regardless of the reason, she’d accepted that she had to be even more careful. She’d withdrawn from much of what the world considered ordinary life. She could trust her family and the people in the palace and her horses. Everyone else—not so much.

  Which was why she would travel as plain Beth Smith and not tell anyone in Happily Inc who she really was. While she helped Rida get settled, she would experience living as a normal, happy young woman before returning to the safety of the palace once again.

  Now she looked at her father. “Dad, it’s not the pitfalls. It’s that you sold Rida. He’s wonderful. Fast and smart, with perfect form. He would have been a wonderful addition to our breeding program.”

  “Yes, he would have been. However, in my stable every horse is perfection. He would have been one of many and I believe he deserves more. He deserves to be special. In America he will have a chance to fulfill his potential—to find out all he is meant to be.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “We are still talking about the horse, right?”

  Her father smiled. “Of course. What else?”

  He had a point—it wasn’t as if she was staying in Happily Inc. Once Rida was settled, she would be returning home. In time for Christmas, as she’d promised her mother.

  She hugged her father. “I’ll be okay, Dad.”

  He held on tight for a second before letting her go. “You know how to get in touch with me if you need anything. If necessary, the El Baharian Air Force is at your disposal.”

  “I’m going to pretend you never said that.”

  Her father chuckled, then got back in his car and was whisked away.

  With the royal distraction gone, Bethany turned her attention to the horse trailer. She helped unfasten the latches, then spoke softly to the huge, solid black horse.

  “Hey, big guy. How are you feeling? Ready for an adventure? I think we should check out this little town called Happily Inc. It’s supposed to be really nice this time of year. What do you say?”

  She walked into the trailer and untied Rida, then guided him down the ramp. She gave him a couple of minutes to adjust to being outside, before leading him onto the plane.

  He walked confidently at her side and went directly into his stall.

  Normally he was left loose, but given that they would be flying, she tied him securely. If she had to enter the stall while they were in flight, she wanted to know where his hooves would reach. Rida had a reputation for being stubborn and difficult—with everyone else. With her, he was docile and sweet. Still, he was a powerful animal who could be unpredictable if frightened or startled.

  She stroked his gleaming black coat and received a nuzzle in return. “I still can’t believe my father sold you,” she murmured into his neck. “I swear, if you don’t love this place, you’re coming directly home. I promise.”

  Rida leaned his head against hers, as if telling her he trusted her completely. She lingered for a second before stepping out of the stall. She picked up the phone by the door separating her section of the plane from the main passenger section.

  “We’re ready,” Bethany told the flight attendant who answered. “Whenever the captain is ready to take off.”

  “Yes, Princess...ah, Ms. Smith,” the woman said. “I’ll let him know.”

  “Thank you.”

  Bethany thought about asking her to remind all the staff that, as of now, she was just plain Beth Smith, an unremarkable groom accompanying an extraordinary horse on his journey. She decided to let it go. The odds of anyone addressing her by name once they reached Happily Inc seemed small. When she got Rida and his things off the plane, the crew would immediately return to El Bahar.

  “Please let me know when you’d like meal service and if I can help in any way.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  Bethany hung up, then checked on Rida. The horse looked relaxed and sleepy. She settled in her seat and fastened her seat belt before closing her eyes and wishing the stupid trip was behind her. Not that being home was going to be much of a help.

  She was twenty-six years old and basically working as a groom in her father’s stable. How pathetic was that? With all the opportunities given her, she should be doing something important with her life. Raising money for a cause, going to medical school and curing a disease. Instead she was hiding—afraid to go into the world because someone might pretend to be her friend only to find out something about her that he or she could sell to a tabloid or post on the internet.

  She wanted to be useful and figure out what was important to her. She wanted to get on with her life, fall in love and have a family. Disappearing into the palace was getting her nowhere. It was time to grow up and take charge of her own happiness.

  She promised herself she would use her time in Happily Inc to come up with a plan. Nothing was off the table—she could go back to college and finish her degree, go to work for a nonprofit, or join an online dating service. At this point the most important thing was to do something.

  So first a plan, second implementation. She knew her parents loved her. Now she wanted them to be proud of her. And even more important, she wanted to be proud of herself.

  CHAPTER TWO

  CADE SAUNDERS WAS trying to act cool, but it was nearly impossible. He felt like a kid on Christmas morning. No, that wasn’t right. He felt like a kid on five Christmas mornings and six birthdays rolled into one. He couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and he found himself whistling for no apparent reason.

  He was an idiot, he thought cheerfully as he stood on the front porch of his house. But that was just fine with him—his good fortune was idiotworthy.

  The farm’s security system had alerted him to an authorized code being used to open the gate, so it didn’t take long for him to see a familiar car pulling up. He waited while his sister got out of the driver’s side, then, before he could control himself, he waved happily and jumped to the ground.

  His fraternal twin stared at him wide-eyed.

  “What is wrong with you?” she demanded. “You look...” She stared at him intently. “I don’t know what but you’re freaking me out.”

  “Nothing’s wrong.” He tried to look totally casual and manly.

  Pallas groaned. “It’s that horse, isn’t it? You’re practically giddy with excitement, which would be charming if you were seven, but it’s more than a little disconcerting on a guy pushing thirty.”

  He raced toward her, grabbed her around the waist and spun her in a circle. “I can’t help it,” he yelled, before putting her down and laughing. “Do you know what this is going to mean? We have a stallion from the El Baharian royal stable, right here in
Happily Inc. It’s incredible. It’s more than incredible—it’s a miracle. Do you know how rare it is for the king to sell one of his horses? It almost never happens, and if it does, it’s usually a mare. We got a stallion.”

  His sister shook her head. “You’re this excited about horse sex? I’m sorry to have to say this, but you need to get out more.”

  He swung her around again. She shrieked to be put down, then started laughing with him.

  Cade released her. “I’ve been working on our breeding program, but Rida changes everything. He’s going to put us on the map.”

  “Technically, Happily Inc has been on the map for a while,” Pallas said sweetly. “You should Google us. We’re right there.”

  “Ah, sis, it’s a great day.”

  “Then I’m happy for you. And I brought everything you asked for. Although you should have told your fancy housekeeper to take care of the guest room.”

  “This is important. I need it to be right.” He shrugged. “You have great taste, Pallas, and I trust you.”

  She groaned. “Don’t be sincere. It makes it too hard to mock you.” She led the way to the back of her car and opened the trunk. “All right. Let’s get this stuff inside.”

  The “stuff” consisted of several boxes, along with shopping bags. The trunk was full, as were the backseat and the front passenger seat. Together they carried it all inside. Pallas sorted through everything, then took charge of telling him what went where.

  When Cade had found out King Malik was willing to sell him Rida, he hadn’t thought much past getting the stables ready. Three days ago the royal stable master had informed him that Rida would be accompanied by one of the horsemen familiar with the stallion. A not-unexpected occurrence. Cade had known someone would tag along to make sure the horse was comfortable, the surroundings acceptable—that requirement was in his contract with the king. What he hadn’t expected was that the horseman being sent would be a woman. Then he’d panicked.

  The farmhouse at the ranch was nearly a hundred years old. It had been remodeled a couple of times, but the kitchen hadn’t seen much improvement since the 1950s and the bathrooms weren’t a whole lot better. He doubted many guys would care, but a woman might be different. Women tended to pay attention to their surroundings and have higher expectations. Not knowing what else to do, he’d called his sister and begged for help, and Pallas had come through.

  They carried a couple of boxes and a half dozen shopping bags up to the guest room. His sister stared at the purple-and-green wallpaper, then sighed.

  “You weren’t kidding when you reminded me how bad it was,” she said. “This is some serious ugly.”

  “They’re due later today. There isn’t time to take it down.” Would the wallpaper upset Rida’s handler? Would she want to take the horse home because of it?

  “Not to worry. I’ve got the problem if not solved then at least managed.”

  She had him strip the queen-size bed and carry all the old linens downstairs. Together they put on freshly laundered sheets in a pale sage color, topped with a thick cotton blanket. A light beige comforter went over all that.

  She pulled out two decorative blankets and had him fold them across the foot of the bed, then added about a hundred pillows. She had him put together a couple of small lamps for the nightstand while she fussed in the bathroom. Thirty minutes later, they were done.

  The en suite bath was big, but old-fashioned. The floor was octagon-shaped white tiles, with more tiles going halfway up the wall. A claw-foot tub stood at one end of the bathroom. The cleaning service kept it scrubbed, but it looked like what it was—a tub from another era.

  Pallas replaced the old shower curtain with a new one done in sage and beige. A small white shelving unit held stacks of towels in various shades of green. The top shelf had a blow-dryer along with a basket filled with tubes and bottles and creams. She’d tucked a small room heater into the corner—a thoughtful touch someone used to warmer temperatures might appreciate. Happily Inc was in the California desert, but unlike El Bahar, it could get chilly in late November.

  They moved downstairs. Pallas had him drape a couple of throws over the sofa, then switched out the place mats on the kitchen table and added a couple of ceramic turkeys to the counter.

  When they were done, Cade grabbed her in a hug and kissed the top of her head.

  “I owe you,” he told her.

  “Good. I plan on collecting.” She grinned up at him. “Seriously, this was fun. It was a break from wedding planning, and I have to say shopping with other people’s money is the best!”

  “I couldn’t have done this without you. I really appreciate everything.”

  She shifted so she was standing in front of him. “I’ve never seen you like this,” she admitted. “You’re always so laid-back and internally confident. You must really want this horse.”

  Because that was all Rida was to Pallas, he thought with a smile. A horse. An interchangeable hoofed animal.

  “I really do.”

  “Then I hope this helps.”

  She tucked her hair behind her ear. As she moved, light caught her new engagement ring sparkling on her finger. Pallas’s fiancé was a good guy and Cade was happy to have him in the family. Just as important, he was relieved to know his sister had another person to watch her back and take care of her.

  He grabbed her hand and nodded at the ring. “Have we set a date yet?”

  “No, and I don’t want to think about it right now. I have holiday weddings to plan.”

  His sister owned a destination wedding business called Weddings Out of the Box. Couples came from all over to have a theme wedding. Everything from princess weddings to pirate weddings to some kind of under-the-sea extravaganza. She worked hard to be successful and he would guess the last thing she wanted to do was plan her own wedding.

  “You could elope,” he suggested.

  “We’ve talked about it.” She sighed. “I just worry everyone will be disappointed.”

  “We’ll get over it,” he told her. “Getting married is about you and Nick. Do what feels right.”

  “Thanks.” She looked around the kitchen. “Okay, favorite brother of mine, I’m going to go back to work. Good luck with the girl and the horse.”

  “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

  He walked her to the front door. As Pallas stepped out onto the porch, she swung back to face him. Her eyes widened.

  “You have to invite her to Thanksgiving!”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Yes, you do. It’s a huge holiday. She’ll be alone.”

  “She’s from El Bahar. They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. Plus, it’s a family thing and she’ll feel weird with all our family around.”

  The entire clan got together for Thanksgiving—Grandpa Frank, his seven daughters, their spouses and their kids. He and Pallas had over a dozen cousins. It was loud and frantic.

  “Plus, there’s Mom,” he added.

  Pallas grimaced.

  Their mother, Libby, was a stern woman who believed that all rules were meant to be followed and that the world would be a much better place if everyone simply did as she told them. Cade had always chafed at the restrictions and had learned early to go his own way, while Pallas had spent years trying to please their mother. It had taken her finally breaking free to find peace with their relationship.

  “You still have to ask,” his sister told him. “She’ll probably say no, but an invitation is required.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Which was his way of saying, No way. Not even for money. His goal was to impress Rida’s handler, not offend her or terrify her. Besides, he was pretty sure she wouldn’t care about an American Thanksgiving dinner.

  “Rida will only have been here a few days,” he added. “She might
not be comfortable leaving him alone for so long.”

  Pallas’s mouth twitched. “Yes, we wouldn’t want to upset his delicate horse sensibilities.” She hugged him tight, then ran to her car. “Good luck, Cade.”

  “Thanks. You’re the best.”

  “So I’ve been told.” She was still laughing when she drove away.

  Cade retreated to the house. He checked on the guest room again and hoped the mystery woman would find it acceptable, then he went out to the stable. Easier to wait in his office, he told himself. There was always paperwork to be done and if that didn’t distract him, he would pace the length of the huge barn until it was time to go to the private airport and pick up the stallion who was going to change everything.

  * * *

  EIGHTEEN HOURS, including a stop for gas, four meals, two movies and half a book later, Bethany felt the plane touch down on the other side of the world. The captain had announced the local time but she wasn’t sure if they’d gained a day, lost a day or if it was still Friday. She was exhausted and she was pretty sure Rida felt the same. While the horse had been exceptionally well behaved in his metal stall, he’d also been restless and hadn’t slept much.

  She waited until the plane taxied to a stop before standing and stretching. The crew would open the huge rear doors and put the ramp in place before Rida was moved. Bethany wanted to make sure the horse had a few minutes to adjust to the brighter light and sniff the fresh air before trying to walk him out. He might be a sweetie—at least to her—but he was still a massive guy who could crush her like a bug if he chose to.

  She grabbed sunglasses from her backpack, then headed down the ramp and out into the afternoon. The sky was clear and bright blue. They were in a tiny, private airport. In the distance were mountains. She was pretty sure they were to the east, and to the west, a couple hundred miles away, was the Pacific Ocean.