Her Undercover Prince

by Carol Moncado

  And he’d be here.

  For at least four months. He’d be done about the time the girls were legally adopted. Maybe he’d visit San Majoria for the New Year.

  Except he’d want to spend it with Jacqueline Grace.

  Kiss her as the clock struck midnight.

  Ask her to be his wife and tell her he’d turn his back on everything in New Sargasso and go wherever she wanted.

  Nothing would be that simple, though.

  He needed sleep but found himself tossing and turning most of the night.

  First thing in the morning, he was called into his superior’s office.

  “I heard you got a phone call,” the man said without preamble.

  Dave didn’t dare relax. “Yes, sir.”

  “You have a phone for emergencies only.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Was it an emergency?”

  “No, sir.”

  “What made you think it was an acceptable call then?”

  “It was from San Majoria in the middle of the night.”

  “Who?”

  “Her Royal Highness, Princess Jacqueline Grace.”

  “I see. And what did she have to say?”

  It really wasn’t any of the man’s business, but David didn’t think he’d get away with saying that. “She will be adopting my former foster daughter.”

  His expression softened somewhat. “Foster daughter?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He waved toward a seat. “How exactly did you come by a foster daughter?”

  David sat down. “I was looking for information on Isaiah of Eyjania. This woman was rumored to have connections to him, so I asked her out. We went out twice then she told me she had to work and asked if I could watch her daughter because her sitter fell through. She never came home. We recently discovered she was part of the conspiracy surrounding the abduction of Duchess Grace and was likely murdered the next day.”

  “And you didn’t take the girl to the proper authorities?”

  “I had no idea where her mother was or when she’d return, so I decided to give it a week or so and see what her explanation was. Mary was safe with me, probably safer than she’d been with her mother. By the time I realized Claire wasn’t coming back, I didn’t want someone else to abandon her.”

  He tapped his pen on the blotter on his desk. “That was you with the princess in New York, wasn’t it?”

  David blinked. “You saw that?”

  A grin crossed the other man’s face. “My wife follows all the royalty stuff. She saw it and said she thought it looked like your half-profile.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m going to give you email privileges.” Something that had to be earned. “Use the computer time wisely.”

  What exactly was the man hinting at?

  “In fact, I’d suggest you use the email time to catch up on that foster daughter of yours and maybe get back in the good graces of the woman who’s going to adopt her.”

  Ah. Playing matchmaker.

  “I’m not sure things could ever work with the princess, sir, but I will use my time wisely.” Emailing Jacqueline Grace couldn’t hurt. Neither could beseeching his father to try to change a few laws.

  “Your email time will be on Monday and Thursday evenings. Dismissed.”

  Dave stood and saluted. “Thank you, sir.”

  Evening couldn’t come soon enough. He sat down at one of the computers, knowing his every keystroke would be recorded, and anyone could walk by and look over his shoulder.

  No one would.

  Because he was a prince.

  He entered her private email address into the box.

  Dear Jacqueline Grace,

  I was glad to get your call this morning. That’s fantastic news about the adoption. The girls deserve the stability that will bring.

  I’m not able to call for the next few months. I might have a chance here and there, but it’s unlikely, and I won’t know ahead of time. I’m serving out my time in the military until almost Christmas. It’s hard yakka, you know. I do have email privileges twice a week.

  With your permission, I’d like to write to you.

  They’re not letters, not like the old days, though I might send you a few of those as well, if it’s all right with you.

  Think of it as an old-fashioned long-distance courtship.

  The servers here are secure as I’m sure they are on your end.

  I’d like to send old fashioned letters to the girls, too, remind Mary we’re fair dinkum. She’ll know what it means.

  May I?

  In service to His Majesty, King Geoffrey of New Sargasso,

  His Royal Highness Prince David Jonathan Michael George of New Sargasso

  David hated signing the whole thing, but he felt he had to. It was from his official email and that’s how official emails were signed.

  Would she let him write her?

  Would she write back? Get to know each other better through letters like people used to do?

  He didn’t know, but it was worth a shot.

  A text from Kirsten came into Jacqueline Grace’s phone.

  There’s an email you want to look at ASAP. I didn’t read it, but I know you’ll want to.

  Jacqueline Grace picked up her tablet, keeping an eye on the girls as they ran around on the playground near the daycare provided for the children of palace employees. None of them were currently outside, but her girls needed to get some wiggles out, as they said.

  Her heart thudded in her ears as she read the sender line.

  David.

  She clicked it open, skimming the words before going back to read them more slowly.

  He wanted to court her via email?

  The sentiment was sweet, but it didn’t change any of the fundamental issues.

  “You look like you’re thinking hard.”

  Jacqueline Grace looked up to see Anabelle holding Jamison as Gracie ran off to play with the girls. She turned back to the playground. “Do you think we’ll ever tell them the truth?”

  Anabelle sat down on the bench next to Jacqueline Grace. “I don’t intend to, not unless there’s some very compelling reason to do so.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Your girls will legally be sisters soon enough.”

  “Before Christmas,” Jacqueline Grace confirmed. “I’m going to be a single mother to two little girls voluntarily. I know I have got it easy compared to most, but it’s not how I envisioned my life going.”

  “I don’t think any of us end up living the lives we initially envision for ourselves.”

  Her sister-in-law made a good point. Jacqueline Grace reached for the baby, snuggling him close.

  “David emailed me,” she blurted out a few minutes later. “He wants to court me long distance via email and letters.”

  Anabelle clutched her heart as she pretended to swoon. “That just might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “It doesn’t change anything though. He’s still a prince of New Sargasso. I’m still a princess of San Majoria.”

  “San Majorian law will allow you to marry him, won’t it? Esther married Darius. The public has been over-the-moon ecstatic about them.”

  “Maybe? Esther’s further down the line than I am. I know there are stipulations for the first few, but I’m not sure how many.” She hugged Jamison closer. “This big guy may have pushed me far enough down.”

  “Find out.”

  “Will the people of San Majoria accept a prince of New Sargasso? After the split a century ago, our people haven’t quite forgiven them yet. It’s a lot better than it used to be but may still be a generation too soon.”

  “Why not show them how to bury that hatchet, so to speak? I’d think they’d be happy you found someone amazing to spend your life with rather than be too worried about where he’s from.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Talk to your father,” Anabelle encouraged. “Ask him what would prevent the relationship from a Sa
n Majorian legal standpoint. Email David back and tell him you’ll provisionally approve the correspondence, but he has to do the same with his father.”

  “And if there are caveats? If one of us can never go home again?” Watching the girls play, holding her nephew, Jacqueline Grace didn’t think that would be an option for her.

  “Don’t write off a relationship with David until you know for sure those sorts of choices would have to be made.”

  Jacqueline Grace just nodded as she watched the three girls running around.

  “In fact, why don’t you go talk to your father now? I’ve got the girls.” Anabelle reached for Jamison as he started to squirm.

  “Thanks.” Jacqueline Grace stood and started for her father’s office, texting Kirsten to let her know where she’d be and that Anabelle was with Kiara and Mary.

  Her father’s assistant said her father was expecting her and to go right in.

  This time they walked onto the balcony on the side of his office.

  “What is it you want to talk about?” The amusement in his voice told her he likely already knew.

  “Is there anything legally stopping me from marrying David someday? If we started a relationship and it got that far?”

  “Not a thing on the San Majorian side of things. If he were to ever take the New Sargassian throne, you’d be required to give up your spot in our line of succession, but that’s unlikely to happen. He’s third as it stands now. His brothers seldom travel together. You wouldn’t be exiled or disowned or anything, you just wouldn’t be able to take the throne here should tragedy strike our family. Esther would - as long as Darius renounces his claim. David would have to do the same if it did ever come to you.”

  Good to know. She told him about the email.

  “What’s your heart telling you?” he asked gently. “If you were just two random people, without all the accoutrements that go with being members of royal families, what would you want?”

  “To marry him,” she admitted.

  “Then there’s your answer. No matter what the New Sargassian legal issues may be.”

  “You’d let me walk away if their laws required it? Like the stupid one in Eyjania?”

  “That’s a decision only you can make, but if my choices are you happy, but I seldom see you, or you here all the time but miserable, guess which one I’d choose?”

  He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a side hug. Jacqueline Grace let her head rest on her father’s shoulder.

  “Then I’ll follow Anabelle’s advice. Ask him to find out the legalities in New Sargasso then decide.”

  “That sounds wise.” He squeezed her then let her go. “I’ve got to get back to work. Go email him.”

  Jacqueline Grace went to her office, the small one tucked inside her apartment. She opened the email application and found the email among several other ones with business issues to take care of later.

  Dear David,

  Thank you for your email and for the explanation about why you’ll be out of touch. I’m glad I’ll be able to explain it to Mary. I know she’ll love getting letters from you.

  As for me... Yes. But...

  She went on to explain the conditional approval for long distance courting, read it over once, made a couple of minor tweaks, then hit send.

  The ball was in his court.

  30

  Christmas in the Ozarks was a new tradition for the Cordovan family. The year before had brought surprises in the form of Esther and Darius’s twin announcements - their marriage and that they were expecting twin girls.

  This year, by the time they arrived at the mansion on Serenity Lake, Jacqueline Grace officially had two girls of her own.

  The court ceremony had been covered by the media, with speculation running rampant as to why she’d chosen to take in and adopt Mary. Kiara was explained by the fact she’d been forced to impersonate Gracie. Both girls had easily adapted to calling her mom.

  Jacqueline Grace was in the same room she’d been in the year before, as was everyone else. Mary was with the other girls. The only other new non-infant was Katrín, and she stayed with Benjamin, of course. Once some of the single princes and princesses started finding their spouses, that would have to change.

  She curled into a chair near the fireplace, staring out the window. Her phone buzzed, and she opened it to find an email from David. They’d come every Monday and Thursday morning for weeks. Then his privileges had been increased and they came Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At least once a week a large envelope came. Inside were cards and notes for the girls. Mary, especially, loved Tuesdays, the day it normally arrived.

  There was also a long, handwritten letter for Jacqueline Grace.

  In it, David poured out more of himself than he ever did via email, despite the secure servers he claimed protected them.

  She learned about his relationship with his father and the difficulties it presented, though on a personal level and not one that would affect his ability to have a relationship with her. New Sargasso’s laws were similar to San Majoria’s after all - especially after his father pushed to have a couple of them modified slightly.

  He told her about Ezekiel, his oldest brother, and how something happened when he was sixteen, something that changed him. David didn’t know what it was, but his brother wasn’t the serious guy with a playful side he’d been before. Instead, he was almost melancholy all the time.

  His next older brother was Gideon, Jacqueline Grace’s escort in Ravenzario. Something changed for him when he turned eighteen, David told her. He went from a jokester in the family to much more serious. The precipitating event was a mystery to everyone.

  But David’s younger twin brothers decided to make up for Gideon’s newfound seriousness. Though one was decidedly more gregarious than the other, they both took part in shenanigans. They were starting to calm down, but their mandatory military service was about to begin, unless their father waived the requirement.

  Then there was his sister. David had been twelve when she was born. From the time he’d met her in his mother’s sitting room, he’d been smitten, becoming her self-appointed guardian and protector.

  David admitted the apartment in New York was owned by his family, and he knew the owners of the Italian restaurant, though he’d never eaten there.

  He told her how guilty he felt about abandoning the general who had approved his mission. Fortunately, though the general had been forced to retire early, David’s father had found the man a place on his staff.

  Jacqueline Grace had been more reserved in her return letters, knowing they were sometimes opened and skimmed. David promised his were exempt from such searches, but he’d also told her about one of the sergeants who’d taken a special dislike to him. He gave David a hard time about everything even when there was no reason to. David refused to respond in kind, but the man had read part of one of her early letters aloud to the rest of the men in the barracks. After that, she confined her letters to less personal matters, though David told her the sergeant had been reprimanded.

  If only he could be here for...

  No, she wasn’t going there.

  She and the girls had live-streamed the New Sargassian Centennial Celebration but didn’t tell anyone else. It was the middle of the night in San Majoria, and she doubted many others did. Yes, New Sargasso had been a country for a hundred years, but also the anniversary of the split from Islas del Sargasso and not everyone was quite over it yet.

  They’d be going back to San Majoria early Christmas morning. David would be there before New Year’s Eve, though she didn’t know his exact arrival date.

  A reminder popped up on her screen. They were about to have dinner in the ballroom on the floor below.

  The girls were already running around somewhere so whoever they were with would bring them. Last year, this night had been a gender reveal party. She was told this year would be a celebration, not of anything in particular but with fun games and snacks.

&nb
sp; At least they didn’t have to dress up.

  She hung around the outskirts of the games, sitting with her grandmother and Queen Eliana.

  Eliana took a sip of her apple cider. “Thank you again for your kindness during our ordeal, Jacqueline Grace. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciated your care.”

  Jacqueline Grace wasn’t sure how to take that. She hadn’t done anything special. “I just did what anyone else would do. What I would have wanted someone to do if it had been me.”

  “But no one else did.” She held up a hand to stop Jacqueline Grace’s protests. “I understand why. Most of your family was missing children. My children were missing siblings. My son and your father felt responsible for everyone. They checked on me, but no one else thought to grab something to splint it with.”

  Jacqueline Grace smiled at her. “It was my pleasure.” What else could she say?

  The evening continued but started to wind down. Her father stood up and talked a bit about how grateful he was the family made it through another year mostly unscathed and how glad he was they’d be adding to their family soon.

  Everyone glanced around until Astrid raised her hand. “It’s us. Sofia wants a girl this time. I’m probably due in September again.”

  “You’re not the only one.” Benjamin surprised them all. “Katrín is due late summer.”

  Katrín rolled her eyes. “So much for our carefully laid Christmas announcement plan.”

  Benjamin just grinned, something Jacqueline Grace had never seen him do before this trip. Even on the island, before it all went crazy, he’d been tense. “I couldn’t keep it to myself.”

  “Good thing you’re better at keeping state secrets,” Katrín muttered loudly enough to be heard by everyone.

  They all laughed, but Jacqueline Grace couldn’t help feel a little empty. She wished David were there.

  Mary squealed and ran across the room, causing everyone to turn. “Daddy!”

  Jacqueline Grace gasped as David walked into the room, still wearing his uniform.

  Goodness, he looked handsome, but she still preferred him in jeans and a casual button-down shirt.