Pretend Princess (Cordillera Royals Book 1)

by Carolyn Rae

  “Nonsense,” said the prince. “I’m sure you can rise to the occasion. The king and queen will be most grateful. The goodwill of our country depends on it.” He leaned back in his chair as if the matter were already settled.

  “But what about my sisters? I can’t leave them home alone while our parents are away.”

  Prince Lawrence came to stand behind her. Turning, she met his serious brown eyes. His sandalwood scent drifted around her. “I can arrange to have them stay at the palace and be served dinner while you dine with the ambassador and the royal family. I will tell the staff they are distant cousins from the United States who are visiting.”

  “Do you have a piano? Becky loves to play. She was taking lessons before my parents were assigned to their post here.”

  “I can do better than that. I will arrange for her to be tutored by Princess Allysa’s piano teacher.”

  “That would be very nice, but I really can’t see myself discussing Cordillera’s relations with the ambassador’s country. And besides, I need to discuss this with my parents.”

  The queen set down her teacup and daintily wiped her mouth. “Of course, you may call them.”

  “If you would be ready at ten o’clock tomorrow,” the prince said, “I will send a car to move you and your sisters here.”

  “But I haven’t said I’d do it,” Tricia insisted.

  “Please my dear,” the queen said. “My nephew and her maid can explain how my daughter acts and talks. I believe her gowns will fit you nicely. You should be able to pass as Princess Allysa, at least for a few days. And I do hope my daughter has returned by then. Not knowing where she is or if she’s all right weighs heavy on my heart.”

  The king patted her shoulder. “I know you are worried about her, my dear, but I am positive she will return soon. However, we must impress this ambassador if we want to make an alliance with his country.”

  After catching a look of concern passing between the king and queen, Tricia took a deep breath. This would be an interesting challenge, but a scary one. With that much money, she could graduate without a loan hanging over her head. “All right. I’ll do my best.”

  That night, Tricia called her parents at the religious conference in South Africa and explained the situation. They nearly freaked out and threatened to return until she explained her sisters would be staying at the palace, too. Finally, her father wished her good luck, and her mother told her to be sure to pay close attention to all the rules of etiquette.

  Next, Tricia Googled the royal family and read any articles she could find about the princess and her suitors. She hoped she could remember all their names and titles. Surely, Allysa addressed them by their first names.

  The next morning, after tossing and turning most of the night, Tricia awoke with her heart beating erratically. She hoped she was equal to the task ahead.

  After a servant carried out their bags, Tricia and her sisters climbed into a white Mercedes, which whisked them to a back entrance to the palace.

  From there the prince hustled her, Becky, and Cindy through halls lit only by candles in elaborate gold sconces. She caught a whiff of their bayberry scent as she passed.

  After they were smuggled into the palace, a servant led her sisters into a room with a canopied bed. A Final Fantasy #7 game sat on a table beside a built-in television set. “Awesome,” Becky said. “This is some room. We’ll see you later, I guess.”

  Tricia hoped they wouldn’t feel too alone in this strange place without her. “I’m sure a servant will bring your supper here or take you to the kitchen.”

  As Prince Lawrence led her away, she asked, “Does Princess Allysa enjoy that type of game?”

  “I don’t know about Allysa, but I understand it’s popular with teenagers. I had it specially delivered from a local store. I hope your sister enjoys it.”

  “Thank you. That was very nice of you.”

  * * *

  Princess Allysa’s bathroom was amazing. Tricia sank into billowing suds smelling of roses. On the news, she’d heard about an uprising near where her parents were attending the World of Faith Conference. She felt a bit guilty enjoying life in a palace while they might be in danger.

  She prayed nothing happened to them during their weeks away. They should be back in plenty of time for her to return to the university. Now if only she could carry off this charade without making a fool of herself. She tried not to think of all the things that could go wrong.

  Later, feeling clean and refreshed, she ascended the pink marble steps of the luxurious sunken tub and stepped out onto the plush cream carpet. She’d never seen so much marble. She’d bet a year’s salary the faucets were gold-plated.

  Shivering, she glanced around for a towel. Beside the ornately framed mirror hanging on the shimmering pink and gold foil-covered wall, two gold lion heads held towel rings in their mouths. From each hung thick cream-colored bath towels embroidered in gold with the royal crest, symbolizing wealth and tradition. The gold hook where she’d hung her jeans and shirt was bare. Serena, Princess Allysa’s maid, had set out the princess’s blue robe on a chair outside the door, but Tricia had forgotten to bring it into the bathroom.

  Was that a knock?

  “Wait, please, I’ll be out in a minute.” She grabbed the towel and wrapped it around herself. Maybe the rich and famous didn’t feel self-conscious when servants entered while they dressed or bathed, but she sure did.

  The door creaked. Doors in a palace shouldn’t creak, but this palace might be very old.

  A large hand setting a blue robe on the pink velvet-covered stool by the door certainly wasn’t Serena’s. And it didn’t look like a woman’s hand either. She was about to scream when the arm withdrew, and the door closed.

  “You might need that,” said a decidedly masculine voice.

  Must be a servant. She snatched the robe. “Thanks, but please leave. This may be the palace, but I don’t expect male servants to come into the bedroom while I’m taking a bath.”

  An embarrassed sounding, but familiar chuckle echoed from the bedroom. Had the man no decency? After she dressed, she’d hunt him down and tell him a thing or two. She might be a foreigner, but she wouldn’t put up with that kind of behavior. A few choice words sprang to mind. She clamped her lips shut. If she were going to do this, she had to present a good image at all times.

  The velvet baritone voice sounded through the closed door. “Please pardon me. I didn’t want to embarrass you. I’m sorry for barging in, and I’ll wait while you cover yourself, mademoiselle, but there are some important things I need to explain.”

  Damn. It was the prince.

  “Why were you handing me a robe? Don’t you have maids for that?”

  “I need to talk with you about a possible threat, and I gathered you would want the robe to wear while I explain.”

  “Can’t you at least wait until I’m dry?”

  “As you wish, mademoiselle. I will await you in the sitting room.”

  Thank goodness. Hurriedly she dried herself with the huge fluffy towel.

  While she despised the way the king flaunted his power by taking a mistress, she might do more for the women of the country by making friends with the prince. It might be enjoyable to accompany him on some outings. And she needed to know about the danger he mentioned.

  Recalling her tone of voice just now, she wondered how Princess Allysa would have handled it. Living in a palace with a lovely bedroom, a well-decorated sitting room attached, servants to answer every whim, and delicious dishes cooked by a chef would be a great adventure, but could she really carry it off?

  After drying herself, she wriggled her toes on the soft carpet. She’d soak up this luxurious life no matter how brief. She was looking forward to sumptuous dishes, but she’d probably be a nervous wreck at dinner.

  A knock sounded on the bathroom door. She hoped it was Serena this time.

  The deep voice spoke. “Surely by now you are decently covered. I haven’t time to wait any lon
ger. I need to talk to you before you speak to anyone else.”

  Uh, oh. Prince Lawrence again. “Please go away. I don’t usually talk to a man I barely know in the bedroom.” Her parents had always insisted on meeting any boy she dated and cautioned her not to allow any forward behavior.

  She’d thought the hardest part of this would be acting properly with the staff. She hadn’t bargained on dealing with an arrogant prince. She put the robe on, tied it about her waist, then opened the door a crack and peeked.

  He waited in the sitting room as he’d promised, standing tall and intimidating with that square jaw and aquiline nose. His white jacket hugged his broad shoulders, powerful biceps and forearms. Close fitting white pants clung to trim hips and sturdy legs. Gold braid adorned the sleeves and cuffs of his well-fitting jacket as well as the sides of his trousers. She’d expected him to wear more casual clothes now, but then she remembered the dinner tonight.

  Beneath thick eyebrows, his brown eyes twinkled, and his lips twitched into an amused smile.

  This would never do. “If you’re going to treat me like a woman in your harem, you can forget the whole thing.” She gasped, then covered her mouth. Now that was a dumb thing to say.

  He laughed. “We may cling to the old ways, but we don’t have harems. We have to be more discreet.”

  She felt like squirming, but strolled into the bedroom. She grasped the sitting room door handle. “I’m not comfortable having you see me like this. At least have the decency to leave me alone until I’m presentable. I’ll get dressed as soon as I hear you leave.” She tried to shut the door, but he held it slightly open.

  “You look fine to me, though not presentable to appear in court. When you are, your hair will be carefully arranged, and you’ll be dressed like a princess. You looked lovely last night, but I prefer seeing the real you.”

  “I don’t change my personality with clothes.”

  “But later you’ll be playing a part—the cool, calm princess who smiles and portrays the epitome of politeness whether she feels like it or not. You’re more forward than my cousin. It will take a great deal of acting on your part.”

  “I can act appropriately for as long as it takes. Surely, state appearances don’t last more than a couple of hours.” She took a deep breath. Up until now, the king and queen had seemed very nice, but if they became hard to deal with like him, how could she make it through the next few hours?

  “Plenty of warm smiles would go a long way to win over the people. You could throw kisses, too. The people like that.”

  “I can handle that. I won’t have to go around kissing babies, will I?”

  “You might win people over even faster if you do. You could practice on me first.” Smoothing his beard down, he moved closer, allowing his exotic scent to stir her senses. “Pick something from Allysa’s armoire. Then, after you’re dressed, you can kiss me. Or at least give me a hug.”

  He smiled engagingly. How would it feel to have his strong arms around her? Then she thought about how many women he’d lured into his embrace. No way would she let him draw her in with his charm.

  She watched his lazy smile. “What if I kissed you, and you turned into a frog?”

  He frowned. “Calling me a frog, are you?”

  She shook her head and grasped the robe more tightly about her. “Not exactly.”

  This was crazy. She fought an absurd urge to giggle, then shook her head. “What if someone saw you in here? Won’t that look bad?”

  He shrugged. “It’s not unusual for me to come talk to my cousin, though we’re not as close as we once were. I imagine she resents the fact that I will rule instead of she.”

  “I guess it’s still a man’s world here as well. Thank goodness, women have a little more equality where I come from.”

  “Things are different here, according to edicts issued by my great, great, great, great grandfather. Some old customs are set in stone. Like him, my uncle prefers life in earlier times, when people depended on their kings and respected them. You should act accordingly while you’re here.”

  He grinned. “Allysa would give me a hug and a kiss to welcome me back from my trip.”

  Was he serious? She looked at his face, saw his grin. “If you think I’m going to kiss you after you wormed your way in here, you’ve got rocks in your head.”

  His mouth dropped open. He stared at her.

  “I might have kissed you on the cheek while being formally presented to you—only because Serena told me it was how Princess Allysa would greet you after you returned from a long trip, but we’ve already met, so that won’t happen.”

  Now that she’d gotten that settled, she thought about the special dinner ahead. “What am I supposed to wear? The maid must have taken my clothes.”

  He nodded. “Serena has probably taken your clothes to the laundress. She will act as your maid. Allysa says she’s very competent and trustworthy. Serena is one of the few servants who knows why you’re here. I only hope my cousin will return soon, but for now, I had Serena find you something suitable in her armoire.”

  She frowned. “You haven’t even seen what I brought. I packed only my nicest, most tasteful clothes. If you hadn’t come by so early, I would have been dressed by now.”

  “I felt it imperative to warn you about the man who has been stalking my cousin. But I need you to change for our talk in the sitting room. Princess Allysa would never stand around in her robe with the door to the hall open. Someone might see you, and the whole plan would be jeopardized. Put on that dress laid out on the chaise lounge.”

  “We’re only going to stay here and talk. Why do I need to put it on now?”

  “The door of the sitting room will be left open to the hall—for propriety’s sake.”

  “You didn’t seem to care about propriety when you barged into the bedroom and pounded on the bathroom door.”

  He pointed to a floor-length, green dress on the velvet chaise lounge. “You need to wear that tonight. Serena can help you dress.” His voice sounded deep and commanding.

  Then she noticed the robe was gaping open. “I think you’d better leave now.”

  Chapter Three

  Lawrence watched Tricia pull the velvet robe more tightly across her breasts. Drops of water glistened on her alabaster skin, paler than Allysa’s, but pretty.

  Propriety said he shouldn’t be here, but she intrigued him, and he needed to explain about the danger she faced.

  “I’m not talking to you until I’m dressed,” she insisted. You can tell Serena to bring back my clothes as soon as they’re ready.” She slammed the sitting room door.

  His jaw dropped. She’d ordered him to leave. And shut the door in his face. She was preposterous—and insulting. Were all American women this impertinent?

  However, she was refreshing compared to other young women he’d met. Allysa had introduced him to the Earl of Constantine’s daughter several years ago. Pretty but fawning, she didn’t seem to have any interests of her own. The queen hinted it would be advantageous to foreign relations if he’d marry her. He couldn’t imagine Lady Constantine ever sparkling with as much animation as his pretend princess.

  He sat on the loveseat in the sitting room. He’d only been teasing about kissing him, but she had no qualms about talking back. Not likely she’d be lured into an embrace in the garden with any of the young men who attended the palace dances. That was good, but choosing her to take his cousin’s place could still blow up in his face.

  It seemed strangely quiet. He’d enjoyed talking with her, but obviously, she didn’t want to speak with him just now. Well, she’d have to. It was imperative no one guessed the princess was missing. What a field day the papers would have with that. He could imagine the headlines. ‘Princess Allysa leaves to take up lion training in a circus, king aghast’ or ‘Princess Allysa pregnant with a commoner’s baby, queen takes to bed.’ He winced. That would be even worse. They had to avoid a scandal at all costs.

  * * *

  T
ricia heard the hallway door to the sitting room close and let out her breath. The prince was gone now, but she wasn’t sure what to make of him. Serena had laid out Tricia’s cream-colored bra and matching lace trimmed panties on the bed.

  She put them on and glanced in the mirror. An inch and a half of rounded flesh showed above the bra’s lace top. If the dress she wore were low-cut, at least none of her bra would show.

  She heard a knock on the door between the sitting room and the bedroom. Had the prince come back? What did he want now?

  “Yes?”

  “I need to tell you about the threat.”

  “Look, Your Highness,” she said through the closed door. “I need to get dressed before we talk anymore. Please wait in the sitting room.”

  “I would appreciate it if you don’t take too long. I have other pressing matters I need to attend to.”

  She’d had enough of his arrogance. “Can’t one of the staff fill me in on the protocol?”

  “Appearing and acting as the princess is too important to leave to them. Have her maid help you dress, and then we’ll talk.” The sound of the sitting room’s door to the hallway closing echoed in the small room.

  He’d spoken as if she didn’t know how to dress. He had a nerve.

  As she dressed, she looked around the bedroom. On a shelf stood a Russian nesting doll, a vase with delicate china flowers, an African mask, and a tapestry of the Eiffel Tower. Princess Allysa must love traveling.

  Ten minutes later, dressed in her canary yellow silk blouse and matching pants with her makeup perfect, Tricia opened the bedroom door and walked into the sitting room. “All right, I’m ready.”

  So, he hadn’t left after all. He rose and opened the door to the hallway. “Those pants and the shirt you are wearing—they simply are not appropriate to wear in the palace.”

  “But they are made of silk. I saved up to buy them.