“Of course you do. It’s your home.”
“It was once, but then I came to your world and I’ve grown to love it here. You’re here. I would never expect you to cast aside your whole way of life for me. Being Zoe’s therapist has brought me smack-dab into the heart of your world. I’ve learned so much and I’m still learning.”
The blood was pounding in his ears. “You’re just saying this because it’s what you think I want to hear.”
“Well, isn’t it? Besides the fact that what I’m telling you is true, what do you think those wedding vows are going to be about? I plan to love, honor and serve you through the good and the bad. This is a bad time for your family. Without Stasio, you need me to help you keep the monarchy together.
“Your grandmother needs you. Even though I haven’t met her, I like her, Alex. I really do. She has tried to do her duty the way she’s seen fit and Zoe adores her. Why should King Philippe or any other royal family member have to be brought in when you’re the son meant to take up the reins? I believe your father knew that.”
Alex couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Alex, you’ve already been carrying a lot of the load your whole life. Stasio tried his best to shield you by turning to Philippe. He did everything in his power to help you, but you don’t need his help.
“I’ve watched and listened. Your marriage to Teresa proves to me you cared more for the kingdom than you know, or like Stasio you would have abdicated a long time ago. To my mind, you were born to be king. Your country means everything to you, otherwise you wouldn’t have agreed to serve in Stasio’s place while he’s been away. I love you, Alex. I revere you for wanting to do the noble thing and I love the idea of helping you.”
Her brilliant blue eyes flashed like the sapphire of the ring he hadn’t given her yet. It was still in his suite on Aurum. Those eyes let him know the truth. It was pouring from her soul. “All you have to do is turn around and accept the crown, my love.”
There was a swelling in his chest that felt as though it might be a heart attack.
“You and I will always have each other and you and Stasio will be able to live without any guilt. He can marry the woman he loves. They can come and visit, have children, give Zoe a cousin or two. Hector will be thrilled. The queen can take a well-earned rest and Zoe will always be our darling girl. It’s the best of all worlds.”
Her logic moved him to tears, but he shook his head. “You don’t understand. I can’t rule with a commoner for a wife, and I refuse to give you up.”
“Who says you can’t?” she shot back. “I didn’t hear about that when Hector explained the contents of your father’s codicil to me. It only said that if we have a child or children together, they won’t have claim to the throne. That will be Zoe’s privilege.”
Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “Everything you’ve said makes perfect sense, but it’s never been done.”
“That still doesn’t make it impossible. Let’s go to the queen right now. Wake her up if you have to and tell her you’re willing to rule Hellenica with me at your side. Since your father broke the rules when he made that extension to his will, it stands to reason his mother could be moved to convince the ministers to vote in our favor for the good of the monarchy.
“There’s no one who can do greater good for the country than you, Alex. You’ve already been running everything singlehandedly and doing a brilliant job. Maybe it was a presentiment on my part, but the night of the party I watched you and thought you should be king, not Stasio.”
In the next instant he reached blindly for her. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I think I do.” She clutched his arms. “All I need to know is one thing. Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t want to salvage the House of Constantinides. If you’re not truthful with me now, then the marriage we’re about to enter into is a sham and won’t last.”
He crushed her in his arms, rocking her long and hard. With his face buried in her hair he whispered, “What have I ever done to deserve you?”
“It’ll take me a lifetime to tell you everything, but first we have to tell the queen. Phone your grandmother now. She needs help. Who better than the father of her beloved Zoe?”
Alex kissed the side of her neck. “Whether or not I become king—whether or not my grandmother decides she wants us to have a public wedding here on Hellenica at the time of the coronation—it doesn’t matter as long as for once in my life I do get to do the thing I thought I’d never be able to do.”
“What’s that?” Dottie asked breathlessly.
He cupped her face in his hands. “Marry the woman of my dreams in the chapel on Aurum tomorrow.”
“Alex—”
“It will be a very private ceremony just for us. The tiny church located on the palace grounds isn’t open to the public. It was erected for the family’s use. Father Gregorius will marry us. I’ll ask him to perform the ceremony in English.”
“He doesn’t have to go to that trouble.”
“Yes, he does. I’m marrying the bride of my heart and want to say my vows in English for your sake. My friend Bari will be our witness along with Inez and Ari. And, of course, Zoe.”
Dottie clung to Alex’s hand as he escorted her and Zoe inside the dark interior of the church that smelled strongly of beeswax candles and incense. She wore her white dress with the yellow sash. Dottie had dressed in the pink print and had left her hair down because Zoe had told her earlier that her daddy loved her hair like that.
Inez stepped forward. She handed Dottie a bouquet of cornflowers. Against Dottie’s ear Alex whispered, “I asked her to gather these this morning. They match the incredible blue of your eyes.”
She felt tears start and soon saw that another, smaller bouquet had been picked for Zoe to hold. Alex was wearing a light blue summer suit. After putting two cornflowers inside his lapel, he led her and Zoe to the front where the priest stood at the altar. Inez beckoned Zoe to stand by her.
Despite the fact that Alex would always be a prince, Dottie realized he’d dispensed with all artifice for their wedding. She knew the last thing he wanted was for her to feel overwhelmed. Her heart quivered with her love for him as the ceremony began.
“Do you, Prince Alexius Kristof Rudolph Stefano Valleder Constantinides, Duke of Aurum, take Dorothy Giles Richards to be thy wedded wife? To love, honor and serve her unto death?”
“I do.”
Dottie trembled.
“Do you, Dorothy Giles Richards, take Prince Alexius to be thy wedded husband? To love, honor and serve him unto death?”
“I do,” she whispered, scarcely able to believe this was really happening.
“Then by the power invested in me, I proclaim you husband and wife from this day forth. What God has blessed, let no man put asunder. In the name of the Trinity, Amen.”
“Amen,” Alex declared after Dottie spoke.
“You wish to bestow tokens?”
“I do, Father.” He reached for Dottie’s left hand and slid the one-carat sapphire onto her ring finger.
“You may kiss your bride.”
The significance of this moment shook Dottie to her very roots. Alex was her husband now. Her life! Without caring about anything else, she raised her mouth to his, needing his kiss like she needed the sun on her face and air to breathe.
While they stood locked together, Zoe ran over to them and hugged their legs. She felt her little arms, reminding her she and Alex were probably giving Father Gregorius a coronary for letting their kiss go on so long. No doubt she was blushing, but the others wouldn’t be able to tell until they went outside.
“Are you married now, Daddy?”
Alex relinquished Dottie’s mouth and picked up his daughter to kiss her. “We’re very, very married.”
She giggled and turned to reach for Dottie, who hugged her.
Bari stepped forward and gave Alex a bear hug before bestowing a kiss on Dotti
e’s cheek.
“Congratulations, Your Highness.” Inez and Ari curtsied to him and Dottie, then handed her the bouquet. “Your Highness.”
“Thank you,” Dottie answered.
Alex shook their hands. “We appreciate all your help.”
“It’s been our pleasure.”
“Let’s go outside for some pictures,” Bari suggested.
The priest stayed long enough for a group photo in front of the ancient doors, then he had to be on his way to the city. Alex invited Bari to have a drink with them. At Zoe’s suggestion they celebrated in the gazebo. Bari drank to their health and happiness. After one more picture, he left to get back to work.
Inez brought out a tray of salad, sandwiches and a pitcher of iced tea. By now they were all hungry, including Zoe. A month ago her appetite had diminished to the point they’d both worried about it, but no longer.
The peacock happened to walk past the gazebo just then. Zoe scrambled out of her chair and went after it, leaving them alone for a minute. Alex caught her in his arms. “Alone at last. Happy wedding day, Mrs. Constantinides.”
“I love you, darling,” she blurted. “Thank you for the simple, beautiful ceremony. I loved it. I love my ring. I’ll treasure this day forever. I’m only sorry I didn’t have a ring for you.”
He kissed her passionately on the mouth. “I didn’t want one. I don’t like rings and would prefer not to wear one. Yet I have seven of them, all with precious gems encrusted. The only one that doesn’t have stones is this one.” He flexed his right hand where he wore the gold ducal crest. “Since I have to wear it, I’ll take it off and let you put it on the ring finger of my left hand.”
He removed it and handed it to her.
At first she was all thumbs. Finally she took hold of his hand and slid it home. “Did you wear it on this hand when you were married to Zoe’s mother?” she asked without looking at him.
“No. She gave me a ring from the House of Valleder. I took it off after she died and put it with the other rings that Zoe will inherit one day.”
As she stared into his eyes, she sensed something else was on his mind. “You have news. I can tell.”
“Yes. For one thing, Hector explained the situation to Mrs. Hawes and she’s been given a free two-week vacation here if she wants. Now you don’t have to worry about her needless trip.”
“Oh, thank you, darling. That’s so generous of you.”
“After meeting you, I realized how hard-working and dedicated you therapists are. She deserves every perk we can offer.”
Dottie bit her lip. “What else were you going to tell me?”
His expression grew more solemn. She saw the slightest look of vulnerability in his eyes. “Before we left Hellenica this morning, my grandmother told me the vote from the parliament was unanimous. They want me to be king. So does she.”
His news was so wonderful, she threw her arms around his neck. “You’re going to be the greatest king this country ever had. I’m the luckiest woman in the world because I’m your wife. I promise to help make your life easier. I swear it.”
“Dottie—” He pulled her tightly against him. “You realize what this means. The day after tomorrow will be my coronation. The queen wants us to come to the palace immediately to discuss the arrangements for our wedding. We’re going to have to go through another ceremony, and then I will be crowned king. She wants to meet the commoner who stole the hearts of her great-granddaughter and grandson.”
This time tears rolled down Dottie’s cheeks. She grasped his handsome face in her hands. “I can’t wait to meet her. I can’t wait to say my vows again. I love you,” she cried, covering his face with kisses.
The archbishop of Hellenica closed the coronation ceremony with “God Save the King.” Dottie adored this great man she’d just married for the second time. He’d now been crowned king in this magnificent cathedral and was so handsome and splendid in his dark blue ceremonial suit and red sash, it hurt to look at him.
Zoe, dressed in a tiara and frilly white floor-length dress, sat on a velvet chair like a perfect little princess between Dottie and her great-grandmother, who’d come in a wheelchair. Stasio sat opposite them in his ceremonial dress. Solveig, the woman he loved, had come and was seated in the crowd. Dottie liked her already and imagined there’d be a wedding soon.
King Philippe and his pregnant American wife sat next to Stasio. Over the past few days Dottie had gotten to know her and couldn’t wait to spend more time with her.
When the archbishop bid Princess Dorothy rise to join Alex for the processional out of the church, Dottie realized it was she he meant and blushed like mad. Her husband noticed she’d been caught off guard and his black eyes flashed fire as she walked toward him to grasp his hand. Zoe followed to carry the train.
In an intimate appraisal, his gaze swept from the tiara on top of her white lace mantilla, down her white princess-style wedding gown to her satin slippers. He’d given her that same look as she’d started to get out of bed this morning. When she reminded him they should have been up an hour ago, he’d pulled her back on top of him and made love to her again with insatiable hunger.
It was embarrassing how much time they’d spent in the bedroom when there was so much to get done in preparation for the coronation. But obviously not embarrassing enough, because she was the one who always moaned in protest when Hector finally managed to convince Alex he was needed in the office or the queen’s drawing room immediately.
Her husband kept squeezing her hand as they slowly made their way toward the great doors. In her heart she knew that if Neil and Cory were looking on, they would be happy for her.
She smiled at the guests standing on either side of the aisle. Everyone looked wonderful in their hats and wedding finery. Halfway down she caught sight of Mark and his parents. He made a little wave to Dottie and Zoe with his hand. It warmed her heart. Next she smiled at Bari and his family. Near the doors she spotted Hector, who beamed back at her.
When she and Alex emerged from the cathedral, a huge roar went up from the crowd in the ancient agora. Alex helped her into the open-air carriage, then assisted Zoe, who sat opposite them. Once he’d climbed inside and closed the door, the bells began to ring throughout the city.
Almost at once a chant went through the crowd for King Alexius to kiss Princess Dot. Somehow word had gotten out that Princess Zoe called her new mother Dot.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Alex said with a wicked smile before he kissed her so thoroughly her tiara slipped off. The crowd went wild with excitement. The horses began moving.
While Alex fit it back on her, taking his time about it as he stared at her, Zoe said, “Was the crown heavy, Daddy?”
“Very. Your Uncle Stasi wasn’t kidding.”
“Could Mark ride with us, Mommy?”
“Not today, but you’ll see him tomorrow. There are hundreds of children lining the streets with their families. They’d all love to ride in this carriage with you, so wave to them. They’re very excited to see you.”
“They are?”
“Yes. Just think—today your country got a new king and he’s your daddy. We need to start working on your K sounds.”
Alex’s chuckle turned into a deep rumble. He leaned over to give her another kiss that stirred her senses clear down to her toenails. It was a kiss that told her he couldn’t wait until they were alone again. As they reached the palace and climbed out of the carriage, the limo carrying the queen and Stasio pulled up behind them.
As they all entered the palace together, Alex’s grandmother said, “Really, Alex. Did you have to kiss Dottie like that in front of thousands of people? And you kept doing it! You realize it’ll be all over the news.”
He grinned at Stasio. “I don’t know how to kiss her any other way, Yiayia. Worse, I can’t seem to stop.”
“Are we going to have a baby now?” piped up a little voice.
“Oh, really, Zoe!” her great-
grandmother cried out. “You don’t ask questions like that in front of people. There’s going to be a reception in the grand dining hall and I expect you to behave like the princess you are.”
Unabashed, Zoe turned to Hector. “Can Mark sit by me?”
While they were sorting it out, Alex pulled Dottie away from the others and led her to a deserted alcove. Before she could breathe, he kissed her long and deeply. “I needed that,” he murmured after lifting his head a few minutes later. “You looked like a vision in the cathedral. Promise me you’re not a figment of my imagination. I couldn’t take it.”
She kissed his hard jaw. “I’ll convince you tonight when we’re finally alone. I’m so glad I married royalty. I love the idea of going to bed with my husband and my liege. It sounds positively decadent and wicked, don’t you think?”
“Dottie—”
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
A Bride for the Island Prince Page 15
