“Are you ready to come to my house and meet Thor?”
For a reward, Sonia kissed his cheek again. “Yes, please.”
The black limo with the royal insignia and one-way glass climbed the narrow road above the town, giving Kristin a breathtaking view of the scene below. At ten after four in the afternoon, the sun had already been to bed for an hour.
Lights flickered on the water from Niflheim fortress which guarded the entrance to the fjord. Beyond it was Glatheshim Island.
She kept her gaze focused out the window so she wouldn’t be tempted to stare at the Prince. He sat across from her with Sonia on his lap. She chattered nonstop the way she used to do before the accident.
Prince Eric was a captive audience who never seemed to tire of Sonia’s questions and answered each one with patience and occasional bursts of laughter. He appeared to really be enjoying himself. The difference between Bruce’s behavior with Sonia and the Prince’s was like night and day.
As far as Kristin was concerned, he’d gone far beyond anyone’s expectations by agreeing to appear at the Chocolate Barn in Princess Maren’s place.
But even if Sonia was blind, Kristin couldn’t understand why he was lavishing all this extra interest and concern on her niece. He’d done what his sister had asked of him. No one could have imagined him doing anything more.
In real life you didn’t meet a royal and end up going home with him the same day, yet that’s what was happening.
The second he’d asked Sonia if she would like to meet his dog, the matter had been taken out of Kristin’s hands.
It frightened her to watch her niece respond to the Prince the way she’d done with her own father who’d been a fun loving man. What made the situation even more more curious was the fact that both men had been given the same first name of Eric.
Since the boating accident two months ago, Sonia had turned into a somber child not even her own grandfather had been able to make smile very often.
When he’d become ill and couldn’t fly over with them, he’d insisted that Kristin bring Sonia to Frijia. He thought the trip and the opportunity of meeting the Princess might help restore his granddaughter’s spirits to some semblance of her former bright, happy self in spite of her blindness.
Kristin’s father must have been inspired. He wouldn’t recognize the happy, giggling child listening to a funny story the Prince was telling her about three naughty nisses.
Though it thrilled Kristin to see this change in her niece, she felt a growing alarm for the moment when the Prince returned them to the hotel in town and Sonia had to say goodbye to him. Kristin actually shuddered at the thought.
“Are you all right?” he asked sotto voce.
She jerked her head away from the window to look at him, unaware he’d been watching her.
“Of course,” she lied.
How could she possibly be all right? She was riding in a car with Prince Eric of Frijia. This kind of thing just didn’t happen!
Not only was he the most attractive man she’d ever met in her life, he was wonderfully down to earth and normal. Sonia already adored him. Everything was perfect! Her niece wasn’t the only one who didn’t want any of it to end.
But for everyone’s sake it had to, as soon as possible.
“We’re so excited we feel like we’re in the middle of a fantastic dream, don’t we, Sonia?”
That’s what it was. A fantastic dream. That was all it could be. Which was why this whole experience couldn’t be allowed to go on any longer than it took to meet the dog.
To Kristin’s shock her niece’s face fell. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “We’re not in a dream, are we?”
His eyes narrowed on Kristin as he hugged the little girl clinging to him. “No, elskling. This is very real.”
The look in his eye, the deep intonation in his voice when he’d called her little darling in Frijian, shook Kristin to the core of her being. She glanced out the window once more, afraid to meet his gaze again for fear he’d divine her unwitting attraction to him.
“How come your Aunty Kristin didn’t bring her boyfriend to Frijia with you?”
A gasp escaped Kristin’s throat. He didn’t know if she had a boyfriend or not. He’d thrown out the question to see how Sonia would answer it, and she didn’t disappoint him.
“They had a fight when he found out I was going to live with her. Grandpa Elling said Bruce was jealous—”
“That’s enough,” Kristin broke in hot-faced and horrified for the Prince to have heard something that was no one’s business.
Before the trip her fiancé, who’d said he couldn’t get the time off from work, had asked her why she would bother to take Sonia to Frijia when she couldn’t see anything.
Absolutely shocked by his question, Kristin realized she didn’t know this man who’d put a ring on her finger two weeks before tragedy had struck their family.
When he admitted that he was reticent to take Sonia on after they got married, she gave him back the engagement ring and told him goodbye.
But that knowledge had never been meant for other ears!
Unfortunately Prince Eric’s reputation preceded him. He was an expert’s expert at eliciting information he wanted to know when it came to women. Especially from a little girl he’d already enamored.
What child wouldn’t be flattered by that kind of attention?
Kristin didn’t delude herself into thinking the Prince was interested in her. He was only making conversation with Sonia to pass the time.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
Oh, Sonia—
The guileless question had put the shoe squarely on the other foot. Kristin held her breath while she waited for his answer.
“I’ve had several.”
“How come you didn’t get married yet?”
“My mother asks me that all the time.”
“Don’t you want to?”
“Well for one thing, Thor has to love the woman I pick.”
“Doesn’t he love any of your girlfriends?”
“Not yet, but I know he’s going to love you. You’re just his size and you give better hugs than anybody.”
Her whole face glowed. “I do?”
“Yes. How about another one right now.”
Kristin averted her eyes against the display of affection the two exhibited toward each other.
It was one thing for him to be kind and solicitous to her in front of the camera. But more than ever Kristin couldn’t fathom what prompted his loving behavior toward Sonia now that they were in the limo. In truth, she couldn’t understand why he’d done something as unheard of as to invite them to his home.
As soon as she could speak to him alone for a minute, she would tell him he’d done too much for Sonia already. Any more time spent with him and it would be too hard on her when they had to leave for Chicago in the morning.
He didn’t realize what a breakthrough this was for Sonia to come out of her despondency. But it was only temporary. After meeting the Prince, she would fall back into a more severe depression once it was time to leave him and this enchanted day behind.
Kristin was already dreading the moment. She had the strongest feeling Sonia would dissolve into the kind of hysterics that would require a sedative to calm her down.
“We’re coming to my house. It’s a big rectangle made of wood and stone. The corners of the roof tip up. Right now there’s a layer of snow everywhere. In summer the garden is full of wildflowers of every color. Behind the house are the woods. Thor loves to run through them.”
The limo passed beyond a guarded gate and continued following the winding road lined with trees and dense shrubbery. Suddenly she glimpsed his house nestled in the scenery. Kristin had never seen anything like it before.
Such a solid structure seemed to be a part of the landscape itself, totally reminiscent of Frijia’s Viking heritage. Only a person of royalty could afford to live on top of a fjord in a home of such superb workmanship.
<
br /> Sonia could have no idea…
As Kristin climbed out of the limo and followed the Prince into his house, she had the impression she’d just entered a storybook.
CHAPTER FOUR
A BEAUTIFUL black Labrador preceded the Prince’s housekeeper into the foyer.
He rushed up to the Prince and rubbed his head against his trousers with a moan of joy.
“Thor? I want you to meet someone very special.” He put Sonia down. “Lift your paw and give her a handshake.”
The well behaved dog obeyed without question. The Prince guided Sonia’s hand. She grabbed hold of the dog’s paw and shook it. Her bright brown eyes shone before she laughed and threw her arms around the dog’s neck.
“I love you, Thor!” she cried. The patient dog stood there with his tail wagging and let her do whatever she wanted, then gave her a lick that made her giggle.
The Prince sought Kristin’s gaze. “My dog is bilingual. Frijian-American relations couldn’t be doing better could they?”
“Yes,” she whispered. Things were going too well. Kristin was terrified.
“Let’s remove your coat, elskling.”
After unzipping her parka, the Prince handed it to the housekeeper. “Eva? I’d like you to meet Sonia Anderssen and her aunt, Ms. Remmen. This is the young lady who won the Chocolate Barn’s contest. They’ve come all the way from Chicago, Illinois.”
“I’m delighted to meet you,” the older woman said, shaking Kristin’s hand. Her eyes flicked to Sonia. “I can see why you won. You look adorable.”
Before Kristin could prompt her niece to respond, Sonia said, “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.” She lifted her hand, but it wasn’t high enough.
The housekeeper frowned in bewilderment until the Prince whispered something in her ear. Immediately the older woman’s eyes teared up. She found Sonia’s hand and shook it, then hugged her as if she couldn’t help herself.
“I bet you’re cold and hungry. What would you like to eat?”
“Could I have hot chocolate and a sandwich, please?”
“I’ll fix it right now.”
“We’ll be in the living room,” the Prince murmured.
After the housekeeper told him in Frijian about an urgent call from a woman named Bea, she disappeared with Sonia’s coat.
Kristin had the distinct feeling it was one of the Prince’s girlfriends anxious to get in touch with him. No doubt in doing this favor for Princess Maren, he’d had to put his own plans on hold. Why on earth had he brought Kristin and Sonia to his house?
By now he’d turned his attention back to her niece. “Hold on to Thor’s collar, and he’ll take you on a tour of the house. Just tell him which rooms you want to see.”
Sonia let out a squeal of delight. “Thor—let’s go to the dining room first!”
The dog made another low moan, then slowly, carefully, started walking through double doors leading to the left side of the house. With that marvelous animal intuition, he sensed Sonia needed his help and paced himself accordingly.
Kristin’s eyes blurred at the touching sight.
The Prince’s held a tenderness that stunned Kristin. “Now that we’re alone, I’d like to know what your friends call you,” came his deep male voice.
She cleared her throat. “Kristin.”
“My name is Eric. I’d like you to use it.”
Avoiding his eyes she said, “I’m afraid we won’t be here long enough for that, Your Highness.”
“None of my friends refer to me that way. My sister would have asked you to call her Maren if she’d been able to meet Sonia today.”
Finally she lifted a troubled blue gaze to his. “Did she ask you to do all this?”
“All what?”
“I—I’m quite sure that everything you did for Sonia after we left the Chocolate Barn went beyond the call of duty,” she stammered.
His dark brown gaze pierced through to her insides. “To quote my sister, ‘We’re talking about a little girl here. A darling little five-or six-year-old who still believes in fairy princesses and castles and magic. No doubt she’s been waiting and waiting for tomorrow to come.”’
Kristin bit her lip. “With understanding like that, she’s going to make a wonderful mother.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Maren’s known for her heart of gold. Far be it for me to let her down.”
“You’ve done your part so well, Sonia’s not behaving like the same child I brought to Frijia.” Her voice shook. “She’s happy and laughing again. No one else has been able to bring her out of her shell. It’s wonderful to see.
“But if you thought you saw and heard an unhappy little girl in the back room of the Chocolate Barn because the Princess wasn’t coming, just wait until she has to say goodbye to you in a little while.”
He studied her through narrowed lids. “Who said anything about goodbyes?”
She took a fortifying breath. “Sonia and I are flying back to Chicago in the morning. I have to make certain she gets a good night’s sleep first. Any more time spent with you and she won’t want to leave.”
“Let’s not worry about that right now.” There was an underlying note of authority in his voice he probably wasn’t aware of. “I want to hear more about the accident that took her sight. If her condition is operable, I know a specialist who would be happy to examine her and operate. If it’s a matter of finances—”
“It’s not.” Kristin shook her head. “That’s very kind and generous of you, but Sonia has hysterical blindness.”
He pondered her comment for a long moment. “You mean she could see if her mind would allow it?”
“Yes. The psychiatrist on her case believes she’s feeling guilty about something to do with her parents’ death. She can’t forgive herself, so her subconscious won’t allow her to see. It’s a form of self-inflicted punishment.”
Lines marred his attractive features. “She’s only a child. How could she feel guilt like that at such a tender age?”
“I don’t know,” Kristin cried softly.
“Does she remember how the accident happened?”
“If she does, she won’t talk about it. That’s why the psychiatrist believes guilt over something has prevented her from opening up.”
“When did it happen?”
Kristin’s eyes closed for a moment. “Two months ago.”
“So recently,” he murmured sounding far away before he put a hand on her arm. “You’re trembling. Let’s go in by the fire and warm you up.”
The contact sent a fire all its own coursing through her veins. He didn’t relinquish his hold until he’d guided her through the double doors on the right side of the hallway. They walked to one of the couches placed next to the living room’s enormous hearth.
The heat from the flames of burning pungent pine seeped into her system, warming her from the inside out.
She could well picture a descendent of a fierce Norseman residing in this essentially male room, yet only a prince could live in such magnificent surroundings with inlaid wood flooring and a handcarved wood ceiling that dated back hundreds of years.
The intricate handcarved furniture gleamed in the firelight. The seafaring appointments of the room gave it the unique flavor of Frijia’s past. She imagined the Prince had looked through the telescope near the windows many times to see the stars as well as ships entering the fjord.
“Here we are.”
Kristin looked toward the doorway in time to see Sonia and Thor, followed by Eva who carried a tray. She set it down on the coffee table in front of the fire.
“Thank you,” the Prince murmured to his housekeeper. He called to the dog who walked over to his feet and lay down. “What do you think of my house, Sonia?” This he asked after he’d picked her up and seated her next to him on the couch facing Kristin.
“It’s a lot bigger than Grandpa Elling’s. How come you don’t have carpets?”
“Because these are wood floors with special designs,” Kristi
n said before he could. “You’d never want to cover them up. Now it’s time to eat these delicious looking ham sandwiches the housekeeper has made for us.”
The Prince fixed Sonia a plate and handed it to her. Kristin poured the hot chocolate into Christmas mugs.
“Here’s your drink. It’s the perfect temperature so it won’t burn your tongue. There’s the cutest little nisse on your cup looking out of a barn door.” She placed it in Sonia’s fingers. “When you’re through, there are some Christmas cookies too.”
“Yum.”
The room was silent while they began to eat. It appeared everyone had an appetite, especially the Prince who finished off a whole sandwich in no time at all.
“If you two will excuse me, I’ll be right back. Thor,” the Prince said after getting to his feet, “stay with Sonia.”
“Where are you going?”
“It’s not polite to ask,” Kristin reminded her.
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s all right. I have an important phone call to make.”
“Hurry then,” Sonia urged him.
Before Kristin put her head down in embarrassment, she saw the smile that broke out on the Prince’s arresting features. “I’ll be back by the time you’ve started on the cookies.”
“Can Thor have one?”
“Why don’t you give him part of a sandwich instead? He loves ham.”
“Okay.”
“First you need to eat the rest of your food,” Kristin admonished her niece when she saw that she was ready to give up her own half.
“I hope he comes back soon,” Sonia said between bites after he’d disappeared.
“I do too.”
For your sake as well as mine, we have to leave and get out of Frijia as fast as possible.
“Maren? How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine now that you’ve called. I’ve been waiting to hear from you and thought you must have left for Kvitfjell already.”
“No. I’m still at my house with Sonia.”
“I thought you were going skiing with Bea!”
Bea…He’d forgotten all about her.
“That came out wrong. Sonia’s the little girl who won the Chocolate Barn’s contest.”
12 Stocking Stuffers Page 96
