“What?” He studied her for a moment. “You don’t have anything to say?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes. Let’s look at this note.”
Under a light along the sidewalk, they stopped. Annabelle carefully removed the note from the plastic, afraid the paper would disintegrate in her hands, but luckily it didn’t.
When she had it unfolded, she asked, “Can you tell what it says?”
Grayson studied the paper. “There’s something there, but in this light I can’t make it out. We’ll have to look at it when we get back to the palace.”
And so they set off for home. Annabelle didn’t know which had her stomach aquiver—the new message or the very unexpected, very stirring kiss.
* * *
This was impossible.
The next morning, Grayson sighed and leaned back on the couch in the palace’s library. They both studied the note.
The paper was old and weathered. And worse yet, some of the ink had faded. But Annabelle refused to give up. And he couldn’t blame her. If he were in her shoes, he wouldn’t give up either.
“What are we going to do?” Annabelle asked, sitting down beside him.
“Find a solution.” He opened his laptop and started typing keywords into the search engine about recovering writing from a faded document. Surprisingly, results were immediately available. “At last an answer.”
He turned the computer so Annabelle could read the instructions. It certainly seemed easy enough. But would it work for them?
“Let’s do it,” Annabelle said.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Of course. Why not?”
“Because those are some serious chemicals. They could ruin the paper beyond repair.”
“And what good is that note the way it is? We can only make out bits and pieces of the message. Certainly not enough to figure out what it says. I say let’s do it.”
“Okay then. Can you get the chemicals they mention in the article?”
“I think everything should be here at the palace. The trick is knowing who to ask or where to look.”
He nodded in understanding. “You find what we need and I’ll meet you out on the balcony.”
“The balcony?”
“You surely don’t want to use those chemicals in here. Do you?”
“You’re right.” She started for the door.
“Annabelle,” when she paused and turned to him, Grayson asked, “you did read the part where the blog post said to let the paper dry for a few hours before trying to read it?”
She frowned but nodded. “This is going to be the longest few hours of my life.”
“Hey, no worries. I’ll keep you distracted. After all there’s the heritage dinner in the village and we have to be at the courthouse soon—”
Knock. Knock.
Annabelle opened the door. The butler stood there holding a big package.
“Ma’am, this was just delivered for you.”
“For me? But I’m not expecting anything.”
“I assure you, ma’am that it has your name on it. But if you don’t want it, I’ll take it away.”
“Oh, no, I’ll take it.” She lowered her voice. “I always do enjoy a good surprise.”
Grayson couldn’t help but wonder why there was only one box. He’d expected at least two boxes. Something was amiss, but he’d straighten it out later.
She moved to the table and set down the big box. The outside cardboard shipping package had already been opened. Grayson guessed that was typical protocol for the palace. He couldn’t blame them. In this day and age, one couldn’t take chances when they lived in the public eye.
Annabelle lifted out a big white box with a large red ribbon. She glanced at him again. “You know what this is, don’t you?”
“I’m just watching.”
He enjoyed the childlike excitement written all over her face. Who’d have thought a member of royalty, who could have pretty much anything she wished for, would get so excited over a present. Or maybe the excitement was due to her utter surprise and wonderment. Whatever it was, he wanted to put that look on her face again.
She slid the ribbon from the box. She didn’t waste any time and she wasn’t exactly gentle. She was certainly anxious to see what was inside. Grayson stood back and smiled.
Annabelle lifted the lid and looked inside. At first, she didn’t say anything. His heart stopped. That couldn’t possibly be a good sign. The breath caught in his lungs as he waited.
Annabelle lifted the black sequined tulle gown from the box. He’d read the description of each gown on the internet until he found the one he thought would look best on Annabelle. He just hoped he’d guessed correctly about the size. After all, he’d never bought a gown before. But what was the good of being rich, if you didn’t splurge once in a while?
She turned to him. Her mouth gaped open, but her eyes said it all.
At last, Grayson could breathe. “You like it?”
She nodded vigorously and smiled. “It’s amazing. But I don’t understand.”
“You will. There should be more in the box.”
She turned around and lifted out a Venetian mask with an intricate detail and feathers. “But I...I’m not going to the masquerade ball.”
“You are now. It’s called payback.”
Her puzzled gaze met his. “Payback?”
“Yes, you signed me up for the chariot races and the judging. By the way, I really enjoyed the last part.” When a smile lifted her lips, he knew he could get her to agree to go the masquerade ball...with very little persuasion. “And I thought it was time I signed you up for something.”
Just then his phone buzzed. He wanted to ignore it, but he couldn’t. He was expecting a decision from the board. As he checked the caller ID, he realized it was them.
He moved to the other end of the room to take the call. If it was bad news, he didn’t want Annabelle to overhear. He’d need a moment to find the right words. But he sincerely didn’t believe that it’d come to that.
A few minutes later, he returned to Annabelle. She sent him a curious look but she didn’t pry.
“Aren’t you curious?” he asked.
“I figured if you wanted me to know that you’d tell me.”
“What would you say if I told you the board unanimously approved the South Shore Project?”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
“Really.”
She cheered and then rushed to him with her arms wide open. She hugged him tight. Her soft curves pressed against him and at that moment, he only had one thought on his mind—kissing her.
He pulled back just far enough to stake a claim on Annabelle’s glossy lips. He just couldn’t help himself. No other kiss had ever been so sweet. He just couldn’t get enough of her.
He lowered his head—
Knock. Knock.
Grayson uttered a curse under his breath as he released Annabelle.
Her fine brows drew together. “Do I even want to know what else you’re up to?”
“Me?” he said innocently. “Why are you blaming me for someone knocking on the door? Do you want me to get it?”
“No, I’ve got it.”
She swung the door open and the butler was standing there with another large box. Annabelle immediately took it. A grin played upon her very kissable lips.
“Thank you.” She started to close the door.
“Ma’am.”
She turned back to Alfred. “Yes.”
“The box is for Mr. Landers.”
“Oh.” Pink tinged her cheeks. “I’ll give it to him. Thanks.” When the door closed, Annabelle sent him another puzzled look. “What’s this?”
He approached her and took the box
from her. “This is what I’ll be wearing to the ball.”
“You’re going?” The surprise in her voice rang out, making him smile.
“Of course. I wouldn’t make you go alone.” When her mouth opened in protest, he held up a finger silencing her. “And before you complain, just remember that you owe me. And be grateful that there’ll be no chariots involved and that you won’t have to pretend to be a horse.” As she broke out in laughter, he’d never heard anything so wonderful. “By my way of thinking, you definitely win.”
She subdued her amusement. “When you put it that way, I have to agree with you.”
“Good. I’ll take that as your acceptance. We’d better get ready to leave for the courthouse.”
“I almost forgot.” She checked the clock. “We don’t have long. I just need to change.”
“I think I will too. I’ll meet you back down here.”
Her gaze moved to the note. “What about this?”
“We don’t have time to do anything with it now. Do you have someplace safe to keep it?”
She nodded. “My room will be safe enough.” She lowered her voice even though they were the only two in the library and the doors were shut. “As a little girl, I found a loose piece of molding with space behind it. It will be the perfect place.”
“Sounds good.”
He knew that he shouldn’t be so eager to spend time with her. After all he’d gone through after Abbi’s death, he’d sworn off letting anyone get that close to him again. But if he could just maintain this friendship with Annabelle, they’d be all right.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
WHO’D HAVE GUESSED that he could be so charming?
Annabelle’s feet barely touched the floor as she made her way back to her room with her ball gown in her arms. She wondered if it’d fit. She wasn’t worried. There was a woman on staff at the palace who could work magic with a needle.
She couldn’t believe Grayson had bought her a ball gown. No one had ever done anything so thoughtful for her—ever. Annabelle spread the gown out over the bed. It was simply stunning, with a crystal-studded bodice. The man certainly had good taste. A smile pulled at her lips.
If he didn’t want to get involved with her, he was certainly sending out the wrong signals, from the kiss in the park to this gown. Maybe he was changing his mind. And she didn’t see how that would be so bad.
There was a knock at her door. She rushed over, thinking that it was Grayson. She wondered what he’d forgotten to tell her. She opened it to find a new member of the household staff standing there holding a silver tray.
The young woman smiled. “Ma’am, your mail.”
Annabelle accepted it and closed the door. She was about to set the mail aside when she noticed that the top envelope didn’t have a postage stamp.
She stared at it a little longer. It had her name typed out but no address. And the longer she stared at it, the more convinced she was that someone had actually used a typewriter. She was intrigued. She didn’t know of anyone these days who used a typewriter.
She placed the other two envelopes on the desk before picking up a letter opener and running it smoothly along the fold in the envelope. She withdrew a plain piece of paper. When she unfolded it, she found a typed note:
This is your only warning.
Leave the past alone.
Nothing good will come of you unearthing ghosts.
You don’t want to end up like your mother.
Annabelle gasped. She’d been threatened. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. The implications of this note were staggering.
She backed up to the edge of the bed and then sat down. This verified her father’s suspicions. He’d been right all along. Suddenly, guilt assailed Annabelle for thinking all these years that her father was paranoid.
Her mother’s killer was alive and here in Mirraccino. And this cipher was somehow tied in to it all.
She had to tell Grayson. She rushed out of her room and down the hallway to Grayson’s door. Please let him be here. She knocked, rapidly and continuously.
“Okay, okay. I’m coming.”
Grayson swung the door open. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and his shirt was unbuttoned. The words caught in the back of Annabelle’s throat. He looked good—really good.
“Annabelle, what’s the matter?” Grayson’s voice shook her out of her stupor.
“I, ah...” She suddenly realized that telling him about the note probably wasn’t a good idea. She moved the envelope behind her back.
The more she got to know about Grayson, the more she realized that he was cautious like her father and uncle. He’d probably want to tell the king about the note and she didn’t intend to let that happen until she discovered the truth about her mother’s death.
“Annabelle?”
“Sorry.” Her mind rapidly searched for an answer that wouldn’t raise his suspicions. She glanced up and down the hallway, making sure they were alone. Then she lowered her voice. “I just wanted to let you know that I stashed the note.” Then she made a point of checking her bracelet watch. “Shouldn’t we be going?”
He frowned at her. “I didn’t think you’d be anxious to get to the courthouse early.”
She shrugged. “It never hurts to make a good impression.”
“Annabelle, there’s something else. Tell me.”
She frowned at him. How could he read her thoughts so easily? The truth was that she really did want to share the contents of the note with him. She’d trusted him this far, surely she could trust him with this too.
“There is one other thing.” She glanced around again to make sure they were still alone. She really didn’t want anyone to overhear them and report back to the king.
“Would you like to come inside?”
He didn’t have to ask her twice. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “I received something very strange in today’s mail.”
“The mail? What is it?”
She held out the envelope. “Here. Maybe it’d be better if you read it yourself.”
His brows drew together as he accepted the envelope. He glanced at the front which only had her name, Lady Annabelle. He withdrew the note and started to read.
He didn’t say anything as his gaze rose to meet hers. And then he read it again. The continued silence was eating at her. Why didn’t he say something?
At last, not able to contain herself, she said, “Well, what do you think? This is a good sign, isn’t it?”
“Good? How do you get that?” His voice rumbled with emotion. “This is far from good.”
Why wasn’t he seeing this as a good sign? Maybe if she explained her reasoning. “Don’t you see? If we weren’t getting close, whoever this is wouldn’t be scared that we’re going to reveal the truth.”
“And I think you’re taking this too lightly. Annabelle, this is a threat to your safety. You have to tell your uncle and the police.”
She shook her head. “No way. This is proof that my mother’s murder was something more than a mugging.”
“Which is another reason to bring in the authorities.”
“No.” She would not bend on her decision. “They won’t take it seriously—”
“They will. They’ll make sure you’re safe.”
“But they won’t reopen my mother’s case.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
Her unwavering gaze met his. “We have no proof of foul play. Until we do, this stays between us.”
Grayson blew out a deep breath as he raked his fingers through his hair. “You think we’ll find the proof we need by following the clues?”
She nodded. “I promise, as soon as we have proof of my mother’s murder we’ll go to the police.”
“Can I tr
ust you?”
She swiped her finger over her heart, making an X. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Okay. I don’t think you have to go that far. But if I agree to go along with this, you have to do something for me.”
“Name it.”
“You have to promise not to go out of my sight. Someone has to keep you safe—someone who knows there’s a legitimate threat lurking out there.”
The implications of his words struck her. “When you say not out of your sight, are we talking about sleeping and showering together?”
He frowned at her. “Any other time I’d welcome your flirting, but not now. This is serious. You get that, don’t you?”
She did, but she refused to let that note scare her off. “I was just trying not to let the threat get to me, but you just went and ruined that.”
“You can’t pretend your safety isn’t at risk.” He pressed his hand to his trim waist. “You should back off this search and let me handle it.”
“That’s not going to happen.” She leveled him a long, hard stare, making sure he knew she meant business. “I’ll take the threat seriously, but we’re in this together.”
“And when I tell you to do something to keep you safe, you’ll do it without arguing?”
“Now you’re pushing your luck.” When he looked as though he was about to launch into another argument, she said, “Stop worrying. I won’t do anything dangerous. Besides, you’ll be right there to protect me. Now, we should get going.”
There was no way Grayson was cutting her out of this hunt. They were close to solving her mother’s murder. Really close.
* * *
“What’s wrong?”
Annabelle’s voice cut through Grayson’s thoughts. They had just finished at the courthouse and had returned to the palace. She’d maneuvered her car into a parking spot off to the side of the palace with the other estate vehicles.
Grayson cleared his throat. “I didn’t think you knew how to drive.”
It wasn’t what he was thinking about, but it gave him time to think of how to word the next thing he had to tell her.
The Millionaire's Royal Rescue Page 13
