By Royal Demand

by Robyn Donald

  She didn't like the speculative smile on his lips, but his voice was amused. ‘Ilike that tigerish glower but the way your eyelids droop when I'm kissing you is much more intriguing.'

  Sensing his intention Sara tried to clamp her lips together only to feel them soften and cling when his mouth covered hers. If she didn't know better she'd almost be able to believe that the kiss was tender she thought dreamily floating on the beguiling tide of afterglow and arousal eager to lose herself in the sensuous enchantment of his touch rather than ask herself unanswerable questions.

  He slid his hands around her waist and lifted her so that he could taste her breasts with exquisitely tormenting skill. Sara's breath came faster and she shivered at the sensuous rush of hunger through her body.

  She linked her arms around his neck and swayed towards him her body curving into his.

  Quietly, holding his gaze with hers she asked 'Why won't you believe that I had nothing to do with the disappearance of the Queen's Blood'?' Afterwards she cursed the impulse that had brought the words to her lips before she had time to censor them. But she couldn't make love with him again knowing what he thought of her. In the heat of anger yes' never in this slow shouldering gentleness this simulation of love.

  His big body clenched and in a single strong movement he pushed her away and got off the bed striding towards the window in naked splendour. Bitterness overwhelming her Sara watched him go each step taking him away from the only common ground they owned.

  While she'd slept in his arms the late-afternoon sun had tinted the clouds over the mountains pink and copper. The reflected light caressed the lines and contours of his body warming bronze skin and highlighting the sinuous flow and flexion of the muscles beneath. He looked she thought with a catch to her heartbeat like some magnificent artefact from the old Mediterranean a careless god come down to cause turmoil and pain to a dappled love-struck woman.

  He said harshly 'Does it make more sense to believe that the woman who kept the secret all those years even when her family was targeted by the tyrant-'?' 'What do you mean'?' she interrupted.

  He struck the windowsill with a clenched fist. The overt violence shocked her' she'd always sensed his capacity for it but his icy self-discipline had kept it leashed. Even when he'd accused her of stealing the rubies and sent her out of his life he hadn't raised his voice.

  She shivered her skin tightening at the memories. He hadn't needed to. His cutting words had flayed her to the bone.

  In a cool unemotional tone Gabe said ‘He knew that her whole family was loyal and that Marya had worked as maid to my grandmother. He didn't have a high opinion of women so it never occurred to him that she'd have been entrusted with the secret. But after her father and husband died in the bastard's torture chambers so did two of her cousins who'd also worked at the castle.'

  Sara gave a horrified gasp.

  'That's what it was like here.' Gabe spoke with quiet lethal intensity. ‘My grandparents were lucky-their deaths in ambush were easy compared to those who fell into my cousin's hands. Marya survived by pretending to be slightly unhinged but she suffered torture and beatings and bitter grief to protect the Queen's Blood and she never lost faith that we'd come back. I cannot believe she would steal the necklace.'

  Sickened Sara huddled into the puffy duvet pulling it around her to hide her nakedness. Absently, she rubbed a slight red mark on her arm.

  Gabe swore under his breath and came back to the bed.

  Sara watched him warily while he held the palm of his hand over the place she'd touched.

  'Did I do that'?' he demanded harshly.

  ‘1 don't know ' she said on a subdued inflection adding, ‘lt could be an insect bite.'

  Gabe straightened and surveyed her with a burnished opaque gaze. ‘1 hope so. I'm not rough with my women.'

  His words brought her chin up sharply. ‘l'm not one of your women ' she returned hoping her voice was steady enough to hide the pain that clawed at her.

  A cynical humourless movement of his beautiful mouth sent another despairing quiver through her.

  'Don't lie ' he said. ‘one touch and you'd give me what I want.'

  'Reluctantly ' she snapped.

  'Yes, but that's the point.' He pulled on his trousers his big body moving with lithe careless grace. ‘of course it's reluctant-do you think I wanted to make love to you'?' She turned her head away and listened to his movements matching his cold dismissing tone when she said ‘Ithink that whatever this-this wretched thing is that links us it's totally devoid of love or compassion or understanding.'

  ‘1 have to agree. A woman who would steal something and try to frame an uneducated peasant for the theft comes pretty low in my estimation. As well as being stupid. That was the first safe Marya had ever seen' she didn't understand how it worked. And you chose the number.'

  ‘How do you know she hadn't seen a safe before'?' she demanded some dim memory niggling at her brain.

  'Because she told me and I believed her ' he said levelly.

  'But she suggested the number to set.' It was obvious he didn't believe her and she insisted. lt was the date of your birthday.'

  He gave a snort of derision.

  The defeatism she felt whenever she tried to convince him boiled over into fury. Ignoring her nakedness she sprang off the bed and stalked across to him all wild mahogany hair and vehemently glittering eyes green as grass in her flushed face.

  'The seventh of November ' she hissed poking him in the chest with an aggressive forefinger. ‘1 don't care now what you think or why you believe I did it but I did not take the damned necklace.'

  A whisper of cool meadow-scented air through the window licked across Sara's skin. Shivering she realized that she was standing naked in front of him that he was only half dressed and for once-the only time ever she thought bleakly-they weren't falling onto the bed overpowered by the need to slake this mutual lust.

  For some odd reason it seemed like progress-except that one glance at Gabe's ice-blue eyes and flinty face scotched that idea.

  Resisting the urge to weep she turned away and said woodenly ‘lt doesn't matter any more. Let me go Gabe-we're just tearing each other apart going over and over the same thing getting nowhere.'

  'Why the hell are you so stubborn'?' Gabe's anger roughened his voice but he stunned her by saying fiercely ‘lf you'd just tell me why, I think I might find it in my heart to understand-to forgive.'

  'Forgive'?' Bitterness wrenched a short mirthless laugh from her' it felt like shattering glass in her chest. ‘lf

  anyone needs to forgive I should be forgiving myself for being so stupid as to fall in love with a stubborn stupid inflexible unbearable man like you. At least you made sure I soon fell out of Iove'.

  She stopped staring at him as the wisp of memory that had teased her brain suddenly solidified. And Marya does know how a safe worked Two days ago she took me into your office unlocked the big document safe and brought out the plans of the castle.'

  Gabe's expression darkened but after a moment he shrugged dismissing her statement. 'she's been working in the castle all year. No doubt she's seen me use it.'

  Aware now that nothing would convince him Sara gave up. Baldly her facial muscles stiff and tired she said 61 don't know what you hoped to achieve from this ridiculous kidnapping but it's not going anywhere. I want to go.

  Now.'

  ‘You'II go at the end of the week ' he said relentlessly. And why was Marya helping you'?' ‘perhaps because she feels a little sorry for me'?' she stated tautly. 'Why don't you ask her'?' She glowered at his back as he walked towards the door the freezing chill engendered by his total lack of trust in her not dissipating when she saw the red scratches on his back put there by her fingernails in a wild excess of passion.

  Frustration and anger loosened her control over her voice. More loudly than she intended she said after him ‘And while you're doing that why don't you ask her what she hoped to achieve by stealing the Queen's Blood'?' It was a che
ap shot and he ignored it. She waited until the door closed behind him before collapsing onto the side of the bed and biting her lips to hold back the aching, humiliating tears.

  She couldn't bear to stay here as a convenient mistress used whenever he wanted her ignored when he didn't to be banished like a discarded dishrag once she'd convinced him she wasn't pregnant. It would destroy something vital in her-the last shred of pride.

  She had to get away.

  She had dressed again in a pair of jeans and a soft jersey the exact red-brown of her hair when she heard the clatter of a helicopter. A nameless emotion cut off her breath. Gabe was going.

  Or perhaps she thought steadying her hand and putting down the comb he was sending her away. Perhaps their soulless mechanical coupling had sickened him into realising that she had to go. Pain sliced through her so sharply she gasped but she stiffened her shoulders and spine and held her head high.

  No, he wouldn't send her away until he was sure she wasn't pregnant.

  But even if she were she wouldn't marry him and compound the mockery that was their relationship. No child should have to grow up knowing its father despised its mother.

  A knock on her door brought her head around. Slowly apprehensively she said score in.'

  Marya appeared smiling as always no sign in her cheerful wrinkled face of the torture and pain she'd endured for the sake of the Queen's Blood and the Considines. Her black eyes checked out the bed and Sara cringed. Why hadn't she pulled the covers straight? There could be no doubt what had happened there She searched the older woman's face for chagrin but Marya positively beamed at her.

  ‘His Grace say come down now ' she announced the words ringing with pride. She surveyed Sara and nodded in satisfaction. 'please.'

  Sara stared at her. ‘no.'

  Clearly taken aback the maid frowned. 'You must. Clothes are fine-you look good.'

  ‘1 don't want to see him.'

  Marya gave a huge exasperated sigh. 'Then the Grand Duke come up and bring you down.'

  Anger spiked through Sara. She opened her mouth but closed it again firmly. She wasn't going to throw a tantrum in front of the woman who'd deliberately wrecked her life.

  Very well then ' she said tonelessly. ‘Ineed to put some make-up on.'

  She turned and went into the bathroom to don the only armour she possessed. Foundation first-her sheer matt one didn't provide enough camouflage, but it would be better than nothing. Eyeliner and shadow highlighted her eyes, then carefully she outlined her tender mouth with a soft raspberry lipstick. She was still too pale so she applied a little blusher to her cheeks and stared at her reflection. Defiance sparked green in her eyes' she fished in her makeup kit and drew out a luscious fuchsia Iipgloss.

  And you can make what you like of that ' she murmured when she'd applied it. At least it and the blusher stopped her from looking defeated and miserable. She strode into the bedroom but stopped precipitately in the doorway; Marya hadn't left and was still bustling around. She'd remade the bed and was neatly folding the shirt Gabe had left behind.

  She looked up when Sara entered and grinned bright black eyes snapping with laughter. 'Good ' she said.

  Very good ' Sara blinked abruptly abandoning her conviction that the maid had stolen the necklace. She couldn't be so-so blasted normal she thought as she walked beside the older woman to the lift if she'd taken the Queen's Blood. Right from the start Marya had seemed happy to see her even conspiratorial as though they were accomplices But if it hadn't been Marya, then who? None of it made sense she thought despairingly.

  Marya opened the door into Gabe's study. Two men looked up and Sara's breath caught painfully in her chest.

  Individually Gabe and his cousin were two extremely handsome men' together they were overwhelming. It was easy to see they were related' both were tall and lean and graceful blazing with an inbuilt air of authority. 80th had dark hair and bronze skin and they shared the trademark Considine blue eyes-passed on from some Saxon princess in their heritage, Gabe had told her.

  Gabe said neutrally Alex you've met Sara of course.'

  Sara smiled at the man beside him. ‘lt's good to see you sir.'

  Prince Alex's eyes were far too perceptive but he smiled and shook her hand and made some inconsequential remark. In response she asked after his wife a noted marine biologist and his children.

  Autocratic features softening he told her of the latest escapade of the Crown Prince an imp of eighteen months who had inherited the Princess Ianthe's love of water.

  ‘swimming with dolphins is all very well ' he finished wryly, sand of course the people insist that it's a sign that all will be well in Illyria for the next generation but none of us know how he learned to swim. The girls-'referring to his young daughters a-insist that the dolphins taught him and as their nurse probably told them this I assume that the people believe it too.'

  The rare dolphins of Illyria's large central lake were the prized icons of its people figuring largely in folklore and pageantry.

  What followed could have been any meeting of friends' both men had superb manners and made things easy for her and although occasionally her composure lurched she thought she got through the first part of the evening well. Neither man mentioned why the Prince had decided to call in at the Wolfs Lair' instead the conversation ranged far and wide.

  The frisson of awareness was always there of course' Sara was acutely conscious of Gabe's gaze.

  And the Prince knew. He must have sensed the tension the moment she walked into the room.

  Later she couldn't remember what they ate for dinner' it was even difficult to recall their conversation. She could however picture the darkly intent look on Gabe's face as he challenged his cousin on some issue of state-and the note of enthusiasm as the two men discussed the next step in their subtle manipulation of Illyria into the ranks of modern nations.

  And the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed and the quirk of his mouth when his cousin said something that amused him-and his avoidance of any contact with her at all.

  Interested in spite of herself Sara kept her eyes guarded and fought for a clear mind refusing to think of what had happened that afternoon. Time enough when she was sleepless in bed to let her mind dwell on each- Stop that right now! Eventually she rose and said ‘l'm sure you have much to talk about so 1'11 leave you now.'

  Both men got to their feet. 'Goodnight ' the prince said his mouth faintly ironic. ‘l'm afraid I'm going early tomorrow morning so this will be goodbye-until I see you again.'

  What did he mean by that?

  ‘Please give my regards to your wife ' she said formally sand a hug for each of the girls and your son.'

  ‘of course ' Once outside the room she breathed more easily but the headache that had begun to knock during the last half-hour didn't ease. In her room she shook a painkiller into the palm of her hand then looked down at it. If she were pregnant it might not be a good idea. She'd refused wine both before and during dinner' Gabe's eyes had rested on her face then moved on as he'd poured a delicious fruit concoction for her but he knew why.

  And the Prince probably suspected she thought worriedly. Nothing much escaped him.

  Why hadn't she asked him for help to get out of the castle? He was possibly the only man on earth who might be able to make Gabe let her go' it hadn't taken her long to sense the true deep respect and affection they had for each other.

  Because it would have put the Prince in an awkward position she told herself then grimaced. He'd coped with awkwardness before' hell the man had walked into a country on the verge of civil war and by sheer force of personality brought about peace.

  And she hadn't kept quiet because she didn't want to ruin the relationship between the two men.

  No. Admit it. She wanted these final few days with Gabe.

  A half-gulp, half-sob shook her. She washed the pill down the handbasin cleaned her face and teeth and only

  then realized that someone had left a package in
the bathroom beside her sponge bag.

  Frowning she surveyed it her mouth shaping a soundless OhI when she realized what it had to be-the pregnancy test kit.

  It only took a few minutes. She stared at the little marker and when it didn't change colour she ordered herself to be happy to feel great because she wasn't pregnant with Gabe's child.

  But an enormous grief weighed her down with a heaviness she hadn't experienced before not even when Gabe had so summarily dismissed her from his life. Moving slowly and carefully she got into her nightclothes.

  Her bed had been pulled back and someone-possibly Marya possibly the young maid-had picked another rosebud and put it in a small silver vase on the table. Sara touched the silken petals with her forefinger almost deluding herself she caught a faint sweet old-fashioned scent.

  Tears clotted her throat. Nothing's changed she told herself fiercely. And if the test had been positive you'd be shattered.

  But she sat down on the side of the bed letting herself mourn everything she'd lost.

  Sheer stubborn willpower brought it to an end. She swallowed poured herself a glass of water from the jug on the bedside table and forced herself to drink it down. Then ferociously blinking back the moisture in her eyes, she inspected the room with careful detachment.