Avoiding Mr Right

by Sophie Weston

  The Princess bit her lip.

  ‘Not by accident.’ She sent Christina a quick look. ‘He’s been in a bit of a mood.’

  Christina interpreted. ‘You mean he could have run away?’

  ‘I don’t know. I don’t know.’ The other woman turned away suddenly, wringing her hands. ‘I wish I could just talk to Kay.’

  Christina said soothingly, ‘If the gardeners are searching, they’ll know the terrain better than His Highness, surely?’

  ‘Oh, the terrain.’ The Princess shrugged dismissively. ‘Simon listens to Kay.’ She hesitated, the exquisitely made-up face twisted. Then she went on in a burst, as if she could not help herself, ‘I’m probably not telling you anything you haven’t worked out for yourself. His father and I have had difficulties. The last couple of years Richard has become absolutely obsessed with work. We never saw him, so I gave him an ultimatum. Unfortunately Simon overheard and managed to convince himself that I was having an affair. He became completely unmanageable. I was truly grateful when Kay suggested the cruise. But everything went wrong right from the start.’

  ‘Do you think your brother might know where Simon has gone?’

  ‘I don’t know that either. I just—Kay seems so much closer to him than I am at the moment.’

  The Princess looked so wretched that Christina’s determination not to get involved collapsed.

  ‘Then let’s ask him,’ she said decisively.

  ‘Sir Goraev won’t let me anywhere near him.’

  ‘There’s two of us,’ pointed out Christina. ‘He won’t be physically able to keep both of us at bay at the same time.’

  The Princess stared at her. ‘You mean it,’ she said at last.

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Kay would be very angry,’ said his sister, with a shudder.

  ‘Tough.’

  The Princess eyed her with new respect. ‘Don’t you care if he’s angry with you?’

  ‘I’ll survive.’ Christina did not add, I have so far. Instead she took the other woman’s arm. ‘Come on. The sooner we get your brother involved, the sooner your mind will be at rest.’

  This time when Christina went into his office Luc was standing by his desk in front of the window, the telephone under his ear, an expression of controlled exasperation on his face. There was no change when they flung open the door. His concentration was entirely on the subject in hand.

  Sir Goraev was standing at the desk, sorting papers. When he saw them, he looked as exasperated as Luc and a good deal less controlled about it. He came over to them at once and stood between them and Luc.

  ‘I regret but—’

  The Princess said, ‘Please...’

  His expression was unyielding. Christina’s simmering anger went to white heat. She pulled back and then darted past him, just as she had in long-ago playgrounds, before Sir Goraev had assimilated the fact that she was not going to do what he’d told her to. He muttered an expletive and reached for her but it was too late? She was down the long, book-lined room like a champion sprinter.

  She put both hands on the desk and leaned across it, looking Luc compellingly in the eye, ignoring his telephone conversation.

  ‘Simon is missing,’ she said clearly.

  His eyes flickered.

  He said into the telephone, ‘Then take it to the council. I have more important things to do,’ and cut off the call.

  There was absolute silence. Then the Princess drew an audible breath. She looked shaken.

  ‘Explain,’ Luc rapped out.

  They all began to speak. He flung up a hand. They stopped.

  ‘Christina, what has happened to my nephew?’

  He’s blaming me already, she thought. Because I said they didn’t need looking after and now this happens. But she did not defend herself. There was no time.

  ‘He’s not in the house. He said he was going to swim but he hasn’t been to the pool.’

  Luc considered this. ‘Run away?’

  Sir Goraev said, ‘The gardeners are searching. Now, you really need to consider the French proposal by tonight...’

  Luc ignored him. ‘Where is Pru?’

  Christina jumped. ‘She went to see the goats being milked.’

  Luc sent her a look of irony. ‘No, she didn’t.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘Goats don’t get milked in the middle of the day. The children have conned you.’

  Christina flushed guiltily. He turned to his sister.

  ‘I’d say they’ve taken to the woods together,’ he said crisply. ‘Knowing Simon, he will have worked out some ultimatum or other.’

  ‘Then he will no doubt let us know in the course of time,’ said Sir Goraev. ‘Now, Your Highness, the French estimate—’

  ‘You can’t just leave it like that,’ Christina cried. ‘Woods can be dangerous for children. They could fall into a gully or there could be a landslip or—or anything. You can’t just leave them out there without even trying to find them. They’re children for God’s sake.’

  ‘As I’ve said, the gardeners are already searching for them. His Highness has higher responsibilities.’ The old adviser turned back to Luc. ‘Your duty, sir...’

  Luc was watching Christina.

  ‘Duty?’ he said. ‘Do I not also have a duty to my family, Goraev? To my feelings?’

  There was something in his eyes that made Christina feel suddenly as if she was standing in a high wind with no support within reach. It was rather scary—but exhilarating.

  ‘Of course you do,’ she said. She was oddly breathless.

  ‘Then for once, Goraev, old friend, I am listening to my feelings.’

  ‘Your Highness—’

  ‘Get the staff together in the kitchen,’ Luc said to Christina. ‘Including any of the gardeners that have not already started to search. I’m going to find my nephew.’

  His eyes were brilliant. They never left Christina’s face.

  ‘And then I’m going to deal with other more important matters,’ he said softly. ‘Matters I have neglected for too long.’

  CHAPTER NINE

  LUC WAS right. Simon had left an ultimatum. Christina found it in his room on top of his unopened suitcase. She caught it up and ran out onto the landing, calling Luc’s name.

  At once he came up the stairs two at a time. ‘You’ve found him?’

  She held out the note silently. He tore it open and scanned it rapidly. Then he looked up. ‘It could be worse. Simon says he and Pru won’t come back to the villa until his father comes,’ Luc reported.

  Christina’s eyes narrowed. ‘How will he know? Will someone in the house tell him?’

  Luc was frowning. ‘Unlikely. I imagine he will go up to the ridge and watch the road.’

  ‘The ridge? But surely...?’

  He nodded. ‘Where the landslips occurred. Dangerous. We must find them before they hurt themselves.’

  Christina felt sick. ‘This is my fault. I was so certain that you’d only got me here because you can’t bear to be crossed. I never even tried to take care of the children. I knew Simon was unhappy. I just didn’t think.’

  In spite of his preoccupation, Luc touched her reassuringly on the shoulder.

  ‘We all knew Simon was unhappy. None of us thought of this. You mustn’t blame yourself.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘Christina.’

  She stopped, her eyes swimming in tears. He put out a finger and tipped one very gently off her eyelashes. With a slanting smile he mocked himself. For the first time since she had known that he was the Prince of Kholkhastan, Luc looked like the man she had met in Athens.

  ‘Don’t tear yourself to pieces,’ he said gently. ‘You’re wrong about why I brought you here. But you’re right, it wasn’t to look after my nephew and niece.’

  She was so worried about Simon that she could not even rouse any anger at his duplicity.

  ‘What—?’

  ‘This isn’t the time to talk about it.’ Then, as if he coul
d not help himself, Luc feathered a caress under her damp lashes. His voice roughened. ‘When I get back—this time I promise you the whole truth. Nothing prettied up. Nothing left out, God help me.’

  Christina stared. There was an air of determination about him, as if he had set himself some vital and near impossible task.

  ‘And you’d better do the same. Or I won’t be answerable for the consequences.’

  Before she could think of an answer, he had turned and gone back to the anxious Princess. Christina followed more slowly. Her thoughts were in turmoil.

  Downstairs, Luc was calmly reassuring to his sister. However, Christina helped with his preparations to go in search of the children and noted that he included a strong climbing rope and a lightweight blanket that folded up into nothing.

  ‘You think the children have had an accident?’ she asked under her voice, helping him on with his pack.

  Luc hesitated. Then he said low enough not to be overheard, ‘It’s possible. They took off as soon as they got here. Simon had no opportunity to reconnoitre. There may be new hazards since he was last here.’

  Christina bit her lip. ‘How dangerous is it? For you, I mean?’

  Luc sent her a quick, surprised look. ‘I learned my hill-walking skills in the Himalayas.’

  ‘Oh.’ She subsided, flushing, feeling foolish.

  He touched her cheek briefly. ‘But it’s kind of you to worry.’

  Her head reared up. ‘I’m not worried. It’s nothing to do with me what risks you run.’

  Luc gave a soft laugh. ‘How wrong you are.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Christina said crossly.

  His eyes were dancing. But behind the look of mischief there was the determination that she had sensed upstairs.

  ‘I’ll make a deal with you. Wait for me and I’ll explain.’

  ‘Wait—?’

  ‘It may take some time to find the children. Don’t take off till I come back.’

  ‘Of course not,’ said Christina, outraged at the suggestion that she could be so hard-hearted. ‘I couldn’t leave the Princess at a time like this.’

  Luc nodded. ‘That’s put me in my place,’ he remarked. ‘Fine. Stay and hold her hand. My brother-in-law will be grateful not to have a hysteric on his hands when he arrives, I’ve no doubt.’

  Christina started. ‘He’s coming after all?’

  ‘He was on his way before Simon staged his dramatic blackmail attempt,’ he said dully. ‘So you’d better get used to calling my sister Mrs Aston.’ His mouth tilted suddenly in a wicked smile. ‘On second thoughts, don’t bother.’ He settled his pack comfortably and went to the door. ‘And don’t run away,’ he flung over his shoulder.

  The afternoon wore into evening and none of the search party came back. The Princess insisted that Christina swim but she did not do so herself, jumping up at every sound. Sir Goraev joined them and made no secret of his disapproval.

  ‘His Highness should not be distracted in this way,’ he said. ‘He has important decisions to make. He should be allowed to concentrate on them.’ He looked with austere displeasure at Christina’s tanned limbs as she climbed out of the swimming pool in her bikini.

  The Princess gave a crack of rather high-pitched laughter. ‘Christina hasn’t been distracting him. If you don’t like him being human, you should complain to Juliette Legrain.’

  Christina hid her winces in the vigorous towelling she gave her hair. Of course, she had seen for herself how close they still were only the evening before. So why did she hate to hear the Princess confirm it?

  I don’t care what he does, she told herself, marching back to her room to change. I don’t. This is just a passing attraction and I will get over it. I will. I don’t care what it is he thinks he’s going to do when he gets back. I’m not going to let him hurt me again. I shall just not think about him.

  But as the night closed in it became increasingly difficult to think of anything else. One by one other members of the search party came back. But of the children and their uncles there was no sign.

  Neither the Princess nor Christina managed more than a mouthful of any of the delicious four courses provided for their dinner. Even when her husband arrived, just as the coffee was being served, the Princess’s welcome was muted. At first Richard Aston looked rather put out, but when she told him about the children being missing he looked aghast.

  ‘Kay’s gone looking for them and he’s still not back? I’m going after him. Didn’t it occur to you that he might be hurt? It’s not just children who break their ankles in rabbit holes,’ he said contemptuously.

  ‘But Kay’s so fit—’

  ‘When he isn’t working sixteen hours a day,’ said Richard Aston grimly. ‘These days, though...’

  Christina thought of the powerful crawl that had taken Luc far out into the bay during their afternoon together, before she’d known who he was and her whole world had turned upside down.

  She said unwarily, ‘Don’t worry. He’s very fit.’

  Husband and wife stared at her.

  She flushed scarlet and stammered, ‘I—I mean, I think he is. We swam, you see. A few days ago. He beat me easily and I’m a good swimmer.’

  She lapsed into uncomfortable silence under Richard Aston’s shrewd stare. His wife looked shattered. There was an embarrassing pause.

  Sir Goraev said, ‘I think I hear someone now.’

  They all strained their ears. From the tiled corridors of the kitchen quarters came the unmistakable sound of Simon Aston announcing that he was all right.

  ‘Simon,’ sobbed his mother, and ran.

  The two men followed. Christina got up from the table more slowly. Her face still felt hot. She cursed herself for an idiot, feeling as if she had betrayed herself. She went reluctantly to the top of the staircase, only to hear Luc’s voice issuing equally unmistakable commands.

  She sagged against the ornate banister. He was safe. He was safe. Relief and gladness swept through her. She began to run down the stairs towards his voice.

  And stopped. What was she doing? She had no right to run to greet him. She was not a member of the family. She was not even a trusted retainer like Sir Goraev. Luc had told her not to run away but he had not licensed her to run into his arms the moment he returned. Which, Christina realised as her blood turned cold, was exactly what she had been about to do.

  Her hand went to her mouth. ‘You kiss me like a woman in love,’ he had said. She had denied it. She had not believed it. But now she was faced with the evidence. She was in love with the clever, lying, utterly unattainable Prince of Kholkhastan.

  ‘Hell,’ she said. ‘How could I be so stupid?’

  She turned and ran in the opposite direction up the staircase to her own room. Here comes another sleepless night, she thought grimly.

  Christina did not bother going to bed. She sat for a long time at the open window, looking out. The moon carved the landscape into little blocks of shadow. The stars looked cold. She could not stop shivering.

  When had she fallen in love? That first day when she had realised she needed to keep something of her own private from him, even if it was only her designer traineeship? Or on the beach when they had so nearly made love? Or, worse than that, had she fallen in love with him in her own dreams?

  Christina swore with rage and shame. Casting him as the hero of her fantasies was even more ridiculous than anything her mother had ever done. Silently she apologised to her mother’s ghost. How she had winced when her mother had launched herself into another hopeless relationship, thinking that this time Prince Charming had arrived. Now she could understand it more easily.

  ‘And I’m no better,’ Christina told herself, pounding her fist on the window-sill until it hurt. ‘I’m pathetic.’

  Luc had given her no encouragement. At least, not to fall in love with him. He quite liked the idea of taking her to bed all right. But that was all. Why, almost the last thing he had said to her was not to bother
learning to call his sister anything. That hardly sounded like a relationship with much of a future, Christina instructed herself grimly.

  She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she did not hear the door open. Or turn her head to see the tall man silhouetted in the light from the hallway. For a moment he stood there watching her tense figure at the window. Then he spoke.

  She nearly jumped out of the window with shock when Luc drawled, ‘Waiting up for me, Christina?’

  She sprang up from the window-seat and whirled to face him. He strolled in and closed the door deliberately behind him. Now the room had no light but the moon through the window, and it was leached of colour, loud with the sound of their breathing.

  ‘What...?’ Christina began in a breathless whisper.

  Luc laughed. ‘What am I doing here? Guess.’

  Her heart began to thunder so loudly that she was certain he must hear it. She swallowed. She tried desperately to think of something to say to keep him at bay. Her mind was a complete blank.

  He said softly, ‘The last time I asked to spend the night with you, you told me you weren’t that sort of girl.’

  ‘I didn’t. I said—not if you were the Emperor of China. Which you damn nearly are,’ Christina retorted.

  The night air hummed with warmth but she was shivering convulsively.

  ‘So it’s just as well that this time I’m not asking,’ Luc said coolly.

  He crossed the distance between them in two long strides. Expecting him to take her in his arms, Christina cried out in alarm as he swung her off her feet. He carried her to the undisturbed bed. In the moonlight, the thin, handsome face was laughing but very intent. She shut her eyes.

  ‘This is pure melodrama,’ she said with resolution. ‘Put me down.’

  ‘With pleasure,’ he said courteously.

  She was laid gently on the silky cover. Before she could move, however, or even had time to open her eyes, Luc was beside her.

  ‘You’ve been fighting this from the first day we met,’ he murmured. ‘From the very first. It’s nothing to be afraid of.’

  Oh, but it is, thought Christina. When you feel the way I feel about a man who only wants what you want, there is everything in the world to be afraid of. Did I recognise that, subconsciously, the very first time you bought me coffee and told me selected truths that were worse than lies? How clever of me. So why wasn’t I clever enough to get away?