Hand-Me-Down Princess

by Carol Moncado

  The fuzzy perception of the world around her narrowed until she could only see him. Could only feel Conner’s breath as he leaned closer. Her heart could only beat in time with his as his lips caressed hers. Warning bells grew fainter in the fog as she reached out a hand and touched the scruff on his cheek. The bells sailed further away until they disappeared when she slid her hand behind his neck, and her fingers found the hair curling at the nape.

  Time stood still until the pink glow of sunrise clashed with the pounding in her head and the hand on her arm shaking her.

  “Miss Bence.” The whispered voice could have been thunder. “It’s time for you to get ready for your flight.”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but found she had to try several times before the cotton feeling disappeared. “What?” she managed to croak.

  “Your flight has already been delayed. Your father will not be pleased if you don’t hurry.” She handed Lizbeth a long sun dress. “You’ll have clothes waiting on the plane. You’ll have time to take a quick shower and get ready during the flight.”

  Lizbeth slipped the dress over her head and let the woman lead her into the house, knowing she left behind a sleeping companion. When they reached the kitchen, they stopped long enough for Lizbeth to force down a tablespoon of olive oil with the admonition that it would help the hangover.

  “Hangover?” she asked. “We didn’t drink that much.”

  “You shared a pitcher of Ravenizinis?”

  “One at the restaurant and one here. But there’s not much alcohol in them.”

  “It depends on how you make them.”

  “The ones you made never made me feel like this.”

  “That’s because I don’t use nearly a full package of the mix when I made them for you, love. I watered it down significantly.”

  “Oh.” That explained so much, including the heaping doses of self-loathing that were sure to follow in the coming days. She stood next to the rear door of the black car. “Will you give Conner my contact information?” She’d need to clarify a few things with him, including the fact that she had no desire for a relationship, and apologize for getting them both drunk.

  “I will.”

  Lizbeth climbed into the backseat and prayed the home remedy would work. If her father found out what happened the night before, he would be livid. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

  She’d betrayed herself. Her beliefs. Everything she held dear. She even felt like she’d betrayed Robert.

  It was time to live with the consequences, and the hardest ones to live with would be the betrayals her mind would never let her forget.

  * * *

  Jessabelle stared at the piece of paper in front of her.

  Fifty years.

  It was quite a milestone birthday to reach. Her mother never had. Her father missed it by less than a year.

  But what was she supposed to write to her father-in-law? The one she had barely spoken to in her life. Had she ever had a conversation with just him, more than just answering a question or two as part of a larger group setting?

  Finally, she tossed her pen on the table and groaned. She wasn’t going to be able to do this.

  It would be time for dinner soon. The next two days were jam-packed with activities and she wouldn’t have any time to work on the letter except late in the evening. She needed to write it now. Could something fairly generic work? What she might have written before the wedding about the king of her country?

  That would never do, though.

  But what if she just didn’t give him a letter? Were they each presenting them individually in a group setting or were they being gathered to be presented as a large packet?

  “How’s it going?” Malachi walked into the bedroom where she sat trying to focus.

  “It’s not,” she told him honestly. “I have no idea what to say that wouldn’t just be empty platitudes.”

  “You need to give him something,” he insisted. “The last night here all of us will say something to him and give him the letter. If you don’t have one, you’ll be the only one who doesn’t. You’ll never live it down. He’ll never let you forget it and never forgive you for it.”

  Jessabelle crossed her arms. “Would it be worse to say something I don’t mean? To give him a letter of meaningless words he could throw back in my face later when I fail at some other public function?”

  “I don’t know what would be worse, but I am inclined to say not doing anything would be worse.”

  “Worse for me,” she countered. “I would be the one carrying the stigma of being the only family member not to give him something, the one who didn’t cooperate for his big birthday bash. He still gets all kinds of other lovely things from everyone else.”

  “And you don’t think it’ll hurt him when you don’t?”

  Jessabelle stared at him before giving a bark of laughter. “Hardly. The only way I could hurt his feelings would be to announce publicly that I had cheated on you and was pregnant with another man’s child. He doesn’t care what I think about him. He doesn’t care about me enough for me to be able to hurt him.”

  There seemed to be some pain in Malachi’s eyes that she didn’t quite understand. “What if I asked you to do it for me?”

  Jessabelle felt herself softening. “I want to, Kai, but I just don’t know what to say. I don’t have any deep, meaningful memories to share or advice to give, except maybe be nicer to your children and their spouses.”

  “That wouldn’t go over well.” He sighed and sat in one of the other chairs. “But it’s important.”

  She went to him, sitting on his lap, being forward in a way she’d never imagined. “I know it is, Kai. I wish I could do this and have it mean something, I really do, but I just don’t see it happening.” She pressed a kiss to his temple. “I’ll keep trying to think of something, though, okay?”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. “Thanks. I cannot explain it, but I have a feeling this is important. I need you to try.”

  “I will.”

  “Thank you.” Malachi cupped the back of her head and pulled her to him, kissing her softly. “I appreciate it.”

  They talked for a few more minutes about the rest of the group that would be arriving in the next couple of days. When Malachi finally fell asleep, Jessabelle snuggled next to him with a smile on her face. She was coming to love him for so many reasons, and, though he hadn’t said it yet, he seemed to be falling in love with her, too. But even as she tried to push it away, a sense of foreboding washed over her, and she felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She didn’t know what the first shoe had been, but the second was sure to be a doozy.

  Chapter 32

  “So when will this farce of a marriage end?”

  Lizbeth felt her face heat as her father poured himself more brandy.

  The king didn’t say anything but sipped his own drink.

  “You promised, Antonio.” The warning tone in his voice was one Lizbeth knew well. The king, however, seemed nonplussed. Maybe because he was the king.

  “We had a deal,” her father persisted.

  “We never had a deal.” The king stared into his drink. “You wanted one. I never agreed.”

  “You implied. You implied a whole bunch of times that LB would be Malachi’s wife.” Her father sat in the plush leather chair and leaned back.

  “You read what you wanted into those conversations. I never promised Lizbeth would marry Malachi. I never promised she’d marry William, either.”

  “But this marriage will end and soon, won’t it?”

  The king shrugged. “It’s not my choice.”

  “You forced him to marry her. She’s not pregnant. You can’t force the annulment?”

  Antonio didn’t say anything, but tipped his head back to swallow the rest of his drink in one gulp. “Even if I wanted to, there’s two more months before the codicil could go into effect.” The king glared at her father. “Don’t try to force my hand and do
n’t even think about threatening me. Tread very carefully.”

  Her father gave him a cold smile. “No, Antonio. You are the one who needs to be careful.”

  They seemed to have forgotten she was there with them.

  Her father and the king engaged in a stare down for long minutes. The king seemed to break it first when he stood and left. She wasn’t sure who won, but she was inclined to believe the king did, at least based on the look on her father’s face. Maybe if she sat still, didn’t make a sound, he’d forget she was there.

  But no such luck.

  “How was Conner, LB?” He didn’t look at her but continued to stare at the door the king left through.

  “He was nice.” What else did he want her to say? She tried not to think about...

  “You spent last night with him.”

  It was as statement not a question. How did he know?

  “You went to that bar in town? You should know better, Lizbeth.” The disapproving tone told her his objections were more to drinking in public than anything else. He didn’t necessarily know about what happened on the davenport. Surely, the staff at the house wouldn’t have told him. And she doubted Conner was on a first name basis with her father.

  “When I tell you to go somewhere this weekend, what do you do?”

  “Go.” One day she’d stand up to him and find out what would happen if she didn’t ask how high when he said to jump.

  That day wouldn’t be this weekend.

  * * *

  “You found out who her mother is?” Malachi shut the door to his office.

  “We think so.” Josh Wilson sighed on the other end of the line. “We’re waiting for confirmation from our source in the Commonwealth.”

  “What’s the woman’s name?” He sank into his desk chair.

  Josh hesitated. “Sorry, sir. No can do. Not until we’re sure.”

  “Is it someone she knows?”

  “Not to my knowledge.” Malachi heard some papers shuffling. “That’s where we’re at on this end right now.”

  “All right. Keep me updated?”

  “I’ll talk to you next Friday unless we have definitive news before then.”

  After another minute of idle chat, Malachi disconnected the call.

  “Who was that?” Jessabelle looked up from her book when he emerged from his office.

  “Josh Wilson.” He sat on the chair across from her.

  “Did he have any news?”

  Malachi told her the latest.

  “So nothing.” Jessabelle sighed. “I guess it’s too much to hope it would happen quickly.”

  “I’m sorry.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost time for dinner.”

  He kissed her soundly before they made their way down to the formal dining room. The cousins from Montevaro and Ravenzario had arrived earlier in the day, though Malachi hadn’t seen them yet. He was surprised when Lizbeth and her father were already seated at the dining table. He knew they were coming but when had they arrived?

  He did notice that he wasn’t seated anywhere near Lizbeth. Jessabelle would appreciate that. He knew his father was in charge of the seating and he appareciated the arrangements. He did wonder what Mr. Bence thought about being seated so far from the head of the table, but with so much royalty present, he could hardly expect to be seated near the monarch. The man’s attitude must be grating on his father as well.

  After dinner ended, a number of the women, including Jessabelle and Lizbeth, gravitated into one of the sitting rooms. The men in the group ended up in the billiards room. Malachi avoided Mr. Bence as much as possible, but found himself cornered a time or two. William seemed to pick up on Malachi’s annoyance and rescued him both times.

  After a while, Malachi decided to simply remove himself and walked out onto a balcony circling a large portion of the second floor. He rested his forearms on the stone railing and stared across the darkened valley. Lights twinkled down below and to one side. The village was nice as far as villages go. Not a whole lot to offer except quaintness and proximity to the ski slopes, but that was enough.

  “Tired of all the man talk?”

  He didn’t glance around to see Lizbeth walk up. “Just wanted some fresh air,” he told her.

  “The women are all talking about the queens. One is having a baby and the other is getting married. Is that public knowledge yet? If it is, I misssed it, I think.”

  “I don’t think they’ve made the announcement yet.”

  “It’s a gorgeous night.”

  “Yes, it is.” Jessabelle’s voice rang in his head. Don’t be alone with Lizbeth. He liked her well enough as a friend, but he didn’t trust her father with anything. If he answered in short, curt sentences, maybe she’d leave him alone. He could hear the laughter coming from both rooms from here. They weren’t far and anyone looking out the windows either place would be able to see them. Not exactly a compromising situation.

  Lizbeth pushed back from the rail a few feet away from him. “I think I’m going to take a walk through the gardens.” She stopped closer to him, but not too close. “I’m allowed to, right? Since I’m already here anyway?”

  Malachi shrugged. “Sure. Just don’t destroy anything.”

  She laughed. “Like I’d do that.”

  Lizbeth went down the staircase on the far end of the balcony, but Malachi didn’t watch her go. He just stared over the valley, wondering when he’d get a chance to go skiing again.

  A noise in the gardens caught his attention, but it didn’t sound like anything to be alarmed about.

  Until a scream split the night.

  Malachi yelled to those in the rooms, praying they’d hear him, and sprinted toward the sound.

  Chapter 33

  Jessabelle heard something that didn’t quite belong and glanced out the window to the balcony. Malachi had been standing out there. Lizbeth had excused herself a few minutes later to go to the bathroom, but Jessabelle saw her on the balcony. She’d kept a respectable distance. From Malachi, so Jessabelle hadn’t been too concerned.

  But now the balcony was empty.

  Where could they be?

  Jessabelle thought about getting up to check, but her mother-in-law asked her opinion about one of hte names Adeline said they were considering for a baby. A few minutes later, Malachi was still no where to be seen. Excusing herself, she went to the balcony and peeked through the window into the billiards room. She didn’t see Malachi, but the king saw her and stepped outside.

  “Is everything all right?”

  She turned to look over the rail. “I was just wondering where Malachi went. He was out here a few minutes ago.”

  “Oh. I have no idea where he is.”

  She shrugged. “It’s fine. He probably had some work to do or decided to turn in early.”

  Someone called from inside the billiard room, and the king held up a hand. “Most likely.” He gave her a smile and nod before turning to go back in the room.

  Jessabelle took two steps and set her hands, palm down, on the railing.

  Another voice sounded behind her. “Or he found someone more interesting to spend his time with.”

  Jessabelle forced herself not to turn, not to let Mr. Bence see how much he bothered her.

  Mr. Bence chuckled. He didn’t say anything else, but she could feel his eyes staring at the back of her head.

  She struggled to keep her voice even. “More interesting, Mr. Bence? I don’t believe we’ve ever had a conversation.” Malachi would be proud of how well she kept her composure.

  “My daughter told me the princess is as exciting as watching paint dry.”

  Don’t believe him, Jessabelle sternly told herself. Does that really sound like something Lizbeth would say?

  She knew the answer was no. He was trying to get under her skin. Jessabelle couldn’t let him.

  His footsteps moved closer until he stood just a foot away. He turned until he rested his backside against the railing. With his arms crossed he gave her a lo
ok.

  Chills went down her spine, and she shivered.

  He leaned to the side, his voice low and threatening. “You won’t have to worry about making a fool of yourself much longer. That speech you gave? It’s got to be the worst one in the history of the royal family. You couldn’t even pick the right winner at that obnoxious flower show. I could make a better bouquet in my sleep.”

  “I don’t remember asking you for your assessment of either event.” She worked hard, but thought she kept her voice from trembling. “I don’t see every member of the legitimate media and the paparazzi watching your every move. If they did, I imagine you would find you’re not nearly as calm and collected as you think you are.”

  Mr. Bence shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll be party of the royal family soon enough. Malachi will set you aside. He’ll marry Lizbeth who, even now is pregnant with his child.”

  It’s not true! Deep inside, she knew it wasn’t, but the part of her that had always been so insecure questioned that knowledge.

  “Get out.” The authority in the voice couldn’t be questioned.

  Mr. Bence stood, but Jessabelle continued to stare across the valley.

  Taking a step away from the railing, Mr. Bence seemed annoyed at the king. “Why, Tony? Afraid I’m going to spill some secrets?”

  “You don’t know nearly as many secrets as you think you do. And I’ll thank you to remember to address me properly in the future. I have never given you permission to be so informal.”

  Was she the only one who heard the steel in her father-in-law’s voice?

  “Get out of my home. Don’t expect to be invited back.” The king snapped his fingers and two members of the security detail appeared. “See that Mr. Bence is escorted off the property immediately. His belongs will be delivered to him after we get back to Erres.”

  “But...” Each of the guards took one of Mr. Bence’s arms and ushered him off the balcony.

  “He won’t bother you again, Jessabelle.”

  She finally turned to see not-quite-concealed fury on his face. “Thank you.”