chapter 24
The next morning when Peter woke up, he was certain of what he needed to do. When Emma collapsed, he feared the worst. Though she was young and healthy, images of Isabel haunted and disturbed him. He knew better than most that nothing was guaranteed. Not even our next breath. He needed to make some changes, and he needed to make them immediately.
The story emerged in colorful detail while Emma retold it to Peyton the next morning.
“You can’t imagine what it was like, being back there.” Em struggled against a wave of melancholy as she related the life she’d glimpsed the night before.
“Em, how did you get back?”
Emma shrugged and cradled the phone on her shoulder while opening a box with the morning’s fresh delivery of books. “I honestly don’t know. One minute I’m staring up at the stars with Fitz, and the next Peter is calling me through the fog.”
Emma could sense her cousin’s hesitation on the other end of the phone, “You know,” Peyton said finally, “this was bound to happen, and I’m certain there is more to this story that you need to find out about. Right away. I feel strongly that there’s something in this prior life that’s key to Peter’s future. In fact, I’m certain of it. You’re going to dig deeper, right?”
Emma remained silent. Memories of the children and Fitz were still so real, it felt like part of her was still in that lifetime.
“Emma?” Peyton asked when there was no response.
“Yes, yes of course I am, I just... It was hard, Peyton. I mean I didn’t have a choice about going there or coming back, but part of me wanted so much to stay and spend more time with them. They were such a loving, close family, in spite of the royal trappings.” Emma could feel her eyes burn with tears. Tears for a family who lived hundreds of years ago. But part of her longed to be there again, with them, holding her children.
“I’m sure it was hard to come back,” Peyton said kindly, “but that’s all the more reason to visit there again, and I feel like you need to do it soon.”
“I know, I will. Maybe tonight. Peter is gone for a few days, to Belgium on family business. I’ll have time tonight.”
Peyton hesitated before she said, “Em, I need to caution you. While I don’t know what you’ll see, I do know it won’t be easy. But you absolutely must do this. Your future and Peter’s future depend on it.”
“I know. I know that now,” Emma whispered, and her gut twisted while she wondered and worried about what she might find out.
chapter 25
The sedan pulled up in front of the royal palace as Peter’s resolve rooted deeper. This was the right thing to do. He loved Emma, and marrying a woman he didn’t know for the sake of the monarchy made no sense. His brother Christophe was getting married in the fall, and a big wedding was planned, which the country needed and loved. Then in the coming year his father would retire and turn the entire monarchy over to his brother. As it should be. Peter never wanted it anyway and was glad to let Christophe have it.
When the car came to a smooth stop, Peter thanked the driver and stepped out to be greeted by members of the house staff. He was always friendly with the staff, much to his mother’s chagrin. “They have their place,” she’d say, admonishing him for being too friendly. Peter never cared. They were a very dedicated staff and had remained loyal and hardworking for more than twenty years.
“Thomas,” Peter shook the butler’s hand vigorously, “it’s good to see you again. Is my mother behaving? Not running you too ragged?”
“No, Sir, they are all doing well.” The butler tipped his head slightly in a show of respect, and Peter caught a glimpse of a fleeting expression. Uncertainty? Was everything not fine? Maybe his father had taken ill again. He was in no state to keep running things, and it was high time he stepped down. Peter was relieved it would happen soon.
He acknowledged the other staff that had come to greet him and then entered the palace. The entryway was four times the size of the one at his home in the Hamptons, and far less welcoming. It was formal and austere, with paintings of his ancestors all staring down at him, as if judging him for what he was about to do.
“Where is Mother?” he asked Thomas, who had followed him inside.
“She’s upstairs, in her sitting room.” Thomas paused. “Sir, your brother was here also, earlier today.”
Peter frowned, “Christophe? I thought he was vacationing in the South of France.”
When the butler didn’t respond, Peter headed upstairs, taking them two at a time. He found his mother sitting by the window, staring out.
“Mother,” Peter said from the doorway.
His mother was Queen Marie Louise, and she had never been a particularly warm and fuzzy hands-on parent; she left that up to Astrid, who had been Peter’s nanny until he went off to college.
At Peter’s insistence, she had retired to an elaborate cottage in the back of the estate. She had dedicated her entire life to raising him and his brother, and he wasn’t going to see her cast aside with no family and, thanks to the demands of the job, very few friends. So, much to the dismay of his parents, he set her up in the cottage with everything she could ever need, including a monthly stipend that was more than she earned when she worked for the royal family. The stipend came out of Peter’s own pocket, so no one could claim he was being “wasteful” of the monarchy’s money.
The Queen turned her head slowly, “Peter, good to see you again.” Her voice was almost toneless, and her face lacked expression. Though his mother was never fond of overt displays of affection, he could generally at least get a smile out of her. But not today. Something was clearly amiss.
“Is Father well?” he asked as he leaned in to perform her preferred greeting, a formal kiss on the cheek. His father had not been well in recent months, and the demands of the crown, along with his advanced age, were getting the better of him.
The Queen nodded, “Yes, he’s fine, out hunting with visiting dignitaries.”
“I hear Christophe was here, too.” His mother didn’t nod or smile this time. She simply stared at him.
Peter shoved his hands in his pockets. Given his mother’s demeanor, it likely wasn’t the best time to have this discussion, but there probably wouldn’t ever be a good time for it.
“I need to talk with you. It’s about my future.” Peter pulled up a chair and sat down beside her. “I’ve met a woman, an amazing woman, and I’m in love, Mother, and I’m happy. I mean truly happy, for the first time since Isabel…” his words drifted off and he saw his mother’s face soften.
She reached out a hand and stroked a lock of his hair, a gesture so rare it left him slightly stunned. “I know losing her broke your heart, Son,” she said and quickly removed her hand as if she suddenly realized what she was doing.
“It did, and it took me a long time to get over it. I’ll never forget her, ever. Part of me will always love her, but now I’ve met Emma, and she’s wonderful. Mother, I want to marry her.” He let the words hang in the air for a moment, watching his mother’s reaction carefully.
There was none. She merely looked at him and said, “Peter, your future has already been arranged.”
“I know, Mother. I know, and I understand how difficult this will be for everyone, but nothing has been announced, and look, no one cares what I do. Christophe will marry and take over for Father, and the kingdom will thrive under his rule. I’m certain of it.”
His mother continued to look at him, her face turning pale. “My son, you have no choice. You cannot marry this commoner.”
Peter stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. “Damn it, Mother, she’s not a ‘commoner,’ she’s a person. It’s 2017, for Christ’s sake. Don’t you think it’s time we drop the whole ‘commoner’ thing? She’s a human being, a wonderful, amazing woman, and I love her, and I want to marry her. Out of respect for you and my father and the monarchy, I’ve
come here to tell you before I ask her.”
“Then you haven’t proposed yet? What if she says no?”
Peter nodded, “It’s entirely possible since I haven’t known her very long, but she is worth every risk, Mother. Every risk.”
The Queen tossed a hand in the air and waved it slightly, “You have always been such a romantic. Life does not always work out to suit one’s romantic notions, you know.”
Peter glared at her, thinking of his former fiancée, “Yes, Mother, I know it all too well.”
The Queen turned toward the window again, looking out across the vast, manicured palace gardens.
“Peter, I’m sorry you’ve come all this way on a fool’s errand, but your father and I cannot allow you to marry this woman.”
Peter walked over to her and leaned against the wall. “Mother, I love you and Father very much, but I’m an adult, and I have fallen in love with someone I wish to spend the rest of my life with.”
“You selfish boy,” she spat. “The monarchy is in disarray, and no one cares about or knows why we still exist. We aren’t the British royal family who can trot out a glamor-girlfriend every so often and make headlines.”
Peter leaned over his mother, touching her shoulder. “I know, Mother, I understand what you’re trying to tell me. But Emma will be a wonderful addition to this family, I promise you.”
The Queen looked away and said, “First your brother, and now you are abandoning me for your own selfish lives.” She looked back up to Peter with a hard glare. “For hundreds of years we have existed, despite tyranny, oppression, and two world wars. Now we are in a state of near collapse, and you want to run off with some trollop from the United States, of all places.”
Peter kept his temper in check and said, “Mother, I would ask that when you speak of Emma, you do so with respect. If I am lucky enough to have her marry me, you’ll understand, as I have, how amazing this woman is. She will make a warm, loving, and socially adept addition to this family.”
The Queen narrowed her eyes and said, “She will do no such thing, and you will never marry her.”
She stood up, straightening her dress, and continued, “You are going to take over the crown for your father. Christophe has abdicated his responsibilities and run off with a whore he says he’s fallen in love with. They were married yesterday. Now your father and I are left to pick up the pieces after a canceled wedding, disgraced because an eldest son has abdicated his duty to the crown.”
Peter was dumbstruck. Yes, his older brother was selfish at times, but this went beyond anything he could have expected.
His mother continued, “You will be married as we’ve arranged, next year in the spring, and by next fall you will be King of Belgium. There is no getting around this, Peter. It’s the way it has to be. First you need to go back to the United States and clean up your affairs there. You will need to quit your job and return here immediately to begin learning how to be King and preparing for your marriage.”
For a moment Peter couldn’t breathe. The last time a son had abdicated was in the British royal family in 1936, a scandal that still haunted them to this day. The ripple effects of his brother’s action would be felt for a long time to come.
Peter almost stumbled from the sitting room and hurried outside. He needed fresh air, and he needed to breathe.
He also needed to find his brother.
chapter 26
Peter walked blindly through the courtyard and soon found himself in front of Astrid’s cottage. He knocked. An older, portly woman with a generous smile opened the door, and lit up when she saw him.
“My darling boy.” Her arms opened, and Peter walked right into them. “Come inside,” she said. “No doubt you’ve heard the news.”
Like the woman who lived there, the cottage was warm and welcoming. Peter walked past his former nanny and into an open sitting room, where he could see she’d been reading. A hardcover book lay upside down on her footstool.
“Come, sit down,” Astrid gestured to a couch that Peter still remembered from his youth. It was Astrid’s favorite, and easily twenty years old now. True, it was worn in spots, but she refused to get rid of it.
Peter sat down with a big sigh, “I’ve fallen in love, for the first time since…” He choked and coughed before he could continue, “Since Isabel.” A leathery hand touched his as Astrid sat down beside him on the couch.
“Tell me about her,” she said softly.
“She’s the most wonderful woman. As crazy as this sounds, I’ve known her only a week or so, but I feel like I’ve known her my entire life. She’s Marcel’s granddaughter.”
Astrid blushed. She knew Marcel well. She had dated him ages ago before they broke up and he married Willa. Peter always felt there was still an affectionate connection between the two. After Willa died, Marcel often visited Belgium, when he and Astrid enjoyed long walks around the estate while they never seemed to run out of things to discuss.
“He’s a lovely man. I can only assume she has grown into a beautiful woman. I met her once, years ago, when he and Willa brought her to Belgium. You met her then, too, though no doubt you don’t remember, since it was so long ago.”
Peter was silent for a moment, while he gave Astrid’s hand a gentle squeeze and let it go. “As a matter of fact, I do remember, and Emma and I discussed it recently, only to learn that neither of us remembers much about the other.”
Peter turned to her, “So what’s the best way for me to deal with this situation, Astrid? What’s best about me being forced to become King and marry a woman I don’t even know?”
Astrid shook her head, “The monarchy is a confusing and difficult life, and this, my darling boy, is no exception. But it’s your birthright and your duty to accept the crown. I fear if your father isn’t relieved of his duties soon, his health will continue to decline to the point that he cannot provide the leadership this country needs.”
“But why do I have to marry this woman I met when we were in diapers? Why can’t I marry Emma?”
The older woman frowned, “My darling, I know you love her, but it’s a hard life for one not born into it, even for a monarchy as obscure as this one. Though I doubt it will be for long once news breaks about Christophe.”
“I need to see him.” Peter said firmly, “And talk sense into him.”
“He’s long gone, Peter. He left with the girl right after he told your parents. Your poor father was forced to entertain the dignitaries for the day and pretend nothing was wrong.”
“It’s unfair of Christophe to leave us to pick up the pieces and pay the price for his selfishness.”
“Ah, yes, but you now know how it feels, to love someone so much you’re willing to give up everything to have a life with her.”
“Yes, but now I’m here, being dealt a life I never wanted, nor ever expected to have.” He took Astrid’s hand again. “Do you think it might help if I discuss it further with the King and Queen, help them understand how special and how perfect for the family Emma is?”
“You can, but I doubt they will waver. This is a big deal politically, and, frankly the monarchy needs this union, especially since you will be the one taking over for your father.”
“But Emma…”
Astrid gripped his hand, “My darling Peter, you have a lot to think about. For Emma, this would change not only her life, but her grandfather’s as well. Marrying an American and then taking over the crown will thrust all of them into the spotlight, which as you know all too well, is often unrelenting and unforgiving.”
Peter did know. He’d grown up with it, and often when he visited William and Harry in the UK, he saw the relentless attention the boys received, how their every action was dissected and discussed endlessly, which was nowhere near what he’d ever experienced.
If he married Emma, the same would happen. Certainly, it would eventually die do
wn, but…
“It would be much like what happened to Princess Grace,” Astrid said, almost reading his thoughts. “No one knew Monaco, except as a playground for the rich, until Grace left her life in the US to marry royalty. Then the world knew, and the world watched until the day she died, and even after. She was used to the attention since she was from Hollywood, but it was still hard for her.”
Peter realized Astrid was right. But there was something in his soul that couldn’t let this go.
“I need to talk with her,” Peter said firmly.
“Yes, you do, but remember the wheels are in motion now. They will announce Christophe’s abdication in the morning, and once that happens, the world will be watching.”
“You think I should do what’s expected of me?”
She touched his face and sighed. “I want your happiness above all, Peter, but sometimes we must follow a path we don’t want and make the best of the cards we’ve been dealt. It is your duty to the monarchy to rule this country, and the political complications that would result from not marrying your Romanian bide might cripple us economically. I know it’s painful for you, but you must now think like a king and not a man.”
Peter leaned back on the couch, still holding Astrid’s hand. In the space of an hour his world had changed beyond recognition. He ached to see Emma again, to hold her and tell her he loved her.
He kissed Astrid good-bye and headed out, needing to get back to the US before this hit the news so he could tell Emma himself.
But right now he had no idea what to tell her, or how.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed A Royal Affair, Book 1 of my 3-part series!
To grab book two, follow this link: http://bit.ly/RoyalScandalbook2
A Royal Affair Book One: A paranormal, time travel, royal romance Page 9
