“It was,” the prince confirmed quietly. Sadly. “Her death broke his spirit.”
Oh. Of course it had.
He had been desperately in love with his wife. With this Mina.
“He hasn’t spoken of her,” she admitted, wondering at the reason.
Was she too tender a subject? Did he not wish to share her memory? Was Tansy not of sufficient import to merit the mention?
“He doesn’t,” Prince Ferdinando said. “Mina was killed in the war by enemy soldiers.”
Her heart clenched. “Dear heavens.”
“She was brutally beaten before she was killed. She married my brother in secret, but somehow, the pretender to the throne’sforces found out. When they did, they beat her to death and burned down her home.”
“My God.” Tansy stopped on the path, overwhelmed by emotion at the revelation.
How Maxim must have suffered. And his poor wife as well, to be beaten and murdered in such brutal fashion. A lump of horror and profound sadness rose in her throat. She swallowed hard.
“I tell you this because I want you to understand my brother,” the prince said. “He is not a man who loves or trusts easily. Mina’s death changed him, made him hard as stone. It was as if, with her death, he sealed away the part of himself that possessed any vulnerability at all. And yet, despite that, I’ve never seen him care for a woman as he does for you.”
Prince Ferdinando’s revelation affected her. How could it not? She had to move. To think. Tansy continued on the path, her thoughts overwhelming.
She had told herself, again and again, that his interest in her was likely nothing more than lust. But oh, how she longed to believe it was more than that. That he could possess tender feelings for her. That he could love her.
No, no, no.
She shook her head, banishing those thoughts, reminding herself that it didn’t matter even if Maxim did love her, because he was marrying her best friend. “His Majesty is wedding Princess Anastasia soon. I am the princess’s lady-in-waiting, and that is all.”
“You are far more than that to Maxim,” Prince Ferdinando insisted, following her and catching up easily with his long-legged strides. “And he is more to you as well. I saw it in your eyes as you watched him in the drawing room.”
Had she given herself away so easily? It was those stupid, futile tears.
“It doesn’t matter if he is more to me, or if I am more to him,” she countered stoically.
“It could,” Prince Ferdinando said. “If you would both allow it.”
Yearning knifed through her, potent and strong, making her knees go weak. But she continued down the path, turning back toward the town house now. The mist was growing more pronounced, a heavy fog descending. The gray, grim day seemed somehow appropriate.
“Surely you know that we cannot,” she told him. “We are bound by obligations and duties far larger than the both of us.”
“Maxim deserves happiness, Lady Tansy.” The prince stopped and looked down at her earnestly, uncharacteristically solemn, taking her hands in his. “You care for him.”
She loved him. And quite desperately, too. But she didn’t dare say so aloud.
“Your Royal Highness,” she protested.
But before she could say anything more, the door to the gardens flew open and Maxim strode toward them on the gravel path, his eyes flashing with fire.
“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded.
Nando was holdingTansy’s hands.
He wastouchingher.
Maxim stalked toward them, hating how they looked together, Nando towering over Tansy, the contrast of his light hair to her dark. They would make a lovely couple.
Nando’s words returned to taunt him.I’ve decided that Lady Tansy is the only woman I want.
