Badenstein—Two days later
There was no sign of the princess. Not at any of the estates.
Freiherr Albert von Meinhardt cursed to himself, his anger flaring. He’d sent separate groups of men to every estate in Badenstein, Germany, and Prussia. And…nothing. It was as if she’d disappeared.
The king’s Captain, Gerlach Feldmann, hadn’t seemed surprised. For a man responsible for letting the princess run away, he didn’t appear eager to get her back. The man’s defiance to the king was clear, even if Feldmann’s actions had the guise of obedience. Clearly, his loyalty to Her Royal Highness needed to be broken.
Captain Feldmann had a son—a young boy of nine, who had been living with the boy’s grandmother after his mother was imprisoned. Now, it was time to use that influence.
Although others might view it as heartless, Albert merely saw it as a means to an end. Feldmann would have no choice but to find the princess, if his son were threatened.
Albert sat back in his chair, reaching for a pen and paper. As he began writing to the king, he filled the letter with false reassurances that they had found the princess and were bringing her home.
King Ruwald would be livid, but Albert intended to redirect his rage toward the bastard prince of Lohenberg. For it wasFürst Karl’s fault, wasn’t it? The princess would never have fled without the man’s help.
Finding out that the prince was illegitimate had been a stroke of fortune, for it meant that the princess could no longer marry him.
The thought pleased him greatly. The princess’s impulsive escape had destroyed her virtuous reputation, and it meant that she had to wed quickly.
But no longer could she become the bride of a prince—not after this. The king’s anger would know no bounds. But, there was a solution Albert could offer.
Though his blood was not royal, he was of noble birth. He was a baron with lands of his own. Perhaps the king would bestow a greater rank upon him, if he agreed to Albert’s proposition. He could marry Serena himself and restore her honor.
It didn’t matter that the princess despised him. She would learn to yield to his authority, for she was young enough to be trained to his bidding.
Albert glanced over at the velvet-draped bed. In his mind, he envisioned her naked body waiting for him. He shifted in his seat as the physical lust swelled inside him.
He had to inform the king of his daughter’s disobedience and of the necessity to end her betrothal to the bastard prince of Lohenberg. The words flowed from his pen as he offered himself up to the king as a means of saving the princess.
He wanted her with every breath in his lungs, needing to possess her beauty. And when he called a servant, giving the order to seize Feldmann’s son, he intended to get what he wanted—no matter the cost.
“Take this to my father,” Karl commanded Bernard.
The sealed letter contained his instructions for revitalizing the island. He’d requested troops to bring order to the towns and relief supplies. After talking with Father Durin last night, he’d sketched ideas for drainage ditches that could assist with the flooding.
The distraction had kept him from thinking of Serena. Three days alone with her. Three final days to win her as his wife.
He’d posed the wager as a last, desperate means of gaining her hand in marriage. And he needed to win.
He’d arranged for them to stay in the ruined fortress while Father Durin remained within the manor house. Though the priest had voiced his disapproval, Karl had promised that at the end of the three days, he could perform the marriage ceremony.
In the meantime, Father Durin and Samuel would take turns guarding the forest surrounding the fortress while Bernard traveled back to Lohenberg.
“I will obey, Your Highness.” The footman bowed. “But I fear it isn’t safe—especially after last night. These islanders cannot be trusted.”
“Which is why you will return to Lohenberg and bring back soldiers and supplies. The king must know what is happening within the province.”
“What about the princess?” the footman dared to ask.
“We will remain in hiding at the abbey,” Karl said. “So long as no one knows we are there, it should be safe enough.”
He lowered his voice and walked outside, waiting for the footman to follow. “I will protect her, no matter what happens.”
On the night when they’d been attacked, Karl had nearly taken the bullet aimed for her. He didn’t regret it at all. It was strange to think of, but after everything she’d suffered, he wanted nothing else to happen to her.
And although it would hurt her to learn that he was a bastard, he wanted to believe that Serena would forgive him. In these three days, he had to show her that he wasn’t a monster or a man unworthy of being her husband.
“And what of you, Your Highness?” Bernard cleared his throat.
