“Try, then. But know that I’m going to steal the princess away from Badenstein. Or die in the effort.”
After traveling through the night without stopping, Serena arrived back at the palace, feeling broken apart. Her ladiesbrought her back to her room, and she knew that, come the morning, her father would not hesitate to punish her. She’d humiliated him before his men, and at gunpoint, no less.
She was beginning to wish she’d kept the revolver. “Is my mother asleep?” she asked her lady-in-waiting Katarina.
“Yes, Your Highness. Shall I awaken her? She’ll want to see you.”
“No, it can wait until the morning.” Her mother was ill, and Serena wanted nothing to interrupt her sleep. “What about my sister?”
“Princess Anna asked me to inform her as soon as you arrived.” Serena nodded her permission, and sat before her dressing table while one of her ladies brushed her hair. Another helped her to undress, and when she was in her nightgown, Anna burst in.
“I can’t believe what happened. Oh, Serena.” Anna flung her arms around her, and Serena nodded for her ladies to leave them alone. “Are you all right? Was it as terrible as I imagine it was?”
Her emotions swelled up inside her, but Serena managed to keep herself from weeping. “The Fürst of Lohenberg escorted me. He said you sent him a letter.”
Anna drew back. “Are you angry with me? I was afraid that you’d be ruined if you went alone.”
“I was angry at the time.”
But I fell in love with him. I spent yesterday in his arms, and I miss him already.
“I heard the news,” Anna said, taking Serena’s hands in hers. “That he was illegitimate. I’m so sorry for putting you in such a position. Father sent word to the King of Lohenberg and severed your betrothal.”
She nodded, her throat growing constricted. “He told me.”
Anna squeezed her hands. “Was he…very angry?” Her gaze drifted to the red mark on Serena’s cheek that was alreadybeginning to bruise. The fearful tone in her voice made her suspect that her sister had known more about Serena’s beatings than she’d let on. But Anna never could have stopped their father, so Serena could never blame her.
“He was. But it wasn’t so bad,” she admitted.
Anna’s shoulders lowered in relief. She embraced Serena and said, “I’m so glad you’re all right.” Her sister sat down in another chair and admitted, “I sent the prince to you, because I thought he could protect you.”
At the mention of Karl, Serena tensed, praying that he had gone back with his brother. Although she’d seen Fürst Michael there with his men, there was no guarantee that Karl had obeyed.
I’m not the obedient sort,he’d told her once.
But she needed him to live. She would fight her way free of Badenstein and do everything within her power to go back to him. They could live quietly together, in a house overlooking the sea. The thought was a dream she clung to.
“Did you hear what I said?” Anna repeated. Serena frowned and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I was woolgathering.”
“You’re to marry Freiherr von Meinhardt in three days,” Anna told her. “Father has already arranged it.”
“So soon?” was all she could say.
It didn’t matter. She wasn’t about to wed the Freiherr, and nothing could convince her to say yes.
“It’s late,” she told her sister. “We should get some sleep.”
Anna smiled and embraced her again. “I’m so glad you’re home, Serena. I’ve missed you.”
After her sister left, Serena climbed into bed, her thoughts in turmoil. Had Captain Feldmann released Karl? Was he safe on Vertraumen? She closed her eyes tightly, trying hard not to think of the days ahead.
Humility had never transformed her father’s mood, nor had it protected her from his violent moods. There was little point in trying to be the good daughter, for it had brought her nothing but bruises and heartache.
She refused to think about the morning ahead, focusing her mind upon the time she’d spent in Karl’s arms. Never would she forget a moment of it. Her tears dampened her pillow, and it hurt so badly to know that she could never be with him.
In the darkness, she heard her door open. “Who’s there?” she asked, expecting to hear Katarina’s voice.
“Who do you think?” came Karl’s answer.
