"Your Highness."Captain Steiner interrupted, coming up to us fast and with purpose."Princess Bettina, you're needed in the Grand Duchess's study immediately.There's been a development regarding the wedding preparations."
Betty stepped back, and the moment shattered."What kind of development?"
"I'm not at liberty to say.But it's urgent."
Betty looked at me, apology in her eyes."Sorry.Duty calls.Can we finish this conversation later?"
"Of course."
She hurried off with Captain Steiner, and I stood alone in the arena, watching her go and hating myself for my cowardice.
Tomorrow was the pre-wedding reception.Tomorrow she would meet Prince Archibald for the first time, and she would realize that her riding instructor had been lying to her all along.
I had less than twenty-four hours to figure out how to tell her the truth.
Or to prepare for the moment when she discovered it herself.
Either way, Peter the riding instructor was about to disappear.And I had no idea whether the prince who replaced him would be someone Betty could ever forgive.
CHAPTER 9
Betty
The dress Petra hadselected for the pre-wedding reception was a deep emerald green that she promised would "photograph beautifully" and "complement my coloring."What she hadn't mentioned was that it would also make me look like I was auditioning to be a Bond villain's girlfriend.
"Are you sure this isn't too much?"I asked, examining myself in the full-length mirror.The fabric clung in places I wasn't used to having fabric cling, and the neckline was considerably lower than anything I'd worn since my ill-advised prom dress sophomore year.
"You look stunning, Your Highness.Prince Archibald will be very impressed."
Prince Archibald.Right.The man I was meeting for the first time tonight, three days before I married him.The abstract concept I'd been keeping in a mental box labeled "Deal With Later" was about to become very, very real.
My stomach churned with nerves that had nothing to do with the dress.
"What's he like?"I asked Petra."You must have met him during the wedding planning."
Something flickered across her face."He's...very dedicated to his duties.Quite respected in diplomatic circles."
