“What?” Jared demanded.
“You’re really going to start it like that?” Jason demanded, sharing a look of disgust with Trevor, who was inching his hand towards the platter of sandwich rolls.
His father narrowed his eyes on him. “If I want to start this story off with ‘Once upon a time,’ then that’s how I’m going to damn well tell the story!”
Jason rubbed his hands down his face. He really didn’t have time for this shit. “Fine, tell your damn story,” he said, focusing his attention back on the necklace.
“I will,” his father said with a sniff, followed by the sound of a hand being slapped.
“Ow!”
“Those are my sandwich rolls!”
“Dad,” Jason said, not bothering to look up as he gestured for his father to get on with it.
“Oh, right,” his father said, pointedly clearing his throat. “Once upon a time…”
Chapter 1
1809
London, England
Hyde Park…a little after 4 pm.
There he was, her prince, Elizabeth mused, sighing happily as she watched the man that she was going to marry. She smiled wistfully and moved around to the other side of the tree to get a better look at James, her James, before her governess could find her and drag her away.
Even though his family’s London townhouse was close to theirs, she hadn’t seen him since they’d arrived a week ago. Their townhouses weren’t as close as their country estates were, but James rarely ever visited his family there. The only time she had the chance to see him anymore was when they came to London for the season and even then, she didn’t get the chance to see him as much as she would have liked. He was a very busy man about town, after all. Knowing that it would probably be some time before she saw him again, she had to take another look at James and make it last.
Could any man be more perfect? No, she didn’t think so. Only James, only her James, was absolutely perfect. She bit her lip and watched as he bowed over her mother’s hand. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand before releasing it. Elizabeth sighed happily when he stood back up, mostly because it granted her a better opportunity to stare at him. He wore a stunning black suit with a crisp white shirt. His brown hair was cut short today, but she could still make out the small curls that she loved.
He was, in a word, marvelous.
At twenty years old, he was beyond perfect. He was handsome, educated, wealthy, smart, funny, and lovely. Everyone thought so. Men wanted to be him and women wanted to marry him. That last thought made her face squish up. No, Mama said that he was much too young to marry. She’d said that most men of his station wouldn’t marry until they were older and more established, whatever that meant. All she knew was that he was here and he was perfect. With that thought in mind, Elizabeth released another dreamy sigh.
“Boo!” someone suddenly yelled just as she was shoved forward, making her jump and scream in terror. Heart pounding in her little chest, Elizabeth turned around to see what kind of monster had descended from the tree to attack her.
“You!” Elizabeth mouthed the word perfectly, giving the little tyrant in front of her the coldest, haughtiest glare that she could muster. Thankfully, she had two older sisters who’d taught her well.
The boy was momentarily dazed and left speechless by her reaction before he bent over with uncontrollable laughter. “Oh…you…should…see…your…face!” he said through loud, rather annoying bouts of laughter.
Elizabeth ran her small hands over her pink gown and looked down her nose at him. Well, she tried to, at least. It was rather difficult to look down her nose at someone taller than her.
“You, Robert Bradford, are a beastly boy!” Elizabeth said loudly, perhaps a little too loudly, if the laughter erupting around them was any indication.
Robert’s face turned an interesting shade of red as Elizabeth narrowed her eyes on her nemesis and studied his face, hoping to find some proof that this boy was an imposter. It was simply impossible that such a crude, distasteful little boy could be related to her James. This boy had darker, almost black hair, green eyes instead of James’ brown eyes and wasn’t in the least bit good looking. The boy was rather homely-looking. Even her mother had said so, so it had to be true.
“And you smell like the backside of a mule!” Robert shot back loud enough for everyone walking past them to hear.
Elizabeth felt her face flush hotly. She looked back in time to catch her sisters trying to hide their smiles from their overbearing mother. Their mother threw them a look of warning before turning her attention back to Elizabeth. The glare that she sent Elizabeth was a clear warning to behave and not to make a scene.
The other children around them stopped playing to watch as they giggled and pointed at Elizabeth and Robert. Lady Bradford looked horrified at her son’s behavior or Elizabeth’s, she wasn’t exactly sure and she didn’t care, because at this very moment, James was laughing.
At her!
She turned away before he could see the tears streaming down her face.
“Are you crying?” Robert demanded, sounding horrified.
