He steeled himself, then hugged me.‘I hope he makes you happy,’ he whispered.Then, to my great surprise, he shook Yann’s hand.‘You’ll stay for dinner.’
Yann shifted.I knew he would rather spend the evening at Castle Rostenburg than with my father.‘I would love to,’ he said, ‘but Grandfather will be waiting for news.’He cast a glance at the fading light.‘And I ought to be home before dark.’
Father didn’t try to hide his relief.‘I’ll wait inside,’ he said to me.He tipped his head to Yann and left us a final moment of privacy.
‘You’ll have to get used to Father eventually,’ I said as the door swung shut.
‘Trust me – I want nothing more than to celebrate with you, but Grandfather has a cough and I …’ He didn’t need to finish.The prince never took anyone strong enough to fight back.Though Klaus might have had nothing more than a cold, Yann wouldn’tsleep tonight.I couldn’t risk making him stay if we could prevent another death.
I rose to my toes and kissed his rough cheek.‘I understand.’
Yann gathered my hands in his.‘Try to convince your father to set the date as early as possible.Tell him the sooner we marry, the sooner he can have his first grandson.’I tried to look delighted by the prospect, but the thought made my stomach clench.My courses hadn’t come in over a year and even if they did return one day, I didn’t know how I could ever bring a child into this world.There was a reason why there were very few children in Orlfen these days.
I didn’t say this to Yann, though.The last thing I wanted was for our engagement to be called off over this.I didn’t want him to think I was broken.
‘Or a granddaughter,’ I said instead, because it felt like the right thing to say.
Yann gave a patronising headshake that suggested it had been.Oh, women and their silly beliefs that daughters are as valuable as sons.Never mind the fact that any child would have been a miracle at this stage in our lives.
With one final kiss, Yann released me and went on his way.Halfway down the path he turned around, saw me still watching him from the front step, and gave a giddy, playful bow.Laughing, I curtseyed back and waved in a mock dismissal.I knew I’d see him tomorrow, yet I desperately didn’t want him to go.
Maybe part of me already knew what was to come.
Father was already seated in the dining room when I entered alone.He had arranged us a treat for dinner.‘To celebrate the engagement,’ he said through a forced smile.Johanna had pulled together a proper soup and served it with a loaf of soft white bread Yann had baked earlier, which, by the taste of it, was made entirely with real flour, not a trace of sawdust or alum to be found.
‘I have some flour stored away for special occasions,’ Father explained when he saw my bewildered expression.‘We’ll use the rest for your wedding feast.’
A wedding feast.The thought felt sour.I pictured the day as nothing more than a formality.To save enough food for a feast while our neighbours were dying was no celebration at all.
We remained at the table until well after dark, then retired to the lounge together, talking deeply as we hadn’t in years.Finally formalising my relationship with Yann seemed to have dislodged whatever was wedged between Father and me.I felt like a little girl again, curled on the sofa with my legs tucked under me as I told Father all about the dreams Yann and I shared.Despite all our fears, despite everything we’d been through, that night we believed in the future more than anything.
As I stood to bid my father goodnight, Johanna knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response.She stood pale in the candlelight, wringing her apron in her spindly hands.‘You’ve a visitor, sir.’
‘At this time?Tell him I’ve already gone to bed.’
Johanna glanced off to the side, trembling.‘It— it’s too late for that, sir.He insisted on coming in.’
‘Oh, very well.’Father fell back in his seat.‘Who is it?Is it Klaus?Tell him we can make plans in the morning.’
‘It’s not Klaus,’ said a low voice from around the corner.Two long-fingered hands snaked their way onto Johanna’s shoulders.She looked like she was about to faint.The newcomer smiled widely, revealing two rows of perfectly white, straight teeth.
‘It’s been too long, Juri.’
And for the first time in fourteen years, I found myself face to face with Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg.
Two
THE PRINCE WAS SMALLERthan I remembered.
In my memory he towered above everyone, a giant in stature and poise.Now that I was grown, he was the size of a normal man, with the slender physique of someone who had never worked a day in his life.But he was no less dominating; his presence doused any warmth from the room.
‘I hope you don’t mind me visiting so late, but I saw the light in your window and knew you’d be awake.’Prince Raleigh brushed Johanna aside and entered the lounge without invitation.He met my gaze, expression impassive, then bowed low, never breaking eye contact.‘I don’t believe we’ve met.’
‘We did once,’ I said.
Father dismissed Johanna and threw a warning look my way.
‘My prince,’ I added with a sneer I immediately regretted.
