A Royal Wedding(124)

She sighed. “I was hoping we’d have some time …” Her voice trailed off and she bit her lip. Time for what? She still couldn’t put it into words. “I don’t know. I can’t face all these people. What am I going to say to them?”

“You’ll be fine, Princess,” he told her, chucking her under her chin. “You’ll think of something.”

A sort of despair surged over her. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in Paris by now, checking out pastry schools.

“Andre, I only came back with you because you said …” She shook her head. Had he really said anything she could cling to? “What I mean is, I’m counting on you to come through for me this time. Don’t leave me waiting at the door with no hope. Don’t do that to me again.”

He looked at her. A part of him was astonished. What did she expect of him? What could he do to change things? He’d never promised to release her from the treaty. He didn’t have the power to do that.

And yet, looking deep into her eyes, he knew exactly what she expected. Would he be able to come through for her?

They went into the castle and the bustle was even worse inside. As they walked through the courtyard toward the dining room, where a late brunch was being served, she saw Alphonso at the other side of the fountain. She stuck her elbow in Prince Andre’s ribs.

“There he is,” she whispered loudly. “It’s Alphie.”

Andre craned his neck and shook his head. “I really don’t see the resemblance myself,” he told her.

She frowned. “What resemblance?”

He met her gaze sideways. “To a baby seal.”

She laughed. “You haven’t kissed him,” she murmured as they entered the dining room.

“And I don’t think I ever will.”

She smiled. “Lucky you.”

He smiled back and knew, suddenly, that he had to find a way to have her for his own. She seemed to be having similar thoughts.

“Andre, listen to me,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a private area off the courtyard. “I’m not sure why I came back with you, because I won’t marry Alphie. Don’t think you’ll talk me into it. I say no. I understand that you’re prepared to do anything for your country. That’s who you are. And I’m prepared to do a lot. But I won’t do that. There has to be another way to satisfy the country—and especially the Rubiats.”

She stared up at him with huge eyes.

“It’s up to you to figure out what can be done,” she warned him.

He covered her hand with his own. “And you’re not involved?” he asked, a smile twisting his wide mouth.

“I don’t have the experience and I don’t know the ways of diplomacy. You’ve been doing it for years. Teach me, and I’ll join in. I’m willing to do anything you tell me to do, short of marrying Alphie.”

He stroked her lips with his forefinger and turned away. “Believe me, Julienne, I’m working on it. Just give me some time. I’ll think of something.”

In fact, an idea was beginning to take form in his head that might have even more advantages than appeared at first glance. He’d wanted to get out of the pretend-playboy business for quite some time. Though he’d actually left it long ago in spirit, the image remained strong. He was ready to lose that, too. Could this be a blessing in disguise?

He worked on his idea for the rest of the day. He met with Alphonso, getting to know him a bit better, and made Julienne be friendly to him. Strangely enough, the feeling he got from the younger man was out of step with what he would expect from a happy groom. He didn’t seem much happier about the prospect of marrying Julienne than she did about marrying him.

“Alphonso seems out of sorts, doesn’t he?” he mentioned to her that evening.

“Well, yes. Understandable, under the circumstances.”

He nodded. “Perhaps he needs a little distraction. I think I’ll take him down to the casino and put him up in my suite for a day or two. Would you mind?”

“Mind?” She made a face. “How about a slow boat to China? Or a trip to the moon? Or …”

He grinned at her. “I get the picture. You have no objection.”

Of course she had an objection. If he took Alphonso off somewhere, that meant he would be gone as well. And right now she wanted to savor every moment with him she could muster. But she could see that he had a purpose in mind, and she only hoped it would develop into something that would help their situation.