Page 18 of Pregnant In The King's Palace

‘Depends on the place. Leasing’s also an option. I can’t imagine you wanting me within reach for ever.’

‘You’ve made it very clear you don’t want to be within reach for ever.’ He gave her a long, level look. ‘I’ll see if I hold any land suitable for your needs.’

‘You do that.’ She let the silence envelop them, rich with possibilities. ‘So we’re really going to do this? You and me?’

‘Looks like.’

‘We’re both mad. You know this, right?’

His laughter rang out, and, oh, how she’d missed it. ‘I know this.’ He smiled, warm and wide, and she’d missed that too. ‘Yes.’

CHAPTER SIX

THE WEEKS THAT followed were, without doubt, some of the most brutal Valentine had ever experienced, and that included his years in the military and the dark months surrounding his father’s demise. Secure the crown. Stabilise the country. Vala and his advisors, neighbouring kings included, had persuaded him to stay on as monarch and bring the issue of heirs to the throne to the forefront of national conversation. His publicity team had worked triple time trying to secure positive press for the crown as Thallasia rumbled and roiled its way around to recognising that his twin sister—younger by a matter of mere minutes—was now permanently first in line to the throne, and that his niece Juliana was the next generation’s heir apparent.

As to the matter of his broken engagement, speculation was rife as to whether he would ever marry now that heirs were no longer part of the deal. The headlines spun the stories and he lost track of the reactions the press bestowed on him. Everything from Suicidal to Free and Easy got a run, never mind that he was neither. He’d been linked to no fewer than nine different women this past week alone—and it didn’t seem to matter that he hadn’t seen three of them in over a decade. His media team had deemed it prudent to create a standard letter of apology for him to dispense as needed. Four supposed illegitimate heirs had been revealed by tabloid journalists. All had been investigated and debunked, but still they took their toll on the nation’s faith in his leadership.

Today’s article was a recap of his history with Angelique, and a list of her accomplishments since then. Many of those accomplishments were on the sordid side. A list of men she’d been associated with—Theo included. Her longstanding on and off relationship with Benedict—which Valentine now knew had been nothing more than a cover for Benedict hooking up with her brother. Didn’t stop the press from salivating over pictures of her and Benedict dancing on some outdoor nightclub stage. Or speculating on the sloppy, intimate smile Benedict had been sending someone over her shoulder. They’d been indulging in a wild threesome that night, according to the article. Just another regular night out for Angelique.

The recap then went on to discuss a night out in Mallorca that had ended with several arrests, Angelique’s included—although she’d later been cleared of all charges. A stint on an All-Stars Polo team, complete with luxury watch ambassadorship deal. The accompanying picture was a beauty. Angelique in riding gear, with a fierce expression, a thoroughbred horse beside her and an expensive timepiece on her wrist. It was a smouldering, sexy, challenging approach, guaranteed to fire the blood and make a man want all those expensive things that lay just out of ordinary reach. The promise being that if you were rich enough, remarkable enough, lucky enough, you too might be able to possess such power, precision and beauty.

She seemed to be wanted and vilified in the same breath, for the same reasons. He knew full well that the press was going to make a meal out of her when he entered the picture again. Kinder all round to leave her alone, but he simply couldn’t do it. Just like all those years ago when he hadn’t been able to stay away, no matter how dire the warning.

He had to believe that things were different this time. That change happened from the top down and that this time he could protect her from those who would seek to destroy her simply because they could.

To have her exit a relationship with him more beaten up than when she went into it was unthinkable.

Respect had to start from the top.

She had to enter his domain cloaked in as much honour and respect for her needs as he could give her.

It took him two days to identify a duchy and manor house suitable for Angelique’s needs. But it took him another two weeks to set up a meeting with Angelique’s father at the family estate in Spain, and that meant travel and security arrangements and no small expense, and having to explain his actions to his sister, who was already irritated by her newfound celebrity. She’d gone from being happy spare to scrutinised heir, and she was up to the task, no question. He’d never doubted it.

Didn’t mean she had to like it.

‘I’m filling in for you at the most important royal banquet of the year because you’re going where?’ His sister’s voice was dangerously mild and completely at odds with the hard glint in her eyes.

‘Spain, to meet with the Cordova patriarch and offer him the use of a duchy.’

‘You see, that’s what I thought you said. At which point I immediately thought I must be mistaken. Is this about a horse?’

‘No. It’s about apologising to the father of the woman I wronged many years ago.’

‘Valentine. Dearest.’ Her sister sat back in the library chair she’d commandeered, elbows on the arm rests and her fingers steepled in front of her. She wore a simple blue shift with silver trim, diamonds at her ears and on her wrist, and her hair had been woven in a complex weave once favoured by the likes of Grace Kelly. No one who looked hard enough would ever doubt the razor-sharp ability to read people that lurked beneath her surface beauty. ‘Trust me when I say you’ve wronged more than one woman in your lifetime and dare I suggest you’ll do so again before you’re dead? You start giving spare duchies to every one of them, we’re going to run out of land.’

Okay, so perhaps he did have a few small reparations to make but who didn’t? He’d get to them.

‘I’m not bestowing the duchy. I’m offering to let the Cordova family company lease it for a modest sum in return for their collaboration when it comes to the breeding programme for Thallasia’s royal horses. We’re falling behind in the prize horse stakes. I don’t like falling behind.’

‘Horses.’ His sister saw straight through that particular excuse.

‘The Cordovas do specialise in horses, yes.’

‘But it’s not really about horses, is it? This is about Angelique.’

‘She does factor into the calculation, yes.’

‘God help us, not again.’

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