Page 42 of Moonshine and Magnolias
Sebastien glared at his man, who had an arm wrapped around his waist. “Massimo, if you don’t unhand me, I’ll have you arrested for treason.” He fixed his rage on Rob and tried to lunge, fingers reaching, his voice growling, though inFrench. He finished his tirade in English. “What did you do to her,vous enculé?”
Loïc held up a hand to Rob, and he remained silent.
“My belief, sir, is that Ms. Marsh and Dr. Upshaw fell asleep while she was still getting alcohol out of her system,” Loïc said. “They were both in here last night.”
“So you took advantage of her?” Sebastien struggled more. “I’ll kill you.”
“We talked. Probably about things she didn’t want to talk about.” Damn, the man could punch. Rob refrained from raising his hand to his stinging lip to assess the damage. “I like her, your Highness. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”
Other than what he’d already done, even if she didn’t know yet.
Sebastien flinched at the use of his title and jerked out of Massimo’s grasp, but didn’t advance again. “Wendy is special.”
“I look forward to finding that out for myself. If she’ll let me.”
Sebastien’s heels clicked together and he offered Rob a small bow that would seem ridiculous if done by anyone else. “My apologies, Dr. Upshaw. I hope that you are not too badly hurt.”
The pain wasn’t the most pleasant thing Rob had ever experienced, but he wasn’t going to give this prince the pleasure. “You did nothing more than defend a friend. There’s no fault in that.”
Sebastien nodded in acknowledgement and stiffly held out his hand. Rob took it without hesitation, surprised at the sturdiness of his royal grasp. Sebastien left the library, his movements sharp. Loïc exchanged glances with Massimo and jerked his head. The other man followed his prince and closed the library door, leaving Loïc behind.
“I would ask discretion, Dr. Upshaw, about the prince’s whereabouts,” he said. “He is young, attractive, and unattached. The media likes to follow him, and where the media goes, single women without scruples follow. It’s highly disruptive to him and his friends and makes their lives unnecessarily complicated.”
The history geek in Rob was ready to get out a digital recorder and interview Sebastien on his family history and royal life. The saner part of him knew the manwouldn’t appreciate the onslaught of questions from a near stranger. “The prince of what?”
“A small principality tucked between Italy and France. Most people can’t locate it on a map.”
That explained the European accent and slipping into another language. “The royal family lets a prince travel without guards? Without any protection?”
“He has me.” Loïc’s flat lips curved upward, but his black eyes were lethal. “His Highness is far removed from the line of succession, being the second youngest of six and an uncle multiple times over. He spent many years arguing for his freedom with his family before they finally gave in. Massimo and I are the compromise.” He ditched the attempt of humor, which didn’t make him any less deadly. “He is a good man, regardless of what you saw this morning. He and Ms. Marsh have been friends since college. Just friends.”
Was that a hint of approval from the stoic man? “I meant what I said. He thought he was protecting her.”
“Thank you for your understanding, sir.” Loïc gave a small bow and left Rob alone in the library.
What a night.
Rob stretched, the awkward sleeping position making his joints crack in unusual places. He wasn’t complaining. Spending the night with a beautiful woman was a fair trade.
When he was sure no one was going to interrupt him, he touched his lip and made his way to the display case to scope out his reflection. That altercation would leave a mark. He climbed the staircase and paused outside his room, bracing himself for his brother’s opinions on how Rob had spent the night.
The strong coffee aroma hit him as soon as he opened the door. “Good morning, big brother. Have you been with Wendy this whole time?” Hal held up his filled mug in a toast. “Congratulations. I wasn’t sure you could pull off a planned seduction.”
The idea rolled Rob’s stomach. “Get your mind out of your pants. Nothinghappened.”
“The mind isn’t what goes in the pants.” Hal shook his head in mock sadness. “No wonder you struck out.”
“You’re such an ass.” Rob left his brother to his morning brew and jumped into the shower.
The pelting water helped clear his thoughts. If there was any chance of something happening between him and Wendy, he wasn’t going into it with the sword of Uncle Damocles hanging over his head. She’d probably hate him. Maybe throw things. Get Loïc and Massimo to literally kick him out on his ass.
And he’d deserve every part of it.
But she deserved more than what he would be giving her if it wasn’t the truth.
He got out of the shower and dried off. He didn’t relish the thought of being in the Georgia humidity in a button-down and tie for the tour, but it was the sacrifice he made for his love of history and shaping young minds.
“When you had Wendy in the library this morning, the old woman was in the kitchen, and I saw Brandi walking away from the house,” Hal said. “I went up to the third floor to see if I could get to the attic. That’s where they all sleep, right? The door’s locked at the top of the staircase.”
