Page 80 of A Tenuous Betrothal
But she was looking at him. He could feel her gaze.
At last, his father nodded. “I respect your choice, of course. But I made a promise to Rhi’s father, which I intend to keep.”
Marc opened his mouth, but his father held up a hand.
“My promise was that she would marry one of my sons. I have many.” He laughed and looked at Rhi. “As you might have heard.”
Rhi’s face clouded. “I have heard, yes.”
“Take some time. Get to know them. And, I promise you, not a one of them will be disappointed to learn they have an opportunity to get to know you better.” He laughed again. “If Marc doesn’t suit, one of them undoubtedly will. Now that you are here, I worry less about your care and safety, but you deserve a happy marriage, as I promised.” He took a handkerchief out of his pocket. “Your father was a dear friend, and your mother as well. Did you know her line was originally from Oldenburg?”
Rhi’s small gasp made Marc smile. “We have been attempting to resolve the mystery of my mother’s origins. A small chest showed a tie to Oldenburg, and I would love to hear such a truth confirmed. We also found this ring.” With shaking hands, she again tugged it from beneath her dress, untied the ribbon from her neck, and then held the necklace out.
His mother leaned closer. “Why, that’s remarkable. It’s the Wilhelm family crest.”
“It was in Rhi’s attic.” Marc was more intrigued than ever to learn of Rhi’s heritage.
His father nodded. “Yes, I have your family generations in our library.”
“So she really was from Oldenburg? And her parents before her?” Rhi said.
“Pure Oldenburgian. She’s from one of our oldest noble families.”
She stood and walked to the windows facing Marc’s home. “Then, I’m coming home, in a way.”
His mother hurried to her side and pulled her into an embrace. “We feel as though you are. You are not alone.”
Rhi’s head nodded in his mother’s embrace. And Marc stood by helplessly, the pain of that moment as exquisite for him as his happiness could have been.
His father took a half step toward the women and stopped. He ran a hand over his chin. “Indeed, and you will have some cousins in the royal court. If I remember correctly, my great-aunt was our common relation. She would have been your great-great-grandmother. Her surname was Wilson.”
“But that was not my mother’s name.”
“No, because yours is the male line. My great-aunt married a—”
“Smith.” Rhi nodded. “If you don’t mind, I would love to see the charts and learn about my mother’s roots. And I’d like to know the families today. I went from feeling mostly without a family to suddenly having cousins.”
“Certainly. And they would be equally pleased to know you.”
Marc was both happy and uncomfortable with Rhi’s newfound place in his royal courts. Before they could deviate too far from the subject at hand, he shook his head and stood as well. “Wait. If we may return to our original discussion, if I understand clearly what you are suggesting, you wish each of my brothers to consider courting her?”
“I would prefer it be you, Marc, but you have your reasons, obviously, purposes that must outweigh this opportunity,” his father said.
They all turned to Marc and waited. And he felt the thickness of expectation weigh on him. “I care deeply for Miss Davies and want her to be happy.” He stopped short of declaring his love. “But I cannot subject her to the life I lead.” He tried to plead with his eyes, but his father was obviously unmoved by his reasons.
The king flicked his fingers. “None of that matters if you suit each other.” When Marc didn’t respond, his father continued. “If you are resolved against the idea, we shall have a time for each brother to woo our dear Miss Davies. And when she finds one who suits, we willthenhave the wedding of the century, as your mother has expressed.”
His mother squeezed Rhi. “I must say I agree with your father. Both of you now have the opportunity to choose whom you’d like to marry and when. Miss Davies, how do you feel about this arrangement?”
Out of the corner of his eye Marc saw Rhi look at him, but he did not spare a glance in her direction. He could not, or he’d find himself begging for her hand. No, he must remain strong. Though this new plan would be torture indeed. He was to stand aside while she was courted by each of his brothers? He should have known such a thing would happen. He had, in fact, known. But hearing it from his father’s lips was more difficult than he’d imagined.
“I can only be grateful, Your Majesty, to you and to my father. When Prince Marc came, it was during my darkest times. And this...” She lifted a hand to indicate everything around her. “This is all more than I ever dreamed. My home in Wales is cared for, the workers are protected, and now, to think I shall be as well... thank you.” She turned to Marc, and the flash of pain that crossed her face was quick, but it sank into him and lodged itself somewhere near his heart.
“Your gratitude does you credit.” His father reached out to pat her hand. “It is decided, then. Marc, you are the first who will take your turn to woo this wonderful woman.”
He shifted. “I leave in the morning.”
“What?” Both his mother and his—Rhi—responded in unison. Their faces were stricken and then quickly masked. Which was precisely what he didn’t need in his life: more guilt.
