Castles

'Nothing will be served by raising your voice to me. I accept full responsibility for what happened.'

She turned to her guard. 'Raymond, can you ever forgive me? I should have stayed home. I put you in danger…'

Colin interrupted. 'You don't have to hide behind lock and key, Alesandra. You just shouldn't have gone outside without me.'

'They would have attacked even if you'd been with me,' she countered.

He gave her a speculative look. 'Start explaining,' he ordered.

'I will explain when you quit shouting at me.'

He hadn't been shouting, but she was obviously too upset to notice. She'd taken her white gloves off. He watched as she folded the pair into a square and turned back to Raymond. She ordered Raymond to use the gloves for his bandage now that the handkerchief was saturated with blood.

'Damn it, Alesandra, you could have been hurt.'

'And so could you, Colin,' she responded. 'Raymond needs a physician.'

'I'll send Flannaghan over to fetch Winters as soon as we get home.'

'Is Winters your personal physician?'

'Yes. Alesandra, did you know the men who attacked?'

'No,' she answered. 'At least, not by name. I know where they came from, though.'

'They're fanatics,' Raymond interjected.

Alesandra couldn't bear to look at Colin's frown. She leaned back against the cushion of the seat and closed her eyes. 'The men are from my homeland. They want to take me back.'

'For what purpose?'

'To marry their bastard general,' Raymond answered. 'Begging your pardon, Princess, for using that word in your presence, but Ivan is a bastard to be sure.'

Colin had to wait to ask additional questions because they'd reached his town house. He wouldn't let Alesandra leave the safety of the carriage until he had the front door opened and had shouted for Stefan. Stefan came outside to assist Raymond, and Colin took hold of Alesandra.

A good hour was spent seeing to Raymond's care. Colin's physician lived just three blocks away and was thankfully home for the evening. Flannaghan brought him back in Colin's carriage.

Sir Winters was a white-haired man with brown eyes, a gentle voice, and an efficient matter.

He believed thugs were responsible for the attack. No one set him straight on that misconception.

'It isn't safe to go anywhere in London anymore, what with the mob of ruffians roaming the streets. Something has got to be done, and soon, before every decent man and woman is killed.'

The physician stood in the center of the foyer, his hand on Raymond's jaw as he studied the damage done to his cheek and lamented the condition of London's streets.

Colin suggested Raymond sit at the dining room table. Flannaghan carried in extra candles so the physician would have enough light.

The cut was cleaned with a foul-smelling liquid, then stitched together with black thread. Raymond never once flinched during the painful ordeal. Alesandra flinched for him. She sat next to the guard, and when Winters applied the needle to his flesh, she reached over and took hold of Raymond's hand.

Colin stood in the doorway, watching. His attention was centered on Alesandra. He could see how upset she was. There were tears in her eyes and her shoulders were shaking. Colin fought the urge to go and comfort her.

Alesandra was such a gentle, compassionate woman, and Colin could well see her vulnerability, too. She was whispering something to the guard but he couldn't make out the words. He walked forward, then came to an abrupt stop when he understood what she was saying.

Alesandra was giving her promise that nothing further would happen to the guard. Ivan, she said, would not make such a terrible husband, after all. She told the guard she'd given the matter considerable consideration and had decided to return to her homeland.

Raymond didn't look too happy with her promises. Colin was furious. 'You will not decide anything tonight, Alesandra,' he commanded.

She turned to look up at him. The anger in his voice surprised her. Why did he care what she decided?

'Yes, Princess,' Raymond said, drawing her attention. 'Tomorrow will be soon enough to decide what should be done.'

Alesandra pretended agreement. She had already made up her mind, however. She wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt because of her. Until tonight she hadn't realized the lengths the general's supporters would go to in order to accomplish their goal. And if Colin hadn't intervened, Raymond might have been killed.

Colin could have been injured, too. Oh, yes, she had made up her mind on the matter.

Winters finished his work, gave instructions, and then took his leave. Colin poured Raymond a goblet full of brandy. The guard downed the contents in one long swallow.

As soon as Raymond went upstairs to bed, Flannaghan took over his nightly ritual of checking all the locks on the windows and doors to make certain the house was secure.

Alesandra tried to go to her bedroom, but Colin intercepted her just as she was reaching for her doorknob. He took hold of her hand and pulled her along with him back to the study. He didn't say a word to her, just nudged her inside and then pulled the door closed behind him.

The time had come to explain in full her unusual circumstances, she supposed. She walked over to the hearth and stood there warming her hands with the heat of the fire Flannaghan had thoughtfully prepared.

Colin watched her, but he didn't say a word. She finally turned around to look at him. He was leaning against the door with his arms folded across his chest. He wasn't frowning and he didn't look at all angry-just thoughtful.

'I put you in danger tonight,' she whispered. 'I should have explained everything right away.'

She waited for him to agree with that statement of fact. He surprised her by shaking his head. 'This is as much my fault as yours, Alesandra. I could have insisted you explain your circumstances. I was too caught up in my own affairs to pay much attention to you. I've been remiss as your guardian. That, however, has changed. You're going to tell me everything, aren't you?'

She gripped her hands together. 'None of this is your fault, sir. I didn't believe I would be staying here long enough to bother you with my problems, especially after you explained you had no intention of getting married for a long while. I also believed the general would send an ambassador to request my return. I misjudged, you see. I thought he would be civilized. He isn't. He's obviously determined… and desperate.'

Tears came into her eyes. She took a deep breath to try to gain control of her emotions. 'I'm so sorry for what happened tonight.'

Colin took mercy on her. 'You weren't responsible.'

'They were after me,' she argued. 'Not Raymond or you.'

Colin finally moved. He walked over to the chair behind his desk, sat down, and propped his feet up on the nearby footrest.

'Why does this general want you to come home?'

'It isn't my home,' she corrected. 'I wasn't even born there. My father was king, you see, until he married my mother. She was English and considered an outsider. Father stepped down so he could marry her and his younger brother, Edward, became ruler. It was all very polite.'

Colin didn't remark on her explanation and she didn't have any idea what he was thinking. 'Would you like me to continue?' she asked, her worry obvious.

'I want you to explain why the general wants you to come home,' he repeated.

'My father was loved by his subjects. They didn't condemn him because he married my mother. In fact, they found it all very romantic. He did give up his kingdom for her, after all, and everyone who met my mother adored her. She was a dear, kindhearted woman.'

'Do you resemble your mother in appearance?'

'Yes.'

'Then she was also a beautiful woman, wasn't she?'

He had just given her a compliment, but she had difficulty accepting it. Her mother had been so much more than simply beautiful.