'A compliment shouldn't make you frown,' Colin remarked.
'My mother was beautiful,' she said. 'But she also had a pure heart. I wish I was more like her, Colin. My thoughts are rarely pure. I was so angry tonight I wanted to hurt those men.'
He found his first smile. 'I did hurt them,' he reminded her. 'Now please continue with your explanation. I'm anxious to hear the rest of this.'
'My father's brother died just last year and the country was once again thrown into turmoil. There seems to be a notion held by some that I should come home. The general wants marriage and believes he'll be able to secure the throne if I become his wife.'
'Why does he believe that?'
She let out a sigh. 'Because I'm the only surviving heir to the throne. Everyone has conveniently forgotten my father abdicated. As I said before, he was well loved by his subjects and that love…'
She didn't go on. Colin was intrigued by the faint blush on her cheeks. 'And that love what?' he asked.
'Has been transferred to me,' she blurted out. 'At least, that is what Sir Richards of your War Department explained to me, and all the letters I've received over the years from the loyalists would confirm his supposition.'
Colin straightened in his chair. 'You know Sir Richards?' he asked.
'Yes,' she answered. 'He has been quite helpful to me. Why do you look so surprised? Is something wrong? You reacted with quite a startle at the mention of his name.'
He shook his head. 'How is the head of England's security section involved in this?'
'Then you know Sir Richards too?'
'I work for him.'
It was her turn to look startled. And appalled. 'But he runs the secret… Colin, if you work for him you must be involved in dangerous work. What do your parents think of this double life you lead? Oh, sir, no wonder you have no wish to marry. Your wife would worry all the time. Yes, she would.'
Colin regretted telling her the truth. 'I used to work for him,' he qualified.
She could tell he was lying to her. The proof was in his eyes. They'd gone… cold, hard. She decided not to argue with him. If he wanted her to think he wasn't involved with the Security Section, she would pretend to believe him.
'How and why did Sir Richards get involved?'
His irritated tone of voice pulled her back to the primary topic. 'He came to see me just the day before your father became ill. He and his associates-or superiors, as he referred to them-wish me to marry General Ivan.'
'Then he knows the general?'
She shook her head. 'He knows of him,' she explained. 'Sir Richards considers Ivan the lesser of two evils.'
Colin let out a low expletive. She pretended she didn't hear it. 'Sir Richards told your father the general would be easier to control. England wants the continuation of imports and the general would certainly look upon your country as a friend if I had been convinced by your leaders to marry Ivan. There is another man eager to snatch the throne and Sir Richards believes he's more ruthless. He also believes he wouldn't cooperate with trade agreements.'
'So you're the sacrificial lamb, is that right?'
She didn't answer him.
'What did my father say to Sir Richards?'
She started twisting her hands together. 'The director can be very persuasive. Your father listened to his argument and then promised to consider the matter. After Richards left, he decided against the marriage.'
'Why?'
She lowered her gaze to her hands, saw how red her skin had become, and immediately relaxed her grip. 'I cried,' she confessed. 'I'm ashamed to admit that, but I did cry. I was very upset. Your mother became furious with your father and I was the cause of a heated argument. That made me feel even more miserable. I felt I was disappointing everyone by being selfish. My only excuse is that my parents had such a happy marriage and I wanted to find that same kind of joy. I didn't believe I would ever find love or happiness married to a man who only wanted me for political gain. I've never met the general, but Raymond and Stefan have told me stories about him. If half of what they said is true, he's a very self-indulgent man.'
Alesandra paused to take a deep breath. 'Your father has a soft heart. He couldn't stand to see me upset. And he had made a promise to my father to take care of me.'
'So he decided you should marry me.'
'Yes,' she answered. 'It was his hope, but he wasn't counting on it. Otherwise your mother would have had your name written down on the invitations. Understand, sir, I was being fanciful when I told your father I wanted to marry for love. I realize that isn't possible now, given the urgency of finding a husband, and so I decided I would consider the marriage a business arrangement. In return for the use of my considerable inheritance, my husband would go his way and I would go mine. I thought I would travel… and in time, perhaps, go back to Holy Cross. It was very peaceful there.'
'Hell.'
She didn't know what to make of that muttered blasphemy. She frowned in reaction and then said, 'I also hoped that eventually my husband and I would become friends.'
'And lovers?' he asked.
She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. 'Anything is possible, Colin, given time and patience. However, I have had time to reevaluate my position. Granted, the gentlemen in England seem to be more civilized, and I had hoped to find one who was at least ethical, but tonight I realized none of it matters anymore. I'm going to cooperate. I'll marry the general. I've caused quite enough trouble. Perhaps in time this man will learn to… soften in his attitudes.'
Colin snorted. 'A snake doesn't ever stop slithering. He won't change, and you aren't going to marry him. Got that?'
She shivered over the harshness in his voice. 'I want your agreement, Alesandra.'
She wouldn't give it. She kept picturing the blood pouring down Raymond's face. 'I won't be the cause of any more…'
'Come here.'
Alesandra walked over to stand in front of his desk. He motioned her closer with the crook of his finger. She edged her way around the side and stopped when she was just a foot away from him.
'The general would give up his plan and leave me alone if I had a husband… wouldn't he?'
The combination of fear and hope in her voice bothered the hell out of him. She was too young to have such worries. Alesandra should be as scatterbrained and as giddy as his younger sisters.
Damn it all, she was in need of a champion. He reached out and took hold of her hands. She realized she was gripping them together again. She tried to relax. She couldn't.
'Marriage to the general is out of the question. Are we agreed on that?'
He squeezed her hands until she nodded. 'Good,' he remarked then. 'Have you left anything out in your explanation?'
'No.'
Colin smiled. 'No one bucks the head of security,' he remarked then, referring to Sir Richards.
'Your father did.'
'Yes, he did, didn't he?' He was inordinately pleased with his father. 'I'll talk to Richards tomorrow and see if we can't get his support.'
'Thank you.'
His nod was quick. 'Since my family is responsible for you, I'll set up a meeting with my father and my brother as soon as they're feeling well again.'
'For what purpose?'
'To figure out what the hell to do with you.'
He'd meant the remark as a jest of sorts. She took it to heart. She jerked her hands away from his. His bluntness had offended her. Alesandra had an extremely tender nature. He considered suggesting she learn to toughen her emotional hide, then decided not to offer that advice because she would probably take that as an insult
