The King's Bride

‘You should see what they say here,’ he said one morning. ‘I know there isn’t a word of truth in it, but what can I-? Lizzie? My darling? What is it?’

She forced herself out of a sad dream and gave him a forced smile. ‘Nothing,’ she said.

‘Don’t say “nothing” when it makes you look like that.’

‘All right.’ She showed him what she’d been reading. The picture of a handsome young man, with a daredevil face, stared out from the paper. The caption read, Toby Wrenworth killed in motorcycle race.

Daniel felt as though something had struck him in the chest. He could barely force himself to ask, ‘He means something to you, this man?’

‘He did once. We were married for a couple of years.’

‘Married?’

‘I was eighteen and he was handsome and dashing. Auntie warned me against it, but I wouldn’t listen. I was so sure I could make him settle down. Of course he didn’t. He got bored and took off, and we were divorced. He was only happy taking insane risks. It was only a matter of time before this happened.’

‘Did you stay in touch?’

‘No. I haven’t spoken to him for years. It was all over long ago.’

‘But he’s remained in your heart?’ He was watching her face intently.

‘Not him so much as the memories of the happiness we shared. But it was a very short happiness. I was a stupid, ignorant girl or I’d have known I couldn’t change him.’

He wished he’d known that stupid, ignorant girl who’d given her whole heart to a man who hadn’t valued it. What had she been like in the flush of her first love? His longing to know that, to have been the man who inspired her first young passion, was so intense that for a moment he couldn’t speak.

‘Don’t,’ he said, tossing the paper aside and taking her face between his hands. ‘Forget him. Look at me.’

She did so, and tried to smile. But it was an unconvincing smile and she saw the shadow of fear cross his face.

‘It’s all right,’ she tried to reassure him. ‘I just need to be alone for a while.’

‘I have to go, but I’ll see you this afternoon-hell, no, I’ve got meetings all day, and tonight I have to attend the opera.’

‘Late tonight, then,’ she said.

She spent the day wandering alone in the woods, thinking about Toby. The boy she’d known had been gone even before his death; she could see that from the face in the paper. It was a hard-bitten man who looked out from the front page, and the text made it clear that he’d cared for nothing and nobody except riding his powerful machine in races. Somewhere in the background was a discarded girlfriend and two illegitimate children. The Dame had been right all along. All teeth and trousers. And selfish with it.

Toby had changed her, teaching her the value of keeping her heart to herself, and so, in his way, he’d helped to bring her to this point. She had a heart to give to the one man who mattered, because after that first fling she’d never wasted it

again. Her sadness was all for Toby, who’d loved life and lost it while she was preparing to move on to a new life.

It was nearly two in the morning before Daniel came to her, and she could see in his face that his day had been wretched. Years had left him skilled in concealing his feelings, but now they burst out in the first moment.

‘Tell me the worst,’ he said harshly. ‘You still love him, don’t you? You’ve been trying to put him behind you, but you can’t.’

‘Darling, that’s not true.’

‘I think it is. That’s why you play with men so easily-because you couldn’t have the one who mattered. But who do you make love with? When you lie in my arms whose face do you see?’

Suddenly she understood. ‘No, you’ve got it all wrong,’ she said, giving him a little shake. ‘It isn’t happening again, I promise. I’m not Serena, pining for another man.’

He gave a shaky laugh. ‘Am I that transparent?’

‘Just a little.’

‘I thought you were all mine. If I discovered that you weren’t, my life would be dark again. And that would be hard to bear when you’ve shown me the light.’

‘I am all yours,’ she promised. ‘I’ve been over Toby for years. It was just a shock to read about his death like that. I don’t dream of him. I dream of you.’

He relaxed in her arms and allowed himself to be reassured. Instead of taking him straight to bed Lizzie ordered a light meal and they sat and talked about nothing very much. It was being together that mattered, and when she could feel that he was calmer and happier, then she took him to bed and loved him tenderly.

As they lay together afterwards he said, ‘If I’d known I was going to fall in love with you, I’d have run for my life.’

‘Love?’ she asked in a soft murmur. ‘Is this love?’

‘Don’t you feel that it is?’

‘Yes, I do.’ She buried her face against him, whispering, ‘And I’m so happy now.’

Next morning he had to leave her earlier than usual for a meeting with his Prime Minister. Before going he said, ‘Tonight will be special. I have a surprise for you.’

‘A surprise? Oh, tell me now,’ she begged eagerly.

‘Then it wouldn’t be a surprise. I don’t want to spoil it, but it’s something that will mean a lot to you.’ He sighed, kissed her tenderly, and then again. ‘If I don’t leave you now I won’t be able to. Goodbye, my darling, until tonight.’

When he’d gone she had a bracing shower. As she was drying herself her phone rang. She answered eagerly, expecting to hear Daniel’s voice. But it was a stranger, and as she listened her smile faded.

She dressed quickly and called Daniel. ‘I have to leave, right now,’ she said.

‘You can’t leave me,’ he said, becoming imperious in a moment. ‘I won’t let you go, ever. Wait there.’ He hung up before she could reply.

He was with her in a moment. ‘What is this nonsense about leaving?’

‘I’ll come back when I can, but I have a sick friend who needs me. It’s Bess. I told you about her. She’s had a heart attack and the hospital sent for me. I’m all she has.’

‘Forgive me,’ he said at once. ‘I was being selfish. It’s so hard to part with you when I’ve only just discovered you. But you must go at once. My own plane will take you-’

‘No need, darling. There’s a flight in an hour, and if I go now I might just catch it.’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll call the airport. It won’t leave without you.’

She gave a shaky smile. ‘What it is to be a king.’

‘It’s only valuable to me if I can use it to make your life a little easier. But before you go there’s something I want to say-you must understand-’

She waited, but after hesitating for a long moment he sighed and said, ‘Never mind. This isn’t the moment. But remember that I love you whatever-whatever happens.’

‘Darling, whatever’s the matter?’

He put his arms about her. ‘Promise me that you’ll return. You won’t just abandon me.’

‘How could I do that when I love you so much? I’ll be thinking about you.’

‘And I,’ he said, ‘will start to think about you the moment we say goodbye. Wherever you are, whatever you do, my thoughts will be with you every moment until you return.’

Felix, Sandor and Elsa came down with her to the palace car that Daniel had commanded to take her to the airport. As it drove away she looked back to see them waving, their faces anxious. Raising her eyes a little, she could see Daniel motionless at an upstairs window.

Lizzie’s return to Voltavia was in stark contrast to her departure. Three days later she arrived without warning, stormed into her apartment and snatched up the telephone to call Daniel. The phone was answered by Frederick.

‘Kindly tell His Majesty that I want to see him.’

Frederick’s gasp was audible down the line. He knew, as everyone did, that Lizzie was privileged, but even she