His Majesty's Marriage

He turned off his cellphone and reached for the house phone. It took a minute before Lee picked up.

“Hello?” She sounded out of breath. No doubt she’d been in the shower.

“Lee-what are you wearing to town?”

He heard her hesitate. “I only brought two outfits with me so I don’t have much of a choice. It’s either what I had on this morning, or the black sweater and trousers I arrived in yesterday.”

“Would you wear the latter? I have a reason for asking.”

“All right,” she said in a subdued voice.

“Are you about ready?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ll see you downstairs in a few minutes.”

As soon as she’d hung up, he phoned the kitchen. “Greta? Do you know where you put my mother’s black cable knit cardigan with the gold family coat of arms emblazoned on the breast pocket? She left it here on her last visit.”

His father had had it made for his mother, but she’d never worn it in public because she’d felt the crest made it too ostentatious. With Lee’s gossamer hair, she would look stunning in it while they walked around town.

“Yes,” the older woman said tentatively. “It’s in the storage closet near the base of the back staircase.”

“Merci.”

Raoul cast off his turtleneck and walked over to the closet to slip on a white fleece pullover. It was the only article of sportswear he owned that had the initials of His Royal Highness monogrammed near the right shoulder. He’d worn it once for an official family photograph.

He tucked the hem into the waistband of his jeans. When he’d pocketed his phone and wallet, he hurried down the stairs, eager to join the woman who’d transformed his life in the last twenty hours.

The woman in the mirror staring back at Lee had the same face as always, but she was a different person inside. In a few minutes her whole life would change when she stepped out of the chalet as Raoul’s girlfriend. Once the news broke, she’d be labeled that woman.

For Sophie and Luciano’s sake, Lee could handle it. By next week she’d be in Jackson, far away from any gossip that could hurt her. But she had a pit in her stomach over Raoul, who would have to bear the brunt of disgrace with no place to run.

No matter how he’d brushed off her concerns, he risked ruining his own life and everything his family stood for. Lee loved him too much to let him throw ev-

“Lee?” The rap on the bedroom door startled her. “I’ve put the gear we’re going to return in the car. Are you ready?”

Help me, her heart cried.

She walked over to the door and opened it. Her breath caught. The elegant white pullover that could only belong to Raoul with those royal initials provided the perfect foil for his brilliant blue eyes. Combined with his striking features and stature, he looked every inch the prince he was.

“Would you come in for a minute and shut the door?”

He scrutinized her thoroughly before moving inside, nudging the door closed with his boot. “What’s wrong?”

“I know we talked everything over, but we can’t go through with this. Look-I’m not backing out because of me. I already agreed to help. But-”

“Then there’s no problem,” he muttered in a forbidding voice she didn’t recognize.

“I’m afraid for you, Raoul. I’ve lived in Switzerland long enough to know you’re loved and revered by the people. There has to be another way to do this. Why don’t you and Sophie meet and discuss everything? You could call your parents together and plead with them to consider another solution so no one gets hurt.”

His handsome features hardened. “You don’t understand. Even if Sophie’s parents wanted to let her marry Luciano, royal protocol wouldn’t allow them to dissolve our engagement without clear justification.”

Lee was so shocked to hear him mention Luciano’s name she barely assimilated the rest.

“You know about him?”

“I just got off the phone with the Princess.”

She shook her head. “That means you’ve told her what you’re going to do, and she’s still willing to let you destroy your life for her?” Lee cried out, aghast.

Sophie’s revelation about Luciano must have devastated Raoul. He had to be in terrible pain right now.

“She realizes it’s the only way out for both of us,” he said in his deep voice.

“I can’t believe it.” Lee’s eyes implored him. “Raoul-your life will never be the same again. This is all my fault!” Her eyes glistened over. “Oh, why did I ever come to Zermatt?”

“Thank God you did,” he said emotionally. “As I told you at Roger’s, Sophie knew what she was doing.” His eyes seemed to pierce her soul. “If you’d been on the phone and had heard her cry of happiness as she told Luciano the good news, you would know I can’t disappoint her now.”

It was too much. She looked away from him. “If you’re this determined to do this there must be another woman you could find to help you.”

“I know several from the past who would pretend to be my latest lover without giving it a second thought.”

He’d had other lovers. Of course he had. There was probably someone here in Zermatt who’d expected to be with him this weekend! Why did it hurt so much?

“But, as Sophie’s best friend, you’re the only woman on the planet her parents will take seriously. They’ll know you and I had special access to each other through their daughter, and will assume we’ve been meeting secretly.”

She shuddered. “That’s horrible.”

“It has to be horrible to give her father a reason to sever all ties with me.”

“He’ll denounce you!” she almost shouted. “You really think you can live with that when all of it’s untrue?”

“We both want Sophie to be happy, otherwise you would never have come to Zermatt in the first place.”

Lee couldn’t argue with those facts.

“But it’s so unfair!” she groaned the words.

“Life’s unfair, as you’ve found out.” He grasped her hands and held them against his chest. “Look at me,” he whispered.

Slowly she raised her eyes to his.

“I need you, Lee.”

She tried not to be affected by his words, but it was impossible when she could feel his whole being calling out to her. She’d been the messenger, now she had to finish playing the part to the bitter end.

“If you’re sure,” she whispered back.

His eyes darkened. “I’ve never been so certain of anything in my life.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“WHAT can I show you, Your Highness?”

The attractive saleswoman in the boutique could scarcely contain her excitement. The same thing happened no matter where Raoul took Lee. Everyone recognized the Prince, but it was the female population that went crazy over him.

Lee had thought the attention bad enough when she’d gone out in public with Sophie, but nothing could compare to this. Journalists and tourists alike hounded him along the street, yet he took it all in stride and was cordial. At the hotel, where they ate a raclette lunch, people applauded as he escorted Lee out to the terrace.

“We’ve been to half a dozen shops, but none of them had a dress to match her eyes.” His gaze fastened on Lee. “They’re lavender or violet, depending on the light.”

The clerk had been concentrating so hard on Raoul it took her a minute before she realized she was supposed