His Majesty's Marriage

If the headmistress of Beau Lac had been able to give Raoul even one clue where to look for Lee in Montana, he wouldn’t have left a stone unturned tracking her down.

To compound his pain, Sophie and her parents had left Geneva that same weekend as Lee, to go to an undisclosed location. Sophie had remained incommunicado. The last he’d heard, she had married Luciano and had gone on an extended honeymoon.

Without her help, Raoul had been left with no choice but to wait for Lee to show up in Jackson. It had been agony, and it wasn’t over yet.

He got out of the car and walked up to the front porch. There was no Realtor sign or “For Rent” card anywhere. No phone number he could call.

That familiar sinking pit in his stomach was growing. He descended the steps and explored around the back of the house. Beneath a hot noonday sun his gaze took in the property that held so much meaning for her. From tiny baby to a seventeen-year-old, this had been her world, where she’d known happiness with her family.

Mon Dieu- How long did she intend to torture both of them? He knew in his gut she was far from indifferent to him.

Where are you, Lee?

He checked his watch. Two detectives from a local PI firm he’d contacted would be meeting him here in a few minutes. He was having the house put under surveillance to make certain he didn’t miss her.

She had to come back here sometime. Until then, he wasn’t leaving town.

By the time Lee reached Jackson it was dusk. Every motel had a “No Vacancy” sign. As usual the town was filled with tourists taking advantage of the last weekend in August before school started.

Since she’d made reservations at the Mount Moran Inn from her aunt’s house, it didn’t matter when she checked in. While there was still some light, now would be a good time to drive by the house for one last look. She had no desire to go inside and dredge up childhood memories.

Tomorrow she’d ask her attorney to put the house on the market. Then she’d leave for California.

As she drove through Jackson she noted that it had grown some over the last few years. Maybe six or seven thousand people made up the town. But the street where she’d once lived hadn’t changed.

The old ranch-style home came up on the left. She pulled into the driveway and sat there for a while.

Was there anything emptier than a house without people in it? Especially when you’d loved those people and knew you wouldn’t see them till the next life?

Her emptiness grew as her thoughts flicked back to Switzerland and all that she’d left behind.

“Raoul-” His name burst out of her on a sob before they began in earnest. Great heaving sobs that shook her whole body. “Dear God, how am I going to make it through this life without you?”

She buried her face in her hands.

Eventually the tears subsided enough that she could start the car and go back to the inn.

After checking in at Reception, she took the card key and walked down the left hallway to room twenty- five.

“Lee?”

A masculine voice that sounded achingly familiar caused her to drop everything: the card, her purse, the overnight bag.

She spun around, wondering if she was hallucinating. But the second her gaze fused with those riveting blue eyes she couldn’t doubt the incontrovertible proof of his presence.

It was Raoul. He was here in Jackson, not Zermatt or Neuchatel.

Shock made it difficult for her to think.

“H-how-?”

“I followed you from the house.”

“I mean-”

“Madame Simoness.”

“You were there?” Lee was so dazed nothing was coming out right. “She gave you my address?”

“Yes,” he answered in a solemn voice. “I would have tapped on the car window, but I didn’t want to frighten you.”

Lee started to tremble. Had he heard her cry out his name?

“What are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

She shook her head in disbelief. “But why have you come? Has something terrible happened?”

His handsome face darkened with lines. “Yes. It’s something so serious we have to have a long, uninterrupted talk about it.”

Lee swallowed hard.

“You’re in pain.”

“Yes. It has become unendurable.” His voice grated.

“I was afraid of this. Oh, Raoul-” She moaned. “I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“You’re right. As a result, the situation is more precarious than ever. You see, my wedding is still on.”

“To Sophie?” she cried in astonishment. “Then she didn’t marry Luciano! Thank heaven!”

A strange look crept over his striking features. “What are you saying?”

“You don’t have to pretend with me, Raoul. I know that, given time, your marriage to her will work, and you’ll be able to win her love. She won’t be able to resist you-”

“I think we’re talking at cross purposes.” He broke in on her abruptly. Shadows darkened his eyes. “I need to speak to you, but I’d rather do it in private than out here in the hall.”

“Yes. O-of course. Come in.”

He plucked her things from the floor and opened the door for her.

Like before, her arm brushed against his chest on the way inside. But this time it was like fire devouring her flesh. Lee would go up in a lick of flame if he so much as touched her again.

She heard the door close behind her. The click reminded her they’d shut out the world. It was just the two of them.

Her heart turned over at the sight of his tall, whipcord-lean physique dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. He had a hungry look around his eyes and mouth. She thought he might have lost some weight, yet he was more appealing to her than ever. His searching gaze took in the knit top and shorts she was wearing.

“I’m glad you’re sitting down.”

His remark set off more alarm bells. “Don’t keep me in suspense any longer,” she begged.

“I don’t intend to.”

He closed the distance between them and hunkered down in front of her bare legs.

“What are you doing?” she whispered in an unsteady voice as one of his hands went to the calf of her right leg while the other removed the sandal off her foot.

His dark-blond head was lowered in concentration.

“Raoul?”

The feel of his hands created an erotic sensation that wound its way to the very core of her being.

“I wanted to see if this would fit.” A flash of purple and gold caught her eye before she felt him slide the other shoe onto her foot. It was one of the dainty high heels that matched the dress she’d left behind.

“I told my parents I would marry the woman who’d worn this dancing with me, and no other.”

Marry?

Her thoughts reeled.

Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly.

His head came back up. She found herself staring into eyes that blazed blue fire. “You’re that woman.”

Lee sat very still. “This isn’t a joking matter, Raoul. I-I know you’re hurting. So am I. But I left all playacting behind me when I boarded the plane for the States.”

“So did I,” his deep voice grated. “Tell me why you’re still hurting. Is it because of Todd?”

“Todd?” she cried out in surprise. “Heavens no! I can’t imagine why you would bring his name up at all. It’s your pain I’m worried about.”

“I hope you mean that,” he whispered rather emotionally, “because you’re the only person who can take it