Maggie thought longingly of the dungeons Victoria had mentioned. “Then we have a real problem because I’ll never agree.”
Whatever he was going to say was lost when someone knocked on the door. Victoria stepped inside.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s been another twist in your life.”
She held the door open and Qadir entered, leading a young woman Maggie had never seen. She was petite, with dark blond hair and features that were probably pretty when they weren’t blotchy. Tears filled the woman’s eyes when she saw Jon.
“I had to come,” she told him.
Elaine, Maggie thought, wondering how the situation could get worse. Then she met Qadir’s gaze. What must he think of all this? Of her? Last night had been so perfect, but this morning was a disaster. Did he think she wanted to marry Jon? Was he feeling that she had simply used him?
Too many questions that she had no way to ask.
Elaine hurried over to Jon. She clutched his arm. “Don’t do this,” she pleaded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Please, don’t do this.”
“It’s the right thing for the baby.”
“How is that possible? How can something that hurts this much be right?”
Maggie looked away, feeling as if she were intruding on a private moment.
“Don’t you love me anymore?” Elaine asked, her voice trembling.
“Elaine, please.” Jon sounded strained.
“Just tell me the truth,” she pleaded. “Tell me I don’t matter.”
“I can’t do that.”
Maggie wanted to crawl into a hole. While she knew in her head she wasn’t the only one to blame for the disaster, she felt the heavy weight of responsibility in her heart.
Still not looking at Jon or Elaine, she hurried out of the room and into the hallway.
Someone came after her. She half expected it to be Victoria, but then she felt strong hands settle on her shoulders.
“Who needs daytime television when they can just watch what’s going on in my life,” she said, trying to make light of the situation.
Qadir turned her to face him, then pulled her close.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said as she snuggled into his chest. “I can’t believe Jon is here and Elaine followed him. He wants to marry me.”
“I expected no less. If you were carrying my child, I would not let you get away.”
Words to make her tremble, she thought sadly. If she were carrying Qadir’s child, she wouldn’t want to get away.
“I’m not going to ruin all our lives because I’m pregnant. You saw Elaine. She loves him desperately. He’s wrong to push for a marriage with me.”
“He’s a man who is trying to do the right thing. His conscience wars with his heart.”
“His heart better win.”
Victoria slipped into the hallway. “I’m going to find Elaine a room. Apparently she’s staying, at least for now.”
Maggie winced. “Here? That can’t be okay. We should all move to a hotel.”
“The palace has many rooms,” Qadir told her. “Your friends are welcome.”
They weren’t her friends, but there was no point in getting into that. And she sure didn’t want to think what the staff must be thinking about her.
“This is all my fault.”
Qadir touched her cheek. “It is not.”
Elaine came out of the room and looked at Maggie. “He wants to talk to you.”
Maggie nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want any of this to happen.”
“I believe you. I wish things were different.”
Victoria led the other woman away. Maggie stared at the half-open door. “I guess I need to go back inside.”
“I will come with you,” Qadir said.
“No, that’s okay. I can handle Jon.”
Qadir hesitated, as if he wasn’t going to give her a choice. Then he nodded. “If there is any trouble, you will get in touch with me.”
It wasn’t a question.
“I promise,” she told him.
He bent his head and brushed his mouth against hers, then walked away. Maggie braced herself and walked into Jon’s room.
He stood by the window, looking out onto the garden. His body was stiff, but his shoulders seemed bowed, as if they carried too heavy a weight.
“I didn’t know Elaine would follow me,” he said without turning around. “I’m sorry about that.”
“I’m impressed. She obviously loves you very much and isn’t willing to let you get away.”
“She doesn’t understand.”
“She understands perfectly.” Maggie waited until he turned to face her before continuing. “She understands that you’re willing to throw away everything important to you for no good reason. She understands that while no one would have chosen this situation, it’s here now and we have to deal with it. But what she doesn’t understand- and I have to say I’m with her on that-is why you think there’s only one option.”
“Because there is. There’s the right thing to do and there’s everything else.”
Had he always been this stubborn? “Is it because I suggested you give up the child altogether?” she asked. “Did that make you feel like I was cutting you out and pushing you away? Is that why you’re so insistent?”
He didn’t say anything and she couldn’t read him anymore. Their intimate connection had been broken.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have gone there. Maybe it is the right thing for both of us, but it was wrong of me to assume anything. We need to come to a decision together. Maybe the three of us should talk.”
“This doesn’t involve Elaine.”
“Of course it does. It’s her future, too. Her life. Chances are, she’s going to be a stepmother.”
“You and I are the ones getting married.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Listen to me very, very carefully. I will not marry you and you can’t make me. I don’t love you. You don’t love me. In fact, you’re in love with someone else. Now quit being an idiot and start looking at other alternatives.”
“No.”
“Then rot in this room. I’m done talking to you. When you’re ready to be rational and reasonable, come find me. Otherwise, I don’t want to see you again.”
By seven that night, Maggie had a pounding headache and a deep desire to ride into the desert and never be heard from again. She sat alone in her room wondering how on earth she was supposed to fix the disaster that was her life.
She heard a light tapping on her French door. When she stood, she saw Victoria standing there with a pint of ice cream in each hand. Maggie hurried to let her in.
“I’m sneaking around,” her friend admitted, holding out the cartons. “I don’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone. Except you, I guess. Which one do you want?”
Maggie grabbed one of the cartons without checking the flavor, then frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Victoria’s blue eyes were swollen and red, her mouth puffy. “I’ve been crying. Me and Elaine. It’s our day. Neither of us seem to be pretty criers. I’m hoping you won’t be judgmental.”
“Of course not. But what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Everything. It’s so stupid. It’s not like I really care. It’s just I had this plan, you know. Then I tell myself I never thought it would happen, so what’s the big deal? I mean, who am I kidding? A prince? Marry me?”
Maggie led her to the sofa and urged her to sit. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Victoria scooped out some ice cream and licked the spoon. “I hope you appreciate that my escape of choice
