The lingering empathy in her eyes told him she still saw through to his old hidden pain but then she smiled. ‘And what other amazing accomplishments does a prince have to master? Geography, I bet. Languages?’
‘Five.’ He nodded.
‘Ventriloquism being one of them?’ Her smile quirked.
‘Of course.’ That tension in his shoulders eased.
‘Piano? Art?’
‘Actually I do play the piano but I can’t draw.’
‘Well, I’m glad to discover you do have an imperfection or two,’ she teased. ‘So what did you do after he said no to everything you wanted?’
‘I went into the military. Always acceptable. I trained with both navy and land-based forces.’
‘But not air? You mean even with all your amazing accomplishments you can’t fly a plane?’
‘I occupied my very little spare time with polo. And other off-field pursuits.’
‘Women.’
‘I was going to say partying.’ He maintained his smile through gritted teeth. ‘I was bored and bitter and I felt stuck. I resented him for saying no to every damn thing that I truly wanted to do. So I did my work, but I had frequent blow-outs—and, yes, in part it was to piss him off.’ He glanced at her ruefully. ‘Predictable, right?’
‘I can understand why you’d resent him and want to rebel. It’s horrible being denied what you want all the time.’
‘It is.’ He glanced at her again and smiled faintly to himself. ‘I’d wanted to do something meaningful and I wasn’t allowed.’ He sighed. ‘I was angry. I was angry that Fi was so constrained. I was angry that he was always so distant and no matter what I did it was always a disappointment. He disapproved of my straight As, for heaven’s sake. What was left to do other than rebel? But then it just became a habit and what everybody expected. It sure kept Triscari in the news—I maintained our high profile. There were just other consequences as well.’
‘You were lonely,’ she said softly.
‘Hester.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘I was surrounded by people.’
‘People who you couldn’t really talk to. Your father was distant. Fi was too young and then you helped her get away to study, your mum had gone, there was nothing but party women and yes-men. I think that would get lonely.’
He rubbed his shoulder. ‘You’re too generous, Hester. I revelled in being the Playboy Prince.’
She studied him. ‘You still want to do something meaningful?’
‘My only job now is to be a good king for my country. I was angry about the marriage thing but perhaps, now it is done, I can get on and prove that this will all be good.’
‘I don’t think you need to prove yourself, Alek,’ she said. ‘I think what you do is very meaningful.’
He had no idea how the conversation had got so sidetracked. He’d meant to distract her from her distress about her family and himself from his desire for her. Yet somehow this had turned heavy and he’d told her far more than he’d intended. And somehow she’d soothed an old wound within him that he hadn’t realised was still aching.
He gazed at her—her beautiful leonine eyes were more luminous than ever and how was it he wanted her more than ever? The ache to lean close, to touch her, was unbearable.
Instead he put down the tablet and stalked towards the door, remembering far too late that they had a palace full of people to please. ‘We’d better get this over with.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
HESTER WATCHED HER husband charm everyone—hustling the receiving line through while making every guest believe he’d paid them extra special individual attention. She was fascinated by his skill—and so busy contemplating what he’d told her, the depth of his secrets and sadness and sacrifice, that she didn’t spot her cousins until they were right there, confronting her with their fake smiles and stabbing eyes.
All the noise of the room receded as Joshua, Kimberly and Brittany stared at her. Hester froze, struck dumb as Kimberly executed a tart curtsey that exuded total lack of respect.
‘Thanks for the invitation.’ Brittany’s faux polite opener was so barbed.
Hester still couldn’t speak. They were older yet hadn’t changed a bit. And how was it that they could make her feel so inept and small, even here and now?
‘Our pleasure.’ Alek filled the small silence and extended his hand to Joshua. ‘We’re grateful you could join us in celebrating our special day.’
In the face of Alek’s ruthless charm the three of them were rendered speechless. Hester watched with relief as they continued on into the reception room. It was good they’d shut up, but she’d not silenced them. And to her horror she discovered she still cared just a tiny bit too much. But Alek held her hand tightly, glued to her side in an outrageous display of possessiveness and protectiveness that she was enjoying far too much.
‘I instructed Fi to spread the rumour that we’re sneaking away early,’ he muttered near her ear as they took to the dance floor. ‘Which we are, by the way.’
‘Okay.’ It was silly to feel nervous. This wasn’t a real wedding night, but a charade.
Less than thirty minutes later they walked through the corridors to their private apartments. ‘You’ll have to stay with me tonight,’ he said softly. ‘I’ll sleep…’
‘On the sofa?’ she finished for him.
‘Something like that.’
‘We survived.’
‘We did more than survive, we nailed it. Did you see their faces? They loved it.’ He threw her a satisfied smile.
‘Wonderful.’ She’d hardly noticed anyone else. She’d hardly eaten
