Dominic had originally said he’d be happy to host the engagement party at The Hanged Man, so all Nellie’s neighbours and friends could join in on the celebration. As he had said, they owed a debt of gratitude to The Hanged Man. After all, if it hadn’t been for Dominic nearly getting into a bar room brawl on the premises, they might never have spent time together, might never have had the chance to fall in love. Although both suspected it would have happened anyway. How could they not fall in love with each other? How could two people who were perfect for each other not meet and fall in love? Those were two questions they were pleased they would not have to answer.
While Nellie appreciated Dominic’s gesture, she had convinced him that the ballroom at Lockhart Estate was a better venue for an engagement party. As she had said, it would make a nice change of scenery for Matilda and Harriet and all Nellie’s friends from the neighbourhood. Especially as many of them were staying overnight at the estate. Dominic had rightly pointed out that some might not be able to afford the train fare, but then he had come up with the perfect solution. He included train tickets with the invitation. Nellie had felt so pleased with him for making such a tactful gesture and so proud of herself for agreeing to marry such a man as wonderful as Dominic.
She was prouder still when he relented under her determined insistence that they hire staff for the day so the household servants would be able to join in the festivities, along with the tenants who lived on Lockhart Estate.
One thing they did agree on immediately. Inviting Patrick Kelly and his friends would be going a bit too far, even though they admitted they also owed them a debt of gratitude. If it wasn’t for their fists and boots Dominic would not have had to recover at Nellie’s home. That was time they treasured as it was when their love first began to blossom. But instead of an invitation, they decided a more fitting way to repay that particular debt was not to press assault charges.
The Duke and Duchess of Somerfeld, along with the Duke and Duchess of Knightsbrook, also attended the engagement party and both dukes had offered to walk Nellie up the aisle. Nellie hadn’t mentioned it yet to Dominic, but as she had two friends who were duchesses, Dominic would be marrying a woman who could easily arrange for his sisters to be presented at court.
Amanda no longer needed to ask the Duke of Castlemere to arrange this, as Nellie could now make it happen. She knew she shouldn’t be looking forward to telling Dominic, but she was. It meant that she, little Nellie Regan, the ex-lady’s maid, would be the one who elevated the Lockhart sisters to the loftiest of heights on the social calendar when they made their debuts.
Not that either Violet or Emmaline seemed to care one fig whether they were presented at court or not. Like their older sister, Amanda, they seemed like very sensible young women who would marry for love and not for status. Just like their mother did before them and just as their brother was about to do.
Nellie looked around the ballroom, smiled and saw her handsome fiancé making his way towards her. ‘May I have the honour of this dance?’ he said, giving her his most formal bow.
‘Indeed, you may, sir,’ Nellie replied, making an equally formal curtsy. Dominic’s arm wrapped around her waist and he glided her across the parquet floor, while everyone watched. Nellie was sure she must be glowing she felt so radiant with happiness. How could she not be? She was dancing with the man she loved, the man who loved her.
And when Dominic ignored all protocol, all ideas of what constituted proper behaviour, and kissed her on the dance floor to the enthusiastic applause of all the guests, Nellie’s happiness reached a level she would have once thought impossible.
‘Who said the upper classes lacked passion?’ Dominic said, laughing, as he lifted her up in his arms and twirled her around.
‘Some fool who didn’t know what she was talking about.’
‘A beautiful fool who unlocked this fool’s heart and showed him what love and passion really mean.’ With that, Dominic lowered her to the floor and kissed her again.
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The Warrior’s Princess Prize
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Chapter One
The Alhambra Palace
in the Emirate of Granada—1399
Climbing to her bedchamber at the top of the tower, Princess Zorahaida dropped her veil on a ledge next to her elaborately carved bed and wished she did not see her sisters around every corner. Her sisters were long gone but she ached to see them.
She was feeding the songbirds in their gilded cage when light footsteps on the stair caught her attention. Closing the door of the cage, she turned, bracelets chinking.
Sama, her most trusted maidservant, stood on the threshold with her veil flung back. Her eyes were troubled.
Princess Zorahaida’s heart constricted. What now?
The Princess’s irascible father Sultan Tariq was prone to the most bloodcurdling rages. Had he hurt someone? Zorahaida’s greatest fear was that the day might dawn when she wouldn’t be able to calm him. Thus far, she had managed reasonably well, though it was never easy. She felt as though for most of her life she’d been walking a tightrope.
She kept her voice calm. ‘Something troubles you, Sama?’
Sama was the most sensible of her handmaidens. Rarely ruffled, her cool nature had been
