As Emma watched, Rupert’s gaze lowered, a furious light blazing to life in his blue eyes when he noticed her hand clasped inside Nick’s. Inwardly quaking, Emma held fast and straightened her shoulders.
“Emma—” Rupert growled warningly.
“Perhaps I should explain,” Sigrid interrupted before the prince could continue.
Rupert cut his gaze to her. “I don’t believe that will be necessary. This all seems rather obvious. I will call the guards.”
“No!” Emma cried.
“So you think you can come back here and take advantage of my sister, do you?” Rupert said to Nick.
“I came back because I love your sister and wish to make her my wife. I tried to handle the matter honorably by asking you for her hand. When you refused, she and I decided to seek an alternate solution.”
A muscle ticked in Rupert’s cheek. “By eloping, you mean? By ruining her? As far as I can see, you’re nothing but a blackguard whose plan did not succeed. Now unhand my sister. Emmaline, go to your room.”
“No!” Emma said again, this time in defiance. “I am not going anywhere, not unless it is with Nick. I love him too.”
Rupert gave a mocking laugh. “Oh, is that what it is? Love? We’ve had this discussion before, Emmaline, and you know my feelings on the subject.”
Emma had never truly stood up to her brother before, but suddenly she no longer cared about caution or restraint.
“And what feelings might those be?” she charged scathingly. “Ariadne is right. You are without heart. Otherwise you would realize that I am not some emotionless pawn to be played on a chessboard in order to preserve national sovereignty and solidify dynastic alliances. I told you before that I do not want to marry King Otto. I let you bully me with talk of duty and honor, but I no longer care for either. I have a right to be happy, and the only man I shall marry is standing right here by my side.”
Rupert’s jaw turned hard as stone, his eyes glacial. “I can see that you are overwrought and not thinking clearly. We will discuss this later.”
“There is nothing to discuss. I will marry Nick and you cannot stop me,” she stated.
“You obviously forget that you are only eighteen and not of legal age. You cannot wed without my permission.”
“I can if I go to Scotland,” she challenged, tilting her chin at an imperious angle.
“You will find that a difficult journey once I ship you back home to Rosewald.”
Emma felt the blood slide from her cheeks. “Even if you send me back, I will still find a way to be with him.”
Rupert made a dismissive sound. “Enough! This is all completely ridiculous, particularly since you barely know the man. I don’t know when you had time to form this supposedly great passion, but I am sure it shall pass quickly enough.”
“I do not believe it will,” Sigrid said, suddenly entering the conversation. “If I am not mistaken, Emmaline and Lord Lyndhurst have been acquainted far longer than either of us might have imagined.”
All three of them turned to stare at Sigrid.
“What?” Rupert said. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Only that I believe Emmaline and his lordship met before you and I even arrived in England,” Sigrid continued. “Remember when Emmaline ran away from the estate and went to London? If I am not in error, that is where she and his lordship first made each other’s acquaintance—not at the Carlton House party and certainly not here.”
Emma scowled. How could Sigrid know so much? She must be even better at listening at keyholes than Emma had ever guessed. Yet if she knew, why had she said nothing before now? Why this morning when she and Nick had been only steps away from fleeing?
Rupert grew even colder, if that was possible. But Emma knew him well enough to realize exactly how furious he really was in spite of his outward display of calm.
“Is this true?” he demanded, returning his gaze to Nick. “Have you been dallying with my sister behind my back for the past few months?”
“I wouldn’t phrase it as dallying, since my intentions toward Emma have always been in deadly earnest,” Nick stated without an ounce of contrition. “However, Princess Sigrid is correct that Emma and I met last autumn on her first visit to London. At the time, I had no idea that she was a princess. Actually, I thought her to be a penniless governess.”
“A governess? Emmaline?” Rupert retorted. “What absurdity is this?”
“I will not go into detail. That is up to Emma to share, if she wishes,” Nick said. “However, you should know that I wanted to marry Emma when I thought she had no dowry. I want to marry her now because I cannot imagine my life without her by my side. I love her and I will do everything in my power to make her happy.”