To Charm a Prince(100)

That surprised Rudolf. Women were notorious for squandering money, and his wife hadn’t spent a penny. “What was she saving for?”

Rudolf watched his sister-in-law’s expression change from jaunty impertinence to remembered anguish. He felt a tremendous weight settling around his heart. He didn’t want to know the rest of her story, but knew he needed to hear it.

“I asked her that once,” Victoria said. “Samantha told me she was saving for her old age.”

Everyone laughed, including the prince. “Old age?” he echoed.

“Samantha said she was already a pathetic cripple. She didn’t want to add the word burden to describe herself,” Victoria said. “I tried to persuade her to buy a few hair ribbons that she had been admiring.” The seventeen-year-old’s voice cracked with emotion, adding, “Samantha insisted that, in her case, buying ribbons was a waste of money. No matter how many pretty ribbons she wore, she would always be a cripple, and no man would want to marry her. She said she needed to save her money to support herself when she was an old spinster.”

“Oh, dear God,” Aunt Roxie exclaimed.

“The poor child,” Duke Magnus said.

Rudolf felt sickened by the story. His heart was breaking for his wounded princess. His sister-in-law was correct. He didn’t like himself very much. “What does this have to do with the other day?”

“On the day in question, Samantha took her entire life’s savings of one thousand pounds for her old age and asked me to accompany her to Bond Street, “Victoria continued. “She paid a goldsmith the whole thousand pounds to make a replica of your stupid Venus medallion. Then we went to Montague House and gave the replica to your brother. If you don’t believe me, go upstairs and look. Samantha put the real medallion back as soon as we returned home.”

Everyone in the drawing room was silent. Rudolf was filled with self-loathing. His princess had put aside her own safety for him, and he had repaid her with cruelty.

“Why did she not tell me this?” he asked, his voice hoarse with raw emotion.

“You wouldn’t listen.” Victoria pointed her finger at him, saying, “And you owe me money for the hackney coach I hired.”

“Tell me where Samantha is,” Rudolf ordered.

“No.”

“She is carrying my child,” he tried to reason with her.

Victoria rose from the settee and walked toward the door, calling over her shoulder, “Samantha said she would return before she delivers the babe.”

Rudolf felt like shaking the twit. He appealed to the duchess, saying, “Make her tell me where Samantha is.”

“Tell His Highness where you have put his wife,” Aunt Roxie ordered.

Victoria turned to the prince. “I have put her in a safe place where you can’t hurt her,” she told him. “I will not betray my own sister.”

Rudolf couldn’t believe it when his brothers seemed to side with the twit. Viktor walked over to her and kissed her hand. “You are too amazing for words,” he complimented her. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Victoria looked confused.

“Viktor is too old for you,” Mikhail told her. “Marry me.”

“I am younger than they are,” Stepan said. “I have more endurance. Marry me.”

His sister-in-law apparently didn’t know what his brother meant by endurance. She smiled at each in turn and said, “I am flattered.” Then she glared at him, adding, “However, I would never wish to marry a man even remotely related to that monster.”

Rudolf inclined his head. He had it coming. He had treated his wife abominably.

“If you have misplaced your wife, Your Highness,” Victoria said, “I suggest you look for her without my help.”





Chapter 19


Please, God, keep her safe.

Rudolf stared at the Venus medallion in his hand. He’d passed a troubled night in his wife’s chamber, sleeping fitfully on the chaise because he felt closer to her there. Now, as the sun streamed into the window, he wondered where he should start looking for her.

His beautiful, wounded princess . . .

Rudolf remembered how shy she was the night at Emerson’s ball. He’d thought she was a proper English lady until she picked Igor’s pocket and began to reveal another side to herself.

He smiled at the memory of their coach ride to Scotland. How appalled she was at the prospect of sharing his bed. He’d had a wonderful time seducing her. He loved her sweetness and savored her surrender. She had welcomed him into her heart, her soul, her body. And still she had so much love to share with Grant, Drake, and Zara.