“A prince should never be far from his crown,” he said, a smile flirting with his chiseled lips.
“Sometimes we princes rescue maidens like you from dragons.”
“Is that what you are doing tonight?” Samantha asked, growing serious. “I mean, rescuing me from society’s dragons?”
“Do you need rescuing, my lady?” Prince Rudolf stared into her eyes.
Samantha tore her gaze from his, feeling as if he could see into her soul and knew her deepest secrets, fears, and insecurities. Only family knew of her pain. She had too much Douglas pride to let anyone else, especially this man, see her pain.
“How do English ladies pass their days?” the prince asked, changing the subject when she remained silent.
I picked pockets until two weeks ago. Samantha looked at the prince and said, “I play the violin.”
“Will you play for me sometime?”
“I would be honored.”
“How about that glass of champagne, my Bulgarian rose?” Rudolf asked.
“I would like that very much.”
With her hand in his, Samantha walked toward the mansion. At the door, they met Angelica and the marquess on their way into the garden. Her sister appeared none too happy and cast her a look that said Aunt Roxie was displeased with her behavior.
Samantha cared not a whit. Her future loomed long and bleak in front of her. She knew the prince could never be interested in her, but he had given her an evening to remember. Perhaps more suitable gentlemen would follow the prince’s lead and become acquainted with her instead of dismissing her because of her flaw.
“Rudolf, I need to ask you a question,” Samantha said, pausing in the foyer. When he inclined his head, she dropped her gaze to his chest. “Why did you single me out tonight?”
“I love the way you look at my chest,” he said in a husky voice.
Samantha lifted her gaze to his face. He was laughing at her.
“You are a desirable woman,” Rudolf told her. “Why should I not be attracted to you?”
His answer surprised her. “But I—”
A gunshot boomed from outside the mansion. Sounds of alarm reached them.
“Stay here,” the prince ordered, heading for the door.
“I’m coming, too.” Samantha followed him outside.
They started down the street where a crowd had gathered. In the distance, Samantha saw her sister and the marquess.
“Oh,” she cried when an enormous man, dressed in black, stepped from the shadows and blocked their path.
“Good evening, Your Highness.”
“Good evening, Igor,” Rudolf said. “How is Vladimir?”
“Return Venus to her rightful owner or suffer the consequences.” With those words, the man disappeared into the night.
“What was that about?” Samantha asked.
Ignoring her question, Rudolf lifted her hands to his lips, saying, “I must take my leave now. May I call upon you?”
Her smile lit the night, and hope swelled within her breast. “Yes, Rudolf, you may.”
The prince gifted her with a devastating smile and then retraced his steps down the street. Samantha watched him disappear inside one of the coaches.
He never called upon her.
Chapter 1
Winter, 1813
“Alexander Emerson is so boring,” Victoria said. “I don’t understand why Samantha wants to marry him.”
“That’s a terrible thing to say,” Angelica scolded her youngest sister.
Samantha stood at the window of her second-floor bedchamber at the Duke of Inverary’s country estate. She stared at the curving brick drive and the courtyard’s three water terraces.
Tonight was a special night. Not only would her family celebrate the New Year but would also announce her betrothal to Alexander Emerson. Why didn’t she feel happy?
You don’t love him.
Samantha silenced that disturbing inner voice and sent it back to the suburbs of her mind. Turning away from the window, she said, “I want to marry Alexander Emerson because he is boring.”
She had passed a soul-searching week alone at the old cottage, trying to decide what to do. Her decision had been relatively easy, though, because a woman who limped wasn’t exactly the height of fashion.
“You should have gone to Sweetheart Manor instead of the cottage,” Angelica said, as if she sensed her doubts. “Robert spent a fortune restoring and renovating it, complete with staff, awaiting a visit from the Countess of Melrose and her husband.”
Samantha looked at her older sister knitting a bunting for the babe she expected in four months. “The cottage at Primrose Hill is closer than Scotland.”
“A complete change of scenery would have been good for you.”