Читать книгу Wedding Vows: Say I Do: Matrimony with His Majesty / Invitation to the Prince's Palace / The Prince's Outback Bride - Rebecca Winters - Страница 11

“WHOA, Mom!” Phillip’s hungry eyes had just taken in the setting of the medieval castle at Bris, bordered in back by Lake Bris. Darrell’s heart echoed his words as the helicopter set them down on a helipad amidst the private, velvety green grounds east of the massive stone structure.

Accompanied by bodyguards who’d taken pains to explain everything they were seeing during their flight from Zurich, it truly was like being in a fantastic dream. From this height she could see other parts hidden from the public to the west that included a palace, a stable, tennis courts and a swimming pool.

On Darrell’s first visit to the castle the other day, she’d had to stand in line with other tourists at the front entrance, and saw but a small portion of the magnificent royal estate. Only from the air could you appreciate its vast size and splendor originating from the Middle Ages when the earliest Valleder kings built the city’s stronghold to keep the enemy at bay.

From the ticket window she’d followed the guide straight down to the vaulted, lonely dungeons every tourist came to see. But the tour had passed in a blur because her mind had been focused on meeting Phillip’s father. Such wasn’t the case with her son this morning. All Darrell had to do was look at his face to realize he couldn’t wait to go exploring in those dark, dank places. This was his legacy after all.

For her the real wonder of the castle lay in the rooms upstairs where the public was never allowed to go. Rudy, the man named who’d been on Alex’s staff for years and spoke excellent English, met them at the base of the grand staircase. He took over and gave them a cursory tour on the way to their room.

Both she and Phillip marveled at the grand knights’ halls, the secret twisting passages between lavish bedchambers, the Gothic windows with glorious views, a large, frescoed chapel. There was so much to see, it would take weeks!

“The Grand Kitchen,” Rudy explained, “still has its original wooden ceiling and four massive oak pillars which were installed in 1270.” He showed them the Plessur Bedchamber containing the original bird and ribbon decorations dating from the 1580s. When he escorted them to the expansive Hall of Arms covered with escutcheons of the Valleder bailiffs, Phillip went into ecstasy and didn’t want to leave. But Rudy reminded him, “There’s much more to see.”

He was right. The King’s Chamber with its original thirteenth-century wall paintings showed rustic scenes of animals in a meadow with St. George slaying a beast on the chimneypiece. Not far from that room they entered the magnificent Great Hall of the Prince of Bris with its original octagonal table and tapestries.

Finally Rudy escorted them to the Saxony apartment where they would be staying. It was two bedrooms really, both with enormous canopied beds and fireplaces, and joined by a set of carved doors. “This is awesome!” Phillip exclaimed. Rudy laughed, obviously finding her son amusing. But Darrell was so overcome by the room’s beauty, she stood in place, speechless.

There were slender black marble pillars and shimmering checkered wall decorations. Her neck hurt from viewing the coffered ceilings, which dated from the fourteenth century. She was charmed by the two recessed windows with window seats overlooking the lake. Above the arches of each window was a fabulous cloverleaf design. The same set of windows graced the smaller, adjoining room. Exquisite.

“Hey, Mom—Come here! Your room has a balcony!”

Rudy had opened a pair of doors that went from the inlaid-wood floor to the vaulted ceiling. The inserts told a Biblical story in gorgeous stained glass. Beyond them lay the shimmering waters of Lake Bris.

The sculptured stone balcony could have been made for Romeo and Juliet. It hung out over the water, taking her breath. So did the view of the mountains rising from the other side of the lake.

“His Majesty asked me to take you on a tour of the city. I’ll come by for you in twenty minutes. In the meantime, make yourselves at home. Your bags have been brought up.”

Once Rudy had gone, Phillip let out a whoop of excitement and began exploring his room. He soon discovered a mini-fridge had been installed. It was filled with drinks and treats. “Dad’s the best! I wish he hadn’t had to leave.”

“You know why he did.”

“Yeah…I can’t wait to see him!”

Darrell felt the same way. Alex’s presence had an electric effect on her, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

Later in the day she lay in the sun on one of the pool loungers. She’d put on a pair of denim shorts and a white halter top. When a shadow fell across her, she thought Phillip had come back outside after going to their apartment for a snack. Following the sightseeing visit of Bris he’d grown tired of waiting for his father, and had rediscovered his appetite.

But when she opened her eyes, she had to look up a long way before she encountered a pair of eyes that were intensely alive and had taken on the green of the immaculate lawn. They’d been studying the lines and curves of her body without her realizing it. A tiny gasp escaped her throat.

The excitement of seeing Alex made her pulse race until she remembered his meeting with Isabella, which had to be one of the worst moments of their lives. Yet Darrell couldn’t tell by his demeanor how he’d been affected. He was like the proverbial rock you could cling to no matter the fury of the storm.

She noted inconsequentially he was wearing a silky Ceylon-blue shirt with beige trousers. In danger of staring at the hard male lines of his unforgettable face, she got up from the lounger dragging the towel in front of her. Though her outfit was perfectly modest, the way his gaze traveled over her body and slender legs caused her to feel exposed.

Before she could gather her wits he said, “Forgive me for arriving late, but it couldn’t be helped. Where’s our son?”

Anyone hearing him would assume she and Alex were man and wife. Thank goodness no one was around except his security people who’d positioned themselves at a discreet distance.

“He got hungry and went back to the apartment.”

“How do you like your accommodations?”

The question threw her because he was avoiding the subject of Isabella. It made Darrell want to cry out in exasperation. But as she’d learned to her chagrin last night, he couldn’t be moved by begging or pleading.

“Surely you already know the answer to that. I’ve never been in a more beautiful set of rooms in my life. The balcony overlooking the lake makes me feel like I’m living in a medieval tapestry. Undoubtedly the chatelaine of the castle, one of your female progenitors, stood in that very spot watching for her knight to return from battle.

“Before I came outside I must have spent at least an hour examining the stories in the stained glass.”

His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “What does Phillip think of things so far?”

“He just keeps walking around examining everything and saying ‘whoa’ every few seconds. Unfortunately he’s already told me how cool it would be to attach a rope from the balcony and lower himself into the blue depths, which must be hundreds of feet below.”

A mysterious light entered Alex’s eyes. “I know someone who once did that very thing and got into a lot of trouble for it. Great minds think alike.”

Forgetting that he could be implacable, she cried, “Alex—please don’t keep me in suspense any longer. I have to know what happened today!”

He held her imploring gaze. “The princess came back to Bris with me.”

Darrell could scarcely credit what he’d just told her. “She’s here? At the castle?”

“Yes. She wants to meet Phillip. I think it would be best if she met him before being introduced to you.”

Her hands crushed the toweling. Darrell couldn’t be jealous of the woman he was about to marry. She just couldn’t be! “Of course.”

She knew it was for the best, but it hurt because she could already feel Phillip slipping away from her. It surprised her how possessive of him she was. But then her maternal instincts had never been tested to this degree before.

He was Alex’s son, too. She’d better get used to sharing him. Yet the thought of the two of them enjoying each other’s company in the presence of Isabella left Darrell feeling oddly bereft.

“I’ve arranged for the three of us to dine informally within the hour. I’ll walk you back to the apartment to get him.”

If Darrell were prone to fainting spells, she’d be sprawled across the pool tiles by now.

For Isabella to be willing to meet Phillip meant she was so madly in love with Alex, she’d put up with anything to become his wife, even if she was dying inside. Under the circumstances of their approaching wedding, that was the best news possible for Alex.

“She must be a wonderful person.”

He nodded. “She’s remarkable.”

Of course he would never tell Darrell about the pain and the tears that had gone on behind closed doors before his fiancée had made the decision to face this crisis head-on. Already Isabella was showing a queenly composure Alex could only marvel at.

“I hope Phillip makes a good impression.” Her voice trembled. “Naturally you and I both love him, but you know how unpredictable he can be at times.”

“It’s one of his most endearing qualities,” Alex stated matter-of-factly. “Isabella will find him intriguing.”

Spoken like a proud father who accepted his son without qualification.

It thrilled Darrell that Alex loved him so much. However it would take time for Isabella to develop a relationship with him. The thought of Phillip having a stepmother brought a sharp pain to her heart, one she needed to squelch in a hurry.

By tacit agreement they started walking toward the entrance leading to the Saxony apartment. As the castle loomed before her, the old adage about a man’s home being his castle brought a faint smile to one corner of her mouth.

“What are you thinking about?” He noticed everything. When Darrell told him, he chuckled.

“I’m still having trouble believing all this is real,” she confessed with a sigh. “To think that several days ago I was in line with other tourists outside the castle, trying to imagine your world. Little did I know what lay in store once you recognized the ring,” her voice throbbed.

“Your arrival shook my world, too, Darrell. I’ll never be the same again. You do realize you’ve raised a surprisingly unspoiled child.”

“I don’t know about that, but he is an original thinker. When he realizes Isabella is younger than his friends’mothers, he’ll like that a lot.” She needed to keep her thoughts centered on the princess. “Does she have siblings?”

“Yes. A brother two years her senior.”

“Then she’s been broken in”

A half smile creased the corner of his male mouth. “Most definitely.”

“Knowing that will please Phillip. He’ll want to meet him. You know. Get the inside scoop on what it’s like to live with a princess.”

The low laughter she loved rolled out of Alex. “I can see you’ve never had a dull moment with him.”

She sent him an unguarded smile. “Dull is the one adjective that will never apply to Phillip.”

He opened the door for her. “I envy you all those years with him.”

By the depth of his tone, she knew he meant it. “If you want to know a secret, I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me for not looking for you sooner.”

His eyes darkened with emotion. “Thank God you found a way to get my attention. You were incredibly courageous and resourceful. If my father were alive, he would tell you you’re one of those rare female warriors upon whom future generations depend to raise up worthy sons.”

Darrell half scoffed. She wondered if any woman had ever received such an unusual compliment.

Deep in thought she moved past him, but her shoulder accidentally brushed against his chest. Little sparks of fire crackled through her nervous system. She hurried up the stairs ahead of him so he wouldn’t see how shallow her breathing had become.

Even though it had only been for one night, Alex had been her sister’s lover. Her awareness of that fact intensified her guilt in ways she didn’t want to explore right now.

It was a good thing she wouldn’t be going to dinner with the three of them. The more she was around Alex, the harder it would be to keep her attraction to him a secret, especially from Isabella, who was about to become his wife.

A woman in love sensed when another woman was interested in her man.

Of course the princess had no worry in that regard. Alex was pledged to her. Their future marriage had been decreed and settled years earlier. Darrell was an idiot to go on entertaining forbidden thoughts about him.

“Phillip?” she called out after entering the apartment. “Your father’s back!”

When he didn’t answer, she hurried through the door to the adjoining room where he planned to sleep. “He’s not here!” She turned to Alex. “I don’t know where he’d be.”

Something close to a grin broke out on his rugged features. “Considering it’s our son, we both know the possibilities are endless. But you don’t need to worry. He’s been assigned a bodyguard. I’ll call him.”

While he pulled out his cell phone, Darrell went over to the armoire where one of the maids had hung Phillip’s clothes. She picked out the navy blazer and khaki’s he wore to church. Even if Alex said the dinner would be informal, she wanted Phillip to be on his best behavior in front of Isabella.

After reaching for his white shirt and striped tie, she took everything over to the bed.

Alex spoke in Romanche, preventing her from understanding him. She had to wait until he’d hung up.

“Where did he go?”

“After touring the dungeon, he went to Carl’s office. They’re having an off-the-record chat about what it’s like to work for me.”

“Oh, no—Does Carl know Phill—”

“Yes,” Alex broke in, reading her mind with ease.

“Everyone must know by now. You two look too much alike to deceive anyone.”

One of his expressive brows quirked. “The family resemblance is strong. As you said earlier, the water has spilled over the dam. There’s no putting it back.”

She moaned. “You put on a brave front, but I know deep down you have to be apprehensive about everyone’s reaction.”

“You’re wrong, Darrell. My biggest concern is that when the novelty wears off, Phillip won’t like it here, and he’ll want to go home.”

She couldn’t believe he’d just said that.

“Alex—he has already bonded with you. It’s uncanny how well you get along and understand him.”

“It’s because I see certain traits of my cousin Chaz in him. He’ll never be a conformist.”

“You’re right, but that won’t prevent him from wanting to spend as much time with you as possible.”

Lines marred his features. “You just hit on the problem.”

“I—I don’t understand,” her voice caught.

“I may be his father, but I’m also the king. The two don’t necessarily mesh.”

Her anxious gaze swerved to his. “Weren’t you and your father close?”

“If you mean did we love and respect each other, then yes. But it was never the kind of relationship you’re envisioning. Father was the king. He belonged to every man. I was a typical selfish child who wanted him to myself.

“Phillip’s been deprived of his father all these years. Now that we’ve found each other I’m afraid he’s going to feel cheated in a brand-new way. I would understand if he didn’t want to hang around waiting to spend time with me. That’s what is haunting me.”

Put like that Darrell was haunted too. Not just for Phillip who had been hanging around all day waiting, but for Alex.

He’d just revealed something of his inner struggle as a child. He’d said it with a hunger that bespoke needs as strong in their own right as his son’s. She would never have guessed…

“But he knows you came to get him the second you found out you had a son. You didn’t let your kingly duties stand in the way. You’re one man in a million to have claimed him in front of everyone. He feels loved.”

“I pray to God that’s true,” he murmured.

“It is, and it’s all he ever wanted. Just try to get rid of him now and see what happens,” she teased to cover her emotions.

His expression grew solemn. “Where did you come from, Darrell Collier?”

The pounding of her heart almost suffocated her. “That’s the question I’ve been asking about you since we met aboard your jet. The chance of your world and Melissa’s colliding is so remote as to be almost impossible, yet it happened.”

If she kept the vision of him and her sister wrapped up in his sleeping bag, she might just make it through this painful experience without revealing her inner turmoil.

His chest rose and fell visibly. “I have to be honest and tell you the memory of that night is so vague that without the photos proving the existence of the ring, I wouldn’t have recalled it.”

“So what you told Phillip wasn’t completely true.”

He rubbed his bottom lip with his thumb. “If you mean that I spent as much time as possible with your sister, then no. Nor did I try to get in touch with her again. There was only the one night, but Phillip didn’t need to know that.”

Darrell hugged that piece of information to her heart. “I agree.”

“Chaz and a girl who worked at the ranch fixed me up with your sister. We went to a local bar and began drinking. One thing led to another.

“I’m not proud of my behavior, Darrell. Obviously I’d decided to do a little rebelling against my gilded cage. But the next day as I nursed a hangover all the way back to Switzerland, I vowed never to put myself or another woman in that position again. You have every right to hate me for what I did.”

“Of course I don’t hate you. That rebellion produced a wonderful boy. He’s my life!” her voice shook.

In fact knowing Melissa was simply a girl who happened to be there at the right time and place verified Darrell’s opinion that all the feeling had been on her sister’s part. Otherwise Alex would have come back to Colorado to take up where he’d left off.

The knowledge that Melissa wasn’t the great love of his life gave Darrell a lot to think about. To be betrothed to a princess who was only thirteen at the time meant Isabella hadn’t started out as his great love, either. But that obviously changed when she grew into the woman he adored.

Alex made an odd noise in his throat, jerking her torturous thoughts back to the present. “Phillip has become my life.”

Darrell felt the truth of his declaration to the marrow of her bones. “He already feels the same about you, Alex.”

“Mom?”

Phillip’s voice broke the odd tension between them.

“I’m in your bedroom, sweetheart!”

“I heard Dad was back.” He came running into the room.

“Dad—”

Alex moved to meet him halfway and they hugged.

“Are you free now so we can do something?”

“Not exactly. I brought Isabella with me.” Phillip’s face fell. “She’s waiting to be introduced.”

“Is she upset?”

“I think it’s more a case of her fearing you won’t like her.”

“Sure I do. She’s going to be your wife.”

Phillip had never sounded more mature. He couldn’t have said anything guaranteed to please his father more. The fact that Phillip meant it made all the difference.

“Are you hungry, son?” Alex asked in a thick-toned voice.

“Kind of.”

“That’s good because we’re going to meet Isabella in the small dining room downstairs for dinner in a few minutes.”

“I’ve laid out your clothes on the bed,” Darrell informed him.

“Okay. I’ll hurry.”

Alex followed her out of the bedroom into her room. “I’ve arranged for your dinner to be sent up here.”

She turned to face him. “Thank you.”

“Darrell—I hope you understand why I didn’t include you this evening.”

She bit her lip, hoping she hadn’t let her disappointment show.

“You don’t have to explain. I’m glad I don’t have to be there. Phillip will be much more at ease if he’s not constantly wondering what I’m thinking. He’s his own person and will make his own judgments. I’m sure Isabella will be more comfortable, too. This wouldn’t be easy for any woman.”

He studied her for a minute. “Thank you for being so unselfish.”

Oh, Alex. If you only knew the truth.

“You don’t need to thank me. I—I know how important this first meeting is,” she stammered. “I’ll look forward to getting to know her another time. In fact speaking of time, I’m going to have to get back to my job in Denver pretty soon. So why don’t you and Isabella decide what would be best where Phillip is concerned and let me know tomorrow.

“This summer he’s enrolled in swimming, tennis and baseball. He’ll tell you none of that matters, but I wanted you to know that he has plenty to do if he flies back home with me right away.”

Her tongue was starting to run away with her, but she couldn’t help it. “The important thing here is that you and Isabella work things out so your wedding goes smoothly. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“I’m ready,” Phillip announced, preventing her from hearing Alex’s response.

His gaze seemed reluctant to leave hers before he leveled his attention on his son. “I like that blazer.”

“Thanks. Will you help me with my tie? I hate them.”

“So do I,” Alex muttered.

Normally that job was Darrell’s domain, but he had a father now, one who performed the task with obvious pleasure.

Darrell winked at Phillip. “You’re a sight fit for a king,”

Phillip screwed up his face. “That was corny, Mom.”

“I know, but I couldn’t help it.”

Alex’s broad shoulders shook in silent laughter. Their eyes met in shared amusement before he guided Phillip toward the door.

“I hope everything goes well,” she called to them.

Phillip hung back. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Not this time. I’ve got a phone call to make so I’ll still have a job when I get back to Denver.”

“You’re not going to lose your job, Mom. Jack told me the other day he’s hoping you’ll change your mind and marry him. You’ve got it made.”

“Who’s Jack?” Alex asked. By this time they’d crossed over the threshold.

“Mom’s boss,” came the answer before the door closed.

The click set off a symbolic echo in her heart.

Up to now she’d been focused on Isabella and how hard it was going to be for the princess to have to share Alex with his son.

But watching them walk out of the room just now made Darrell realize she, too, was going to go through a serious adjustment letting Phillip go with his dad.

Darrell had to admit it pained her to be left behind this evening. She was so used to being the center of Phillip’s universe, she was actually jealous of Alex’s power over him.

Her son’s eagerness to go off with his father whether she went with them or not came shouldn’t have come as a shock. It was clear they were both anxious to make up for lost time.

That’s what she wanted for them! But this was only the beginning. Soon Alex was going to be Isabella’s husband…Just imagining it produced excruciating pain of a different kind.

Before Darrell broke down in tears, she showered and changed into a nightgown and robe to have dinner. Once she’d eaten, she realized that too many flying hours had made her desperately tired. Bed called to her.

After brushing her teeth, she doused the lights and turned in, hoping she wouldn’t have more disturbing dreams.

Sometime later she thought she heard a noise.

“Phillip?” she called softly in the darkness, too groggy to turn on a light.

“No,” came that deep, vibrant male voice.