LITMIR.BIZ

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It was easy to hide her fear behind the guise of cold.

      The prince left his own plate and came to stand before her. ‘Marry me here, on the island,’ he commanded. ‘And when we return, I’ll shoulder any trouble that arises.’

      She shook her head slowly. Not only did she have no intention of marrying him or anyone else, but she wasn’t going to return.

      ‘You’d prefer to wait until the summer?’ he mused. ‘After being here with me, I don’t know if the king would allow it.’ He took her hands and drew her to stand. ‘We’ll wed tomorrow.’ Within his voice, she heard the commanding air, the expectation that she would do his bidding.

      She was not a household maid, bound to obey. But neither would she have this argument now, not when she was too tired to think clearly. ‘We’ll discuss it later. Where do you think the servants went?’

      ‘I don’t know. But if Bernard can’t find them, I’ll hire a new staff.’ His posture stiffened, his bearing almost that of a soldier. This was a man accustomed to issuing orders and being obeyed.

      He reached to her hood and lowered it to her shoulders. ‘A lot could happen in the week we spend together, Princess.’

      She stepped back. ‘Or nothing at all.’ Her mind was made up. In the morning, she would decide where to go and how to get there. Although it terrified her, she had to make her own decisions and decide what she wanted to do with her life.

      An awful thought occurred to her. If she refused to wed the fürst, would he reveal her whereabouts to the king? She stared at Karl, not knowing what sort of man he was.

      ‘I’m tired,’ she said at last. After all the travelling, the need to rest was overpowering. And though she could not change out of her gown, perhaps she could find a way to sleep in her clothes. ‘Do you think my room is prepared?’

      ‘All should be in order.’ The fürst led her toward the main staircase. While he escorted her up the stairs, Serena glanced behind them. There was no footman, no one else but the two of them. It felt awkward without her ladies, and she suddenly realized that she could be in danger if the fürst wanted to press his attentions upon her.

      When they reached the door to her chamber, she ordered, ‘You may leave me now.’

      He raised an eyebrow at her tone, but she ignored it and fumbled with the doorknob, trying to escape him as quickly as possible.

      ‘I am not your servant,’ he said quietly, resting his hand against the door frame.

      ‘Neither were you invited.’ She tried to push her way past him, but he refused to move.

      The suffocating fear rose up, and Serena crossed her arms over her chest, turning away from him. If she could have melted into the wall, she’d have done so. The harsh memory of her father’s fists discoloured all else, and she squeezed her eyes shut, terrified that Karl would touch her.

      Don’t hurt me. The plea echoed in her mind, and she swallowed hard, her heart racing.

      But he didn’t lay a hand upon her. Silence fell between them, and when she at last dared to open her eyes, Karl had gone. A shattered breath of relief filled up her lungs, and her hands were shaking as she forced the door open and retreated into the tiny chamber.

      When she found a key, she locked the door and leaned back against the wood. Only then did she let the tears fall. It had been a gruelling day, and she felt so lost, so uncertain of what to do.

      The interior was freezing, though the footman had lit a fire. Serena drew close to the coals, feeling as though she’d never get warm. Her cloak and gown were still damp, and the heavy wool itched her skin. The tiny chamber had only a single bed, a table with a washbasin and pitcher, a desk and chair and a window with rose curtains. Serena walked over to the window, resting her fingers upon the cold surface of the glass.

      It’s going to be all right, she tried to convince herself. But she’d been unprepared for Fürst Karl von Lohenberg. Everything about this man confused her. She didn’t know how she was meant to behave or what to do about his insistence on eloping.

      It doesn’t matter. She would find a way to keep him at a distance, and surely he would leave her alone once he understood that she wasn’t going to wed him.

      She dragged the chair across the room, huddling in front of the fire. What she wouldn’t give for a ladies maid right now. Her corset was cutting into her skin, and she couldn’t sleep at all, not wearing so many heavy layers.

      Why did the fürst have to interrupt her plans? She would have been fine on her own. And at least she’d be asleep right now in a comfortable bed, perhaps with a warm brick wrapped in flannel at her feet. A tear dripped down her cheek, and she returned to her chair beside the fire, feeling foolish and angry. Crying wouldn’t help.

      It was as if her fairy tale had gone all wrong. The handsome prince was supposed to rescue her, not kidnap her. He wasn’t supposed to put her in a dusty manor house with no servants and terrible food, keeping her imprisoned in a wet gown.

      And he thought she would want to marry him after all that?

      A hysterical laugh trapped in her throat. No. Not even if he offered himself on a golden platter with a ribbon tied around his neck.

      In the quiet of the night, her nerves sharpened. She found herself staring at shadows, wondering if she was truly safe here. Karl had made no further move to touch her, but she didn’t trust him. He was here for a reason, and though she didn’t know what it was, her instincts warned that it wasn’t good.

      In the coach, she’d been shocked by the way he’d closed in the space between them, sitting beside her. She’d barely heard a word he said. All of her attention was drawn to the fierce eyes staring at her as if she were a confection he wanted to feast upon.

      If she’d been an ordinary woman, she might have welcomed the idea of a handsome prince wanting to court her. But the constant emotional and physical battering by her father had weakened her, until now, she couldn’t bear to have anyone close. Much less the prince.

      A light knock sounded upon the door, interrupting her thoughts. ‘Who is it?’

      ‘It’s Karl.’

      Why had he returned? She didn’t want to see him now, not when she was so tired. ‘What is it?’

      ‘Will you let me come in?’

      No. Stay far away from me.

      But she stood and crossed the room, resting her cheek against the door. ‘Why?’

      ‘You asked me for a ladies’ maid.’

      Had he found someone? The thought of getting rid of these clothes, of being able to sleep, was so intoxicating, Serena pulled the door open.

      But there was no maid standing there. She was about to shut the door again, when Karl stepped inside her chamber. ‘I misunderstood what you meant earlier, when you asked for a ladies’ maid. You can’t sleep, can you? Because there’s no one to help you undress.’

      No. Not a chance. If he believed she would let him anywhere near her, he was sorely mistaken.

      ‘It’s only a few more hours until dawn. I’ll wait until we’ve found someone.’ She took a step backwards, which was a mistake. The fürst advanced toward her, and she searched for a way around him.

      His hazel eyes were unreadable, his emotions masked. ‘What do you need help with?’

      ‘Go back to your own room. I don’t want you anywhere near me.’ The very thought of the prince unbuttoning her, of unlacing her corset, was an invitation to trouble. She’d rather go without sleep than risk him touching her.

      ‘So instead you’ll remain in discomfort for the next few hours because of your pride?’ He took her shoulders and softly guided her to stand by the fire. When she felt his hands moving

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