had to agonize over what was going to happen when the truth about the baby came out. But she did feel guilty, very guilty, as she told the big lie about her relationship with her new husband. She also felt somewhat humbled, considering how harshly she’d judged Alex for lying to her .
But she told her father the lie anyway. She couldn’t afford not to. Her father was too hotheaded by half. If he thought that Alex was treating her badly, there was no telling what he might do.
She kissed him goodbye and promised to return to Alagonia for a visit very soon. And after he was gone, she thought about Alex, about how he probably really had felt it was necessary to lie to her, how she knew he’d only wanted to do the right thing by her and her child.
So, all right, she could understand why he lied.
But she still felt trapped. She remained angry with him. She just wasn’t willing to try again to get through to him.
Why bother? It wasn’t as though he would ever meet her halfway.
That day, she had a visit from Arabella, the oldest of Alex’s sisters. Belle was a nurse who had received her training in America and who worked long and tirelessly for Nurses Without Borders, an international aid society that Lili actively supported.
“I’m going to South Sudan tomorrow,” Belle said. She often traveled to dangerous places where people desperately needed aid.
Lili set down her watercolor brush and said, “Why don’t I go with you?”
* * *
They were gone for eight days. Paparazzi and more serious newspeople followed them everywhere. That was the point, to use their status as royal celebrities to bring attention to the cause. More than one reporter asked Lili where her new husband the prince might be. Lili told them that her groom had “important work” to do in Montedoro and couldn’t make the trip with her. When asked if she missed him, she answered coolly, “Of course.”
The morning after their return, Lili had breakfast in the sovereign’s private apartment with Adrienne and Evan, and with three of Alex’s sisters, including Belle. Max, the heir, and his children were there. So were Sydney and Rule and their son, Trevor, and Sydney’s dear friend Lani, who lived at the palace with them.
Alex failed to put in an appearance. Most likely, he’d had Rufus fix him something early and then headed off to the training yard to spend the day with his men. Or maybe not. Who knew? Lili certainly didn’t. She hadn’t seen him since she’d caught a glimpse of him going out the door of their apartment the day before she left for Africa with Belle.
As she was leaving the breakfast room, Adrienne caught her hand. “Lili, my darling, I would like a few words with you. My office, at eleven?” Her Sovereign Highness spoke kindly, as always. And with fondness.
Still, a shiver of unease tickled the skin between Lili’s shoulder blades and her stomach felt queasy for the first time in days. She pulled her fingers free of Adrienne’s and replied that of course, she would be there.
* * *
At a few minutes before eleven, Adrienne’s private secretary ushered her into the sovereign’s large, beautifully appointed palace office. Adrienne was there and so was Evan. Alex’s mother greeted her warmly and led her over to the conversation area, which consisted of two large sofas, a coffee table and a couple of Louis XV wingback chairs. She asked her secretary to serve tea for four.
Four. Who else was expected?
Lili didn’t ask. She felt that funny tightness between her shoulder blades again. And then in walked the man she’d made the dreadful error of marrying exactly two weeks before. Her stomach lurched.
And her silly heart ached at the sight of him. He looked so terribly bleak. So tragically self-contained. She hurt for him, for his loneliness that he wrapped himself in like a shroud.
She ached for him and then she told herself to stop it. It was his choice to cut himself off from other people—to trick her into
But she told her father the lie anyway. She couldn’t afford not to. Her father was too hotheaded by half. If he thought that Alex was treating her badly, there was no telling what he might do.
She kissed him goodbye and promised to return to Alagonia for a visit very soon. And after he was gone, she thought about Alex, about how he probably really had felt it was necessary to lie to her, how she knew he’d only wanted to do the right thing by her and her child.
So, all right, she could understand why he lied.
But she still felt trapped. She remained angry with him. She just wasn’t willing to try again to get through to him.
Why bother? It wasn’t as though he would ever meet her halfway.
That day, she had a visit from Arabella, the oldest of Alex’s sisters. Belle was a nurse who had received her training in America and who worked long and tirelessly for Nurses Without Borders, an international aid society that Lili actively supported.
“I’m going to South Sudan tomorrow,” Belle said. She often traveled to dangerous places where people desperately needed aid.
Lili set down her watercolor brush and said, “Why don’t I go with you?”
* * *
They were gone for eight days. Paparazzi and more serious newspeople followed them everywhere. That was the point, to use their status as royal celebrities to bring attention to the cause. More than one reporter asked Lili where her new husband the prince might be. Lili told them that her groom had “important work” to do in Montedoro and couldn’t make the trip with her. When asked if she missed him, she answered coolly, “Of course.”
The morning after their return, Lili had breakfast in the sovereign’s private apartment with Adrienne and Evan, and with three of Alex’s sisters, including Belle. Max, the heir, and his children were there. So were Sydney and Rule and their son, Trevor, and Sydney’s dear friend Lani, who lived at the palace with them.
Alex failed to put in an appearance. Most likely, he’d had Rufus fix him something early and then headed off to the training yard to spend the day with his men. Or maybe not. Who knew? Lili certainly didn’t. She hadn’t seen him since she’d caught a glimpse of him going out the door of their apartment the day before she left for Africa with Belle.
As she was leaving the breakfast room, Adrienne caught her hand. “Lili, my darling, I would like a few words with you. My office, at eleven?” Her Sovereign Highness spoke kindly, as always. And with fondness.
Still, a shiver of unease tickled the skin between Lili’s shoulder blades and her stomach felt queasy for the first time in days. She pulled her fingers free of Adrienne’s and replied that of course, she would be there.
* * *
At a few minutes before eleven, Adrienne’s private secretary ushered her into the sovereign’s large, beautifully appointed palace office. Adrienne was there and so was Evan. Alex’s mother greeted her warmly and led her over to the conversation area, which consisted of two large sofas, a coffee table and a couple of Louis XV wingback chairs. She asked her secretary to serve tea for four.
Four. Who else was expected?
Lili didn’t ask. She felt that funny tightness between her shoulder blades again. And then in walked the man she’d made the dreadful error of marrying exactly two weeks before. Her stomach lurched.
And her silly heart ached at the sight of him. He looked so terribly bleak. So tragically self-contained. She hurt for him, for his loneliness that he wrapped himself in like a shroud.
She ached for him and then she told herself to stop it. It was his choice to cut himself off from other people—to trick her into
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