The Prince's Heir. Sally Carleen

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СКАЧАТЬ the second time, referred to his father only as “the king.” After what Alena had told her about Lawrence’s childhood, she wasn’t surprised. Perhaps Stephan was more like his brother than he’d first appeared. Perhaps the fact that he had no real family had occasioned that brief glimpse of sadness she’d seen earlier when she’d mentioned his parents.

      “So Lawrence came to America to study progress, and you went to Europe to study history.”

      He nodded and sipped his tea.

      “Don’t you have a sister? Alena mentioned a sister.

      His taut features seemed to relax infinitesimally, and his long fingers curled around the small cup. He had a soft spot beneath that rigid exterior after all. “Yes, I have a younger sister, Schahara”

      “And where did she go for her studies?”

      “She’s a woman. The queen taught her all she needs to know at home.”

      Mandy set her cup on the table so hard a bit of tea sloshed out onto the immaculate white linen. “Excuse me?”

      He chuckled. “I told you we needed to learn about progress. In defiance of tradition, my sister has traveled extensively all around the world on her own accord. She’s really the one with the ideas on how to bring about the progress we so desperately need. She’s already computerized the household records and constantly monitors world happenings by using the Internee.”

      “You have computers in your country? Computers aren’t nineteenth century.”

      He laughed then, a delicious, low sound that traveled from her ears through her body like a curling, rhythmic wave. “We’re not completely primitive. We have electricity and indoor plumbing and even computers, though only the wealthy can afford the luxuries like televisions and computers, and many of our people still live without most or any of the modern conveniences.”

      “That’s part of the changes you want to make?”

      “A big part. As I said, Schahara has many plans already mapped out. The king wants to maintain the status quo and doesn’t give much heed to her ideas. However, she will be an excellent adviser to the present king’s successor.”

      “And who will that be if Joshua doesn’t...um—”

      “If he doesn’t return to Castile? Then I’ll succeed to the throne.”

      That was the first encouraging bit of news she’d heard since yesterday. “Well, so, wouldn’t you like to be king?”

      “It’s not a question of whether I’d like to be the king. It’s a question of who is the rightful heir to the throne.”

      “But you would like to be king.”

      “I neither like nor dislike the idea. It’s a duty. If I have to perform it, I will, of course. But Lawrence’s son is—”

      “Joshua! His name is Joshua Crawford and he’s my legally adopted son and you can’t just throw him over your shoulder and take him off to another country.” She bit her lip and looked down at the table. She was losing control again.

      “I assure you, I have no intention of doing that.” And he was completely in control, as always. “Once I met your family, I realized my original plans couldn’t happen. You and I must find a compromise. I’ve given it quite a bit of thought and have decided perhaps both sides would be best served if we could work out an alternating schedule of living arrangements while he’s underage, say six months a year in each country. That would give him a chance to be with your family as well as to learn about his country.”

      Mandy’s stomach clenched. She gazed at Stephan in horror. “Divide him up? Tear him in two? Keep him so unbalanced he never feels at home anywhere, never has a chance to settle into either life?”

      “Very well, then what do you suggest?”

      It was, she decided, time to play her trump card. She had no other choice. She leaned back in her chair and tented her fingers on the tabletop. “I suggest you get to know him and let him get to know you before we make any decisions.”

      “That sounds fair.”

      “My mother’s cleaning out the guest room for you even as we speak. You can move in tonight and start getting to know your nephew immediately.”

      His eyes widened, and for a moment those banked fires she’d imagined she’d seen in his dark gaze sprang to life as awareness surged across the table between them, tingling along her skin and dancing around her breasts.

      She swallowed hard and fumbled with her cup, lifting it to her lips and trying to focus on the lukewarm liquid inside rather than Stephan’s scorching gaze.

      When she looked back, the distant January skies had returned to that gaze and once again she had to wonder if her imagination and overactive hormones had created a delusion.

      “Very well,” he said. “I’ll check out of here and move into your guest room tonight for a two-week stay. That should give us time to make all the necessary decisions.” Despite his proper language, his voice was husky and raw and she recalled her earlier certainty that he slept in the nude.

      And he’d be sleeping under the same roof as she tonight.

      Chapter Three

      A number of factors had compelled Stephan to agree to Mandy’s offer—or, more precisely, her challenge—for him to stay in her home. A large part of that decision had sprung unexpectedly from her comments about the way both he and Lawrence had been raised. Until she brought it up—threw it in his face, to be precise—he’d shoved to the back of his mind the way he and his brother and sister had huddled together when they were small children in a big, cold palace, ignored by their parents, clinging to each other. Lawrence had been the oldest and the first to recognize that dependence on the succession of nannies was futile. He’d shared that knowledge with his younger siblings, pointing out that they were royalty and couldn’t afford to become attached to people.

      Certainly Stephan realized that a prince had to be rational and avoid sentimentality. Even so, he couldn’t simply take this child off to a foreign country and into the midst of strangers. It was imperative he get to know him first. Joshua wouldn’t even have a brother or sister to cling to.

      But there was more to his decision, something elemental underlying the battle he and Mandy were waging, something that tugged at him and drew him to her, something that stirred his blood and tightened his groin. That something had him speeding to her house with his suitcases in the trunk of his rental car, anticipation and dread sharing equal space in his chest.

      When he pulled up in front of the big old house, he wasn’t surprised to see the entire family sitting on the porch, drinking that strange iced tea. Mandy, her mother, grandmother, younger sister, a tall older man with reddish hair streaked with white, who must be Mandy’s father, a younger man with auburn hair who was holding hands with a smiling brunette—undoubtedly the brother and his wife—along with Joshua and the mongrel they called Prince. At least he didn’t have to worry about giving in to any of those lustful tuggings for Mandy, not with that many people around.

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