A Royal Proposal. Barbara Hannay

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СКАЧАТЬ Olivia. All she knew was that he’d paid her, Charlie, an extremely generous sum and she wouldn’t dream of asking him for anything more.

      ‘I’m paying for today’s purchases,’ she said, but as the words left her mouth she saw Monique’s expression of jaw-dropping shock and knew that she’d made yet another mistake.

      * * *

      The dinner that evening was an official affair with some of Montaigne’s most important businessmen and their wives. Charlie wore the blue wool dress and a new pair of skin-toned high heels that she hoped would go with almost everything, although Madame Monique had persuaded her that she needed black boots to go with her overcoat.

      ‘You look beautiful,’ Prince Rafael told her when he saw her.

      ‘Thanks.’ It was the first time that day that Charlie had seen him and, to her dismay, just watching him walk into the drawing room in a dark suit and tie caused a jolt to her senses. To make matters worse, he reached for her hand.

      Ridiculous tingles shot over her skin.

      ‘Did your shopping expedition go well?’

      ‘Yes, thanks. Monique—was very helpful.’ Although Charlie was miserably aware that tongues would be wagging at Belle Robe.

      ‘Something very strange has happened to Olivia Belaire, the Prince’s fiancée. I think she must be unwell. She looked very pale.’

      ‘Can you believe she wanted to pay for the clothes with cash? And then she didn’t have enough.’

      At some stage this evening she would have to confess to Rafe that she’d needed to use his money as well, but she was sure she should leave it until after the dinner.

      Rafe must have noticed her distress. He gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. ‘I think you need jewellery to set that dress off. Sapphires perhaps?’

      Charlie gulped, touched a hand to her bare throat. Before she could answer, Rafe was summoning Jacques, his right-hand man—or perhaps his valet, Charlie wasn’t sure—telling him to bring the single-strand Ceylon sapphires.

      ‘Don’t look so worried,’ Rafe told her as the man hurried away. His smile was a little puzzled. ‘I’ve never met a woman who didn’t like shopping or jewellery.’

      Charlie shrugged. ‘If you transplant an ordinary Aussie girl into a fairy-tale European kingdom, you’ve got to expect a few surprises.’

      Rafe’s eyes gleamed as he smiled. This time he lifted her hand to his lips. ‘Touché,’ he murmured.

      To Charlie’s dismay, he left a scorch mark where his lips touched her hand.

      * * *

      The sapphires were promptly delivered and they were perfect to complement the simple lines of her sky-blue dress—a single strand of deep blue oval stones surrounded by delicate clusters of tiny white diamonds and set in white gold.

      ‘Allow me,’ Rafe said, lifting the necklace and securing it around Charlie’s neck.

      The skin around his eyes crinkled this time when he smiled. ‘Perfect,’ he said softly. ‘Oh, and there are matching earrings. You might like to wear them as well. Take a look in the mirror.’

      Charlie was a little stunned by her reflection. Who was this elegant creature?

      But her cheeks were flushed pink and her fingers fumbled as she tried to fit the earrings to her lobes. Crikey, she had to calm down or she’d drop a royal sapphire and have the Prince of Montaigne down on his knees, searching for it in the thick carpet.

      At last the earrings were secure.

      ‘You look like a princess,’ Rafe told her.

      Yes, it was amazing what expensive clothes and jewellery could do for a girl. Charlie drew a deep breath. Tonight she would have to pretend that she was a princess-to-be. Princess Charlie or, rather, Charlotte.

      What a laugh.

      Any urge to laugh soon died when Rafe took her hand again. She was super-aware of his warm, naked palm pressed against hers, of his long fingers interlaced with hers, as he led her down the formal staircase to greet their guests.

      She kept her smile carefully in place and concentrated hard on remembering everyone’s names as she was introduced, but the task would have been a jolly sight easier if her pretend fiancé hadn’t kept touching her. For Rafe, it meant nothing to place a hand at her elbow, on her shoulder, at the small of her back. For Charlie, it was intensely, breath-robbingly distracting.

      * * *

      The castle’s dining room was a long rectangular space decorated with rich red wallpaper as a background for impressive paintings and gold-framed mirrors. An enormous picture window with a spectacular view of the valley took up most of the far wall. The table was exquisitely set with candles and flowers, gleaming silver and shining glassware, and everything was arranged so perfectly that Charlie could imagine a ruler had been used to align the place settings.

      Throughout the delicious four-course meal, Rafe conversed diplomatically with his important guests, but his eyes constantly sought Charlie out. Many times he sent her a smouldering smile across the table.

      She knew his smiles weren’t genuinely flirtatious. He was playing the role of an affectionate fiancé for the sake of their guests. So, of course, she tried to remain cool and collected, to pay studious attention to the conversations all around her. Actually, she had no choice but to pay very careful attention, because everyone spoke rather rapidly in French and she could only just keep up with them. And she tried hard to not let Rafe’s sexy smiles affect her too deeply.

      Unfortunately, her body had a mind of its own, firing off heat flashes whenever her gaze met Rafe’s across the table. It didn’t help that she was terribly worried about the conversation she must have with him as soon as his guests had departed.

      * * *

      It was late when everyone finally left. Much to Charlie’s amazement, the men had withdrawn to linger over coffee and cognac—she thought that kind of antiquated custom had gone out with the ark.

      ‘This is when the men settle their important business,’ one of the wives told her as their coffee was served. ‘They’re all so worried about this Leroy Mining Company.’

      ‘While we just want to gossip,’ said another woman, an attractive brunette.

      Seeing their expectant smiles, Charlie was suddenly nervous again. Were these businessmen’s wives expecting her to supply them with gossip? What would Olivia have done in her shoes? She hadn’t a clue.

      She didn’t even know if these women had known Olivia.

      ‘I’m all ears,’ Charlie said, managing an extra-bright smile, despite the roiling tension in her stomach.

      For a moment the women looked baffled. Clearly, this wasn’t the response they’d expected. They were hoping for news from her, but just when things were about to get very awkward one of the women laughed, as if Charlie had actually cracked a wonderful joke, and then the others joined in.

      After СКАЧАТЬ