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СКАЧАТЬ little laugh. ‘That was the hardest part for me. All those cameras, all those reporters looking for a hole in our story, and of course they found one.’

      ‘Was that very hard?’

      Alyse made a face. ‘Well, I certainly didn’t like facing down all those sneering reporters, but the hardest part was how it affected Leo and me.’

      Curious now, Liana took an inadvertent step towards her sister-in-law. ‘And how did it?’

      ‘Not well. Everything was so fragile between us then. It wasn’t ready to be tested in such a way.’ She gave Liana a smile. ‘Fortunately we survived it.’

      ‘And you love each other now.’ Alyse’s smile was radiant, the joy in her voice audible, and Liana felt a sharp shaft of jealousy. She’d never wanted what Alyse and Leo had before, never let herself want it. Yet now the yearning that had been skirting her soul seemed to swamp it completely.

      She swallowed past the huge lump that had formed in her throat and forced a smile. ‘I’m so happy for you.’ And she was, even if she was also jealous. Even if she was realising she wanted something more than she could ever expect from Sandro, or even herself.

      ‘It might not be for me to say this,’ Alyse said quietly, laying a hand on Liana’s arm, ‘but Leo and Sandro—they haven’t had easy lives, royal though they may be.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘Their relationship with their parents...’ Alyse sighed and shook her head. ‘It wasn’t healthy or loving. Far from it.’

      Liana just nodded. She couldn’t exactly say her relationship with her parents was healthy, even if she loved them. She wasn’t sure if they loved her. If they could, anymore, and she could hardly blame them.

      ‘Sophia doesn’t seem like the most cuddly person I’ve ever met,’ she said, and Alyse gave a wry smile back.

      ‘No, and neither was the king. And yet I think both Leo and Sandro wanted their love, even if they wouldn’t admit it. They might not trust love, they might even be afraid of it, but they want it.’

      ‘Leo did,’ Liana corrected.

      ‘And I think Sandro does too. Give him a chance, Liana. That’s all I’m really saying.’

      And again Liana could just nod. Sandro might want love, but he didn’t want her love. Did he? Or could he change? Could she?

      She still didn’t know if she wanted to change, much less whether she had the courage to try. She’d entered this marriage for a lot of reasons, and none of them had been love. She’d never even let herself think about love.

      She’d been skating on the surface of her life, and now the ice below was starting to crack—and what was beneath it? What would happen when it shattered and she fell? She couldn’t bear to find out, and yet she had a horrible feeling she would whether she wanted to or not.

      But would Sandro be there to catch her? Would he even want to?

      ‘Thank you for telling me all this,’ she said, turning back to Alyse. ‘It’s very helpful.’

      ‘Of course. And you must come have dinner with us one night, you and Sandro. Escape from the palace for a bit.’

      After Alyse had gone she went to meet her private secretary, an efficient young woman named Christina. Liana sat and listened while Christina outlined all her potential engagements: cutting ribbons at openings of hospitals and schools, attending events and galas, choosing a wardrobe created by Maldinian fashion designers.

      ‘Are there many?’ she asked. ‘Maldinia is a small country, after all.’

      ‘A few,’ Christina said confidently. ‘But of course, your stylist will go over that with you.’

      ‘All right.’ Already Liana felt overwhelmed. She hadn’t considered any of this. ‘I’d like to support a charity I’ve been working with for many years,’ she began, and Christina nodded quickly.

      ‘Of course, Hands To Help. Perhaps a fundraiser in the palace?’

      ‘Oh, yes, that would be wonderful.’ She felt her heart lighten at the thought. ‘I can contact them—’

      ‘I believe they’ve already been contacted by King Alessandro,’ Christina said. ‘It was his idea.’

      ‘It...was?’ Liana blinked in surprise. Sandro had seemed sceptical and even mystified about her charity work, yet he’d thought to arrange a fundraiser? Her heart lightened all the more, so it felt like a balloon on a string, soaring straight up. ‘Where is the king? Do you know?’

      Christina glanced at her watch. ‘I imagine he’s getting ready for your appearance together in twenty minutes.’ She pulled out a pager and pressed a few numbers. ‘I’ll page your stylist.’

      Just minutes later Liana was primped and made up for the appearance on the balcony. Sandro strode into the room, looking as handsome as ever in his royal dress, but also hassled. Liana’s heart, so light moments ago, began a free fall. She hated that her mood might hinge on his look, that such a small thing—the lack of a greeting or a glance—could affect it.

      And yet it did. Despite all her attempts to remain removed, remote, here she was, yearning. Disappointed.

      ‘Ready?’ he said, barely looking at her, and then with his hand on her lower back they stepped out onto the ornate balcony overlooking the palace courtyard, now filled with joyous Maldinians.

      The cheer that rose from the crowd reverberated right through her, made her blink in surprise. She’d never felt so much...approval.

      ‘I think they want us to kiss,’ Sandro murmured, and belatedly Liana realised they were chanting ‘Baccialo!’

      Sandro slid his hand along her jaw, turned her to face him. His fingers wrapped around the nape of her neck, warm and sure, as he drew her unresistingly towards him. His lips brushed hers, soft, hard, warm, cool—she felt it all in that moment as her head fell back and her hands came up to press against his chest.

      The roar of the crowd thundered in her ears, matching her galloping pulse as Sandro’s mouth moved over hers and everything inside her cracked open.

      She wanted to be kissed like this. Loved like this. She was tired of hiding away, of staying safe.

      Sandro stepped away with a smile. ‘That ought to do it.’

      Liana blinked the world back into focus and felt everything in her that had cracked open scuttle for shelter. That kiss had been for the crowds, not for her. It hadn’t meant anything.

      Their marriage was still as convenient as it ever had been...and she wished it weren’t.

      As soon as they left the balcony Sandro disappeared again and Liana went to meet with her stylist and go over her wardrobe choices.

      ‘A queen should have a certain modest style,’ the stylist explained as she flipped through pages of designs, ‘but also be contemporary. The public should feel you can relate to them.’

      Liana СКАЧАТЬ