Romancing the Crown: Kate & Lucas. Justine Davis

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      “The resemblance still amazes me, Anna,” Queen Gwendolyn said. “Except for his sweet little smile, he’s the image of Lucas.”

      The baby lifted up his head, looked around and let out a loud, gurgling burp. His cries ceased immediately.

      There was a chorus of laughter and calls of, “Well done.” Anna took her nephew from her mother and cuddled him with delight. She gave a warm smile to a tall, auburn-haired man who leaned against the back of a couch. “Are you ready for one of these, Tyler?”

      He grinned. “Ready as you are, darling.”

      There was another round of chuckles. It was apparent from the gentle swell of Anna’s stomach that soon there would be another royal baby. Lucas backed away from the group, his smile tinged with sadness. He caught sight of Sam and Kate with his father and moved to join them.

      “Lieutenant Mulvaney,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to thank you a week ago. I’m in your debt for your care of my son.”

      Kate was surprised by the strength of his grip as she took his hand. For a royal playboy, he was in excellent shape. “I was only doing my duty, Your Highness. I was merely in the right place at the right time. I’m glad that your son is healthy.”

      “Yes, his weight is almost up to normal, and he has a good appetite.” Lucas glanced over his shoulder at the baby. “He’s doing well, all things considered.”

      “That’s wonderful.”

      “I only wish—” Lucas clenched his jaw on the rest of his words, leaving the statement unfinished. When he turned to face Sam and Kate once more, all traces of his smile were gone. “My brother-in-law, Tyler Ramsey, is advising the police in the land search for Ursula Chambers and has kept us informed of their efforts. How is the search of the coast progressing?”

      Sam spoke, giving both the king and the prince an update on the measures that were in place to insure the fugitive didn’t escape Montebello by water. Kate added a few details, wishing she could give them better news. When they were finished, there was a brief silence.

      To her relief, the king appeared satisfied with their efforts, giving them a few words of encouragement before going back to his family.

      Lucas remained where he was. He turned the full force of his piercing blue gaze first on Kate, then Sam. When he spoke, his voice echoed with the authority inherited through generations of royalty. “I want you to find her.”

      “We’ll do our best, Your Highness,” Sam began.

      “She killed my cousin,” Lucas said. “And she killed the mother of my child. She wanted to use my son as a pawn in her twisted scheme to get rich. If not for Ursula Chambers, I could have seen the woman I loved hold the life we created.”

      There was no mistaking the look of regret on the prince’s face. As Kate listened to the poignant sounds of the royal

      family getting to know baby Luke, she saw Lucas’s eyes grow misty.

      Whatever problems there might have been between Lucas and Jessica, whatever had kept them apart, Kate shouldn’t project her experience on them. Theirs was a different story from hers and Sam’s. And Lucas was obviously suffering.

      “Find Chambers,” Lucas said. “Whatever it takes, whatever you need to do, I want you to get her.”

      Sam dipped his chin once in acknowledgment. “Understood.”

      “I can’t bring Jessie back,” Lucas said. “But the least I can do is give her justice.”

      Ursula sipped her soda, keeping her gaze on the big wrought-iron gates on the other side of the piazza. They swung open as a black car came through. A red-haired woman and a broad-shouldered, good-looking man were inside, some kind of Navy officers judging by their uniforms. Ursula felt a stab of envy. It should have been her in that chauffeured car. Instead of hanging around this tourist-infested sidewalk café, spying on the palace gates, she should have been riding through them in style like those Navy people.

      She batted impatiently at a bee that veered toward her soda. This was getting intolerable. An entire week had passed, and still the security at the airport and the ferries was as tight as ever. Didn’t these Montebellans have anything better to do? Why were they persecuting her?

      That was the story of her life, though, wasn’t it? She never got a break. She’d had to fight for everything she had, only to have success snatched away through no fault of hers.

      If that stupid kid had shown up with his boat when he was supposed to, she would have been free and clear by now. But no, he’d had to wreck his boat, the idiot. It was a good thing she’d been watching from the bluff and had seen the thing tip over or she might have wasted all night waiting for him.

      A stocky, bearded figure moved through the gates. Ursula scrutinized him until the man was close enough to be seen clearly. As soon as she recognized the dark hair and fleshy features, she hitched her purse over her shoulder and wove her way through the tables to the cobblestone square. It was about time. She’d been nursing that soda for an hour waiting for him to finish his shift or watch or whatever it is that palace guards called their work schedule.

      “Edwardo,” she called.

      Edwardo Scarpa lifted his head and looked around.

      “Over here.” Ursula paused near the entrance of a shadowed alley and beckoned him toward her with a flick of her fingers.

      He smoothed his hair, curling his lips into a smile as he moved closer. “Well, hello, lovely lady. What can I do for you?”

      He didn’t recognize her, Ursula realized. It had been a smart move to trim her trademark blond hair to chin length and dye it black. The hat and sunglasses were serving her well, too, especially with men who didn’t notice anything above her cleavage. And there had never been anything subtle about Edwardo. He’d been easy to manipulate before when she’d needed him. A bit of money, a bit of feminine coaxing and the man had been eager to accommodate her. She took off her sunglasses and tucked them into her shoulder bag. “Edwardo, it’s me.”

      He lost his smile, his jaw going slack. “You! What are you doing here?”

      “Waiting for you, lover.” She smiled and stepped closer, sliding her palm up his chest. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

      He grasped her wrist and dragged her deeper into the alley until they were concealed from the square by the dangling ladder of a fire escape. He gave a quick look around before he spoke. “Don’t you know that everyone’s looking for you?”

      Did he take her for an idiot? Why else would she be disguised? She pushed her lips into a pout. “It’s just a big misunderstanding.”

      “You’re wanted for murder. I heard the whole royal family wants your head.”

      She placed her hand above her breasts, spreading her fingers in a way that would draw attention to her curves. “I know. It’s horrible. That’s why I have to get home. You can help me, can’t you?”

      “What? Help you?”

      “I СКАЧАТЬ