Kitabı oku: «The Prince's Texas Bride / The Reluctant Princess: The Prince's Texas Bride / The Reluctant Princess»

The Prince’s
Texas Bride
Leanne Banks
The Reluctant
Princess
Raye Morgan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Prince’s Texas Bride

Dear Reader,

You may remember Prince Stefan Devereaux from Royal Holiday Baby. Well, the truth is Stefan is a strong man who can, on occasion, be a pain in the Patootie. I took one look at him and knew what he really needed was a strong woman who didn’t give a flying fig about his title. Eve Jackson is just that woman. When Stefan hires Eve to get his royal stables in order, he has no idea how quickly Eve will get under his skin straight to his soul. When his life takes a screeching unexpected turn, Eve encourages him to be his best self. You’ll see. Stefan learns that having Eve in his life is not optional, it’s mandatory. But can he convince a woman who insists she’s not princess material that she is the queen of his heart?

Enjoy this story!

xo,

Leanne Banks

About the Author

LEANNE BANKS is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who is surprised every time she realizes how many books she has written. Leanne loves chocolate, the beach and new adventures. To name a few, Leanne has ridden on an elephant, stood on an ostrich egg (no, it didn’t break), gone parasailing and indoor skydiving. Leanne loves writing romance because she believes in the power and magic of love. She lives in Virginia with her family and four-and-a-half-pound Pomeranian named Bijou. Visit her website at www.leannebanks.com.

This book is dedicated to Doris and Bud Banks.

Thank you for all your love and support and for

teaching us the game chicken scratch!

Prologue

The full moon wasn’t offering any answers.

Eve Jackson sat in the small palace courtyard and drank in the scent of blooming flowers and ocean air as she debated the most recent offer she’d received from the official representative of the Royal House of Devereaux. She still wasn’t sure she could possibly fit in as the chief stable master for the royal horses. She was from Texas, for Pete’s sake, and had never traveled out of the States before this week. She’d been raised to say “yes, ma’am” and “no, sir,” but the idea of performing a curtsy made her laugh every time she even thought of it.

The lure of the job, however, was too tempting for words. Her current job as a regional manager for a major hotel chain bored her so much that there were days she was tempted to poke herself in the eye with a pencil. Training horses was her first love, but when Eve had received the opportunity to go to college, she’d chosen a practical, marketable degree. Her parents had been so poor that she’d been sent off to her Aunt Hildie for most of her teen years.

Training this stable of horses was her dream job and she’d been offered a startling amount of money to do it. But she wondered if she could be happy here in a place and culture so far removed from rural Texas. And there was another concern. She felt a shift of air against her skin and her nerve endings prickled in awareness. She wasn’t alone. Glancing around, she saw Prince Stefan Devereaux, tall with his chiseled features unsoftened by the moonlight, watching her from just a few feet away.

Crap, she thought, trying to remember what the proper protocol was for greeting the ruler of Chantaine. She stood because she figured she wasn’t supposed to remain seated. Crap, she thought again. Was he supposed to speak first? It seemed rude to just stare back at him.

“Hi, Your Highness,” she said. “How’s it going?”

His lips twitched and he moved toward her. “Fine, thank you, Ms. Jackson. I hope you’re enjoying your visit to my country.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “Though much smaller than Texas. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” she rushed to say, in case he thought she was insulting his country.

“Yes, it is, to both of your observations. My representative told me he presented you with the latest offer, but you haven’t given him an answer,” Stefan said. “The terms are generous. Why haven’t you accepted?”

Demanding and direct, she thought, but she supposed he had the right. This was the third offer his representative had made to her, and the palace was paying for her trip to Chantaine. Eve had met Prince Stefan Devereaux of Chantaine on two other occasions. Both times, he’d surprised her. From his sister Tina, Eve had gotten the impression that he was a pompous prig. He was. For some reason, she’d also expected him to be prissy and ignorant. He was neither.

“Are you uneasy about living so far from your home?” he asked and paused a half beat. “I was under the impression you were more adventurous than that.”

She lifted her chin at the subtle challenge in his tone. “It’s a big move. I have to make sure it’s the right one.”

“You don’t have children or a husband. You’re young and free. What’s holding you back?” he asked. “Or is there another concern?” He studied her for a moment. “If there is, you must tell me. If you’re not going to accept the offer, we need to know. I must fill this position. My horses deserve consistent care.”

“Your country is beautiful. I want to work with your horses,” she said and decided to blurt it out. “I’m just not sure about this royal thing. I’m not big on the curtsy and I’m likely to mess up how to address you and others.”

“No need to curtsy unless it’s a public situation. I can have one of the advisers prompt you if necessary. When you and I are alone, you may call me Stefan. In public, it’s Your Highness. It’s quite simple,” he said dismissively. “What else?”

“I’m not sure about the chain of command. Who is my boss? Your aide or you?”

“I am,” he said. “I may deliver instructions through an assistant, but you answer to me. If you have any questions or concerns, you may approach me directly if I’m available. Anything else?” he asked, a faint thread of impatience sliding into his voice.

“Just one thing,” she said, meeting his gaze but preparing herself for a big, fat turndown. “If you choose to fire me, I want six months’ pay and my airfare back to the States.”

His Royal Highness blinked. “Why would you request such a thing?”

“What happened to your last stable master?”

“He was fired because he wasn’t doing his job properly,” Stefan said.

“And the one before?” she asked.

“He was fired for negligence.” Stefan narrowed his eyes. “Are you suggesting I’m a difficult employer?”

“I’m suggesting that when prized horses, powerful men and women grow accustomed to getting their way they can become … temperamental.”

Stefan met her gaze and his lips twitched once again. “I don’t recall ever being compared to a prized horse, but I’ll choose to take it as a compliment. I’ll meet your conditions if you’ll meet mine. You must move to Chantaine within two weeks.”

Chapter One

Day two of palace orientation and Eve’s eyes were glazing over.

“Wait for His Royal Highness to address you first. Wait for His Royal Highness to extend his hand first. If you are wearing gloves when greeting His Royal Highness, you need not remove them first. Women need not wear hats before 6:30 p.m.,” the elderly male adviser droned on. “Call the prince by Your Royal Highness on first meeting. Thereafter, if the conversation continues, refer to him as ‘sir.’ Stand whenever a royal enters the room. Never turn one’s back on a royal….“

“Oh, Jonathan, give the poor girl a break,” a young woman said from behind Eve.

Eve whipped her head around, spotting Princess Bridget, whom she’d met during her previous visit to Chantaine. She remembered the underlying, not-quite-buried impatience she’d sensed when she’d met Princess Bridget, a young woman close to her age.

Eve immediately rose and attempted an awkward curtsy.

Princess Bridget waved the gesture aside and tossed her head of brown, wavy hair. “Please don’t. Will you join me for lunch? I need a royal break,” she said. “We can discuss American reality shows.”

“Your Highness,” Eve said, trying to follow the rules she’d just been given.

“Stop, stop,” Bridget said, taking Eve’s hand and pulling her away. “And if you dare call me ma’am, I’ll scream the palace walls down. Please call me Bridget. I’m counting on you to forget everything you’ve learned today so that you and I can become great friends. Thank God we have an American around now. You’re just what we need.”

Eve felt a combination of relief at getting away from the interminable orientation session and anxiety at Princess Bridget’s plans for her. “I don’t really watch a lot of reality TV.”

“Well, I’m sure we’ll come up with something. You know, ever since Tina got pregnant and left Chantaine, I have to do most of the public appearances.” Bridget stopped and met Eve’s gaze. “I’m not well suited for this. Tina was born and bred for this job. It drives me crazy.”

“What specifically about the job drives you crazy?” Eve asked.

Bridget paused, blinking. Her eyebrows knitted in a frown. “I haven’t thought about that. I’ve just been so resentful to be thrust into this right when I was enjoying my time in Italy.”

Eve nodded. “I hated my last job, but it paid very well. After working in that position, I realized that being able to do something that was my passion every day was a gift, if not a luxury.”

Bridget paused again. “How profound. And I was hoping you would be a rebel.”

Eve chuckled. “I am a rebel. I just try to be smart about it.”

“Hmm,” Bridget said. “Maybe I can learn from you. I think we should have champagne for lunch to celebrate your arrival. Dom Pérignon. If Stefan finds out, he’ll be livid. I do so love to make him livid.”

“No champagne for me. I don’t want to start my second day on the job making my boss livid.”

Bridget gave a pout and sighed. “You have a point. It wouldn’t do for him to fire you right off the bat. Chardonnay?”

“And water, please,” Eve said, thinking she definitely needed to remain sober around these Devereaux.

Bridget led her to a small table on a balcony that overlooked the east end of the palace grounds. Floral gardens were surrounded by lush, green grounds with trees that transitioned to rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. The ocean was a mouthwatering shade of azure.

“Beautiful view,” Eve said, shaking her head in wonder. “Stunning.”

Bridget stared out the window and nodded. “Yes, it is, but it can be a bit confining being surrounded by all that water. No easy way out,” she said, then shrugged. “Can’t change that at the moment.” A staff member approached the table with a pitcher of water and filled two glasses. “Thank you, Claire. Could you also bring us a nice bottle of Chardonnay? Is lemon-roasted chicken and a green salad okay with you?” she asked Eve.

“That would be great, thanks,” Eve said, swallowing a secret laugh over the fact that she’d probably be eating peanut butter and jelly on the run if she were at the Logan Ranch.

Bridget met her gaze. “What are your interests? Besides horses, of course,” she said. “Do you like to shop? Do you like music? Art?”

“Yes to music and art. I’m more fickle when it comes to shopping. With my new position here, I imagine I’ll be busy enough in the beginning that I’ll be getting most of my music fix from my iPod. What about you? Are there times of the year that are busier than others?”

“It seems as if it’s always busy since Tina left, but I’m dragging my other sister and brother to participate in the royal appearances more often. I keep nagging Stefan for a vacation, but I think he’s afraid once he lets me off the island, I’ll never return,” she said with a laugh.

“I apologize for my lack of knowledge, but does Chantaine have museums?”

“Two,” Bridget said, not hiding her disapproval. “I’ve tried to talk Stefan into expanding, but he insists that both parliament and the citizens would balk when so many of our people are struggling economically.”

Eve nodded, her mind wandering the way it often seemed to do whenever someone presented her with a problem. “It might go over with everyone better if you could make it a children’s museum,” she mused, and took a sip of her water.

Bridget stared at her for a moment. “That’s a brilliant idea. If you’re this brilliant about everything, it’s no wonder Stefan was so intent on hiring you. You’re right about starting out with a heavy workload, though,” she said sympathetically. “I just remembered there’s a parade in three weeks. The royal horses are featured, ridden by several top leaders and advisers.”

Eve swallowed her water the wrong way and choked. “Three weeks?” she echoed.

Bridget nodded in commiseration. “Yes, and I can’t help but believe that the horses are a little green.” She shuddered delicately. “I hate the image of Count Christo being thrown. He’s eighty-two years old. Sweet man, a little daft. He always insists on bringing a whip with him when he rides in the parade.”

Eve felt her heart sink to her feet. “A whip?” she said, appalled, then sucked in a breath of air. “A whip,” she said again, her voice rising.

Bridget shot Eve a cautious glance. “He hasn’t ever actually used it.”

“But he carries it,” Eve said, distressed. She’d learned the uselessness of whips a long time ago.

“He’s an old man,” Bridget whispered. “It gives him a false feeling of control.”

Eve took another deep breath and clenched her fists in her lap. More than anything, she wanted to run to the stables and begin her work with the horses. More than ever the rest of this palace protocol and orientation seemed like horse crap. She didn’t want to waste one more second. Glancing at Bridget, she saw that dashing away from the princess wouldn’t be possible. She clenched her fists again then released them, resolving that she would head for the stables as soon as the meal was done.

Hours later, after Eve had skipped the afternoon orientation session, she worked with a third of the many palace horses. This one was a gentle palomino mare that, like the others, hadn’t been ridden often enough. She pushed down her anger that the horses hadn’t been exercised. Yet, at the same time, she knew Stefan had been stalling. For her.

A smidge of guilt mixed in with her anger.

The scent of horseflesh reached her on a cellular level as she reined in the palomino. The horse submitted to her, but Eve felt the mare’s urge to run. She would need to ride most of the horses once a day, if not twice during the next weeks. And the whip—God help her. How was she going to get the whip away from Count Christo?

Eve returned the mare to her stall and walked to the separate building that housed the stallion. Black was Arabian and quite the handful. She would work with him first thing in the morning, she decided as she leaned against the wall opposite his stall where he paced restlessly. The good news was that he wasn’t beating down the walls of the barn.

She felt more than heard footsteps approaching and, even before she turned, her nerve endings went on alert. Turning, she saw Stefan’s strong, tall form. Emanating a restless energy and power that reminded her of the stallion, he wore black riding pants and a half-buttoned shirt. His gaze was intent. “I’m the only one who rides Black,” he said.

Eve refused to be intimidated. This was her job now. She would own it. “How often do you ride him?”

“Two or three times a week,” he said. “Hard.”

“He needs a minimum of five times per week,” she told him. “Look at how restless he is.”

“That’s because he’s a stallion,” Stefan said. “Are you questioning my treatment of the horse?”

“Of course,” she said. “That’s why you hired me.”

His mouth lifted in a half grin. “We’ll do Black my way.”

“For a week,” she said. “If he’s still restless, he’ll be ridden more often, and I’ll be the one riding him.”

Stefan chuckled. “You?” He shook his head. “He’s too much for you to handle. He was too much for the previous two men to handle.”

“We’ll see,” she said, confident she could handle Black. She was not nearly as confident about Stefan. She watched him as he approached the stallion. The horse seemed to immediately calm. Stefan placed a bridle and saddle on the horse. He led him out of the stall, mounted him and galloped into the distance.

Chill bumps rose on her arms at the sight of man and horse flying into the moonlight. There was a mystic connection between the two of them that she couldn’t deny. She felt a rush of excitement and tried to temper it with resolve. Stefan was a powerful man, but he had distractions. He wouldn’t be able to ride the stallion every day. He had other demands. It wouldn’t take long before she would step in as a substitute to help Black release some of his energy. Less than a week, she suspected, and she would be ready….

Exactly one week later, Stefan stared into the empty stall of his prized stallion and felt a stab of alarm. Where is Black? Has someone let him out? Escaped? He walked into the stall and stared at the walls. What had—

Realization hit him and his alarm shifted to anger. Eve had taken Black for a ride. She’d told Stefan her plans, but since he’d stated that he would be the only one to ride the stallion, he’d dismissed her statements. He’d assumed she would follow his orders. Frustration rushed through him as he glanced at his watch. He’d left his office later than usual for his ride this evening, but she still shouldn’t have defied his orders.

He paced from one end of the barn to the other, his temper rising with each step. Hearing the sound of hoofbeats outside, he immediately strode to the barn door. He watched in shock as Eve swung off the stallion and led him around the corral for a cooldown. Black loped alongside her as docile as a lamb. He heard her voice, low and somehow seductive, as if she were making small talk with the stallion.

As she turned around, Black glanced upward. The horse must have caught his scent. His ears prickled and he gave a soft whinney before pulling away from Eve and trotting toward him. Stefan felt a measure of satisfaction that Black had left her behind so easily.

“There you go,” Stefan said to the horse, rubbing Black’s sleek throat. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Eve, her hair escaping the long braid that hung down her back, stepped toward Black and Stefan. Her hands rested on her hips, her lips were firm and unsmiling.

“You were told not to ride him,” Stefan said, deliberately keeping his voice mild as he patted the horse.

“And I told you that he needs to be ridden more frequently. If you don’t do it, then I will,” she said. “You’ve only shown up twice this week. He’s been so restless it’s a wonder he didn’t kick down the walls of his stall.”

“It seems you don’t understand. What I say goes about Black,” he said, turning toward her.

She met his gaze. “But you still expect me to be in charge of his health, well-being, diet, etc….“

“Yes,” he said, relieved the impertinent woman was beginning to understand.

She nodded. “Okay. I quit,” she said and turned to walk away.

Stefan stared at her in shock, again. “Bloody hell,” he muttered under his breath. “You can’t quit.”

She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Sure I can. You and I agreed that you would let me be in charge of running the stables. That includes Black. If you’re going to interfere with me performing my job—”

“Interfere,” he repeated, nearly speechless at her lack of respect. “As your employer, it’s my right to agree or disagree with how you conduct your duties. Particularly in regards to Black—”

“Not if your plan isn’t in the best interest of the horse,” she interrupted, surprising him yet again. With the exception of his siblings, very few people interrupted him. “And as far as Black is concerned, you’re not rational about him. Your insistence that you be the only one to ride him is ridiculous. You’re a busy man, leader of a country for Pete’s sake. You have obligations and responsibilities that are more important than making sure your favorite horse is getting enough exercise.”

“I don’t need you to inform me about my position. I make time to ride Black. It’s as much for me as it is for him,” he said, revealing more than he’d intended.

She stared at him for a long moment. “So is this about your ego, or about how going for a midnight ride saves you from the craziness of your position?” she asked softly.

He felt as if she’d stabbed him. What right did she have to judge him? His rides with Black were the only time he felt truly free.

“I’m not trying to step on your toes or prevent you from the pleasure of riding Black. I’m just being realistic. He’s a prize of an animal, smart, powerful and fast,” she said, glancing toward the horse. “But he’s full of energy and if he isn’t exercised more frequently he’s going to be miserable. I don’t think you want that.”

He clenched his teeth then sucked in a quick breath. “How did you do it? No one has been able to ride him except for me.”

She lifted her lips in a smile that made his gut twist. “That’s my secret,” she said. “I’m a horse whisperer,” she said in a self-mocking tone. “That’s why you hired me.”

“For the others,” he said.

“Hmm,” she said with a nod of understanding. “Looks like you have a decision to make. Let me know by morning, and I’ll take the first flight back to Texas.”

He caught her wrist as she turned around and she glanced at him in surprise. “You’re not getting out of the job that easily,” he said. “Ride Black, but do so at your own risk. I’ll let you know which nights I’ll ride him.”

Her gaze searched his face. “So you do have a reasonable bone or two in your body,” she said.

His lips curved in amusement despite the fact that he was still irritated with her. “Of course I do. I’m forced to be reasonable day in and day out with government leaders and advisers.”

“Which is why you really need those rides with Black,” she said.

Her perceptiveness was both a bother and a relief. There weren’t many, if any, people who Stefan allowed close, and he’d been told by more than a few that he was difficult to read. The truth was that his passions always felt as if they were just beneath the surface, ready to burst through, so he felt he had to exert enormous self-control.

Gazing down at her, he saw a combination of compassion and challenge in her dark eyes. Her lips were pursed as if she were trying not to smile. His hand still encircled her wrist and the skin there felt soft in contrast to her spine of steel. What an odd mix of a woman, he thought. He wondered what she was like in bed. He wondered what she would do if he kissed her. A hot visual of her naked beneath him whipped through his mind.

His immediate surge of desire took him by surprise. Eve wasn’t his type. She was argumentative. She had zero understanding of palace affairs. For God’s sake, she worked in a barn. In that flash of an instant, he glimpsed a shot of awareness that deepened her already dark eyes. In the next second, he saw the same surprise he’d felt.

Taking a breath, she stepped back and pulled her hand from his. “If you can let me know by 8:00 p.m. on the nights you’ll be riding him, that would help me,” she said.

“Waiting till that late will tie up most of your evenings,” he said.

“I don’t have anything else on my calendar. You see, I have to get ready for this parade my boss neglected to tell me about,” she said in a confiding tone.

“That’s why I required you to come to Chantaine within two weeks,” Stefan said, mildly amused.

“It would have been nice of you to let me know ahead of time,” she said.

“I’m not that nice,” he said. “Would it have made a difference?”

“I guess not,” she said. “I just wouldn’t have sat through any of those orientation sessions,” she said.

“I was told you skipped the afternoon session,” Stefan said.

“That’s true,” she said. “As soon as Princess Bridget told me there was going to be a parade with some kook waving a whip, I was outta there.”

“Count Christo is eccentric, but I wouldn’t call him a kook,” Stefan said.

“You don’t have to,” Eve said. “And I’ll tell you now, he won’t be carrying a whip when he’s riding one of your horses.”

“Eve,” Stefan said. “The count is an important and revered member of Chantaine society.”

“He won’t even miss that whip, I promise,” she said.

“Eve,” he said again.

She waved her hand in dismissal. “That’s a week and a half away. No worries Your Highlyness,” she said with a sparkle in her eye.

“Highlyness?” he echoed.

“That’s what my aunt Hildie calls Tina every now and then.”

The tidbit amused him. “I bet Tina loved that.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” she said and gave a pretty little salute with her right hand. “I should hit the sack, Your Highlyness. I rise early these days. Sweet dreams.”

The next day as Eve was grabbing a sandwich at her office in the stables, she mulled over the possibility of providing Black with a companion. The stallion led such a solitary life he might be more content with a gelding as a friend, or perhaps a goat.

“There you are,” Bridget, wearing a dress and heels, said from the doorway. She walked inside the small office without invitation, wagging her finger in disapproval. “You’ve been invisible during the last week. I was certain you’d flown back to Texas until I overheard one of the staff discussing how early you leave your quarters in the morning and how late you return at night. You’re going to exhaust yourself before you’ve even been here a month, and Tina will have all our heads. This must stop.”

Despite Bridget’s propensity for exaggeration, Eve felt a little less alone by her presence. She’d been so busy with the horses that she hadn’t had time to think about anything else except late at night before she fell asleep. She would die before she admitted it, but she was a little homesick.

“I’m fine,” Eve insisted and set down her sandwich. “I just needed to jump in with both feet with the parade coming around the corner.”

“Well, it’s simply not acceptable,” Bridget said. “I’m sure you haven’t even taken off one day since you arrived. Therefore, you shall go shopping with me this afternoon,” she said in full princess mode.

Eve shook her head. “It’s sweet of you to ask, and I’m honored, but I can’t. It would just put me behind. I have to start scheduling appointments with the riders so everything will go smoothly during the parade.”

Bridget wrinkled her brow in confusion. “We’ve never had appointments before. We just show up on parade day, mount the horse and ride.”

“How did that work out?” Eve asked, already knowing the answer.

“Fine with me. There have been a few little problems. One of the mares bucked her rider and took off through the crowd. One of the geldings stopped halfway through and refused to go any farther.”

“And what about that year when one of the horses reared up and a half dozen of them went to the beach? Not just to the beach,” Eve said. “But in the water.”

Bridget winced. “Oh, yes. I couldn’t really blame them. It was a very hot day and the master of ceremonies was long-winded, which meant we had to wait forever to get started. I guess you’re right. Good luck getting some of the old guys to agree to the appointments, though.”

“Thank you,” Eve said in a long-suffering voice.

Bridget sighed. “Well, if you won’t go shopping with me, then you must join us for dinner tonight. It’s family night. Stefan requires us to have dinner together every week since Jacques is on break from college. He’ll be there as well as Phillipa.”

Eve immediately began to shake her head. “I’m not family. I wouldn’t want to intrude,” she said, also confident that she would feel totally out of place at a table full of royals.

“No intrusion,” Bridget said. “Besides, you’re like family because of your association with Tina.”

“Oh, no, thank you, but—”

“I won’t take no for an answer. You must eat. You may as well eat with us. The food will be better than that sandwich,” she said, waving her hand in disgust at Eve’s lunch. “If you don’t come, then I’ll have to tell Tina, and she’ll fuss at Stefan and me. Trust me, it will get messy.”

Eve sighed, realizing it would be easier to give in to Bridget’s invitation and beg off early. She could pretend to be a fly on the wall and resolved to keep her mouth shut. “If you insist,” she said.

“I do,” Bridget said, smiling broadly. “We’ll dine at seven on the third floor. It’s a bit smaller and more intimate. I’m delighted you’ll join us. Ta-ta,” she said and turned to leave.

“Bridget,” Eve said before the woman vanished. Geez, that woman could move like the wind despite the fact that she was wearing high heels. “What should I wear?”

Bridget glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, it’s not formal. Just a dress will do.”

Eve had brought only a few dresses with her since she figured she would be spending most of her time with the horses. Her choices were black, brown and black. She decided on black and pulled her hair out of her braid. For her corporate job back in the States, she’d always dressed in a conservative, businesslike manner, with careful attention to grooming.

Looking in the mirror made her wince. She’d been so focused on getting the horses ready for the parade that she’d done the bare minimum in the grooming department. Her fingernails were all broken down to the quick, her hair was out of control, her lips were chapped and smudges of violet rimmed her brown eyes.

“Thank goodness for concealer,” she muttered under her breath, then got to work. Nerves danced in her belly and she chastised herself. She shouldn’t be nervous. Although she’d never shared a meal with a roomful of royals, she knew which fork to use and when. Her aunt Hildie had made sure she knew her manners. Eve felt a jab of homesickness take her by surprise, then pushed it down. It wasn’t as if she were being sent away from her parents when she’d become a teenager. She’d made this choice of her own volition. She was here for her dream job.

The prospect of interacting with Stefan on a semisocial level still made her uncomfortable. She was at ease dealing with him over matters concerning the horses, but beyond that, she found the man unsettling. After hearing his sister Tina talk about how overbearing he was, she’d been certain she’d find him a selfish chauvinist. But she was beginning to see that he was far more complex than she’d first thought. He had a lot on his shoulders and he didn’t shift one bit under his responsibilities. To her, it appeared that he was trying to bring the siblings together for the sake of Chantaine, and the independent-minded Devereaux weren’t making it easy.

Eve finished getting dressed and walked from the staff quarters to the palace. A guard allowed her entrance, and she climbed the marble steps to the third floor and wandered down the long hallway to an open doorway from where she heard voices—Bridget’s in particular.

Eve peeked around the corner and caught her first glimpse of the lavish dining room. With a different table, the room could have easily held twenty people. Instead, a round table dressed in a crisp white cloth and set with crystal glasses, sterling silver and bone china sat in the center of the room.

The elegance and luxury of the room reminded her of the differences between her background and that of the Devereaux family. Her parents had moved frequently to stay a step ahead of the debt collectors, which meant she’d never stayed in one school very long. A flood of memories washed over her of walking into school, wearing clothes with holes in them, suffering the stares of her classmates and feeling completely out of place.

Her stomach knotted. What was she doing here? She took a deep breath and told herself this was a different time, a different situation. The siblings distracted her from her panic.

Bridget, Phillipa and Jacques stood beside the table.

“The goal for this evening’s meal is to get Stefan to cut me some slack,” Bridget said. “I need a vacation in Italy. Phillipa, you can cover for me for just a couple weeks—”

Phillipa shook her head. “You know I’m in the middle of my dissertation. I can’t take off for two weeks.”

Bridget sighed. “Maybe we could cut down some of the appearances.” She glanced at Jacques, who bore a striking resemblance to Stefan. “And you could help.”

Jacques looked appalled. “Me? I’m playing in a soccer match in Spain this weekend.”

“Well, I can’t keep doing all this on my own. Lord knows how Tina managed it,” Bridget said.

Eve strongly considered turning around and leaving at that point, but Jacques glanced up and looked at her as if she were a lifeline. “Please do come in. Eve Jackson?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” she said. “I’m surprised you remember since we met so briefly last month.”

Jacques’s lips lifted in a flirtatious grin. “Please call me Jacques, and I make a habit of never forgetting the name of a beautiful woman.”

Eve couldn’t resist smiling in return. She could tell Jacques was on the road to be a class-one heartbreaker. “Thank you, Jacques. I appreciate the flattery, especially since I haven’t spent much time outside the barn since I arrived.”

“I’m determined to change that,” Bridget said. “Just because your position requires you to work with the horses doesn’t mean you’re married to them. Tomorrow you can join me for a day at the beach.”

Eve shook her head. “No beach for me until after the parade.”

Bridget scowled. “Tina is going to—” She broke off as Stefan walked into the room. “Welcome, Stefan. I persuaded Eve to join us tonight. She’s been cooped up in the barn far too long. I’m sure you don’t mind.”

Eve blinked at that last remark, feeling a stab of chagrin. She’d assumed Stefan had already been informed and approved of her presence at the meal.

Stefan looked at her, his gaze falling over her from head to toe and back up again. “Of course not. I’m glad you thought of it, Bridget,” he said, his gaze not straying from Eve’s. “Our pleasure, Eve.”

“Thank you, Your High—” she started, but stopped when he sliced his hand through the air.

“Stefan, please. Shall we sit?”

As if on cue, three staff members immediately entered the room.

“I chose Chateaubriand for the menu tonight,” Bridget said. “I asked the chef to choose everything else … well, aside from the chocolate mousse torte. Do you like chocolate, Eve?”

Still self-conscious, Eve fidgeted with her hands in her lap. “Like is an understatement. I’ve been known to make dessert the main course when it’s chocolate.”

Bridget laughed in approval. “Well, you won’t want to skip any of the courses tonight. Our newest chef is fabulous.”

“Here, here,” Jacques said. “Much improved over food at the university.”

Eve lifted her water glass and took a swallow. “Newest,” she echoed. “How new is he?”

Bridget glanced at Stefan. “Three months, would you say? The employment director had to replace the former chef.”

Hiding a grin of amusement behind her glass, Eve took another sip and met Stefan’s gaze. “Is that so?”

He raised a dark eyebrow as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “The employment director made that decision. I had nothing to do with it.”

“Oh, I know why he was dismissed,” Phillipa said. “He was coming to work later and later due to a drinking problem. The employment director set him up with a special rehabilitation program.”

Stefan lifted his glass of wine, his lips twitching in amusement before he took a sip. “Eve seems to be under the misguided impression that I fire so many staff members we may as well have a revolving door for them.”

All four Devereaux stared at her with questions in their eyes. Eve coughed as her water went down the wrong way.

“What on earth made you think that?” Phillipa asked. “Stefan delegates almost all of the hiring to the employment director.”

“I never said that. I—” The gleam in his eyes told her he was enjoying her discomfort far too much. Eve frowned at Stefan, rising to the challenge. She was a Texan, for Pete’s sake, and she refused to be intimidated. “How many horse managers have you gone through? How long did my predecessor last before you bumped him off?”

Shocked silence followed, and Eve lifted her chin even as she felt herself being stared down by everyone in the room.

Stefan’s bark of laughter broke the silence and the tension. “To Americans,” he said and lifted his glass. “You don’t take crap from anyone.”

Stefan’s siblings gaped at her in surprise. Bridget recovered first, lifting her glass in salute. “We can learn by her example.”

Stefan lifted his hand in disagreement. “There’s a difference between defending oneself and constantly quarreling.”

“But, Stefan—”

“Enough, Bridget,” he said and turned to Phillipa. “How are your studies progressing?”

Stefan held her attention with how he conducted himself. He exhibited a magnetism that combined power, intelligence and complete masculinity. She’d never met a man who possessed such a combination. She was accustomed to sly cowboys and corporate managers with egos bigger than their paychecks.

She studied his hands as he cut his beef and lifted his glass of wine to his lips. His fingers were long, and she remembered feeling the faintest bit of a callous in his palms when he’d shaken her hand. She’d liked that about him.

Now, as she watched him talking to his siblings, she liked the way he focused on them instead of himself. She wondered if he kept his concerns and worries from his siblings. She wondered if he’d protected them a bit too much.

“If everything works out, I may do an exchange course in Italy this summer. Florence,” Jacques said with a half grin. “My advisers say I’m spending enough time on soccer and they want me to be well-rounded.”

“Florence,” Bridget muttered and gave a low, barely audible growl. She cleared her throat. “Speaking of art, Eve and I were talking just a couple of weeks ago about the idea of building a children’s art museum in Chantaine.”

Eve cringed at being dragged into Bridget’s power struggle with Stefan.

“Bridget, you know the agreement about our family dinners,” Stefan said with a sigh. “No discussion about financial proposals or arguments about politics. This is a time for us to be family.”

“Well, it’s hard for me to be family when all I do is work, work, work,” she said. “Have you noticed that you haven’t asked me anything about my personal life? Why?” she demanded. “Because I have no personal life. If I can’t have a personal life, then I’d like to have a sense of satisfaction. Even Eve said being happy in your job is making sure you have a passion for what you’re doing.”

Eve felt Stefan’s hard glare. She felt stuck in the middle of a place she absolutely didn’t want to be. Lifting her glass of wine, she took a sip and latched onto the first thing that came to her mind. “Anyone here know how to play the game Chicken Scratch?”

Chapter Two

With the exception of Stefan, it had been like taking candy from a baby. Stefan had actually won the third game. Eve spread out her hands to collect the dominos. “Well, this has been fun, but I need to visit the barn one more time tonight.”

“No,” Jacques said. “I was just getting used to it.” “Me, too,” Bridget said. “I almost won the second game.”

“Afraid you’ll lose again?” Stefan challenged. Her stomach did a crazy tumble at the expression on his face. “Not at all,” she said. “I really do need to visit the barn again. If you liked the game, I’ll leave my dominoes here so you can practice.”

“Please do,” Phillipa murmured. “We need it.” Eve smiled at the brainy princess determined to master the game. “If we play again, I bet all of you will beat the pants off of me.”

“I’d like to see that,” Jacques said with a devilish look in his eyes.

“Jacques,” Stefan said with a frown. “Ms. Jackson is our guest while at dinner. She deserves our respect.”

“Exactly,” Eve agreed. “Your elders always deserve your respect.”

Jacques laughed. “If you’re my elder …“

“Jacques,” Stefan said again, this time a touch of amusement slid into his tone as he gave a barely perceptible shake of his head.

“Thank you all again for everything. Joining you for dinner was an—honor,” she said and smiled. “Good night and sweet dreams,” she said, turning to leave.

“Sweet dreams?” Phillipa echoed.

“It’s an expression,” Eve said. “I’m wishing you sweet dreams.”

“That’s lovely,” Bridget said. “Sweet dreams to you, too.”

“Thank you,” Eve said and felt Stefan studying her. She felt a quiver of something strange in her belly and pushed it aside. “Your Highnesses,” she said and walked away.

The family dinner had gone much better than usual due to Eve’s presence, Stefan thought as he paced his quarters. She’d amused him by the way she’d pushed back when he’d teased her. The sound of her Texas drawl slid over his nerve endings like a smooth brandy. Her little game had distracted his family from the usual squabbles and griping, and allowed them to enjoy their time together. He would make sure she was included again.

Glancing at the clock, he thought about his early meeting with dignitaries from Russia in the morning. It would serve him well to go to sleep, but he was too restless. Lately, he’d been even more restless than usual. Bumping up his exercise routine hadn’t helped. The advisers had been pressing him more than ever on a matter that he’d avoided like the plague. But he knew they were right. He couldn’t delay this part of his duty forever. He glanced out the French doors of his balcony and watched the clouds slide over the moon. Inhaling, he caught the scent of impending rain. The atmosphere felt moody. Like him, he thought with wry chagrin.

An impulse shot through him and he considered it for thirty seconds. As ruler, he’d learned early on he would have to be selective about giving in to impulses. This one would help him sleep and quiet his spirit. He changed his clothes and called his personal guard, Georg. “I’m going to ride Black.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Would you like me to arrange for the horse to be saddled before you get to the barn?”

“Not necessary. I’ll do it,” Stefan said.

“Enjoy your ride, sir,” the security guard said.

“Thank you,” Stefan said and headed for the barn.

He heard her talking with Black before he looked inside the horse’s stall. Black nodded as Eve talked as if he understood exactly what she was saying. “So, how do you like the idea of a goat?” she asked. “I have a feeling you would do better with a pet than another horse.”

“A goat?” Stefan echoed and watched Eve whirl around in surprise. She adjusted her black Stetson. “Black would stomp the poor animal to smithereens.”

“Maybe not,” she disagreed, stroking the stallion in question. “By nature, horses aren’t solitary animals. He’s so restless. I think a pet might help him calm down.”

Stefan stroked his chin. “I’ll think about it,” he said and wryly wished a pet goat would solve his own restlessness. “Did you ride him this evening?”

She shook her head. “No. I just visited him because I had a feeling you might want a ride tonight.”

He appreciated her perception. “Family night can be an obstacle course, but I think it’s necessary.”

“I agree with you. Were you and your sisters and brother ever close?”

“That’s a good question,” he said as he entered the stall. Black immediately approached him, and Stefan felt a rush of pleasure at the way the horse responded to his presence. “We had different assignments, different nannies, even different advisers. Tina and I shared some similar training. I think that’s why we’re so close. Then Fredericka had her substance abuse issues and it became a priority to make sure that none of the other Devereaux went down that same road. If anyone was the glue between us all, it was Tina. When she left, it was a terrible blow.”

“Bet you’re still bummed about it,” Eve said, resting her hand on her hip as she studied him.

“Bummed, but mostly resigned. I’m glad she’s agreed to visits,” he said, feeling a pang of missing his sister.

Her lips twitched. “And now you get to deal with Bridget,” she said. “My aunt would say that should be a character-building experience for both of you.”

“Is this the same aunt who addressed Tina as ‘Your Highlyness’?”

“The one and only Hildie,” Eve said with soft smile. “She’s the best.”

“And you miss her,” he said, reading the combination of affection tempered with sadness on her face.

Eve glanced away then lifted her chin. “Probably more than I expected, but I’m too busy to spend much time feeling homesick. Speaking of time, I shouldn’t keep you from your ride. Your boy is ready for you,” she said, nodding toward the stallion.

He realized he’d just been dismissed and he wasn’t sure he liked it. A surge of strange feelings rumbled through him. Sympathy for Eve … curiosity … something else he couldn’t name. “Would you like to join me?”

Eve blinked in surprise. “Join you?” she echoed in disbelief.

“You can bring one of the geldings. It will be a short ride tonight since the weather is threatening,” he said. “If you think you’re up to it,” he added, deliberately challenging her.

“I’m up to it,” she retorted immediately. “I’ll get Gus and meet you out back.”

Moments later, she joined him and Black. “Where are we going?” she asked, leaning forward to give Gus a reassuring stroke on his neck.

“The beach,” Stefan said and, even in the darkness, he saw her face light up.

“I haven’t ridden there yet,” she said. “I’ve stuck to the trails on the palace grounds.”

“You won’t after you’ve ridden on the beach,” he said, urging Black into a fast trot. Leaving the confines of the stable yards behind, he led Eve on a winding path through dense woods. In the past, his security had wanted to ride with him and he’d always felt it was the worst kind of intrusion. He’d known forever that his life would never be totally his, but Stefan just wanted a few moments to breathe and escape. He’d never invited anyone with him on his night rides, but tonight he’d sensed the same combination of claustrophobia and loneliness in Eve that he often felt himself. Hers came from adjusting to living on an island and homesickness. A ride on the beach might offer her the same temporary cure it did him. He pulled his horse to a stop as they entered a clearing that offered a view of the beach below.

“It’s beautiful,” she said in a low, but awed voice.

“Yes, it is,” he agreed. “I wanted to warn you that the slope’s a little steep down this hill. Black could find his way down this hill blind, but Gus may need some extra time.”

“No problem. I wouldn’t do it any other way,” she said.

Just as Stefan had said, Black made it down the hill in no time. As soon as Black hit level ground with the beach mere yards away, Stefan could feel the stallion pulling on the reins. He knew what was coming. “Patience,” he said as the horse pranced. “She’ll be here in just a moment or two.”

Hearing the sound of Gus’s hooves behind him, he turned, expecting the gelding to stop. Instead, Eve urged the horse into a fast trot and rode right past him. “See ya!” she called with a laugh, and Gus took off.

Black gave a snort of protest as Stefan watched in surprise. Seemingly one with the horse, she rode better than any woman and most men he’d met. Exhilaration raced through him. With her hair flying behind her and her compact body huddled closely against Gus, she was pure pleasure to watch. Black pulled against the reins, and Stefan allowed him to run. It wouldn’t take long to catch them.

A moment later, Black pulled alongside Eve and Gus. Eve glanced over at Stefan and her breathless laughter drifted over him with the ocean breeze. The sound of her exultation made him smile. The night was dark; a storm was on the way, but he suddenly felt as if the sun had come out from behind a cloud.

Black increased his speed and Gus struggled to keep up. “Go ahead,” she called with a wave. “It’s your time. Take it.”

Stefan gave Black the reins and the stallion sped down the beach. He felt the rush of adrenaline punch through him. His heart raced, and he felt free. The speed and wind blew the clutter from his mind. This never got old. For Stefan, this was what got him through his worst days. Black loved this run, too. If given the chance, the horse would run around the entire island, but Stefan had made a deal with security. Another fifty yards and then he would turn back. He reined in the horse. At the turn, Black slowed even more, sensing that turning around was the beginning of the end of the ride.

In the near distance, Stefan saw Eve riding Gus at the edge of the ocean. Surprising him again, she slid off the horse, kicked off her boots and rolled up her jeans. He rode closer as she waded into the water. “Careful,” he called. “The bottom drops off sharply. You don’t want to get—”

She took a step and sank in up to her chest, holding on to her hat. She let out a squeal that sent a shot of alarm through him. He swung off of Black, ready to pull her from the water. But then he heard her laughter. The sound reminded him of happy bells. As she trudged out of the ocean, she tugged at her wet shirt, pulling it away from her stomach, still giggling.

“You’re drenched,” he said. “I tried to warn you.”

She waved her hand and lifted her gaze to meet his. Even in the dark of the night, he could see her eyes glint with amusement. “It’s just water. I couldn’t resist. I haven’t left the barn long enough to visit the ocean since I’ve been here. It was just too tempting and I knew Gus wouldn’t go anywhere without me.”

Her lack of concern over the dunking was refreshing. Every other woman he knew would have been embarrassed and disgruntled. “I never intended for you to chain yourself to the barn. You’re entitled to take some time for yourself.”

“Not until after the parade,” she said. “I don’t want these babies misbehaving when they’re on my clock.” She put her foot in the stirrup and began to lift herself, then stepped back on the ground, shaking her head as she pulled up her jeans. “A little heavier than usual,” she murmured.

“A good soak will do that,” he said in a wry tone.

“To be perfectly honest, if my boss weren’t with me, I’d ditch the jeans until I got back to the barn,” she said and lifted herself again.

When she wobbled, Stefan gave her an extra boost on her backside. “Don’t let my presence deter you from your—comfort.”

Eve glanced down at him and for an instant he felt the scorching heat of sensual assessment in her gaze. She shook her head as if she were trying to clear it. “You surprise me, Your Highness. I didn’t know you were capable of flirting with your stable maid,” she drawled.

“You’re far more than a stable maid,” he said and then mounted Black. The way she’d emphasized the difference between his position and hers irritated him. This ride represented a time out for him. He wanted no reminders of his position. Determined to hold on to the last few moments of the ride, the sea air, the breeze, the darkness, he kept the stallion moving at a trot instead of a canter. Still it was no time before he and Eve arrived at the barn. She took care of Gus while he cared for Black. The stallion still seemed a bit restless as Stefan stepped from the stall.

He felt Eve move to his side. “He acts like he needs another ride,” Eve murmured.

Stefan glanced down at her, noticing the way she rubbed her arms. The shirt was still dark from her stroll in the ocean, and he suspected her jeans were very uncomfortable. He swore under his breath. “You’re still wet and I can tell you’re chilled. You need to get back to your room immediately.”

She wrinkled her brow in surprise and shrugged. “I’m fine. Like I said, it’s just water. I’m seriously considering a goat for Black. I think—”

“Enough about Black tonight. Go to your quarters and dry off,” Stefan said and, when she didn’t move, the next words automatically came out of his mouth, “I command it.”

Her eyes widened like saucers. “You command it?” she echoed in disbelief.

Stefan bit back an oath. He’d known from the beginning that Eve wouldn’t respond well to orders. He rarely pulled rank. Why in hell did she bring out the urge entirely too often? He bloody well couldn’t back down now. “I do.”

She blinked. “I’m not sure I like that.”

“It’s not that difficult to understand. You insist that my horses behave correctly because they are on your clock. In a way, you are on my clock,” he said. “I won’t have you getting pneumonia on my watch.”

“Are you comparing me to a horse?”

“No,” he said. “Besides the fact that Tina would kill me if anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to stand it myself.”

“But I’m not your responsibility,” she argued.

“You are in my country. Therefore, you are my responsibility.”

She stared at him for a long moment and shivered. His gaze lowered to her damp shirt stretched taut over her breasts, her nipples forming a tempting outline. He felt an immediate visceral response. Instinct urged him to rub her arms with his hands, to pull her against his body and make her warm. He clenched his hands into fists. Denial had been drilled into him since the day he was born, even more so when he’d come to understand the playboy image of his father and grandfather. When he’d come of age, many people had expected that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.

Stefan had wanted more. He wanted the opportunity to change and improve his country. For that, he had to be taken seriously. He’d kept his affairs scrupulously private. His duty and the sins of his father had forced him to hold his libido in check. Right now, though, for the first time in a long time, he fought the urge to pull the mouthy American Eve Jackson into his arms and make love to her against any flat surface available.

He reined in his surprising need. “I’ll walk you to your quarters,” he said.

“Oh, that’s so not necessary. I walk to my quarters by myself every night,” she said.

“You’re not dripping wet every night,” he said, extending his hand, determined to maintain control. “Come, now.”

Eve rolled her eyes, but placed her cool hand in his. “Sheesh, did anyone ever tell you that you take this Highlyness thing a bit far?”

“No one except my sisters,” he said as he led the way to the staff quarters. He rarely walked this path. Now that he saw it, he decided it needed a few more lights. “How late do you usually stay at the stables?”

She shrugged. “It depends. I usually grab a sandwich for dinner and head back around nine or ten.”

“I’m not sure it’s best for you to be walking back to the staff quarters unescorted every night,” he said.

“Oh, give me a break. I’ve spent my life going anywhere I need to go unescorted. Besides, I’ll bet you didn’t tell your previous stable master that he shouldn’t be walking around the grounds unescorted.”

“Trust me, he didn’t look at all like you. Plus, he never felt the necessity to work full-time let alone overtime. I prefer you leave the stables before dark for the next couple of nights. I’ll get motion lights installed.”

“We’ll see,” she muttered.

He gave a double take. “We’ll see?” he echoed. “I just gave you a very reasonable order.”

She sighed. “Do you really think you have criminals wandering around the palace grounds?”

“I’ll admit it’s not likely, and the security here is as good as it gets without causing claustrophobia, but nothing is perfect. I will be more comfortable if you avoid walking alone at night until there’s more lighting.”

“So this is about your comfort and not mine?” she said.

Damn, the woman was difficult, he thought. “Perhaps. You need to remember that you’re not just an employee. Because of your relationship with Tina, you’re also a friend of the family. We protect our friends.” He noticed her fighting a shiver and swore under his breath and rubbed her arms. “I shouldn’t be keeping you out in the cool air. Go inside and get warm.”

Her gaze met his for a moment and he saw a shot of liquid heat flash through her eyes. He saw the possibility of passion and felt it deep in his gut. She took a quick breath and her lips parted, drawing his attention. He wondered how that argumentative mouth would feel beneath his. He wondered how she would respond.

For once, Stefan had finally met a woman who didn’t give a damn about his title or position. She had no interest in pacifying him and would argue with him at the drop of a hat, yet he sensed that a part of her wanted him. Tempted, more so than he’d felt in a long time, he wondered if Eve could handle an affair with him. He suspected she met his requirement of being discreet. How messy would it be once their affair ended? Because they all ended.

She closed her eyes as if she were trying to shut down her emotions. That annoyed him. He wanted her open to him. He wanted to see the desire in her eyes again.

Taking another breath, she opened her eyes and took a step away from him. “Thanks for the night ride,” she said in a husky voice that brushed over his nerve endings. “Good night.”

He watched her jog inside the back door to the staff quarters and felt a surprising urge to go after her. He snuffed it out, of course. Even though Eve aroused more than his curiosity, he couldn’t rush into anything. There was too much at stake to be impulsive. There always had been and there always would be.

At ten o’clock the next morning, Eve was returning one of the horses to the stall when she heard Bridget’s voice.

“Bonjour, Mademoiselle Jackson,” she called. “I am your rescuer and have come to help you escape your drudgery for a while.”

Eve sighed, although she couldn’t deny she was amused. Bridget would do anything to get out of palace duties. She closed the door to Gus’s stall. “Bridget, that’s very sweet of you, but—”

“No refusals allowed,” Bridget said. “You and I have received orders from on high.”

Eve turned to face the princess and blinked at the sight. It was clear what the plans for the outing were from Bridget’s beach cover-up, gigantic sunglasses, a large-brim, black straw hat and designer beach bag.

“Orders from on high?” Eve echoed.

Bridget nodded. “Stefan has spoken. He says you need a day off, and I’ve been assigned to take you to the beach.” She lifted her finger. “Don’t you dare fight me on this. It wasn’t my idea, but it’s my first opportunity to have a little fun in what must be a century. If I have to attend another charity tea, I’ll scream. Besides, Stefan is right. You must take a break. Forgive me for being blunt, but you’re looking a bit, well, haggard.”

Eve hardly knew how to respond to Bridget’s mouthful of drama. She’d already shot down Eve’s objections before she’d had a chance to voice them. “I have difficulty believing the palace protests other members of the staff working too hard.”

Bridget gave a tsk-ing sound. “Eve, other members of the staff take every possible break. Besides, you’re not just staff. Tina gave you to us. The rules are different. Oh, for goodness’ sake, I’m suggesting a day at the beach. Not the guillotine. Your reluctance is insulting. Do you dislike me so much?”

Eve laughed in exasperation. “I don’t dislike you. I just need to stay on top of my duties. The parade is days away—”

“And everything is going to go brilliantly. In the meantime, the sun is shining and the beach is calling.” She clapped her hands lightly. “Come, come. You do have a swimsuit, don’t you?

“Yes, but—”

“No buts,” Bridget said.

“You Devereaux drive a hard bargain,” Eve said.

“Oh, good,” Bridget said. “I smell the sweet scent of surrender. Don’t worry about sunscreen. I have plenty. Move along.”