Courting Carolina (22 page)

“Why, I wouldn’t dream of it, Nikki,” she drawled, giving a dismissive wave as she turned and walked in the cottage.

“Princess?” Olivia repeated, peeking out the door at Nicholas’s retreating back. She looked at Jane. “He calls you
princess
?”

“Only when he’s trying to get a rise out of me. And just so you know, he really hates being called Nikki—which I unwittingly discovered when I was eight.” Jane shook her
head. “I didn’t work up the nerve to call him Nikki again until I was nearly twenty.”

“That’s right; when I asked who the scary-looking guy was with Titus and Mac and Trace when they arrived this morning, Rana told me you and Nicholas had grown up on Atlantis together.” Olivia walked to the fieldstone hearth taking up most of one wall, grabbed a box of matches off the mantel, and lit the kindling already arranged in the firebox. “Aeolus’s Whisper is open from breakfast through dinner, so you’re welcome to eat there,” she continued, setting a couple of logs on the snapping fire. She replaced the screen and brushed off her hands. “Or you can raid its walk-in cooler if you want to lug stuff back here and cook your own meals.”

“Thanks, I just might take you up on that offer,” Jane said, walking to one of the two interior doors at the back of the cottage. She peeked inside the bathroom, then shot a grimace over her shoulder as she walked into the bedroom. “I imagine I’ll have to eat at the restaurant with whichever one of my suitors has captured my attention that particular day, but I’m going to need breakfasts here to prepare myself for long days of pretending to be sincerely interested in the full-of-themselves buffoons.”

Olivia rushed into the bedroom just as Jane hopped up on the large bed made of hand-hewn logs. “Your
what
?” she said on a gasp. “Those men are here to
court
you? But I thought they were just friends that Titus had invited to attend our grand opening.”

Jane snorted. “My father doesn’t have any friends. There will be other guests arriving for the ball, but the men coming here this weekend are hand-chosen candidates vying to become Titus’s son-in-law.” Jane pulled the clearly nonplussed woman onto the bed and wrapped an arm around her. “It’s okay, Olivia,” she said, giving her a squeeze. “I have three weeks to figure a way out of this mess. But in the meantime, I’ve given Mother my word that I will act sincerely interested in these men while she persuades Father to stop this insanity.”

“He can’t actually make you get married, Caro.”

“Actually, he can.” Jane folded her hands on her lap and looked down at them. “I realize this is probably beyond the understanding of a twenty-first-century woman, but in our world, Father’s word is law. My refusal to marry someone he approves of would mean immediate banishment—without any of my powers.” She pulled in a shuddering breath. “I would no longer be able to travel through time or shape-shift or conjure even the simplest spell, and would age naturally and die an old woman in whichever century I was trapped in.”

“For the love of God,” Olivia whispered, leaning away. “Titus wouldn’t…He
couldn’t
do that to you, Carolina. Your father loves you.”

“This isn’t about love,” Jane quietly explained. “It’s about the king of the drùidhs holding on to his authority.” She shrugged. “If Titus Oceanus can’t even rule his daughter, then how can he command the respect of mankind?”

“Mankind doesn’t know he even
exists
,” Olivia growled. “Nobody believes in the magic anymore.”

Jane slid off the bed and turned to face her. “The drùidhs certainly know, as do Father’s enemies. The gods have been waiting thousands of years for Titus to falter so they can finally destroy Atlantis. Don’t you understand, Olivia? If Atlantis ever falls, so will mankind.”

Olivia also stood up, her face flushing in anger. “Are you saying that everything sits on
your
shoulders? That if you don’t marry one of those men, the world as we know it will cease to exist?”

Jane shook her head. “Not on my shoulders; on Father’s. I’m only saying that as his daughter, I have a duty to uphold his authority.”

Olivia’s cheeks darkened even more. “I thought his authority was protecting people’s free will. So what happened to
your
right to choose your own damn husband, or even remain single if that’s what you want?”

Jane captured Olivia’s fisted hands and gave them a squeeze. “But I am free to do whatever I please, as long as I don’t mind living with the consequences.”

“But what kind of choice is that!” Olivia pulled away and
ran out of the bedroom. “By your stupid gods, we’ll just see what Mac has to—”

Jane ran into the main room and pulled her to a stop. “You are not getting involved in this, Olivia. Mac has no more say about this than I do, and I won’t have you at odds with your
dear sweet husband
over something none of us can control.” She shook her head. “I can be mad at Mackie for beating up Alec, but you can’t be mad at him for being caught in the middle of a fight that he and I both knew was coming. Why do you think I ran away two years ago? You and Mac were newlyweds and about to have a baby together; did you think I was going to wage my battle against my father here in Spellbound Falls and rip your new family apart?”

“But it’s not fair,” Olivia whispered. “You deserve to marry for love just like your brother did.”

“I love you for loving Mac, Olivia, and am truly happy for you both. But you know he was facing the same dilemma when he came here, and would right now be in a loveless marriage but for your courage to love him for who and
what
he is.” She smiled sadly. “I spent two years searching for what you two have, only to discover there are buffoons in every century.” Jane walked to the hearth and stared into the fire, balling her own hands into fists. “That is until ten days ago, when a handsome scoundrel saved my life and ignited in me a passion that outshines the sun.”

“Then tell your father that you
have
found a man you can love.”

Jane turned to her. “I don’t believe Alec feels the same way, Olivia.”

“He must feel something for you, Carolina. He kept you hidden for ten days.”

“No, he was hiding Jane Smith.”

Olivia shook her head. “Alec might act carefree and fun-loving, but he’s a
MacKeage
. Trust me; he knew exactly who you were.” She canted her head. “In fact, I bet that’s precisely why he didn’t tell Duncan or anyone else about you.”

Jane spun to face the fire again. Could that be true? Could
Alec have known the dictatorial father she was hiding from was Titus Oceanus, and he’d hidden her anyway?

“Maybe the question you should be asking,” Olivia said, walking up behind her, “is why
did
Alec risk everything to help you?” Olivia turned her around. “If he knew you were Carolina Oceanus, and that hiding you would bring him nothing but trouble, then why did he?”

“He…Alec said he has nothing to offer me.”

“Well, of course he said that. He knows you’re a
princess
, and he’s a—”

“A scoundrel!” Jane blurted out, throwing her arms around her insightful sister-in-law. “An underachieving ski bum who thinks he can’t even be my boyfriend. Oh, Olivia, thank you,” she said, giving her a squeeze—only to suddenly step back, shaking her head. “He’s also maddeningly noble. If he’s made up his mind that he doesn’t—no, wait. He
deceived
me. All this time he’s been—”

“No,
you
wait,” Olivia said on a laugh, snagging her arm when Jane started for the door. “It was your lie, Carolina; Alec was just playing along. You can’t get all huffy—”

“Auntie Caro!”

“Ohmigod, Henry!” Jane pulled open the door just in time to catch her nephew when he threw himself into her arms. “Henry-Henry-Henry!”

“Oh, auntie, I missed you,” he said, hugging her fiercely. “You’ve been gone two whole years.”

“Aunt Carolina!” Sophie shouted, running up the steps carrying a small toddler. “You’re back!”

“Sophie.” Jane pulled away from Henry just in time to catch the little girl hurling herself out of Sophie’s arms. “Oh, you must be Ella,” she said on a laugh, catching the gurgling bundle of energy. “Sweet Athena, is there not a shy bone in your precious body, you sweet little cherub?”

Olivia plucked her daughter away from Jane, causing Ella’s gurgles to turn to shrieks of protest. “Shy?” Olivia said with a snort, clasping the squirming child. “Try
pushy
.” She kissed Ella’s head when the little imp gave an intrinsically feminine pout. “I swear we spend all our time peeling
the sweet little cherub off complete strangers.” She snorted again. “Ella thinks our guests come from all over the world to see
her
, not the Bottomless Sea.”

Jane touched one of the girl’s riotous blond curls. “Oh, Olivia, she’s beautiful.” She turned and started to kneel to Henry, only to remain standing when she realized he’d grown quite tall. “And you, young Mr. Oceanus,” she said thickly, cupping his face with a trembling hand. “And Sophie,” she added, pulling the girl against her side. “I can’t believe how much you’ve both grown.”

“I knew you would come, auntie,” Henry said, looking up with a beaming smile. “I told Mum we must have a grand ball to celebrate the opening of our hotel, because that would surely bring you back to us.” He looked at Olivia, giving her an intrinsically male wink. “And I was correct, wasn’t I? She came.”

Jane ruffled his hair with a laugh. “Prometheus himself couldn’t have kept me away, Henry.”

“Did you bring a pretty gown to wear, Aunt Carolina?” Sophie asked—only to suddenly step back with a gasp. “You cut your hair!” She frowned. “Is that some sort of new style they wear in South Africa? It’s sort of…uneven.”

Guessing Olivia had told the children she’d been living in South Africa for the last two years, Jane tucked a stray lock behind her ear and shrugged. “It was becoming too much to care for, so last week I finally dug out the scissors and cut away.” She sighed dramatically at Sophie’s horror. “I’ll find a stylist tomorrow and have it evened out. I can’t believe how much you’ve both grown,” she repeated, touching Henry’s shoulder.

Olivia shifted Ella to one hip and herded Sophie and Henry out onto the porch. “Come on, people, we need to let Auntie Caro get settled in.” She shot Jane a cheeky smile over her shoulder. “She’s probably going to need a nap before we put her to work taking guests out on trail rides to view the fall foliage.”

“Oh, yes, auntie,” Henry said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, a distinct Oceanus gleam in his deep green eyes.
“Grampy must have told several of the male guests that he expected you would be here, because one of the gentlemen brought a beautiful Arabian mare with him, and another one arrived with a large hunting falcon. And when I told Grammy, she said they were likely gifts to impress a princess.” That gleam intensified. “I believe your dance card will be filled long before the ball.”

“They’ll all have to get in line behind you, Henry.”

The boy suddenly bolted back up the stairs and threw himself at her, making Jane stagger as she caught him. “I missed you so much,” he said against her shoulder.

“I missed you, too, little man,” she whispered thickly, pressing her mouth to his hair. “And I promise I won’t ever stay away that long again.”

“I have to go help Mr. Nicholas now,” he said, giving her one last squeeze before he ran down the steps and past the cart Sophie had driven here. “I believe another one of Grampy’s guests is arriving.” He turned and walked backward, beaming Jane a huge smile. “I’ll be by to take you to dinner at Aeolus’s Whisper this evening,” he said with a wave as he turned and broke into a run.

Sophie watched him disappear down the winding path, then frowned first at Jane and then at Olivia. “Do you have any idea how popular I could be at school if I brought Grampy’s guest with the falcon in for show-and-tell?” She eyed Jane again. “Or I could bring you, Aunt Carolina; you’re an honest to gosh
princess
.”

“Of a mythological island,” Jane said with a laugh, “which makes
me
a myth.”

Sophie blew out a sigh, her shoulders slumping as she climbed in the passenger side of the golf cart. “What good is spending the whole month of July in Atlantis if I can’t even mention it in my essay about what I did over summer vacation? And the SD card in my camera was completely blank when I got home,” she muttered, shooting a glare at her mother as if it were somehow Olivia’s fault. “And when I told my friends at school that Nova Mare means
New Sea
in Latin and that we named the restaurant Aeolus’s Whisper because
Aeolus is the mythical god of the winds, they thought I was just making it up to sound smart,” she said, turning her glare on Jane, as if it were somehow
her
fault. Sophie suddenly broke into a smile again, nicely demonstrating the wind god’s fondness for changing directions on a whim. “Is your boyfriend coming to the ball, Aunt Carolina? I hope he’s really handsome and smart and everything, because a horse and falcon are gonna be hard to compete with.”

“What…what makes you think I have a boyfriend?”

Sophie shrugged. “When I asked why you weren’t coming to visit us anymore, Grammy Rana said you were traveling the world looking for your own Prince Charming.” The girl went back to smiling. “I bet the frogs all lined up hoping you’d kiss them because you’re so tall and smart and beautiful. So, did you kiss one and he turned into your prince? Is he coming to the ball?”

At a complete loss for words, Jane was saved from responding when Olivia slid in behind the wheel of the cart and plopped baby Ella on her daughter’s lap with a laugh. “You’re going to have to wait and see just like the rest of us, Sophie, because it looks as if Carolina still has a few more frogs to kiss.”

Chapter Thirteen