Hand-Me-Down Princess (18 page)

Jessabelle nodded. “I remember.” Malachi headed for the bathroom, and Jessabelle set the paperwork on the side table before laying down to try to sleep.

* * *

Christiana stared over the hay field as she waited for the arrival of the Mevendian and Montevarian royal families. William had agreed to be her escort for the evening. He did not want to find a date, and Christiana’s boyfriend could not take the time off work, not when his business was about to go under. She wanted to help him, but he refused, saying it was something he had to do on his own, if he wanted to feel like he brought something to their marriage. Whenever he finally got around to asking her.

The Mevendian plane landed on the runway, and a few minutes later, both royal families walked in. All of the younger generation would be there, except for Yvette, who had been deemed too young for the trip by her parents.

“Christiana!”

She turned to see Queen Adeline coming toward her, arms outstretched. Christiana hugged the other queen, grateful for the company, although none of them could help her with the issues facing her country. Things were going better in many ways.

Unemployment had increased in the wake of her uncle’s arrest, but had gone down some and stabilized as long-overdue construction projects began. Building and rebuilding the infrastructure would take time and would provide at least some jobs while they worked to get the rest of the economy back on an even keel.

“I’m so glad you are here,” Christiana whispered. She had few people she could really talk to. Alexander and Tony. Her personal assistant, Diana. Tony was still working to verify who he could trust and who he could not. If Tony could not trust someone, she could not either. The only other person she trusted was too busy to come see her often, though they talked daily.

She let go of her one-time foster sister and stepped back to look around. “I am so glad all of you are here.”

Rick gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek before letting Ana push him out of the way to give a hug of her own. Christiana turned to see Malachi and his new wife. He gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, too.

Christiana turned to his wife. “Jessabelle, it’s lovely to see you again.”

The other woman looked uncomfortable, as though she wasn’t quite sure how to address Christiana. After several awkward seconds, she accepted Christiana’s small hug. William greeted her the same way as the other men in the group. When he moved, she saw someone unexpected. “Yvette! I did not think you were coming.”

Yvette shrugged. “I convinced my parents to let me.”

Christiana gave her a big hug and did her best to convince herself seeing Yvette did not remind her of everything that would not be. Not since her parents died and her brother and his nanny were presumed dead. In the next year, Yvette would need to plan her own wedding and deal with the fallout when her groom, Christiana’s brother, never showed. But the contracts had been signed and didn’t expire until a week after the wedding date. Christiana made a mental note to help Yvette as much as she could when the time came.

Christiana let go but looped her arm through Yvette’s. “Do you have an escort for this evening?”

“I believe Alexander has been commandeered for the job.”

An undefinable twinge passed through Christiana when she realized her friend and confidant would be at Yvette’s side for the evening. “Are you certain you wouldn’t be more comfortable with your brother as your escort?”

Yvette wrinkled her nose. “No. I have no desire to accompany my brother. I know Alexander well enough, and we both know I’m essentially engaged. It will be fine.”

Christiana nodded. “Very well then. I am certain Alexander will be along shortly.” It was his family’s facility and their fundraiser. He was likely busy with last minute details. His family owned the property, but Alexander ran the entire complex.

“Besides,” Yvette continued, “he’s far too old for me.”

She had a point, though Christiana had never really thought about Alexander’s age. Perhaps because she was several years older than Yvette herself.

Christiana looked around the room. Four of the six in her generation were with their life partners. Three were already married and it was only another couple of months until Ana married Jonah. Christiana would need to show up with a smile on her face and hide the bitter, cynical side that seemed to emerge whenever she was reminded that she was not yet engaged.

A door on the other side of the room opened, and Alexander walked in.

“Everyone ready?” he asked, shaking hands and kissing cheeks as he went around the room.

There was no need to explain the hierarchy within the group. Everyone knew the “more important” people went last. In this case, it was based on title, distance from inheriting the crown, geography, and age. As the second in line for their respective crowns, Ana and Jonah went first, followed by Malachi and Jessabelle. First in line for his throne, Rick escorted his wife, Ellie. Then came Queen Adeline and Prince Consort Charlemagne. Alexander, as host of the event, was next to last with Yvette on his arm. Christiana, as queen of the host country, was always the last to enter, this time with Prince William at her side.

Unlike the last fundraiser she had attended, this one was in the ball room rather than the barn. There was something to be said for wearing jeans and cowgirl boots, but Christiana found she felt more like herself in the more formal attire of this evening.

William helped her down the few steps into the room. Time to put on her happy face.

* * *

Malachi kept watch on his wife out of the corner of his eye. Her comfort level seemed to be increasing, at least around Adeline, seated on the other side of her. He had known his distant cousin would put her at ease again. Jessabelle ate more of the meal than she had at any other since he’d known her.

Before long there would be dancing. Malachi hadn’t danced with his wife yet, and he looked forward to it. Then there would be an auction of items none of the royalty would bid on. It was an unwritten rule. The royalty donated money and items to be auctioned, but never bid. Though he doubted Jessabelle would be bold enough to bid on anything, he needed to tell her so she knew.

About the time he finished his main course, the wait staff came around to pick up the plates. The music changed in tone as Christiana and his older brother walked to the dance floor. William bowed. Christiana curtsied. The two of them moved around the floor with a grace Malachi hoped he could master. He heard a few whispers, not for the first time, wishing that William were not the Crown Prince so he could marry Christiana. The whispers picked up in intensity after Rick and Ellie announced their engagement. For a time, there had been hopes she would marry Rick, to solidify the relationship between those two countries. That was part of the reason for the arranged marriage planned between Yvette and Christiana’s younger brother, who had been the Crown Prince until his death. There was more going on there that Malachi didn’t truly understand.

The dance came to an end, and the floor opened up to the rest of the guests. Malachi wiped his mouth on the cloth napkin and pushed back from the table. He bowed slightly to his wife. “May I have the pleasure of this dance?”

She looked nervous, but Jessabelle nodded, taking his offered hand. He led her to the dance floor, pulling her into his arms. He held her close, though not as close as his Montevarian cousins held their significant others.

“Are you having a good time?” he asked, quietly.

“Dinner was good.”

“Is that the only good thing so far?”

Jessabelle ducked her head. “I liked talking with Queen Adeline.”

“You can call her Addie, you know.”

“No. I can’t. After two months, I have trouble calling you Malachi. I can’t call her Addie. Even if she told me to, I’d probably have a hard time with it. It’s the way I was raised.”

Malachi didn’t respond. He tried to understand where she was coming from and hated that she still wasn’t comfortable around him. The way she held herself stiffly in his arms was further proof of that. Definitely better than it would have been a few weeks earlier, but not comfortable like the other couples on the dance floor. Even Yvette and Alexander were more comfortable.

Maybe someday.

He debated pulling her a bit closer, but decided not to. This time. “There will be an auction in a little while. I don’t know if there’s anything you might want to bid on, but it’s customary for the royal family to refrain from trying to win any of them.”

She gave a slight shrug. “Okay, but why?”

“Because all of us have access to enough money that we can just go buy anything being offered.”

Jessabelle didn’t respond. Maybe she didn’t know how or, more likely, she still wasn’t used to having access to those kinds of funds.

The song ended, and he started to move away from her, to hand her off to another acquaintance, but she gripped his sleeve. “Don’t leave me, please,” she whispered.

Malachi hesitated. “I can for another dance or two, but we’ll both need to dance with others at some point. I will do my best to make sure you only dance with people you know. My brother, Rick, Charlie, Jonah, Alexander, and maybe his brother. Christopher is here I think.”

He pulled her closer, hoping others would think the newlyweds wanted to dance together a bit longer.

She let him, though she still felt a bit stiff. “I can’t just sit down and not dance with anyone?”

Malachi sighed. “I wouldn’t care, but it’s generally considered bad form for the royal family to sit out. The only exceptions are for injuries or advancing pregnancies.”

She moved a bit closer to him, and he relished the movement. “I can’t fall down and twist my ankle real quick?”

A chuckle escaped, despite his attempt to stifle it. “No. Sorry.” He held her a bit closer as they continued to dance. “I have to say I’m loving this.”

“What?”

He bent lower until he could whisper in her ear. “Dancing with my wife.”

Chapter 18

Dancing with Malachi might have been Jessabelle’s new favorite activity or would be if there weren’t so many other people around. In their apartment, it would have been wonderful.

And there, maybe he would have kissed her again. It had been a while since he’d given her a good night kiss.

She seriously debated turning her ankle and playing it off as much more seriously injured than it really was. Then she could sit out the rest of the dances.

Jessabelle stifled a sigh and shifted a bit closer to the known quantity of her husband. She wouldn’t fake an injury, but she
would
do her best to stick with the people she knew. Christopher might be all right since she’d at least met Alexander before. She could pretend they were the same guy, even though she knew they weren’t.

The song ended, and Malachi stepped back. “I’m sorry, but it’s time.”

She nodded and whispered an internal “thank you” to the heavens when Rick stepped in. At least she kind of knew him, and he was happily married. Rick was safe, though based on what she knew of the man, “safe” didn’t describe his normal behavior. He spent most of his time trekking the backside of nowhere all around the world.

“How are you holding up?” her new dance partner asked.

“Fine.” Was the answer partially accurate? Yes. Was it the whole story? No. Would she give him any more information? Not if she could help it.

“You don’t have to pretend with any of us, Jessabelle. Believe me. Most of us don’t enjoy these shindigs as much as we probably should. Ellie and I would rather be hiking somewhere. Christiana would probably prefer to be working to restore her country or spending time with her boyfriend. Addie’s never been a fan. Charlie still isn’t comfortable with his role in the spotlight. I think my little sister is probably the most comfortable of all of us, except maybe Yvette and that could just be because she’s not old enough to know any better yet.”

She nodded, but didn’t speak.

“So, how are you really holding up?”

How could she not answer now? “Like Prince Charlemagne, I suppose. I’m not comfortable in the spotlight.”

“And I wouldn’t call him Charlemagne either. He hates it. Just Charlie will do nicely, I’m sure.”

“I will take it under consideration, Prince Richard.” She used the title without thinking.

“Oh!” He faked shock. “Say it ain’t so, Jessabelle! Not you, too!” He turned more serious. “We’re practically family. You might be the newest member for the moment, but you’re family. Please. It’s Rick.”

“I will do my best to remember. I promise.”

“And if you ever need someone to talk to about being thrown into the limelight, I’m sure Charlie or Ellie would be happy to commiserate with you.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Jessabelle doubted she would call up Prince Richard’s wife, but she wouldn’t tell him that.

The dancing continued and, as Malachi promised, she stayed with men she already knew. With Prince Charlemagne, they talked about whether he would prefer a boy or a girl. His wife sat out most of the dancing portion of the evening, begging off due to her pregnancy. When dancing began to wind down, Jessabelle excused herself to use the restroom before the auction started. The dancing hadn’t ended, but she made her way to the table. In a few more minutes, she joined the applause for the musicians as everyone returned to their seats. Malachi sat next to her, leaving his seat somewhat pushed out from the table. That allowed him to stretch out his legs, and he seemed more relaxed than usual. The rest of the royal family members also seemed more casual, despite their formal attire.