His Princess in the Making (16 page)

Toby frowned. “I gather this new will has some legacy or instructions for me?”

“It’s got a whole lot more than that, you idiot.” Charlie flung a set of papers his way. “This changes
everything.
”

“The King said it changed nothing,” Toby argued, his heart pounding.

“Well, of course he would, wouldn’t he? But if you’d told me the truth about what happened fifteen years ago we wouldn’t be in this mess now!”

T
OBY
was gone when she woke up, with not even the traditional note on the pillow. Not knowing what happened, she got up, showered and dressed. She had a lot of duties to attend to this morning, with all the guests.

Except it was lunch time. She’d slept for seven hours?

She bit her lip and grinned, thinking of her own proven insomnia-remedy.

Ask me to stay because I need you.
He’d proven through the night, loving her with a desperation and power that had showed her he’d missed her as much as she’d missed him, that his love for her was as timeless and unending as hers for him.

Ask me to stay, my Giulia.

Dared she do just that? Could she believe she was enough for a lifetime, when she could only give him what they had now—a beautiful affair in the shadows?

She headed down the stairs to find him, but Charlie caught up with her before she made the stairs. “It’s so good to see you smiling again, Lia.”

She hugged her brother. “Thanks for bringing him to me,” she whispered.

Charlie reddened and grinned. “What? I had to have all the nobles together for coronation, and he’s one now whether he likes it or not.”

She smiled again, but it soon faded. “What happens if I’m pregnant?”

To her surprise, Charlie, the most old-fashioned brother in the world, shrugged. “We’ll deal with it if it happens. You won’t be the first unmarried pregnant princess—maybe the second.”

Lia blinked. “Is this the same brother who barrelled me out for daring to even think I could love a commoner?”

“Yeah, actually, it is—the same brother who always loses his temper and speaks without thinking it through. I’m pretty new at this royalty caper, and I won’t always get it right.” He grinned at her expression. “What, did you think I’d disown you?”

She smiled back. “Well, at least get me married to some suitable noble at gunpoint before I started showing.”

“Maybe I deserve that,” he said ruefully. “But none of us want you to be as unhappy as you’ve been the past weeks, Lia. Trust me, okay?”

She looked at her brother, saw his eyes shining with new-found strength.

“Jazmine and I know what’s going on in our country, and in our family. We’re doing what we can to make you and the people happy.”

“Do you know where Toby is?” she asked, to test that trust. Would he answer?

Charlie nodded. “You’ll see him later. I needed him to go to Malascos for me. He’ll be back by this afternoon.” He hesitated. “I need you to clear your schedule today. I’ve called an extraordinary meeting of the Hereditary House of Lords. We have another shock to deliver to the crusty diehards in parliament—” he grinned “—and we need you to be there. For backup, you know?”

She frowned, trying to think. “I’m supposed to meet a representative of the European Court about the conditions for women here, to follow up on—”

“Reschedule it,” Charlie interrupted her, his tone commanding. “We need you there.”

She peered at him. “What’s going on, Charlie? I need to have some information ahead of time if I’m to help you.”

Obviously relieved she was obeying without further argument, he kissed her cheek. “I think it’s best if you look as shocked as everyone else. It’ll work better.”

“All right,” she said slowly. How to say it? “Charlie, Toby said he wants to stay…with me.”

Charlie sighed. “Look, Lia, today’s meeting’s important, okay? We’ll get to your problems soon. I’ve only been king eighteen hours, and maybe I don’t have any rabbits to pull out of hats for you just yet.”

Ashamed, she nodded. “I’ll call the European Court representative and reschedule.”

Extraordinary meeting of the Hereditary House of Lords

Lia sat beside Jazmine as Charlie stood up in the royal box. He was ready to make his first announcement as the King of Hellenia. Lia whispered to her sister-in-law, “What’s going on?”

Jazmine grinned. “Stop cheating, Lia, and wait like everyone else.” Her brows lifted. “We’re about to throw a firecracker right into the dry old powder.”

Lia smiled, but couldn’t help wondering if Toby was back. She had to tell him…

Tell him what? Stay for my sake, make me happy at your own expense?

Loving you is no sacrifice, Giulia,
he’d said…

“The Queen and I called this meeting because we have several questions needing resolution.” Charlie’s voice broke into her thoughts. He was standing tall over all the seated lords. “First and foremost, there is the pressing question you
all wish answered—that of the marriage of my sister, Princess Giulia, to a suitable consort.”

Lia stiffened in her seat. She glared at Charlie, who pretended not to see it. Jazmine wouldn’t look at her either.

“I know you all have your opinions as to whom she should marry.”

Pandemonium broke out as all the lords yelled their opinion, or tossed a name in the ring, as if she was a lucky-door prize, she thought disgustedly. This was why Charlie wanted her here?

“She can only marry a Hereditary Lord, one of his sons, or a prince!” one of the counts with a marriageable son yelled.

“That’s true,” Charlie agreed calmly. “Now please bear with me, I’m not trying to go against the laws. I brought this up because the Queen and I are aware of the rumours regarding my sister and my oldest friend, Sir Toby Winder, while he was here in Hellenia. I wish to resolve this. You all know him, or know of him—he did so much for our nation in the four months he was here, including risking his life to save others. During our last meeting, he was knighted for the rescue of the Grand Duke of Falcandis, and for uncovering the plot by Lord Orakis to destroy all the healing we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

What was Charlie trying to achieve with this line of argument?

“Yes, and we agreed with it—but a commoner can go no higher than a knight.” That same count was red-faced with the force of his voice. “He cannot receive a hereditary title worthy of asking for the hand of the Princess Royal!”

The lords all nodded, some shouting, and Lia’s pounding heart slowed and sank. Why had Charlie brought her here, to break her heart over again? How he brought Toby back to Hellenia only for her to lose him, to say another unbearable goodbye?

“Again, that’s accepted.” Charlie kept his cool. “A commoner cannot gain a higher title than knight, and cannot ask for the hand of my sister. Since Princess Giulia and the Grand Duke of Falcandis have refused to wed, the question of her marriage remains open for the moment.”

At the decision in his voice, the lords’ din died down.

“Moving on, there is one thing that confuses me still about the laws regarding inheritance and adoption.”

The lords sat forward, interest in every face. They seemed to thrive on debate.

“May an adopted son inherit lands and titles, along with any true children a hereditary lord or duke might have?” Charlie asked, his tone carrying no more than mild query.

To Lia’s surprise, it was Theo Angelis who spoke up, sitting at the back of the royal box. “If the child is legally adopted by the laws of the nation before he or she reaches their majority, and accepts the name of the family, then he or she is entitled to whatever the lord leaves in his will to that child.”

“Ah, thank you, Your Majesty,” Charlie said, giving Theo Angelis the title for life he deserved. “And that is Hellenican law? We are all agreed?”

The lords all nodded.

“Then, in light of your agreement, I want to share with you some papers pertaining to my grandfather, the former Grand Duke of Malascos, which only came to my attention this morning. This includes a set of full and legal adoption papers for his adopted son.”

The House broke into a hubbub of sound. Lia, hardly daring to hope this was real, swung her gaze to Jazmine, who grinned at her and winked before she walked to her husband’s side.

She looked at Theo Angelis. He sat stiff on his throne, staring only at Charlie, but there was something in his eyes; he knew what was going on.

Charlie smiled at the assembled room, waiting until the
sound died down again. “I’d always known my grandfather called Sir Toby his adopted son—but I thought it a courtesy title. I never knew my grandparents had made it formal and legal. But here is the irrefutable proof, stamped by the Australian government. Fifteen years ago, my grandparents, Kyriacos Charles Marandis and Giulia Maria Marandis, adopted Tobias Andrew Winder while he was still a minor according to law. They changed his name to Tobias Andrew Winder Marandis, with all the privileges and responsibilities that go with the name.”

And she’d thought the sound before was pandemonium? Now the shouting sounded like a bunch of football hooligans attacking the winning team.

Charlie gave them a minute or two, then spoke right over them, his voice strong and implacable. “My grandparents also made a will, leaving everything to the three of us equally. After Princes Michael and Angelo died, leaving my wife the sole heiress to the throne of Hellenia, my grandfather obviously realised King Angelis would try to discover if his cousin had any male issue. He lodged a final will with the same lawyer that arranged Sir Toby’s adoption. He stipulated that this will be released only if my grandfather’s real identity should become known and the question of inheritance was raised.” Charlie’s smile grew. “There are too many clauses and codicils to read now, such as which titles and lands my friend or I should have from my grandfather’s many Hellenican possessions, so I will now read you the pertinent part of my grandfather’s real last will and testament.”

In a slow, deep voice, he read, “‘In the event that my grandson Kyriacos Charles Costa Marandis should inherit the title of Crown Prince of Hellenia, then to my adopted son, Tobias Andrew Winder Marandis, I bequeath my Grand Duchy of Malascos, with all attendant rights and wealth.’”

Dead silence filled the House as Charlie finished speaking.
All eyes turned to the old king. When he neither moved nor spoke, their collective gazes swung back to the new King and the Queen now standing beside him.

The real transfer of power happened in that moment, the shift of allegiance from the old to the young, the past to the future.

Charlie drew Jazmine close. “The Queen and I therefore wish to introduce you to the fourteenth Hereditary Grand Duke of Malascos, His Grace Tobias Andrew Winder Marandis.” His free hand swept to one of the alcoves reserved for the six Grand Dukes of the nation.

The door behind it opened, and Lia saw Toby, her beautiful Toby, walk forward, a resplendent stranger in the scarlet, purple and gold robes of Malascos, the cloak pinned with the royal eagle.

He looked at her and smiled.

Lia didn’t know she’d jumped to her feet until her knees gave way. An aide shot out a hand to steady her.

In the alcove beside where Toby stood, a man got to his feet and clapped. “The Fourteenth Grand Duke!” he shouted.

Max. Of course it was Max…

The other four Grand Dukes stood and applauded, leading the way.

And then, in the stalls below, the lords began to cheer.

Last, but far from least, Theo Angelis nodded at Toby with a small smile before he joined in the applause: royal approval.

Oh, surely any moment that alarm would go off and she’d wake up…?

Jazmine pressed a handkerchief into Lia’s hand. “Breathe, Lia,” her sister-in-law whispered with a smile. “It’s really happening.”

Lia gasped in a breath and groped for Jazmine’s hand, unable to speak.

When the applause finally quietened, Charlie lifted a hand.
“I have one more letter here, outlining my grandfather’s final wishes for us, his beloved son and grandchildren. Most of it is private, so I’ll skip to the important part: ‘having seen the demise of the royal family in Hellenia during the past twenty years, I realised that you, my beloved adopted son and grandchildren, will be needed there. I have done my best to prepare you for your future tasks, by teaching you the language and culture, and instilling in you all a deep sense of duty and self-sacrifice—the kind I could never make. So, to my beloved granddaughter Giulia, I give my dearest love and my unwavering faith that you will be the best princess Hellenia could ask for. I have only one wish for you—to marry my adopted son, Tobias Andrew Winder Marandis.’”

He smiled over at her, mouthed, “How’s this for a rabbit, sis?” and Lia had to mop more tears. “‘To my adopted son, Tobias, I bestow upon you my blessing, my complete belief that you will be an exceptional Grand Duke and will work selflessly to help repair my shattered nation as you helped keep our family together in times of crisis. I humbly ask that you accept the position I forsook, and that you care for and love my granddaughter for the rest of your lives, as she will love and care for you. I believe you are the perfect man for the task ahead—and for my Giulia. To you all, my dearest love and hope for your understanding at the magnitude of the secret I kept from you.’”

By the time Charlie’s voice came to a halt steeped in emotion, Lia was already on her feet, walking across the House. She heard no more, didn’t know what the lords said, didn’t care what Theo Angelis thought. Hardly aware of people milling around her, smiling or moving out of her way, or opening the small doors before her, she just kept walking as if in a dream. All she could see was Toby, giving her that wonderful, heart-melting “I love you” smile.

Finally, at last, she reached him and put her hand in his. “My Lord Duke,” she whispered, and sank into a deep curtsey.

“It’s Your Grace, actually.” Eyes twinkling, he lifted her face with a finger and raised her to face him. “Your Royal Highness, you wish to speak to me?”

The question burst from her. “Did you know about the adoption and the change of name?”

He nodded. “Of course I knew. Yiayia and Papou told me about the Marandis name, but said there were reasons I had to keep the adoption and the Marandis name an absolute secret from everyone. I gave my word to keep it secret until Papou’s letter released me and gave me a choice.” He hesitated, and said, “I did tell the King, weeks ago. I hoped that being a Marandis by name might give me some right to marry you. At first he said it made no difference—my low-class bloodlines negated any adoption. But about a week ago he told Charlie, and had already begun digging for the truth.” He smiled again. “All he said this morning was, ‘make her happy again, Toby’.”