Escaping A Royal Wedding (4 page)

The door closed behind him and he saw Tim get into the front seat. The guard instantly picked up the phone and started speaking to someone. Erik heard the words “red hair” and “petite” but then blocked the situation out of this mind as he picked up the file he had been reading before the tire blew out.

Chapter 4

Ana snuck back into the hotel, sure everyone would be racing around trying to find her. But no one blinked or even looked up as she made her way to the bank of elevators. The ride up to her floor was just as smooth and easy as was her slipping inside her room unnoticed. Ana was just taking off her scarf when her mother walked in. “Ana! What are you still doing here?” she said. “Shouldn’t you be at the spa already? I thought your appointment was for 2 o’clock.”

“Yes, I don’t know where the time went,” Ana said honestly. “I’m on my way,” she said and grabbed her purse to rush out the door.

Ana made it to the spa and they were very accommodating for her, which wasn’t a surprise. Ana relaxed as technicians worked the kinks out of her body and pampered her thoroughly. She sat back and relived every moment she’d spent with Marcus, reliving each sentence and especially the kiss at the end. She had been kissed before, but because she’d been betrothed, Ana had never had any suitors. Her very few kisses had been stolen, sloppy lips against her cheek or the corner of her mouth. Since she’d avoided her fiancé for the past ten years, she’d never had any chance to really be kissed. It was shocking that she was now twenty six years old and had never experienced those feelings before. The small kisses others had stolen over the years were nothing compared to the soft, whisper kiss that Marcus had given her and she shivered at the memory of those feelings.

By six o’clock, Ana was back at the hotel, her hair carefully and artistically piled on top of her head in a Grecian style that flattered her face, leaving her neck free. She pulled on the simple white gown, not really caring about her appearance all that much. She didn’t want to meet this man who would become her husband. She wanted to hide in her hotel room and savor the memory of her afternoon. But she followed her parents out of the hotel and arrived at the engagement dinner with a heavy heart.

Ana stood in the receiving line with her parents, sister and brother. Every few minutes, she’d stare down the line and wondered where her future husband was and what he looked like. He couldn’t compare to Marcus, she told herself, but maybe he would at least be nice looking. She vaguely remembered meeting him when he was a teenager but at that time, his voice had been changing, his limbs had been long but there wasn’t much to credit him. He’d been tall she remembered but Ana hadn’t been able to get a very good look at him. He was either talking with her father, or there were so many other teenage girls surrounding him, she hadn’t been able to see him through the crowd. Nor had she tried very hard, she thought to herself.

Everyone looked on as King Alexander entered the room and Ana waited with her breath held for her fiancé to follow. But no one was behind him. He walked royally into the banquet hall and bowed gracefully to Queen Natasha and King Stephen. “I’m sorry to report that Prince Erik will be late tonight. Please don’t be offended by his tardiness. It was a horrible situation he had to resolve at the last minute.” Turning to Ana, he smiled down into her green eyes. “I understand I can’t compare to my son, but I’d be honored if you would allow me to escort you into dinner,” he said.

Ana was offended at first, but she understood what an honor King Alexander was bestowing on her. She smiled gratefully up into his handsome face and nodded her head. “I’d be thrilled for your escort, you’re highness,” she said and put her hand through his arm.

Max sat on her left and King Alexander on her right and he entertained her through the entire awkward meal with stories of Prince Erik and how daring the man was, how wonderful he was with his subjects and how handsome he was.

“I’m sure he’s a wonderful person,” Ana said and laughed at all the appropriate moments. But inside, Ana was furious with the man for embarrassing her like this. She’d seen the pitying looks from the other guests who understood that Erik thought so little of her that he couldn’t even make it to his engagement dinner. She was furious but maintained a calm, peaceful demeanor, knowing that the press would report her every move and expression in the papers the following morning.

Her father made a speech, talking about how wonderful it will be to unite the two kingdoms in marriage and how the two families could form bonds that would reach beyond the politics. Ana stopped listening as her anger boiled up. She had to clench her fists under the table, otherwise, she was likely to toss her wine glass at the wall. Her fury almost overwhelmed her.

By the end of the evening, Ana had formed several ideas on how she wanted to get back at the absent prince, some of which started with castration and mauling. Walking into her hotel suite, she stomped around, desperate to find some outlet to her fury and embarrassment. On the way home, she’d decided that castration wasn’t good enough for the man but had many more ideas for what she’d like to do to him. Sharp objects were considered. The ideas were gruesome and she flung her white gloves off, tossing them onto her dresser and ignoring the mess her clothes created. She didn’t even care that her lovely white dress was now sitting in a heap on the floor.

In the middle of Ana’s angry tirade on men and their inconsiderate behavior, Marabeth walked in and sat down on the bed, already changed into her nightclothes and robe.

“How could he!” Ana exclaimed as soon as she saw Marabeth’s face. “We aren’t even married and the man can’t even show me any respect.” She stomped over to the window and pulled the drapes closed, yanking them shut with an unnecessary force that surprised even herself. “But why should he?” she asked, Marabath, turning back to face her seemingly calm sister. Ana disappeared into her dressing room to pull on a nightgown and robe, not wanting to wear the engagement party dress that had been chosen specifically for the occasion. Storming back into the room, she continued her angry tirade. “I’m just a decoration and an appropriately trained womb for the production of his heirs! I’m nothing to him. What a humiliation!” she growled, pacing her room, pulling the belt tighter on her satin robe.

Marabeth started to say something, then thought better of it. After another long, silent moment of watching her older sister, she spoke up. “King Stephan said it was an unavoidable emergency,” Marabeth offered tentatively.

Anastasia sneered at the idea. “Right! Admit it, Marabeth, you don’t believe that anymore than I do.”

Marabeth smiled gently at her sister, trying to come up with some way to calm her down and ease her anger and frustration. “I think I believe it. I’ve never met him myself but from what I’ve heard of Prince Erik, he’s very good about his obligations. I don’t think he would have ignored an appearance as important as tonight without justifiable cause.”

An inelegant snort was Ana’s initial reaction to Marabeth comment. “Don’t kid yourself, Marabeth. The man was probably out philandering,” Ana said, and fought back the tears of humiliation that formed in her eyes.

Marabeth understood her sister well and rushed over to her side. “Ana, please don’t assume the worst. I’m sure it was an awful thing that kept him from your side.”

Ana didn’t reply but a tear fell from her lashes onto her cheek and she angrily wiped the offending wetness away, hating the fact that she even cared what the man thought of her. She wanted to be strong and capable, someone who would be able to deal with whatever life dealt her but this situation was just untenable and unspeakably rude! Ana wished she just didn’t care, but she did. If she didn’t have love in her marriage, she at least wanted respect and common courtesy. From what she’d experienced from the man so far, neither were on his agenda.

Marabeth continued despite her sister’s silence. “Perhaps you could ask him tomorrow.”

Ana stared at the ceiling, wishing she didn’t care. “What good would it do? If he gave me some lame excuse that I don’t believe, would father release me from this ridiculous engagement? Would I get to go to law school and practice law? Would I be able to find my own apartment and live my life the way I want to?”

Marabeth shook her head. “No,” she said sadly.

“They why listen to the lies? Face it Marabeth, we’re stuck in our lives just as the people out there are stuck in theirs,” she said, waving her hand to the people still rushing along the sidewalks, urgently trying to reach their destinations as they bundled against the cooler than normal spring evening. “I’m sure many of them would give up a lot to be in our shoes and I’m just being ungrateful.” Ana sniffed and tried to pull herself together. She knew she was being ridiculous and should be strong and calm in all situations. She’d been raised to know how to act no matter what was thrown at her. Good grief, she could handle a posse of reporters with a smile and a polite comment. Why was one man’s absence creating so many emotions within her?

Because of Marcus, she knew. The thought popped into her mind before she could stop it but she knew it was true. If she hadn’t met Marcus this afternoon, known what it was like to shiver in a man’s arms and feel desire course through her body with a small, gentle touch, she would be giving in to the situation with more grace. But now, she just didn’t want to give in. She had a more valid reason to resist than just not wanting to be married to a stranger.

Marabeth could feel her sister’s pain by the way she was holding herself still. “Oh Ana, please don’t do this to yourself,” she said, rushing over to take her sister’s hands in hers and pulling her down onto a white, damask covered settee. “Perhaps, once you meet Prince Erik, you’ll find that he’s wonderful and charming and he’ll fall in love with you and you with him and you’ll live happily ever after, just like in all the stories.”

Ana wiped another tear from her face. “Do you love George?” she asked quietly, already knowing the answer but wanting to make a point to her sister.

Marabeth shook her head slowly. “No, but I’m sure we’ll have a decent marriage. And I love children. I know we’ll start a family as soon as we’re married.”

Ana nodded, admiring the proud thrust of her sister’s chin. Ana and her sister both loved kids and wanted several. The idea cheered her a little.

Marabeth noted her changed attitude and continued. “Just think, we could get all our kids together for Christmases and birthdays. You want about six or seven and I want at least that many. I have no idea how many Max wants but I’m sure he’ll eventually want some kids.”

Ana laughed. “Could you imagine talking to Max about having children?”

The idea made both girls break down in giggles. “He’s much too dignified for having children,” Marabeth said, using a deep voice similar to her father’s. “Could you imagine Max changing a diaper?” she continued.

The idea was too ludicrous and they just laughed harder. “Max wouldn’t know which end of the baby to put the diaper on,” Ana said, picturing her tough, macho and oh, so dignified brother changing a diaper.

“What’s so funny?” Max said, poking his head into Ana’s room.

The appearance of the man himself just made the ladies giggle even harder. Max stepped into the room, feeling awkward but glad that his sisters were feeling better than earlier in the evening. “I’m glad you two are better. Ana, I just wanted to come by and tell you how sorry I am for how the evening turned out,” he said, bowing slightly toward both of his sisters, but his eyes focused on Ana. “It was not very well done but I’ve heard rumors about what could have happened. It was legitimate and not a slight on you personally.”

Ana sobered and nodded. “Was the emergency blond or brunette?”

Max flushed and shook his head. “Really, Ana. That isn’t a very nice way to talk about your future husband,” he admonished.

He sounded so much like their stern father Ana couldn’t help but laugh again. “Oh, Max. You’re truly your father’s son,” she teased.

Max didn’t take it as teasing but as a compliment and he bowed formally at his giggling younger sisters. “Thank you,” he said. “Well, since you two obviously don’t need any more cheering up, I’ll excuse myself. Have a good evening,” he continued and stepped quickly out of the room.

Ana and Marabeth laughed harder at his formality. “What about feeding the baby? Could you imagine him trying to get baby food into a wiggling baby’s mouth? He’d probably order the infant to be still.”

Ana nodded while gasping for breath. “But you know, the baby probably would stand at attention and would eat everything offered to her or him immediately without incident. Max just has that way about him, doesn’t he?”

Marabeth nodded. “Yes. Why is that, do you think?” she asked, turning serious. “I mean, we say something and people smile at us patronizingly. But when Max says something, people sit up straighter and pay attention to the point of foolishness.”

“Maybe it has something to do with the delivery,” Ana said, considering the issue earnestly even though the two of them had been laughing heartily only moments before.

Marabeth nodded in agreement. “You might have something there. Maybe we’re too nice. Do you think if we talk to father in a more stern voice, he’ll listen to what we say more often?”

“We’d have to get him out of a meeting to do so,” Ana replied dryly.

“Oh, he’s not so unavailable. I’ve sent him messages before and he’s come immediately.”

“Yes, but weren’t those messages life or death circumstances?”