The Prince Who Loved Me (The Oxenburg Princes) (31 page)
Read The Prince Who Loved Me (The Oxenburg Princes) Online
Authors: Karen Hawkins
He chuckled, the sound warm in his chest. “You dislike being called Red? Why? It is what you are. Just as what I am is a prince with no fortune.” His gaze met hers. “We must accept who we are.”
She was silent a moment. “You’re dreadfully poor? You said you’d just bought a house.”
“A cottage. It has a thatched roof and one large room, but with a good fireplace. I will make stew for you. I make good stew.”
It sounded delightful; far more fun than the rides, picnics, dinner parties, and other activities the duchess had promised. “I like stew, but I’m afraid that I can’t visit your cottage. It would be improper.” Furthermore, she didn’t dare prolong her time with such a devastatingly handsome, but poor, prince. She had to save all of her feelings so that she could fall in love with the man who would save Papa.
Wulf’s brows had lowered. “But you would come to my cottage if I had a fortune, nyet?”
Regret flooded her and she tightened her hold about his neck. “I have no choice; I must marry for money. I don’t know why I admitted that to you, but it is a sad fact of my life and I cannot pretend otherwise. My family is depending on me.”
He seemed to consider this, some of the sternness leaving his gaze. After a moment he nodded. “It is noble that you are willing to sacrifice yourself for your family.”
“Sacrifice? I was hoping it wouldn’t feel so . . . oh, I don’t know. It’s possible that I might find someone I could care for.”
“You wish to fall in love with a rich man. As my babushka likes to tell me, life is not always so accommodating.”
“Yes, but it’s possible. I’ve never been in love before, so I’m a blank slate. The duchess is helping me, too, and she’s excellent at making just such matches. She’s invited several gentlemen for me to meet—”
“All wealthy.”
“Of course. She is especially hopeful of the Earl of Huntley, and so am I.” Lily looked away, not wishing to see the disappointment in his gaze yet again.
Silence reigned and she savored the warmth of his arms about her. At one time, a wealthy gentleman had seemed enough. Now, she wished she could ask for a not-wealthy prince. One like this, who carried her so gently and whose eyes gleamed with humor beneath the fall of his black hair. But it was not to be.
She bit back a strong desire to explain things to him, to tell him exactly why she needed to marry a wealthy man, but she knew it wouldn’t make any difference. As he’d said, he was who he was, and she was who she was. There was no way for either of them to change things, even if they wished to, so it would be better for them both if they accepted those facts and continued on.
For now, though, she had these few moments. With that thought in mind, she sighed and rested her head against his broad shoulder. This will have to be enough.
About the Author
Photo by Michael Cairns
Karen Hawkins is a
USA TODAY
and
New York Times
bestselling author. When not stalking hot Australian actors, getting kicked out of West Virginia thanks to the antics of her extended family, or adding to her considerable shoe collection, Karen spends her time writing her next delightfully fun and sexy historical romance.
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
authors.simonandschuster.com/Karen-Hawkins
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ALSO BY KAREN HAWKINS
The Duchess Diaries Series
How to Capture a Countess
How to Pursue a Princess
How to Entice an Enchantress
The Hurst Amulet Series
One Night in Scotland
Scandal in Scotland
A Most Dangerous Profession
The Taming of a Scottish Princess
The MacLean Curse Series
How to Abduct a Highland Lord
To Scotland, With Love
To Catch a Highlander
Sleepless in Scotland
The Laird Who Loved Me
Contemporary Romance
Talk of the Town
Lois Lane Tells All
Other
Much Ado About Marriage
Princess in Disguise
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Karen Hawkins
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First Pocket Books paperback edition October 2014
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ISBN 978-1-4516-8524-4
ISBN 978-1-4516-8526-8 (ebook)
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