A March Bride (4 page)

Could he blame her? She
’
d given so much already. This one final request could push her to the royal edge.

Slipping out of his tuxedo jacket, Nathaniel gestured toward the tea cart that Rollins, the Parrsons House butler, had set out for them.

“
Would you like some tea?
”

“
A small cup. Thank you.
”
Susanna sank slowly to the cocoa-colored sofa she
’
d recently selected as part of the apartment
’
s remodel. It was one of the only expensive pieces she had authorized, saying that the apartment suited her just fine without spending a lot of money to remake a room that already looked
“
splendid.
”

Her simplicity was just one of her many qualities that endeared her to him. And one more reason why he was so desperate not to lose her. She kept him grounded in everyday reality.

Pouring her tea, Nathaniel added the dollop of cream she
’
d come to love.
“
Here you go, love.
”
He handed over her cup.
“
Rollins left some biscuits too.
”

“
I couldn
’
t eat another thing.
”
She patted her stomach, settling back against the couch.
“
Ambassador Riddle went all out, didn
’
t he? I can
’
t believe he brought over Michael Baggio.
”

“
He
’
s always been a classy chap.
”

Tyler Riddle and his wife, Kate, had hosted a fine evening of food and wine, topped off with a very special guest: the American standard singer Michael Baggio, whom Susanna adored.

And he openly adored her back, aiming his musical charms right at her.

But why not? She looked stunning in a midnight blue gown, her long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders in wide curls.

Nathaniel tried to give her space throughout the evening, grateful for the distraction of the other guests and his need to circulate. Yet he let her know he was there for her and in no way did he regret asking her into his life.

For his own sake more than hers, he held her hand at Mr. Baggio
’
s miniconcert. The blasted singer stirred his jealousies.

Halfway through Baggio
’
s first number,
“
The Way You Look Tonight,
”
Nathaniel caught an emotional mist in Susanna
’
s eyes and he knew. She was homesick.

Well, perhaps that was the gist of it all. She needed to be free to fly if her heart so dictated. He had grasped too tight, suffocating his precious bird. Perhaps he needed to let go and be willing for her to fly away.

And if the bit of news he carried in his chest caused her to doubt her decision to marry
him
, then so be it.

Nathaniel poured his own tea, snatched up a chocolate biscuit, and settled in the wing chair adjacent to Susanna, noting that his thoughts were far more courageous than his heart. He wasn
’
t willing to let her go. Not in the least.

He took one bite of his biscuit and tossed it to his plate. He wasn
’
t hungry. And he had no taste for tea.

“
Susanna—
”

“
Nathaniel, I
’
ve decided it
’
s okay if you don
’
t want to marry me.
”
Her blue eyes were steady on him. Wide. Without guile.

He set his tea on the table and rose to his feet.
“
How can you say such a thing? What makes you think I regret proposing? You do realize I went to Parliament with an Order of Council for the right to marry you. It
’
s the first time a king offered his own bill or amendment in over a hundred years.
”

“
That doesn
’
t mean you haven
’
t changed your mind since then.
”

She said that with such calm and clarity.
“
Perhaps it
’
s
you
who has changed her mind.
”
Nathaniel stood behind his chair, hands propped on the curved wings.
“
Do you regret saying yes to me?
”

“
Do you regret proposing to me? You
’
ve been so . . . weird lately.
”

“
I know, love, I know.
”
He exhaled, returning to his seat.

“
And what was that smile you gave Lady Genevieve this afternoon? I thought you wanted to keep her at arm
’
s length after how she tried to manipulate you into marrying her.
”

“
You
’
ve heard the saying,
‘
Keep your friends close but your enemies closer
’
?
”

“
You think you need her on your side?
”

“
I think I need her not to fight against me. Can we not talk about Ginny?
”
He pressed his hand over his heart.
“
There
’
s something I
’
ve been avoiding discussing with you.
”

“
Like what?
”
The rosy hue faded from her cheeks.

“
Susanna.
”
He stood again, too restless to remain seated.
“
There was a writ passed in Parliament last week, sponsored by the Liberal-Labor Party coalition, who you know recently took control in Parliament. As it were, they are also a small but loud voice against the monarchy.
”

“
What kind of writ?
”

“
An addendum to the Marriage Act. Brighton parliamentary procedure allows for a writ to be attached to any law or act by a majority vote in the House of Senate and Commons within a year of the law
’
s ratification.
”

Nathaniel paced over to the window and stood in the room
’
s shadows, peering into the rich, dark, velveteen night. Parrsons was situated on top of the cliffs surrounding the northeastern bay, and on a clear night the lights shining down from the heavens seemed to be within a man
’
s reach.

“
Nathaniel?
”
Susanna
’
s warm hands smoothed over his shoulders.

He turned around and drew her to him, embracing her, kissing her cheek, working down her long, slender neck to her shoulder, holding on to her for dear life.
“
I love you so much.
”

When he found her lips, she rose up on her toes, looping her arms about his neck, returning his affection, matching his ardor.

“
Talk to me, Goose,
”
she said, her lips still brushing against his.

“
Goose?
”

Top Gun
.

“
Tom Cruise. Anthony Green.
”

“
Very good, Your Majesty.
”

“
If I
’
m Goose, does that make me
your
wingman?
”
He lifted his head, grinning, squinting down at her.
“
I believe you
’
re to be
my
wingman.
”

She grabbed a fistful of his starched shirt.
“
Tell me what
’
s going on.
”

“
You have to give up your American citizenship.
”

“
What?
”
She released him, stepping back.
“
That
’
s the writ? Susanna Truitt has to give up her American citizenship? Or does this apply to all people wanting to become citizens of Brighton? Brighton no longer welcomes dual citizenship?
”

“
You
’
ve been a good student of Brighton law and history.
”
He watched her, trying to read her changing expression.

“
Of course—I want to be a good Brightonian. A good wife to the king. But, Nathaniel, I also want to remain an American.
”
She fidgeted, gathering her hair in her hands, piling it on her head, then letting it fall loose again.
“
I mean, it
’
s all I have left of who I am. I thought it was one of the things you love about me.
”

“
Indeed, I do love who you are in every way, and if it were up to me, your American citizenship would not be an issue. But I
’
m not an autocrat. I
’
ve a parliament to deal with and they
’
ve come up with their own constraints. The writ applies only to the Royal Marriage Act. Not to all Brightonians. The proponents argue that the spouse of the monarch cannot have divided loyalties. All laws, all treaties, all acts of war
are in the reigning monarch
’
s name. In this case, mine. If for some wild reason Brighton should find herself on the opposite side of a conflict with America—
”

“
They think I
’
d be a traitor to Brighton?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
But I wouldn
’
t. And taking my citizenship doesn
’
t guarantee my loyalty . . . if I were so inclined to be a traitor.
”

“
Agreed. But we can
’
t know what the future will bring. Surely you see their point, Suz. They want to protect Brighton and her people. They want to protect the royal house.
”

“
Protect them from me?
”
She laughed, mocking.
“
Little ole Susanna Jean from St. Simons Island? The American government doesn
’
t even know who I am besides a social security number and a tax bracket.
”

“
Maybe before, but they certainly know who you are now.
”

“
So what? I have no real authority.
”

“
But you have access to people with the real authority. You have access to me. You are an influencer in the world now, Susanna, whether you
’
ve grasped that or not.
”

“
Influencer? I
’
m fodder for fashion magazines, tabloids, and hate blogs.
”
She backed up, a dark shadow flickering across her face.
“
But to me, I
’
m just your wife-to-be. A landscape architect, Rib Shack waitress from Georgia.
”

“
Surely you understand your station is far more than
‘
just a,
’
Susanna. You
’
re marrying a king. Don
’
t play naive. You understood what it meant when you agreed to marry me. You
’
re on the world
’
s stage now. Every major American television station has crews and broadcasters setting up shop outside of Watchman Abbey, ready and waiting to report on our wedding. We
’
ve had hundreds of requests
from magazines, newspapers, and broadcast stations in the States and the world for interviews with you. Just you. Not me a
’
tall. What you say and do will influence nations.
”

“
Okay, okay, maybe I kind of knew that when I moved here.
”
She twisted her hands together.
“
But now you
’
re putting skin on it. Giving it eyes and ears . . . and a little beanie cap on its newborn head.
”

“
Sweetheart
”
—he reached for her, smiling—
“
remember what you told me that day on the grounds of Christ Church? We
’
d only known each other for a few days, but you so wisely said I was born for a purpose, to have influence in ways most people only dream about. You said of yourself,
‘
I
’
m Susanna Truitt, born on St. Simons, for some purpose. I
’
m not an accident.
’
Don
’
t let this writ get in the way of what God is doing. With you. With us. The only way my opponents win is if we let this writ come between us.
”

“
So it
’
s done? No way to stop them? At all?
”
She tempered her voice and Nathaniel detected a small sprinkle of hope.

“
What do you think I
’
ve been doing the past two months?
”

“
That
’
s why you
’
ve been distant? Distracted? Why didn
’
t you tell me?
”

“
Because you had enough on your docket, love. If I succeeded, then no harm. If they succeeded, then I
’
d tell you. That
’
s why Henry pulled me aside at the garden party. The writ was ratified late last night.
”
He regarded her for a moment, waiting for some kind of reaction, his own small fears blipping over the plains of his heart.
“
I
’
m sorry.
”

“
Don
’
t you have to sign all the laws?
”

“
Indeed, but this writ is under the parliamentary jurisdiction on a law I already signed.
”

Listening to his own explanation, he felt his heart begin to crumble. Why in the world would any woman give up her freedom and privacy to marry him?