The Greek Billionaire's Innocent Princess (26 page)

Andonis
,

It is all over. I have lost our baby because of Aegeus. Mybrother discovered our affair and he

was angry – so angrythat he hit me. I fell and now our child is gone, Andonis.I cannot bear it.

My brother has ruined everything. I willnever forgive Aegeus for the hurt that he has caused, but
ourlove is cursed. We cannot be together
.

Anya

Aegeus to Lydia, his maid, in 1974 on the death of his father:

Dearest Lydia
,

Love, you must put me from your mind. Forced by dutyand by circumstance, I must go through

with my betrothal.Tia deserves better than this, but my family and my loyaltydemand this farce of
a wedding
.

It would be better if you were to go to Calista for now. Idon’t trust myself to remain near you
and remember my duty.We must part. But come to me in Aristo every year on theanniversary of

our wedding. It is not enough. It will never beenough. Wear the diamond for me
.

I know you will understand, my beautiful Lydia. It is ason’s duty and the king’s command
.

Yours eternally
,

Aegeus

Who will reunite the Stefani Diamond

and rule Adamas?

Don’t miss the next book in the fabulous

ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES:

T
HE
F
UTURE
K
ING’S
L
OVE
-CHILD

BYM
ELANIE
MILBURNE

The prince’s baby of shame

Cassie Kyriakis was wrongly accused of murdering her father and
jailed
, leaving her wild-child roots and Seb, her one true love, behind her…

Now the throne awaits Prince Sebastian Karedes!

Seb had once loved Cassie so passionately he would have chosen her over his kingdom. But she

rejected him. Now she’s been released from prison, he discovers that she may be innocent of her

crime – but she gave birth to his baby in her cell! Sebastian must choose between his own honour

and his duty to his kingdom. He will claim his love-child – but what about his bride?

Turn the page for

an exclusive extract!

Cassie was just congratulating herself on getting through two hours of successfully shielding

herself behind the Aristo palace’s pillars and pot plants, dodging both the press and Prince

Regent Sebastian Karedes, when she suddenly came face to face with him.

She swallowed thickly, her heart coming to a clunking stop in her chest as her eyes went to his

inscrutable dark brown ones so far above hers. She opened her mouth to speak but her throat was

too tight to get a single word out. She felt the slow creep of colour staining her cheeks, and

wondered if he had any idea of how much over the last six years she had dreaded this moment.

“Cassie.” His deep voice was like a warm velvet glove stroking along the bare skin of her

shivering arms. “Have you only just arrived? I had not seen you until a few moments ago.”

Cassie moistened her dry-as-parchment lips with the tip of her tongue. “Um…no,” she said

shifting her gaze sideways. “I’ve been here all evening…”

A small silence began to weight the atmosphere, like humidity just before a storm.

“I see.”

Cassie marvelled at how he could inject so much into saying so little. Those two little words

contained disdain and distrust, and something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“So why are you here?” he asked, his eyes narrowing even further. “I do not recall seeing your

name on the official guest list.”

Cassie swept the point of her tongue across her lips again, trying to keep her gaze averted. “As

part of my…um…parole programme I took a job at the orphanage,” she said, loathing the shame

she could feel staining her face. “I’ve been working there for the last eleven months.”

When he didn’t respond immediately Cassie felt compelled to bring her gaze back to his but

then wished she hadn’t.

A corner of his mouth was lifted in an unmistakably mocking manner. “
You
are looking after

children?”

She felt herself bristling. “Yes,” she clipped out. “I enjoy every minute of it. I’m here tonight

with some of the other carers and educational staff. They insisted I attend.”

Another tight silence began to shred at Cassie’s nerves. She would have given just about

anything to have avoided coming here this evening. She had felt as if she had been playing a

high-stakes game of hide-and-seek all night, the strain of keeping out of the line of Sebastian’s

deep brown gaze had made her head pound with sickening tension. Even now the hammer blows

behind her eyes were making it harder and harder for her to keep her manner cool and unaffected

before him. His commanding and totally charismatic presence both drew her and terrified her,

but the very last thing she wanted was for him to realise it.

She surreptitiously fondled the smooth pearls of the bracelet around her wrist, the only thing she

still had left of her mother’s, hoping it would give her the courage and fortitude to get through

the next few minutes until she could make good her escape.

“Well then,” he said, as his eyes continued to skewer hers, that sardonic half-smile still in place,

“as the royal patron of the orphanage you now work for, I would have thought you would have

made every effort to include yourself in this evening’s proceedings rather than hide behind the

flower arrangements.”

Cassie’s chin came up. “And have the press hound me for an exclusive photo and interview?”

she asked. “Not until my parole is up. Maybe then I’ll think about it.”

His eyes began to burn with brooding intensity. “I must say I am surprised you haven’t already

sold your story to the press, Cassie,” he said. “But perhaps I should warn you before you think

about doing so. One word about our…” he paused over the word for an infinitesimal pause, “past

involvement and I will have you thrown back into prison where the majority of the population of

Aristo believes you still belong. Have I made myself clear?”

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have

no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly

inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure

invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This

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First published in Great Britain 2009

by Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,

Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

The Greek Billionaire’s Innocent Princess

© Harlequin Books S.A. 2009

Special thanks and acknowledgement are given to Chantelle Shaw for her contribution to
The

Royal House of Karedes
series

ISBN: 978-1-408-90634-7