Authors: Lori Wick
The Princess
LORI WICK
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Except where otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this book are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Cover by Terry Dugan Design, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cover photo
©
Claudia Kunin / Stone / Getty Images
The Author
LORI WICK is a multifaceted author of Christian fiction. As comfortable writing period stories as she is penning contemporary works, Lori’s books (over 5 million in print) vary widely in location and time period. Lori’s faithful fans consistently put her series and standalone works on the bestseller lists. Lori and her husband, Bob, live with their swiftly growing familiy in the Midwest.
THE PRINCESS
Copyright © 1999 by Lori Wick
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wick, Lori.
The princess / Lori Wick
p. cm.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-1861-9
ISBN-10: 0-7369-1861-2
Product # 6918619
I. Title.
PS3573.I237P75 1999
813’.54—dc21
98-47195
CIP
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Printed in the United States of America.
06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 / BC / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
I wish to dedicate this book to a young woman
who resides deep within my heart,
Holly Short.
Thank you for your love,
tender heart, sweet temperament,
and your love for the Lord.
I can’t tell you what an
encouragement you are to me.
I hope this small word gives you some idea.
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
This might be the first book I’ve written that did not sit in my mind for years before I wrote it. For this reason, my first word of thanks goes to Harvest House for supporting me in this project. Thank you for always being in my corner.
I would also like to thank all my Hand and Foot compatriots from DuBay and elsewhere: Jess, Jules, Kate, Jo, Barb, Matt, Tim, Abby, Derek, Jane, and Margaret, just to name a few. I love you all.
Thank you, Mary Vesperman, for always being there. You’re with me on every book, through thick and thin. Thank you for your skill, understanding, and insight. It’s a joy to work with you.
Thank you, Steve and Becky Miller. Your enthusiasm and technical support were so valuable to me. Dearest Becky, I love to watch you sign.
Thank you to my mother, Pearl Hayes, who loves this book. I think you must cheer the loudest. It’s so good having you as my biggest fan.
And always last—because he remains in my heart the longest—thank you, Bob, for being my very own prince.
ROLOGUE
Henley, Wainwright
Pendaran
Pen in hand, Daria Parker bent over her personal journal, her eyes and mind intent. Unless she was very sleepy, she wrote in the leatherbound book every Saturday night. The entry for this day began:
O
CTOBER
11, 1988Is there any way to describe my joy, Father? I am thankful beyond words for what You have done. Long have we prayed for Shelby, and in Your great mercy, You have now reached down and made her Yours.
Daria sat back in her chair, her eyes on a distant spot out the window. The moon hung in the sky like a huge white ball, making it seem earlier than 10:15. Her husband, Josiah, was already asleep in the bed they had shared for 19 years, but the soft sound of his breathing was a comfort to her.
I knew that someday she would see the truth; I just didn’t know when. Who would have thought You would use a poor test grade to make her see her need of You.
Daria set her pen down for a moment as she thought back to her own salvation seven years earlier. And not just hers, but Josiah’s as well. Shelby had been ten at the time, and their son, Brice, six. Her marriage to Josiah had been a bit rocky in those days. Then one of Josiah’s customers had invited them to his church. Daria balked,
so Josiah began to attend on his own, and it wasn’t long until she noticed a difference in him. They began going as a family, a life-changing experience for both them and their son—but not for their daughter. Now, seven years later, Shelby had seen the truth for herself. Daria picked up her pen.
We plan to go on a trip this summer, Lord, and I look forward to our time together as I never have before. I know Shelby will see things through new eyes and with a new heart. Thank You for the promises of Your Word and Your faithfulness to us. She’s been such a wonderful daughter, Lord, and this step of faith in her life will only enhance that.
With a soft sigh, Daria sat back again. For a moment her mind ran to fanciful thoughts and suppositions about her 17-year-old, redheaded daughter. She knew it was normal for every mother to think that her children were the most talented and wonderful in the world, and she was no different, but a sudden thought occurred to her that was almost frightening, a moment of unsettledness that she couldn’t define.
She’s so special already, Lord,
Daria prayed.
She’s obedient, warm, talented, intelligent, and so caring of others. Now she has You, and I can’t help but wonder if You might have something very remarkable and unfamiliar for our Shelby.
Daria shook her head. Clearly she was growing tired, and her imagination was playing tricks on her. She closed the book, set the pen aside, and turned off the desk lamp while telling herself not to let her mind run away. As she slipped beneath the covers and cuddled the pillow against her cheek, a slight smile managed to turn up the corners of her mouth, a smile she couldn’t wipe away. It lingered until the moment she fell asleep.
The
Princess
Faraday, Wainwright
June 1994
The Palace
Toby Newbury walked into the palace with comfortable familiarity, knowing he would be welcome but not certain he would find the monarch available. He wasn’t against talking to the queen alone, but the purpose of his visit made him hope he would find Pendaran’s king and queen together.
“Mr. Newbury,” a voice greeted with utmost respect. Toby turned to find Wallace headed his way. Wallace was the king and queen’s house minister, a man of indistinguishable years who kept the east quadrant of the palace moving on well-oiled wheels.
“Hello, Wallace. May I go up?”
“Certainly, sir. I’ll just ring through and let the queen know you’re coming.”
Now knowing the king was not available, Toby crossed the black-and-white-tiled foyer and started up the wide staircase that led to the second floor and the palace’s private chambers. The queen, he knew, would be in one of the salons, and because there was always someone hovering in the hallway nearby, finding her would be no effort. “Someone” turned out to be the queen herself. Having received the call, she was waiting just outside the double doors of her favorite salon. Dressed in a beautiful blue pantsuit that matched her eyes, she looked delighted to see him.
“Hello, Toby,” she greeted, smiling as they embraced.
“Good morning, Erica.” His own smile was warm as he kissed her cheek. “Alone this morning, are you?” he wasted no time in asking.
“For another 15 minutes,” she said as she led the way to the plush yellow davenports that sat in a half circle and allowed a lovely view of the inner courtyard.
“Good.”
“Why is that good?” her eyes twinkled as she asked.
“I have something to tell both of you. Do you think Rafe will have time?”
“Yes. Unless something has come up, he’s free until this afternoon.”
“Good,” Toby repeated, but Erica fell silent, watching as her guest’s gaze went to the windows. She had learned from childhood when to ask questions and when to keep silent. Toby clearly had something on his mind, but it wouldn’t have been fair to ask him to explain it twice.
“Did you have a speaking engagement last night?” the queen, remembering suddenly, asked.
“As a matter of fact, I was at a banquet, but I didn’t address the group.”
“I’m surprised you’re here so early.”
“It wasn’t a late night. The dinner was right here in Faraday.” His voice had grown rather soft while speaking, his eyes moving back to the windows, and for this reason Erica fell silent again.
Without invitation the years fell away in her mind, back to the time she had met both Rafael Markham and Toby Newbury. Having grown up together, the two had been best friends for years. Not for a moment had Rafe seen a future as Pendaran’s king, but that was before meeting King Anton’s daughter, Erica. His view of a place in the palace had changed a great deal after that introduction, and with Toby’s encouragement, Rafe had courted Erica with an interest that turned her head. Very impressed with the young
man who seemed ready to lay his life down on her behalf, King Anton and Queen Ketra, now King Regent and Queen Regent, had given the couple their blessing. In a month Rafe and Erica would celebrate their thirty-second wedding anniversary.
“Wallace told me you were here,” the king said as he entered the room. “Hello, Toby.”
“Good morning, Rafe.”
Although he greeted his friend, the king made a beeline for his wife and bent to kiss her. “Hello, love,” he said softly before turning back to Toby. The men shook hands but didn’t exchange words. Rafe sat down and stared at Toby for a long moment. The other man looked back.
“I think you have something on your mind, Toby.”
“You’re right, I do, and since I hate beating about the bush, I’ll come right to it. It’s about our conversation two weeks ago concerning Nick.”
Both men noticed the way Erica tensed, and Rafe, who had taken a seat on the davenport beside her, reached for her hand.
“I’ve been praying about the situation, as I told you I would,” Toby explained, “but then last night I met a young woman whom you need to know about.”
Rafe sat forward. Knowing how he and Erica felt about the marriage of their son, his friend would not have come on a whim.
“What is her name?”
“Shelby Parker. I met her at a banquet honoring her father, who has been deaf since he was ten. Shelby interpreted his speech.”
“So he doesn’t speak?”
“Actually he does.”
“Why did she interpret?”
“Protocol. Most of the room’s occupants were also deaf, so Mr. Parker signed his speech, and Shelby voiced for him. I met Shelby and her parents after we dismissed. I’ve never been so impressed with a family in my life.”
“How old is she, Toby?” This came from Erica.
“I didn’t ask. She looks young, but she’s out of school, so she must be in her early twenties.”
