The Rancher’s Royal Bride (BBW Romance - Billionaire Brothers 4) (5 page)

Logan caught up to her, the clip clop of Pepper’s gait reaching her ears. “Glad you didn’t gallop back all the way.”

“You should trust I know better than that.” She shook her head in a teasing fashion.

“Guess so.” His gaze roamed over her, seeming to take in the way she sat on the horse, the way she held the reins, and the way she’d beaten him back to the barn by a hoof beat.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Before she could think of anything to say, the noise of a car engine interrupted the suddenly charged silence.

Ellie looked at him, her eyes widening.

“They’re coming down the drive.” His mouth tightened. “Take Salt inside the barn and stay there.”

She glanced toward the house. Even if she galloped the short distance, the occupants of the car would probably see her.

“Okay.” She rode into the barn, swiftly dismounting and tying the horse to a metal ring set in the wall.

Watching Logan close the barn doors, she twisted her fingers. Who could it possibly be? Dad was still in hospital. She was sure her uncle would have called first, if he decided to visit. Her father’s words echoed in her mind.
I’m concerned about your safety.

She was certain the stress of the situation had contributed to her father’s heart attack.

Ellie made herself breathe deeply and evenly, her mind running over the judo stances she’d learned. Was this one of the reasons Dad was always nagging her to go back to classes and earn a brown belt in judo?

Had he expected something like this to happen one day? But why? And if so, why hadn’t he confided in her? How could she be ready to face a threat to herself if she had no idea what it was?

It was cool and dim in the barn. Sunlight streaked in through the weathered wooden walls. She could hear voices outside, growing closer.

She frowned. Why would Logan bring whoever turned up here to the barn? He’d been very protective of her ever since she’d arrived. Even when he wasn’t pleased about the fact she was here.

Perhaps she wasn’t in danger right now? Perhaps it
was
her uncle come to visit. Or Dad. At the thought of her father here, her heart lightened, while telling herself it couldn’t be. He’d been in hospital this morning, and the nurse had cut short their phone conversation. How could he have flown eighteen hundred miles to Wyoming, then driven from the airport and turned up at - she glanced at her watch - almost lunchtime?

“Ellie.” His tone sounded tightly controlled. “You’ve got a visitor.”

Ellie watched the barn door slowly open, Logan silhouetted in the entrance. He stepped inside.

“Who is it?” Her brow furrowed. If it had been her father or her uncle wouldn’t Logan have just called out that it was safe to come out of the barn?

“There’s a woman here to see you.”

“What?” She stared toward the open barn door.

A woman dressed in a flattering green designer suit, stood in the entrance, back lit by the midday sunshine. The elegant stranger’s coloring was remarkably similar to Ellie’s. Short but stylish strawberry-blonde hair, a pale, slightly freckled face and a figure that wouldn’t quit. Ellie immediately wished she looked so well put together, so smart. That her curves looked as good on her as they did on the woman in front of her. Ellie looked down at the stranger’s shoes. Sensible but stylish low heeled pumps. Their heights were practically the same as well.

“Ellie.” Logan’s tone forced her gaze to his. He looked so serious. What was going on?

“This woman says she’s your mother.”

“My mother died when I was born,” Ellie replied automatically.

“I’m sorry, Ellie,” the woman said in a cultured, faint European accent.

Ellie’s gaze flew to the woman in front of her. “I don’t have a mother,” she whispered, her stomach churning. She looked at Logan, her eyes wide.

“Perhaps we should continue this conversation in the house,” he said firmly, reaching out for Ellie’s hand.

Shell-shocked, she allowed him to tow her to the house, noticing that he kept his gaze firmly on the stranger, walking a little ahead of them.

Once inside, Logan guided her to the kitchen table. “I’ll make some coffee.”

“That is very kind,” the woman replied, sitting opposite Ellie.

“What …what’s going on, Logan?” Ellie finally found her voice, wishing it didn’t have a tiny crack in it.

“I know as much as you do. I’m waiting for her ID to check out. I called Cole while you were in the barn and he’s working as fast as he can on it.” He gave her a reassuring nod, his gaze remaining on the Ellie and the stranger.

“I believe my private investigator visited yesterday,” the woman said. “When he told me he caught a glimpse of a young woman from his car, I knew you must be here.”

Ellie furrowed her brow, staring at the elegant woman.

“I’m sorry I just turned up like this,” the woman said. “But I couldn’t wait any longer to see you.” She gazed at Ellie, the yearning visible in her eyes.

“I … I don’t understand.” Ellie shook her head. Her mother was dead. Although this woman had similar coloring to her - okay, the exact same coloring, how could this be true? And what about Dad? He wouldn’t have lied to her. He
wouldn’t have
. She’d grown up believing her mother had died giving birth to her. Why would her father lie to her about that?

“You look just like I did at your age,” the woman murmured.

The coffee machine gurgled. Ellie tore her gaze from the stranger and looked over her shoulder. Logan picked up two mugs and brought them over to the table.

All her life, Ellie had wished her mother was alive. That she had a mom to share things with - little girl secrets, play dates with her dolls, even her mother taking her to the park. And when she was older, bra shopping, confiding to her that she liked a boy at school, and that she’d been asked out on a date. Instead, all that fell to her father and grandmother
.
And they had both been terrific. But Ellie couldn’t help thinking throughout her twenty-six years that there had always been something missing.

And now this woman was telling her she was her long-lost mother.

“Drink something.” Logan pressed the cup into her hands. She looked up at him. His gaze didn’t waver from hers, and she was glad he was here, sharing this - whatever it was - with her. With a flash of insight
,
she knew she could depend on him to have her back
,
no matter what this stranger said.

Taking a sip of the aromatic brew, she was disappointed to find that it tasted like sawdust. But how could it taste any differently when her mind and her emotions whirled in chaos?

She watched the stranger take a delicate mouthful of coffee.

“I know this must be a shock.” The woman put down her mug. “I’m sorry. But you have no idea how long I’ve waited to see you.”

“Who are you?” Ellie managed through stiff lips.

“I’m Katerina Romanakov. And I’m your mother.”

“No.” Ellie’s tone was flat.

“My darling, I never wanted to give you up. But I had to.”

“Why?” Despite telling herself she wasn’t interested in what this stranger was saying, her curiosity got the better of her.

“Because …” the woman hesitated. “I was engaged to another man.”

Ellie stared at her, her lips parted.

“Please don’t think badly of me, Ellie,” the woman begged. “It was a difficult situation for your father and me and we made the best decision we could.”

“Which was?” Ellie whispered.

“Your father would raise you, with the help of his mother, and to all intents and purposes, I would be dead.”

“Why?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“It was the only solution.” The woman swallowed hard. “You have no idea how often I’ve regretted my choice, but twenty-six years ago, it seemed the only choice I had.”

“Why didn’t you break off your engagement to the other man and marry Dad?” Ellie couldn’t help feeling cheated out of a family with a loving father
and
mother.

“You have no idea how I wished I could,” the woman admitted. “But it just wasn’t possible to break the engagement.”

“Why not?” How could her “mother” be willing to give up her baby so she could marry someone else?

“Because … I had to marry Prince Jorge of Lintovia to reunite our countries and stop a war.”

Ellie straightened up in her chair. “What?” She stared at the stranger claiming to be her mother.

The woman sighed. “My title is Queen Katerina Romanakov. But before I married the prince, I was Princess Katerina of Mulzonia.”

“You’re … you’re royalty?” Ellie could barely get the words out. She glanced over her shoulder. Logan stood behind her, holding a mug of coffee, his gaze intent on the stranger. His eyes flickered to Ellie, and he laid a steadying hand on her shoulder.

“Yes, but please, just call me Katerina,” the woman replied. “You have no idea how often I wished I was an ordinary girl. Then I could have married your father, and we would have raised you together.” She paused. “But if I had been a commoner, then I might not have met your father in the first place.”

“Why not?” Ellie asked, reluctantly riveted to what her “mother” was telling her.

“I don’t know how much you know about your father’s work.” Katerina hesitated.

“Dad works for the government.”

A soft smile touched Katerina’s lips. “When I met him, he worked for the US Secret Service. Your government sent him to our country, along with some other men, as part of the protection detail for the upcoming engagement celebrations.”

She paused, looking at her jewel encrusted fingers. “On my twenty-first birthday, I was affianced to Prince Jorge. I was told if I didn’t marry him, our countries would go to war over valuable mineral deposits that were situated on the border between our countries. Nobody wanted a war, so it seemed a natural solution for our two countries to unite through marriage.” She laughed humorlessly. “Countries have been doing this for centuries. And I knew growing up that one day I would be expected to do my duty and marry whom my family told me to.” Her voice softened. “And then … I met your father.”

“What happened?” Ellie murmured, caught up in the tale.

“We had a whirlwind romance. Love at first sight.” Katerina sighed. “And I became pregnant. We’d been careful.” She glanced up at Ellie and Logan, “But obviously not careful enough. Luckily, my wedding wasn’t for another fourteen months.” She caught their looks of surprise and smiled.
“Things are usually done with decorum in my country. And it can take many months to plan a royal wedding. But for once, this worked in my favor. It meant I could hide away in the country, in one of our small summer manors, with only a couple of trusted retainers and my private secretary knowing the truth. Once I gave birth there, with a royal doctor sworn to secrecy, I gave you to your father.”

She reached out for Ellie’s hand, and as if in a dream, Ellie gave it to her. “Holding you in my arms was one of the happiest moments of my life.” A shadow flickered across her face. “And giving you up was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I trusted your father to look after you, and I can see he did a wonderful job.”

Tears pricked
Ellie’s eyes. Was all this true? Was this woman her mother? Was she really royalty? And what did that make her, Ellie? A princess? A love child?

“Logan?” Ellie’s voice faltered.

“I’m here.” He sat down beside her and reached for her hand. His presence soothed her, comforted her.

So many questions flew through her mind. The moment seemed surreal. Taking strength from Logan’s hand in hers, Ellie said, “I haven’t heard of your country.”

“Not many people have,” Katerina replied. “It’s a tiny principality near Germany, bordered by Lintovia. It’s easily forgotten, except by the various state departments.”

Ellie racked her brains, wishing she’d paid more attention in her high school geography class. A faint memory of the words Mulzonia and Lintonia surfaced.

She frowned. “Then why are you here? Won’t you be missed at court if you’re the Queen?”

“Not any more.” The woman smiled wryly. “I’ve just abdicated the throne.”

“But … how? Why?” Ellie was barely aware she’d clutched Logan’s hand a little tighter.

“My husband died five years ago in a car crash. I continued to rule, but as time went on, I realized exactly what I had lost by doing my duty all those years ago. Not just you, but your father as well.” She gazed at Ellie. “You see, although your father was the love of my life, I tried to make the best of my marriage. Jorge and I became good friends and tried for children,” she chuckled humorlessly
,
“as was expected of us, to continue the royal line. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. That meant there would be no direct royal line to inherit the throne. And then Jorge died, and I continued to rule. Until now.”

“But why did you decide to abdicate
now
?” Despite being wary of this elegant stranger who claimed to be her mother, Ellie was intrigued by her story.

Katerina sighed. “Both countries wanted the throne. Now that I ruled alone and was past child-bearing age, the politicians who wanted to obtain power by placing their own hand-picked royal candidate on the throne made it clear that I should gracefully abdicate.” She gazed at the sparkling jewels on her fingers. “I resisted at first. How could I give up the continued peace of our two countries when I had sacrificed so much for it?” She looked directly at Ellie. “But …” she hesitated.

“But what?” Ellie urged.

She reached out for her daughter’s left hand, and before she realized what she was doing, Ellie gave it to her. “I heard whispers that one of the parties was considering using you as a pawn to gain the throne.”

“What?”

“What?”

Ellie and Logan spoke at once.

“Until now, I knew your father had kept you safe. He sent me photos and progress reports through secure channels.” She delved in her quilted leather designer handbag and pulled out a photo, showing it to Ellie and Logan.

“That’s when I graduated college,” Ellie murmured.

“Your father was so proud of you - we both were.” The woman gazed at her daughter and then looked down at the photo. “You have no idea how much I treasured everything he sent me about you.”

Logan squeezed Ellie’s right hand. “Is this the threat her father was concerned about?”

“Yes. As soon as I heard of it, I contacted him secretly. I didn’t want anything to happen to you, Ellie.” She smiled tenderly at her daughter.

“So that’s why Dad insisted I come here instead of going on vacation to Hawaii.” However strange it seemed, at least now she knew the truth about the situation.

“I’m sorry, darling,” her mother said. “But it hasn’t been that bad here, has it?”

Ellie glanced at Logan, still holding her hand. “No,” she replied softly. Was it her imagination, or did Logan’s grasp suddenly seem a fraction tighter?

“Is that why you abdicated? So nothing would happen to Ellie?” Logan asked.

“Yes. I had already thought of abdicating one day in the future before the two royal parties started vying for the throne. But when I heard there was a possible threat against my daughter, I made up my mind in an instant.” The woman squeezed Ellie’s hand. “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.”

Ellie blinked back moisture from the corners of her eyes. “Does Dad know you’re here?”

Distress crossed the woman‘s face. “No. When I arrived in Virginia, I discovered he suffered a heart attack. How is he, Ellie?”

“I spoke to him this morning. He said he would be well enough to go home soon.”

“Good.” The woman smiled. “Your father’s a strong man.”

“When I talk to him tomorrow I could tell him you’re here.” Ellie tightened her grip on her mother’s hand.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. The news may distress him.” Katerina looked somber.

“Or it could be exactly what he needs to hear,” Logan said. “If the stress of this situation contributed to his heart attack, then knowing there isn’t a threat against Ellie any longer could speed his recovery.” His gaze speared Katerina. “Ellie’s not in danger any more, is she?”

“I don’t think so,” Katerina replied. “Prince Gregor is now ruling, and he was the person I heard was thinking of using Ellie to gain power.” Her mouth pursed. “I can‘t believe the politicians would want him in power. Jorge and I managed to keep relations steady between the two countries since we married. And now, with Gregor on the throne …” Her eyes flashed with disbelief.