To Charm a Prince (18 page)

The gift was a fan created from blue silk and feathers. When opened, the fan resembled a spread peacock’s tail, complete with ocellar spots and shimmering iridescent color.

“I love it,” Samantha cried. “Do you know I can communicate with this fan, too?”

Both Grant and Drake shook their heads.

“Would you like me to demonstrate with the prince?”

The boys nodded.

“Are you ready, Your Highness?”

“I am always ready for you.”

Samantha closed the fan and then opened it partially, showing only three sections. “What am I communicating?”

“You want to meet me at three o’clock,” the prince answered.

“That is correct.”

The boys appeared suitably impressed.

Samantha snapped her fan shut and pointed it toward the door.

“You are chastising me for my impudence,” Rudolf told her.

“What’s impudence?” Drake asked.

“Boldness.” Samantha covered her left ear with the fan.

“She wants me to keep her secret,” the prince told the boys.

Samantha held the half-opened fan to her lips. In an instant, Rudolf was beside her. He gathered her into his arms and planted a chaste kiss on her lips.

“What did she tell you?” Drake asked.

“The lady gave me permission to kiss her.” Rudolf handed her two small packages “From me.”

Samantha opened the first and smiled. In the box lay a small, six-inch blade to replace the dagger he had tossed out the coach’s window. The second box contained a gold tiara adorned with crystals and semiprecious gems.

When Samantha only stared at it, Rudolf lifted the tiara out of the box and placed it on her head. “No one will ever make fun of your limp,” he told her, “and you will always be chosen first for games.”

“Here we go again,” Grant said.

Samantha felt the hot tears welling up in her eyes, and her bottom lip quivered with her struggle to hold them back. Her tears brimmed over, and a teardrop rolled down each of her cheeks.

Rudolf wiped each teardrop away. Then he kissed her and said, “Thank you for the magical moments you have given me.”

“You have given me magical moments, too.” Samantha looked at the boys. “This is the best day of my whole life, and I’m very happy.”

“Lady Samantha why do you weep when you’re happy?” Drake asked. “I only weep when I’m sad.”

“The lady weeps because she is sensitive,” Rudolf told them. “Women’s emotions are different from men’s.”

“I see,” Grant said, wearing a skeptical expression.

“I don’t see,” Drake said.

“You do not need to concern yourself with women’s emotions until you are older,” Samantha told them. “Why don’t we go to the ballroom and play?”

“What will we play?” Drake asked.

“We’ll play Society,” she answered.

“I never heard of that game,” Grant said.

“In order to play, simply pretend to be in high society,” Rudolf explained.

“What do we do?” Grant asked.

Rudolf offered Samantha his hand. “Come along with us, and we’ll show you.”

Rudolf and Samantha, wearing her tiara, led the way downstairs. The boys and the deerhound followed behind them.

The ballroom was empty except for the gigantic chandelier and the grand piano. No carpeting covered the hardwood floor.

“Stand over there,” the prince told the boys. “Watch what we do.”

Then Rudolf turned to Samantha, saying, “My lady, may I have this dance?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Samantha curtseyed.

Rudolf took her into his arms. While he hummed a waltz, they swirled around the ballroom as if an orchestra played.

Stopping near the boys, Rudolf said, “I will play the piano, and Lady Samantha will take turns dancing with you.”

“Who will be first?” she asked.

“I will,” Grant spoke up.

“The basic waltz pattern is step, slide, step,” Samantha instructed him. She nodded to the prince, who began to play. Hearing the music, Giles lifted his head and howled, making everyone laugh.

“I do believe Lord Giles will accompany His Highness,” Samantha said. With the dog’s howling in the background, she began moving with the ten-year-old, saying all the while, “Step, slide, step . . . step, slide, step.”

Samantha and Grant circled the ballroom once. When they neared the piano, she stopped and said, “Thank you, sir, for an enjoyable dance.”

“My turn,” Drake said, stepping forward. He winked at her and bowed from the waist.

Samantha curtseyed. Taking his small hands in hers, she nodded at the prince, who began playing a waltz. Beside him, Giles howled.

After circling the ballroom, Samantha stopped when they reached the piano. The prince stopped playing, and the deerhound stopped howling.

Turning to the dog, Samantha said, “Lord Giles, may I have this dance?”

Giles barked. Then he lay down and rested his head on his forelegs.

Everyone laughed.

Samantha crossed the ballroom and gazed out the window. She pointed to the distance, asking, “Do you see that oak?” When the boys nodded, she said, “Tomorrow we’ll walk down there and see the treehouse.”

“A real treehouse?” Grant exclaimed.

Samantha inclined her head. “I love oak trees. Do you?”

Drake nodded.

“Oaks are the mightiest of trees,” Samantha told the boys. “They spend three hundred years growing, three hundred years resting, and three hundred years expiring.”

“I did not know that,” Rudolf said, standing close to her.

“What is expiring?” Drake asked.

“Expiring means dying,” she answered. “The wider the girth, the older the oak tree.”

Grant snorted. “That sounds like people . . .”

Three hours later, Samantha dressed for dinner in her shell pink silk gown with matching cashmere shawl. She settled her tiara on her head and peeked at herself in the cheval mirror. Then she left the chamber, the prince having already escorted the boys downstairs.

Entering the dining room, Samantha smiled at the boys’ new appearance. Both wore dark blue breeches and waistcoats, white shirts, and blue cravats. They stood behind their seats for this evening’s dinner, as did the prince, and awaited her.

“You look beautiful,” Samantha complimented them.

“Boys are handsome, not beautiful,” Grant corrected her.

Drake tugged at his cravat. “I’m choking.”

“Gentlemen always wear neckties to dinner,” Samantha told him. “His Highness has been wearing neckties for years and hasn’t choked to death.”

Rudolf sat at the head of the table. On his right sat Samantha, and the boys sat opposite her.

“Tonight we are going to learn about table manners,” Samantha told the boys. “Your Highness, what is the first thing we do?”

“Lift your napkin off the table,” Rudolf said, demonstrating. “Give it one shake, and place it on your lap.”

“We do this so we will not soil our clothing if we spill something,” Samantha explained. “If there is a lot of silverware, you must work from the outside inward during the course of the meal.”

“Why can’t we use just one of each?” Drake asked.

“The richer the gentleman, the more silverware he uses,” Samantha said. “Isn’t that correct, Your Highness?”

“Most definitely,” the prince agreed.

Beneath the majordomo’s supervision, the footmen began serving them dinner. There were crusty rolls with butter, oyster soup garnished with parsley, roasted beef, and potatoes dressed with spiced cream and lemon juice.

“Do not slurp your soup,” Samantha reminded them.

“Why are there so many damn rules?” Drake asked, obviously tired from the day’s excitement.

“Cursing is not allowed at the table,” Rudolf said.

“I’ll never remember everything,” Grant complained.

“Practice makes perfect,” Samantha said. “Soon enough, you will be following the rules without even thinking about them.” She looked at Drake, asking, “Why aren’t you eating your soup?”

“There’s stuff floating in it.”

“Those are oysters.”

“I don’t like oysters,” Drake said, a wholly disgusted expression on his face.

“I don’t like them either,” Grant agreed.

“Did you ever eat oysters?” Rudolf asked.

Both boys shook their heads.

“If you never ate oysters,” Samantha said, “you cannot know if you dislike them.” Lord, but she sounded exactly like her aunt.

“Oysters look like something that came out of my nose,” Drake said.

Rudolf shouted with laughter, and the boys joined in the prince’s merriment. Samantha covered her mouth with her hands to hold back the giggle and glanced at the majordomo. Even Durwin had turned away, but his shoulders shook with silent laughter.

“Don’t eat the soup, then,” Samantha told them. “We’ll need to work on what to do when you dislike something the cook serves.”

Hours later, Samantha ushered the boys to bed. She glanced at the prince, who stood leaning against the connecting door. The hint of a smile flirted with his lips as he watched her performing motherly duties, and she wondered what he was thinking.

“Don’t climb into bed yet,” Samantha said. “You must thank God for a blessing.”

The boys knelt beside the bed and folded their hands in front of them. Grant spoke first, saying, “Thank You, Lord, for the new clothing and thank You for the prince.”

Then he elbowed his brother.

Drake paused before speaking and cast Samantha a flirtatious smile. “Thank You, lord, for Lady Samantha.” He paused for a minute and then added, “I could do without the oysters, though.”

“Me, too,” Grant said.

Samantha struggled against her laughter. She didn’t want to discourage their speaking to God, even if what they said was inappropriate.

After giving each boy a kiss on the forehead, Samantha turned to leave. Rudolf still lounged against the connecting door with his arms folded against his chest.

Samantha took one step toward him but stopped when Drake spoke. “Lady Samantha, will you tell us a story?”

Samantha returned to the bed and sat on the edge. “What kind of story do you want?”

“Tell us about when you were a little girl,” Drake said.

She glanced at Grant, who nodded in agreement.

“Very well.” Samantha paused before speaking and placed a finger across her lips as she thought of something the boys would like. Then she asked, “Did you ever go potato knocking?”

Both boys shook their heads.

Samantha looked at the prince. “What about you, Your Highness?”

Rudolf smiled. “No
.
”

“My sisters and I—” Samantha began.

“What are their names?” Drake interrupted.

“Angelica and Victoria.”

“How old are they?” Grant asked.

“Angelica is nineteen, and Victoria is seventeen.”

“Do they—?”

“Do you wish to hear this story or not?” Samantha asked.

Drake pretended to button his lips together. She glanced at Grant, who also buttoned his lips. When she looked toward the prince, he buttoned his lips, too.

Samantha began again, “When my sisters and I were younger, we went potato knocking. Take a large potato and wrap twine around it tightly. Sneak to a neighbor’s closed door and tie the potato around the doorknob. Then, let the twine loose, walking as far from the door as you can, and hide. When you yank the end of the twine repeatedly, the potato knocks on your victim’s door. When he opens the door, no one is there.”

Rudolf laughed, drawing her attention. The boys laughed, too.

“I can’t wait to try it,” Grant said.

“What happens when the victim knows you played a trick?” Drake asked.

“You run away as fast as you can,” Samantha answered.

“I bet the victim never caught you,” Grant said.

“Well, none of our victims caught my sisters,” Samantha hedged. “I was caught a few times because my injured leg prevented my quick escape.”

“What happened?” Grant asked.

“The victim grabbed me and marched me home,” Samantha answered with a smile. “My aunt gave me a stern lecture.”

Samantha rose from the bed and turned to leave. The prince wasn’t smiling now. She hoped that wasn’t pity crouched in his eyes. Being pitied made her feel pathetic.

“Your Highness?”

“Yes, Drake?”

“Do princes give good night kisses?”

“Yes, they do.”

With tears welling up in her eyes, Samantha watched Rudolf walk to the bed. He leaned down and gave each boy a good night kiss.

When the prince returned to her side, Drake called, “Good night again, Lady Samantha.”

“Good night,” she answered, her voice choked with emotion.

“Oh, Lord, she’s weeping again,” Grant said.

Once inside their bedchamber, Rudolf turned to her and brushed a tear off her cheek. “Why are girls so stupid?” he teased, echoing Grant’s words. “Turn around and I will unfasten your buttons.”

Samantha showed him her back and felt his fingers on the back of her gown. With his task completed, Rudolf kissed the nape of her neck sending delicious shivers down her spine. She felt him pushing the gown off her shoulders, letting it slip to the floor at her feet.

Stepping out of it, she stood in front of him wearing only her chemise, silk hose, lace garters, and slippers.

When he tossed the gown across the settee, Samantha protested, “The gown will wrinkle.”

“I will purchase you a dozen more,” he told her.

Rudolf reached behind her and pulled the pins from her hair, letting her ebony mane cascade to her waist, then he slipped the chemise’s straps off her shoulders, and that pooled at her feet, too.

Rudolf stepped back a pace to admire her. “You are beautiful.”

Samantha blushed and dropped her gaze to the carpet. Rudolf lifted her chin and waited until she looked into his eyes.

Holding her gaze captive, Rudolf shrugged out of his waistcoat and tossed it onto the settee. It fell across her gown even as his body would soon cover hers. Next came his boots, his breeches, his shirt.

“I have a good night kiss for you.” When he stood naked to her gaze, Rudolf pulled her against his muscular nakedness, his mouth descending to hers. Samantha sighed, savoring the exquisite sensation of his hardness touching her softness.

Their kiss was long and languorous and melted into another. And then another.