Winning the Queen's Heart: Contemporary Christian Romance (The Brides of Belles Montagnes Book 2) (2 page)

“You heard me, Your Majesty. You’re right. The cancellation and assassination plot is more than your country can bear. Even if the assassination never comes to light, and we’re planning to keep it under tight wraps, the cancellation of the wedding will cause potentially irreparable harm to your reputation. You said it yourself. Your saving grace is the secret of your fiancé’s identity. You could walk down the aisle with anyone, and few people would know the difference. Those who do are loyal and would keep your secret.”

She felt drawn to him in a way she could not explain. “You are an American. You would be willing to denounce your citizenship, give up the women I know make themselves available to you on a regular basis, and volunteer for a loveless marriage that can never end in divorce without throwing the country into a revolutionary uproar, while being required to produce heirs with a woman you do not love?”

He did not answer her question. Instead, he took a step closer until his fingertips slid down her arms to link with her own. A gentle tug pulled her close enough for her body to come in contact with his. Before she knew what was happening, he lowered his face. His lips on hers sent a thrill down her spine as she leaned on her toes, following him as he pulled slightly away, saddened when he was too far to reach.

“I may not love you, Christiana. You may not love me. But I will always be faithful to you. I will never leave you. Divorce isn’t an option for me, no matter the royal status or legal statutes surrounding my wife. And I have a feeling, even if we don’t love each other right away, we’ll find a way to make the ‘producing an heir’ part not awful.”

Alexander took a step back. “Think about it, Your Majesty. If you agree, I will take care of everything short of getting you to the chapel. Most of it is already done, but between my parents and my knowledge of the wedding industry in Ravenzario, we can finish the arrangements. This country has been my adopted home for many years. I love the people. I love the culture. I love the land.” He ran his forefinger down the side of her face. “I adore the royal family. I have since before I knew you were royal.” After a swift movement, pressing his lips hard against hers, he moved away.

Christiana watched the door close behind Alexander, still somewhat slack-jawed. She knew it was unbecoming a queen, but could not help it. Not only had he proposed to her, Alexander had kissed her.

Really kissed her.

Her first kiss.

He
had said he planned to keep their first kiss for their wedding. To make it special.

She had not pushed him on it, though deep inside she had been supremely disappointed when he refused to kiss her even after she accepted his proposal.

Alexander had sent her stomach reeling and her mind spinning in directions she never ventured before. Could she be considering his proposition? Would she marry him?

No one but a select few would know the difference. Her entire courtship had been carried out in private, and now she knew why.

The rest of her afternoon and a number of meetings stretched before her. In some ways, it was an easy day. In others, not so much.

Twenty minutes later, Christiana emerged from her apartments and went to the reception room where she would spend the next several hours. First, a troop of Royal Scouts arrived. Their scores in the countrywide competition netted them first place, and a chance to meet the queen. With her smile fixed in place, she greeted the young men, ages nine to twelve. Around the room, they had set up several exhibits of the types of things they did in the competition.

The door opened, and everyone turned. Alexander walked in, catching her eye and smiling. A slight bow of his head showed his deference to her position, but that wasn’t what caught her attention. He’d changed out of his collared shirt and navy pants. Instead, he wore a very expensive, well-tailored suit and looked very...she barely dared think it. Royal.

She turned to him. “Gentlemen, this is an associate and friend of mine, Alexander.” She left off his last name. The Scouts greeted him before she started to visit the different displays while Alexander talked with one of the other boys about some of them. She made sure to talk with each of the young men. All of them had a parent or grandparent with them, though the grown-ups mostly hung back, allowing the young men to have the spotlight.

Christiana stopped at one of the displays and picked up one of the pieces of wood that looked something like a small bow. “And what is this for?”

One of the younger members of the troop took it from her. “You use it like this-” He demonstrated. “-to build a fire.”

“Who is the best in your troop?”

The boy looked both proud and a bit bashful. “I am.” He pointed to an older man standing in the background. “Poppo taught me.”

Christiana felt her smile become more real. “Perhaps you can show me sometime.” She looked at his name tag. “David. Your poppo must be a wonderful teacher, and I imagine you will be as well.” Prince Richard of Montevaro had tried to teach her once. It had not gone well.

David waved his grandfather over. “Poppo will help you.”

The older man bent at the waist. “I would be happy to, Your Majesty.”

David’s face lit up. “We’re having a parade in our town for your wedding trip. Mom said you’ll be spending the night a couple blocks from us.”

Her stomach fell into the pit. “I would love for you to show me more when I come to your town.” She would make sure to schedule a visit within the next year. David and so many others would be disappointed when the announcement was made.

As the group moved on, Poppo stayed behind. “Your Majesty, I know it has been many years, but I have never had the privilege of speaking with you before, and I would like to say something.”

Christiana stood with him while Alexander talked with the boys about camping. “Do go on.” She took his arm as they slowly walked after the group.

“The death of your parents and brother caught everyone by surprise.” He shook his head. “Such a tragedy. All of us went through gut-wrenching pain. It hit your nanny’s family hard as well, but I cannot imagine what it must have been like for you, losing your family and becoming queen at such a young age. My family and I have been praying for yours for as long as I can remember. But I’ll never forget the pictures of you that day.” He squeezed her hand inside his elbow. “I’ve prayed for you every day since.”

The biggest problem was that she had few memories of her own. Many of them came from the news stories and videos she had found, most of them online while out of the country, rather than personal times. “Thank you, sir, for your kind words. It
has
been many years, but your sympathy is very appreciated.” Poppo’s words were the first time anyone had mentioned her family to her in such a way in many years, and they brought tears to her eyes.

Poppo stopped and looked at her, concern in his gentle brown eyes. “I did not mean to upset you, Your Majesty.”

One tear leaked down her cheek, but Christiana smiled. “Oh, no. It is nice to hear that people still think about my family, and that people out there are praying for me.”

“Your mother was one of the classiest women I ever saw. David’s father was at a meeting like this one many years ago, and I accompanied him as well.” He smiled softly. “You are much like her.” They started walking again, slowly to accommodate his gait. “I remember how beautiful she looked on her wedding day. I imagine you will eclipse her.” Poppo nodded toward Alexander. “That is a lucky young man.”

Christiana stopped, her eyes wide.

Poppo chuckled. “Oh, I know the identity of your fiancé is a state secret, but anyone who watched closely could see the glance the two of you exchanged when he walked in.”

Panic settled in her stomach. What did Poppo see that she did not? “Poppo?”

His eyes showed his shock.

“Do you mind?”

Poppo shook his head. “Of course not, ma’am.”

In that moment, Christiana knew her decision had been made. “Poppo, would you, David, and your family be my guests at the wedding?”

This time tears filled the eyes of the older gentleman. “You would like us to be there?”

“Very much so.” They stopped at the back of the crowd of Scouts. “If you would speak to my assistant on your way out, she will make certain the paperwork is taken care of and the invitation sent as quickly as possible.” Security would be tight. Background checks would be more intense than they would have been otherwise, but it had to be that way.

Poppo smiled at her. “We would be honored to come. Thank you.” He bowed slightly at the waist. “I will be praying for both of you.”

As they left, Alexander shook hands with all of the Scouts, promising to stop in at one of their meetings if he was ever in the area. Christiana made sure to introduce Poppo to her assistant, out of Alexander’s earshot, and told Diana to make the necessary arrangements. Diana gave Christiana an odd look but left with the Scouts. Before she did, Diana told her a girls’ football team would arrive in ten minutes.

She turned to see Alexander leaning against the wall, arms casually crossed in front of him. The smile on his face reminded her of something, but she could not quite put her finger on it. He pushed off of the wall, walking toward her until he could take her hand. “Have you thought any more about what we talked about?”

“It has been an hour,” Christiana pointed out, sliding her hand out of his. “I have not had time to think much about it.” Truth was she had thought about little else. “Is that why you changed and came in here looking dapper?”

His grin widened. “You think I look dapper?”

With his dark hair falling over his forehead and his twinkling eyes, he always looked dapper. She felt color flood into her face as she nodded. “You look quite handsome.”

The twinkle dimmed somewhat. “Handsome enough to marry?”

“I will not marry someone because he is handsome.”
He
was handsome. Pretty faces could not always be trusted.

“I know.”

David and Poppo flitted through her mind. How crestfallen the boy would be when she did not visit on her wedding trip. How Poppo remembered her parents’ wedding. How they were a microcosm of the rest of her country.

Though she knew what she would do, Christiana needed time before telling him, before making it official. “When must the decision be made?” His family ran the venue. He would know these things.

“You’re the queen. You get a lot more leeway on cancellations and changes than most people.”

She glared at him. “I am serious, Alexander.”

Before he could answer, their conversation was interrupted by the door opening. He stayed with her for the next three hours, firmly cementing himself at her side. When she accepted his proposal, word would get out that he had been seen with her several times.

Normally, she enjoyed days like this. Meeting with young people reinvigorated her in a way few other things did, but still, she found herself being very glad for Alexander’s supportive presence. By the time the last person in the final group left the room, she knew it was time.

So many had mentioned how much they were looking forward to her wedding. The older visitors, those thirty and older or so, told her how much it meant to them that she was recovering from the gilded cage her uncle kept her in while lining his own coffers rather than caring for her country. Several besides Poppo had mentioned her parents’ wedding, and one even mentioned the wedding of her grandparents.

Christiana sank into one of the wingback chairs in the sitting room, looking out over the Mediterranean. So many windows in the palace had a similar view, and she loved it more than anything.

“Are you all right?” Alexander asked quietly.

“My answer is yes.”

* * *

Alexander nodded, not ready to let his feelings show. “What changed your mind?”

Christiana sat with her back straight, staring ahead, though he doubted she actually saw much of anything. “David and Poppo. They put a face to the people who will be most affected by this if I do not marry in a couple weeks.”

He sat in the chair next to her. “No, Your Majesty. You are the one whom will be affected the most. You, your life, your legacy, all of it hinges on this decision. Even your children are affected by who you choose to marry and when. It
will
affect your people. People like David and Poppo and others. But
you
are the one who will be affected most by it.”

“I understand your point, but part of being queen means I put my people’s needs above my own. You are a good man, Alexander. I would not make this decision if I did not trust that you would make a good prince consort who would never try to take my throne.”

He knew she’d had enough of that to last a lifetime. “Never.”

“And I believe we are well suited for one another. I do not know about falling in love, but I believe there could be far, far worse people to spend my life with.”

How flattering
.

“But very few better choices, if any at all.”

That’s better.
“I agree, or I never would have offered.” Where did one buy an engagement ring for a monarch? He could afford just about any ring for any other girl, but a queen? If her father were still here, he’d ask for an heirloom of some sort. Did any of it still remain in the royal collection or had her uncle disposed of it all, somehow? The next week and a half would be spent finding the perfect ring.