Page 70 of Second Chance Prince
“In case your people hate me more than they do already.”
He looked surprised. “They don’t hate you.”
Roberta was sorry she had said it. He had enough on his mind without worrying about her jitters. But she knew she was the subject of gossip—she had overheard whispers, and been the recipient of stares, and she would not have called them friendly.
“Once the wedding is over, can we go away together? Just the two of us?”
“Go away?” He looked surprised and a little shocked.
There was a rustle in the shrubs behind them and the stamping of hooves, and the bodyguards burst out of the forest. In a moment, their private spot was teeming with men and horses.
“At the moment, we need to remain at the castle,” Niki reminded her quietly. “It is the safest place.”
Roberta cursed herself again for saying the wrong thing. Niki’s life was in danger; of course they could not disappear off on some romantic tryst.
He took her hand and led her back to Arrow, leaning in to whisper, “One day, I will take you to Italy. Or Greece. Somewhere warm where we can bathe in the sea and lie in the sun.”
Roberta was delighted and let herself imagine soaking up the warmth as they rode through the dark forest back to the castle.
It was as they reached the forecourt that it happened. A woman ran from among the crowd that had gathered to watch their return. Shocked, Roberta felt the woman’s hands grasping at her boots and tugging at her skirt as if to drag her off her saddle. When she looked down, the woman’s face was pale and tear-streaked. Desperate. When some of the guards tried to drag her away, she clung even harder.
“Please, please,” she wailed. “I am Countess Becker. My husband…they are saying dreadful things. It is a lie! He is a good man. He loves the prince, he would never…”
Finally, her grip on Roberta was broken. Arrow reared but she controlled him, sliding out of the saddle as Niki came to her.
“Wait!” he ordered, as the guards began to bundle the woman away.
Even as they turned to obey him, Chamberlain Francis was hurrying toward them, stern-faced, his robes swirling around him. “I will question her,” he said. “There is no need for you to concern yourself, sir.”
Niki’s expression was just as stern. “I think there is, Francis.” He looked at Roberta. “Are you hurt?”
“No, no, but that poor woman—”
“She is not poor. She is a traitor’s wife,” Francis interrupted.
“I will explain to you when I am done,” Niki assured her, ignoring the chamberlain.
There was nothing Roberta could do but agree and allow herself to be led into the castle. Once in her room, her hands shook as she began to unbutton her riding habit, only to have her sister take over.
“What is it?” Antonia sounded breathless—she had probably run up here. “I heard that someone attacked you. Roberta, are you all right?”
“Yes. I don’t think she attacked me…At least…”
“What was it then? Did Niki know her?”
“Yes. And Francis said she is a traitor’s wife. What are they talking about? Do you know?”
Antonia’s fingers stilled, and she gave Roberta a long look.“No, I don’t. I think they are keeping secrets from you. How disappointing.”
Roberta blinked. “Disappointing?”
“Unless…” Antonia resumed her work on the buttons. “Unless you prefer to be the sort of wife who buries her head in the sand.”
After her sister had gone, Roberta sat and waited for Niki to come and explain to her what was going on. She knew that Antonia was right, and that he wasn’t telling her everything. And she knew she did not want to be the sort of wife who chose to avoid acknowledging matters that may be difficult or awkward. She needed to tell him that.
When, after an hour, he did not come, Roberta went to find him.
Chapter Thirty-Five
