Page 42 of Awakened On Her Royal Wedding Night
“Did you tell her we have video evidence that you swam ashore? And Dr. Esposito’s report?”
“According to Francois, I got myself banged up on a motor scooter and knew I would lose the pageant. I targeted you and you have helped me to fabricate evidence. Your interest in me is pure spite against him.” She shouldn’t be surprised by the lengths that man would go, but she had been shocked at Astrid’s calm dismissal of all she’d said.
“So she plans to marry him anyway.” He finally turned and regarded her over his half-raised glass, still unreadable.
“That’s not why I told her. I wasn’t trying to stop their marriage. That’s her choice. I was only clearing my conscience and telling her something she deserves to know. I told her that if anything comes up in future, I’ll believe her and support her any way I can. Are you angry?” She hunched her shoulders defensively, bracing herself for his answer. “Do you think I should have spoken up sooner? Publicly?”
“I’m always angry,” he said in a tone that was grim but weary. “Especially at him.” He lifted his gaze from the amber liquid he was swirling, revealing the bitter shadows that lurked behind his eyes. “I understand there is a cost to you whether you speak up or stay silent. I’m angry atthat, but I try to focus on the things I can change.” He threw back his drink. “And I appreciate that you tried, despite knowing that it might have no effect on her.”
“Thank you,” she said to the floor, kind of touched even though she was also filled with despair. “I didn’t know how you would react.”
“With pride, Claudine.”
His tone of quiet sincerity shook her apart inside, lifting a strange sensation of wonder and yearning behind her breastbone.
“I’ll run you a bath.” He walked away.
“Rhys,” Felipe said as he entered the anteroom of the church. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Felipe.” Rhys Charlemaine, Prince of Verina, came forward to shake his hand. “I’m honored you asked. It’s also an excellent excuse to sail your beautiful islands and show them to my wife.”
“Cassiopeia is well? The rest of your family?” They were a similar age, so they had crossed paths at school and other events through the years. They had many things in common, not least the challenges of royal life and a similar approach to living it. In finding his bride, Rhys had managed to unearth a woman with royal lineage, but she had been raised in Canada in a very down-to-earth manner.
They caught up on the necessary small talk, then Rhys said, “I thought you might ask Francois to be your best man. Things are still less than ideal there?”
“Your diplomacy is as razor-sharp as always,” Felipe said dryly.
“Some relationships are more difficult than others. I understand that. It’s still unfortunate.” Rhys maintained his circumspect tone and expression.
Felipe didn’t think less of him for it. Politics could change in an instant. Personal remarks had to be kept as neutral as possible in their circles. Rhys knew that all too well. He had endured his own difficulties in his past, but he had always remained close with his older brother, King Henrik of Verina. The animosity between Felipe and Francois was incomprehensible to him.
“Relationships demand respect,” Felipe said, thoughts leaping automatically to Claudine—as if she was ever far from the forefront of his mind. “I lost all of mine for my brother long ago.”
In fact, Felipe had thought there was nothing Francois could do to sink lower in his estimation, but he had. The pageant winner had been announced a few days ago, along with the fact this would be the final Miss Pangea. When Francois was interviewed about that, he had fielded questions that were obvious setups to smear Claudine.
“What of the rumor that Miss Sweden was disqualified for ethics violations? Can you confirm that she left of her own volition? Or was she asked to leave?”
“For privacy reasons, I must decline to answer,”Francois had said with one of his patented looks of pained regret, making Felipe want to strangle him.
“I’m pleased to fill in,” Rhys said magnanimously. “And Sopi asked me to invite you to visit us in Verina as soon as you have time.” Sopi was his nickname for his wife. “She knows how overwhelming this can be and wants to be sure your bride knows she has friends.”
“I’m sure Claudine would appreciate that. I’ll have Vinicio liaise with your people.”
Assistants entered with last-minute checks and the news that the bride had arrived. They were instructed to take their positions.
Felipe wouldn’t admit to nervousness that Claudine would fail to appear at the altar, but the possibility had been there, especially since she wasn’t yet pregnant.
That had hit him harder than he had expected, not that he’d shown it. It wasn’t all because of this damned race against Francois, either. In the back of his mind, he’d always had the belief that if worst came to worst, and Felipe sat on the throne while Francois produced the next heir, Felipe would find a way to take custody of the future ruler himself. Because, among the many things that Francois should not be allowed to do, raising children was definitely one.
That was a turmoil best not started unless absolutely necessary, however. Thus, Felipe was marrying Claudine and planning to conceive his own heir with her.
Her innocence kept striking him, though. Her vulnerability. She hadn’t said so openly, but he’d seen how upset she’d been that Astrid hadn’t believed her. It was exactly what she had feared would happen if she came forward, but she had tried to protect Francois’s bride anyway, suffering for the effort. Felipe had no doubt that Claudine’s actions were the reason behind his brother taking special steps to muddy Claudine’s reputation. It was retaliation.
Rhys had called their world overwhelming and it was, but Felipe’s twin made it harrowing for Claudine. If he, Felipe, was a man with any true integrity or conscience, he wouldn’t drag her further into it. He would protect her by pushing her as far away as possible from himself.
Maybe he would have, if the music hadn’t already started and he hadn’t looked up the aisle to catch sight of her.
His breath was punched out of him. She was a vision in ivory silk with a sheen that made her glow. She wore a tiara he’d gifted to her for this ceremony and she held her head high.
