Invitation to the Prince's Palace by Jennie Adams

Author:Jennie Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-07-29T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘YOU have made very rapid plans, Rik.’

‘Are you sure you want to marry so quickly? Our father might still have given us what we wanted if we all became engaged and then spoke to him again about the arrangement. That way you could have held off from actually marrying until closer to the six-months mark. Things might have changed by then.’

The words came to Melanie in two different male voices as she went in search of Rik. It was four days later and she’d woken to find her breakfast waiting for her, and Rik already gone to the palace grounds to oversee the harvesting of the first of the special truffles.

‘It won’t make any difference whether I marry soon, or marry after many months. You know this. Our father will not change his mind or soften his expectations.’

Rik didn’t explain the reason for his statement—the brief nature of the intended marriage—and Mel didn’t know if he’d told his brothers the truth about it as yet or not. But did his voice sound oddly flat because he knew this fact?

She must be imagining it.

You and your over-inflated ego are imagining it together, Mel.

‘Good—good morning, Rikardo.’ Mel spoke to make her presence known. Not because she minded her impending marriage to Rik being discussed, but because it wasn’t right to eavesdrop, even if she hadn’t meant to.

‘Melanie. I am glad you’re awake and have found us.’ Rik stepped forward. He touched her hand and gestured to the two men standing to their left. ‘These are my brothers, Marcelo and Anrai.’

‘Hello. I’m pleased to meet you both.’ The words emerged in a calm tone before Mel stopped to remember that she was being introduced to two more princes.

Rabbit hole. Sparkly shoes. Do I look good enough for this occasion, and why didn’t I address him as Prince Rikardo or Your Highness?

She drew a breath.

‘It is a delight to meet you, Melanie. Our brother has told us about you.’ The older man bowed over her hand and managed to make the gesture seem relaxed and European rather than princely and…royal. ‘I am Marcelo.’

The first in line to the throne. The brother who would most of all be expected to marry and stay married, whether he wanted to or not. He was dark like Rik, a little taller, and his eyes were such a deep inky blue, they were almost black.

‘I am Anrai.’ The second brother smiled a killer smile, shook her hand, and stepped back as though content to observe proceedings from this point. His hair was a lighter brown, thick and with a slight wave. It flopped over his forehead and drew attention to

sparkling pale blue eyes.

Mel had dismissed him as not as handsome as Rik. She could now see that he would actually be a quite stunning lady-killer, but he still didn’t appeal to her. She only had eyes for—

‘Hello.’ Mel tried to smile naturally and not feel overwhelmed by being surrounded by these three very royal men. It wasn’t until

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