The Prince's Bride by Charis Michaels

Author:Charis Michaels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2024-05-21T00:00:00+00:00

Ryan felt Gabriel’s body go rigid. He did not, she was certain, wish to go inside. He would not chatter away with the sister he’d not seen in fifteen years—not with her dazed and fainting and weeping over him.

“Would it be possible,” Ryan cut in, “for us to become more acquainted in your garden?”

Mr. and Mrs. Crewes turned to consider her.

“Anywhere outside would be lovely, actually. If it wouldn’t be too much bother.”

Their stare endured. Finally, Mr. Crewes said, “Forgive me, but you are—?”

“Oh sorry,” Ryan said. “I am Lady Marianne Daventry. Of Winscombe. In Guernsey.”

“How do you do?” he said cautiously. “And you’re acquainted to Elise’s brother . . . how?”

“Right. That. How can I explain it? Well, I was once betrothed to, er, Prince Gabriel? That is, I still am, or so I’m told. We were betrothed as children. By our fathers. So I’m hesitant to say I know him, more like I know of him? Or rather, I knew of him?”

“Oh, now I remember,” exclaimed Mrs. Crewes. “Yes, yes, yes. You’re the Earl of Amhurst’s eldest daughter. From Guernsey. Lady Marianne—I completely remember.” She clapped her hands to her cheeks, smiling back and forth between the two of them.

“I am, in fact,” said Ryan. “All grown up, I suppose. And I’m called Lady Ryan—or simply Ryan, as is my preference. We do not stand on ceremony at Winscombe.”

“But we visited Winscombe several times as children,” enthused Mrs. Crewes. “I actually loved our time there because I’m so very fond of sea bathing. There’s a little trail down the cliff to the beach on your estate, is there not?”

“Yes. Daybreak Walk, we call it,” said Ryan, smiling. “What a very good memory you have. It’s a delight to see you again, Highness—after everything that’s happened.”

“Killian,” said Mrs. Crewes, spinning to her husband, “Lady Marianne’s father was a very dear friend of our papa’s. Their home was but a short sail from the French port of St. Malo, which is a port on d’Orleans lands. Our families have a long history as neighbors. And our fathers arranged for Gabriel and Lady Marianne to marry when they came of age. It was to be an exchange of property, mingled fortunes, that sort of thing. In all that’s happened, I’d forgotten about the betrothal.”

“Oh yes, I can see how that might slip one’s mind. And I should like to hear more, truly—but on the topic of abandoning this stoop . . .” Killian prodded. “Perhaps Lady Ryan’s suggestion of tea in the garden would be the thing? Can we settle on that for the moment?”

Ryan glanced at Gabriel, hoping to covertly gauge his level of comfort with the notion of a garden tea.

“But have the two of you reunited?” asked Mrs. Crewes, looking back and forth between Gabriel and Ryan. “But of course you have. If not, how would Lady Ryan find us? Although—how did Lady Ryan find Gabriel? I don’t understand.” She laughed a little, clearly unsettled and confused and delighted all at once.

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