To Protect a Princess: (Regency Royals Book 1) by Michaels Jess

Author:Michaels, Jess
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Passionate Pen LLC, The
Published: 2021-07-19T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Ilaria tucked her legs beneath her as she sat on the settee next to Sasha. Remi was across from them, and they were all laughing at his tale of gaming the night before and nearly losing an entire royal carriage.

“If I hadn’t drawn that four of hearts,” he said. “Grantham would have had me drawn and quartered.”

“You must be more careful,” Ilaria said. “Honestly, he might not have you murdered, but imprisoned in a tower is a good possibility.”

“God, he’d love that, wouldn’t he? To tuck us all away while he goes about being kingly.” Remi sighed and shook his head. “I suppose that is unfair.”

Ilaria nodded. “It is. As I was reminded not that long ago, he has a great deal to carry. Perhaps more than we even know.”

Remi frowned. “If that is true, then he should tell us. We’re his siblings, after all, and I include Sasha in that assessment.”

Sasha smiled gently at that. “I think he feels it is his burden, he doesn’t want to place it on any of us.”

For a short while the three of them were quiet, each contemplating what their brother might or might not be enduring. Then Remi shook his head, like he was clearing those less pleasant thoughts away. “Well, I hear Ilaria has a wonderful time ahead of her at the opera with the Viscount Bitteroot,” he said.

“It’s the Earl of Bramwell,” Sasha said, and there was tension in her voice. Ilaria had to wonder if that was because she could tell what this subject did to her.

If Remi had meant to lighten the mood with his teasing, it didn’t work. Ilaria felt herself deflating with the reminder. Her conversation with her mother came rushing back, as well, and she bent her head. “Yes,” she said softly. “It seems there is no escaping it.”

Remi winked at Sasha. “Sasha will go in your place if you don’t want to. She seems to like Bramwell well enough.”

Sasha pushed to her feet suddenly. “What do you mean by that?”

Remi leaned back in his chair. “I saw you two on the terrace at that little gathering…what, three nights ago? Four? I lose track with all the nonsense we are expected to perform.”

Sasha walked away. “You want to talk about nonsense, there it is. I was just talking to the earl outside, nothing more.”

Her tone was sharp, and it was clear she didn’t think Remi’s teasing was funny. It made both Ilaria and her brother stare at her in surprise, because Sasha was never so sharp.

“Very well, as you say,” Remi said, holding up his hands as if in surrender. “My apologies.”

Ilaria shook her head. “Well, I wish I liked him,” she said. “I wish I could feel something for the man when he is being thrown in my path so obviously, and now it will be so publicly.”

Remi’s brow wrinkled and he moved from the chair to sit beside Ilaria on the settee in the place Sasha had abandoned. He took her hand, and suddenly his blue eyes, the ones he and only he had inherited from their father, softened.

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