Be My Prince by Julianne Maclean

Author:Julianne Maclean [Maclean, Julianne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9780312552770
Publisher: St. Martin's
Published: 2012-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

PART III

Where a Tempestuous Journey Begins

Chapter Nineteen

Alexandra stepped over the threshold of her private cabin aboard the Abigail and glanced about at the modest furnishings—the narrow bunk against the wall, her trunks that carried all of her possessions from London, stacked and secured. The rest of her things from her home in Wales would arrive at a later date when her sisters made the crossing to join her.

A small, high window provided only a measure of light, for the glass panes were coated in a film of powdery salt and the Thames was cloaked in a bank of fog.

When she had boarded the ship, the captain informed her that they would set sail within the hour, and she had done her best to reply cheerfully, while deep down she was uneasy about setting sail into the vast unknown with a man who still believed she had trapped him into matrimony.

A prince she had once vowed never to love.

The wedding was scheduled to take place that evening at seven o’clock in the captain’s quarters—a conspicuously private event for the future king of a small but powerful European nation.

Though it was her nation, too, she reminded herself as she tossed her reticule onto the bunk and sat down. She would therefore make no apologies for the web of lies she had spun in order to secure her place on the throne. Nor would she ever again doubt her true destiny, for occasionally fate had a way of stepping in to intervene when a person hesitated or began to take a wrong turn. Hadn’t that just been proven to her in more ways than one?

Footsteps tapped down the companionway just then. She stood up and in the next moment found herself curtsying to her future husband.

Wearing a dark brown square-cut tailcoat and fawn breeches with black boots and a high shirt collar and cravat, he filled the open cabin doorway with an almost debilitating force of charisma.

“I am pleased to see you arrived safely,” he said. “I hope your quarters are adequate.” He glanced around to examine the situation.

“Perfectly so,” she replied.

Their gazes locked and held for an intense moment while Alex considered rushing forward and pressing her lips to his—for no other reason but to remind him of what they had done together a few nights before.

The compulsion passed, however, as he ducked his head under the bulkhead to enter the cabin.

She waited for him to say something that might breach the emotional distance that had swelled between them, but he maintained a casual indifference.

“It’s not quite the prestigious royal wedding you expected, is it?” he said.

“It doesn’t matter where we are wed,” she replied. “Remember I was quite willing to join you in your coach two days ago and dash off to Scotland to be married over an anvil by a blacksmith.”

It was the whole truth—the honest reality of her heart—and she wished he would believe it.

Then slowly he moved across the plank floor toward her.

She had no idea what he was thinking or feeling.

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