Royal Mistake: The Complete Series Read online

  As the minutes tick by and she doesn’t appear, though, I begin to second-guess myself. I was so certain she would come here, but it seems she truly did wish to escape me after all. Where is she? Why would she run from me?

  I have to fix this. I have to make things right. And not just with her—with my father and the rest of my family. With the women who came to the palace at my request.

  Maybe that’s what Victoria needs, I think. Proof that my decision is final. After all, I’ve told my father I have no intentions of marrying Lady Clarissa, but I haven’t told the lady herself yet. Maybe that’s what I need to do.

  I pull the door to the gardener’s cottage shut again and stride back across the grounds toward the palace. I look for Victoria, but I don’t see her anywhere among the trees or hedges.

  You’ll find her after you’ve spoken to Lady Clarissa, I tell myself. Then you’ll be able to tell her that everything is final.

  As much as that thought spurs me on, I still feel a knot growing in my stomach as I head toward Lady Clarissa’s room. I’m not looking forward to the talk I’m about to have with her—I have a feeling she’s not going to take it very well—but it must be done. I am to be king someday, after all—and what sort of king shies away from a difficult conversation?

  I feel rather grim by the time I reach her room. I consider knocking on Victoria’s door first—just in case she sneaked by me and returned here—but I decide it isn’t worth the risk. I must deal with Lady Clarissa first.

  She answers before I’ve even lifted my fist off the door.

  “Why, darling, I didn’t expect to see you here so early,” she says with a sickeningly sweet smile. “I was just about to go meet with your father. He summoned me.”

  I don’t want to think too much about what my father means to say to her—no doubt he wants her help in devising a plan to keep me in line—but I don’t let myself dwell on it.

  “Actually, that’s why I’m here,” I say. “I thought I might speak with you personally before you spoke with him. May I come in?”

  I see the indecision war in her eyes—on the one hand, keeping my father waiting is a sure way for her to lose favor in his eyes. On the other, I’ve just asked to enter her room, something she’s been angling for since the first day she arrived here.

  Please let me escape this alive.

  “I think I can spare a few minutes,” she says finally, stepping aside so I might enter.

  I walk into her room, trying to decide how I should broach this difficult subject. I should have planned everything out in my head before coming here, but it’s too late for that now.

  I go over to the fireplace and prop a hand against the mantle, trying to gather my thoughts. Don’t drag this out. Just tell her and be done with it.

  “I’m afraid I’ve treated you abominably since your arrival here,” I say. “I’ll admit that when I devised the idea of this pageant, I thought only of myself—and of Montovia, of course. I didn’t think about the women involved, and I deeply regret that now.”

  I hear Lady Clarissa come up behind me. Feel the touch of her fingers on my arm.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself, darling,” she says. “They’ll survive, I’m sure. What’s important is that you and I are going to be together.”

  God, this is not going to end well.

  I carefully extricate myself from her grip and take a few casual steps away. Remember—this woman tried to blackmail you. You owe her nothing.

  I clear my throat. “Actually, that’s what I’m here to discuss with you. I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans.”

  Her nose wrinkles, her lips pinching into a tight little frown. “Excuse me? What do you mean by that?”

  “I mean that I won’t be marrying you after all.”

  All the blood drains from her face. “Excuse me?”

  “I hope I am making myself quite clear,” I say. “I have no intention of spending my life with you, not after what you’ve done.”

  “What I have done?” Her eyes have nearly bugged out of her head. “You have used me like some sort of plaything, promised me marriage and then—”

  “You forced me into such promises,” I say. “You threatened me. And threatened Victoria—whose wellbeing is far more important to me than my own. I’ll admit that in a moment of weakness I submitted to your blackmail, but I assure you, I’ve come to my senses now. I will not be manipulated in such a fashion—not by you nor by my father.”

  Her face is no longer pale—it’s now fully flushed, nearly bright red. “How dare you!”

  “No—how dare you,” I say, keeping my voice even. “In truth, I’m alarmed that you could think, even for a second, that your behavior was befitting of a future queen of Montovia. I should never have held this pageant, I admit that fully. And I apologize for any inconvenience or emotional turmoil it has caused you. But I will not be threatened in my own home. And I will not have those I love threatened, either.”

  “I-inconvenience?” she sputters. “Emotional turmoil?” She lets out a cry like a banshee and grabs a pillow off the sofa. It flies through the air at my head.

  I duck out of the way of the thrown cushion. “Lady Clarissa—”

  “You bastard!” she cries, grabbing another pillow and throwing it as well. “Your father will hear about this!”

  “Tell my father whatever you like. I’ve already told him.”

  “Arggh!” She hurls the final pillow at me, and I barely manage to dodge it.

  “I think it might be best if you gather your things and return home as soon as you are able,” I say. “I—” I dive madly to the left as a vase flies at my head. It smashes against the wall behind me, glass and water and flowers falling everywhere.

  I should have worn some of my fencing gear. Just in case.

  I move deliberately toward the door. “Yes—I think the sooner you leave, the better.”

  “I won’t leave!” she shrieks. “I will not set a foot outside this palace until you give me what was promised!”

  “I have no intention of keeping promises made under duress,” I tell her. “Especially when they would hurt this country.”

  “Your father promised me—”

  “My father doesn’t make my decisions any longer.” I’ve reached the door, but I’m forced to jump back as a small ceramic statue flies at me. It hits the door, shattering.

  I have to remember to send her a bill for everything she’s destroyed.

  “Your threats won’t work on me any longer,” I say as I grip the doorknob. “I will not marry you—and that is a promise you can rest assured I will keep. Good day, Lady Clarissa.”

  “I’ll tell the media what you did,” she says. Her eyes are wide and wild, her cheeks still as red as ripe tomatoes. “I’ll tell them everything! I’ll tell them how cruelly you treated me. How you used me and tossed me aside. How you cheated on me after you promised to marry me. I’ll tell them everything.”

  I can’t lie—her words make my back go rigid. But I will not bend, not this time.

  “Tell them whatever you like,” I tell her. “I have the best reporter in the world at my side.” It’s a low blow, rubbing that in her face, and sure enough, fury flashes in Lady Clarissa’s eyes.

  “I’ll destroy that little reporter whore of yours,” she hisses through her clenched teeth. “All of this is her fault. She’s the one who seduced you away from me.”

  “I assure you, my lady, that even if Victoria were not in the picture, I would not marry you.”

  “She will never work again.”

  “She won’t need to, not if I have anything to say about it.”

  “Then I will destroy her life in other ways. I will—”

  “I’m not going to stand here and listen to this,” I say. “And I have changed my mind about how long you are allowed to stay—if you are not gone within the hour, then I will have the Royal Guard escort you out.” I open the door and march out into the corridor.

  “Andrew!” s
he shrieks after me. “Andrew! I am not done speaking to you!”

  I ignore her—in part because my eyes are drawn to the young maid pushing a cart of cleaning supplies into the room next door. Victoria’s room.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, walking over. “What’s going on?”

  The girl looks up at me with wide green eyes. “Y-your Highness.” She drops into a curtsy. “I-I was told to come here and clean out the room, Your Highness.”

  “This room is still occupied.”

  “Forgive me, Your Highness,” she says, curtsying again. “I was told that Ms. Simpson has left this very hour. I heard Percy call a car for her myself, Your Highness. Not twenty minutes ago.”

  Shit. I jerk a hand through my hair. I thought Victoria just needed some time to clear her head—I didn’t think she’d actually leave again.

  “Andrew!” comes Lady Clarissa’s sharp voice from behind me. “You will come back here right this moment!”

  It takes all my effort not to turn around and scream at her in return. I look down at the maid.

  “Please wait to clean this room,” I tell her. “Ms. Simpson will be returning shortly. Lady Clarissa’s room, however, should be unoccupied very soon.”

  I don’t look back at Clarissa. Instead, I step around the maid and her cart and march down the hall.

  “Andrew!” yells Lady Clarissa.

  I ignore her. My focus is on one thing and one thing only—finding Victoria. And then figuring out why in bloody hell she thinks she has to leave me again.

  Victoria

  It might take me a couple of weeks to get back home, but taking a train out of Montovia is a hell of a lot less terrifying than taking another airplane. Particularly since in my haste to get out of the palace, I left my bottle of sleeping pills on my nightstand.

  I’m pretty sure I’m headed in the wrong direction, too. But this was the first train leaving and I don’t want to wait around too long. Better for me to get on a train to Prague—ten hours in the wrong direction—than it would be to hang around Montovia even a second longer.

  I had hoped for a private compartment, but the lady at the ticket counter said they were sold out. It seems odd, but what the hell do I know? It could be perfectly normal having the private compartments fill up first.

  I find a seat to myself. I already wish I had thought to pick up something to read at one of the newsstands outside, but at least I’ll be able to see the scenery.

  This will be a great adventure. I haven’t ever really wanted to do the whole losing-myself-in-Europe thing, but a girl has to try to make lemonade out of lemons when she can. I’m here now. I’m never getting on an airplane again. And the least I can do is try to enjoy my trip over the next several days. I’ll get myself on one of those transatlantic cruises as soon as I can. And by then, I’ll be ready to never set foot in Europe again.

  To never see Prince Andrew again, anyway.

  An elderly couple sits down across from me, and I give them a polite smile and nod before I turn my attention to the window.

  Why hasn’t the damn train left already?

  We should have left five minutes ago by my watch. And though I’ve never been on one of these trains before, I’ve heard they’re known for their timeliness.

  My stomach twists around on itself, but I try to shake off the thought that the reason the train is sitting here motionless has anything to do with me.

  The train car goes silent before there are whispers—then murmurs—traveling like ripples over the seats.

  “Your Highness, please.” A man’s voice booms through the car.

  I close my eyes and try to will myself to disappear into my seat.

  The man’s voice is closer. “Your Highness, you have the private compartments… Please.” He’s almost begging the person he’s speaking to. “We don’t have the staff to deal with this—had we known you would be traveling with us today, we could have made arrangements—”

  “This seat will do nicely.” It almost sounds like Andrew is speaking into my ear.

  “Your Highness, we can hardly have you seated among the other passengers. And…and you’ve already reserved the entire private section—”

  “I’m aware of that. I’ll let you know when I need to move there. Thank you.” There is a definite dismissiveness in his tone.

  “Your Highness…” It almost sounds like the other man is going to cry. “Please…”

  “As I said, this seat will do nicely.” He pauses. “Where did you say this train was headed?”

  The other man sighs. “Prague, Your Highness.”

  Andrew groans under his breath. “Of course it is.”

  “Your Highness—”

  “Do I need to tell you again that this seat is fine?” Andrew’s voice is less dismissive this time—it’s almost threatening.

  “Of course not, Your Highness.” He gives a forced chuckle. “I will check on you shortly.”

  Andrew drops onto the seat next to me. “Do whatever you need to do.”

  I can’t seem to make my eyes open, not that I really want to. My fingers dig into the seat cushion near my legs—I’m sure I’m leaving permanent marks there.

  Getting on this train was a bad idea. I should have known he would follow me. I suppose I did know—but I had hoped it would be too late by the time he figured out where I had gone.

  “Prince Andrew?”

  My eyes flutter open when I hear the woman sitting across from me speak.

  She’s grinning and clutches at the hand of the man sitting next to her. “It’s such an honor to have you sit here with us.” She glances over at the man I assume is her husband. “Henry and I were talking just this morning about how thankful we are that you made it back to Montovia in one piece.” Her smile falls. “After your accident.”

  “Yes, I was very lucky to survive. Though I could not have done it alone.”

  I turn my gaze back to the window, digging my fingers even farther into the seat cushion.

  “We’ve all been very…concerned about you, Your Highness,” the woman continues.

  “As you can see, I’m quite well.” There’s something off in his voice, though I can’t quite place what it is.

  “Yes.” The woman’s voice is almost mirroring Andrew’s, but I don’t risk a glance over to look at any of them.

  The woman clears her throat. “Is Lady Clarissa going to be joining you this morning? We saw in the news that you were together now.”

  I close my eyes for another moment at the sound of her name, just as the train begins to move.

  “No, unfortunately, my brief courtship with Lady Clarissa has ended.”

  I open my eyes to stare back out the window. I want to tell him how I’ve heard that particular tale before, but I don’t.

  The woman clucks her tongue. “If you don’t mind my being so bold as to say so—”

  “Dear, he does mind.” The other man’s voice interrupts. “Prince Andrew doesn’t care to hear our opinions on his love life.”

  “On the contrary,” Andrew says. “It would be an honor to hear from the citizens of Montovia. I had hoped that by bringing Lady Clarissa here—”

  “That woman’s family…” The woman’s voice trails off. “I shouldn’t say. It would be rude.”

  Andrew chuckles. “I can imagine. And you’ve no need to worry—after certain events this morning, I can assure the world there will be no further courtship with the Lady Clarissa.” His hand brushes against mine. “I’ll be certain to have the writer I’ve hired to report the story convey exactly what transpired when I told Lady Clarissa the news.”

  I roll my eyes, but don’t turn to look at any of them.

  Andrew’s hand doesn’t move—it’s close enough to mine that I know it’s there, but not exactly touching it.

  The man across from us speaks. “We only wish for your happiness, Your Highness. That is all anyone in the kingdom wishes for.”

  “And I believe I have found exactly what will make me
happy. And I am grateful for your concern. Truly grateful.” His hand brushes against mine again ever so slightly.

  “Forgive us, Your Highness, but my husband and I have a tradition of going to the dining car as soon as the train has departed. Would you care to join us?”

  “Oh, I thank you for the invitation. Truly. But I have some important business to attend to at the moment—”

  The man interrupts. “Forgive my wife for carrying on so, Your Highness. Of course you have business—”

  “No, no, no. It’s not like that at all. I only…” He clears his throat. “You’ve both actually helped me with the business it is I need to take care of. So I thank you.”

  The couple stands and walks into the aisle before the woman speaks again. “If you should change your mind, Your Highness, please do come to join us in the dining car. It would be such a tremendous honor.”

  “If my business goes as I expect it might, I may have to join you there.”

  The woman chuckles as she walks away.

  We sit in silence, and I watch the scenery of Montovia fly by as the train picks up speed to begin our ascent up the mountain pass.

  “Are you ever going to look at me again, Victoria?” Andrew’s voice is low, and the regal, confident air he had with the couple is gone.

  Something about the tone of his voice now makes my chest ache. It’s like it was last night when he had come to my room—pained, almost broken.

  His voice is hushed so the other passengers do not overhear him, though there isn’t anyone sitting all that close to us since the couple left. “I…I made it quite clear to Lady Clarissa that there would be nothing further between us.”

  Something catches in my chest. I still can’t look at him—still can’t face him. Instead, I nod at the window.

  “Victoria…” He’s almost whispering now. “I booked every private compartment. We can have our pick of the entire car. We should go there to speak.”

  I press my lips together and shake my head. My chest aches even hearing his voice.

  I have to end this. I have to end this now.