Princess of Silence, page 31
part #1 of When Kings Collide Series
James’s words were confusing, but at the moment, Katherine wasn’t looking at him. The moment her brother pushed her back at arms’ length to take her in, her eyes went immediately to Caleb.
He was standing next to his chair, staring at her like all of the others, but the recognition in his eyes was enough to make her heart wrench in two. She couldn’t say if he was angry or just wounded that she hadn’t told him the truth. He likely felt like a fool, having clearly told her brother that whatever fate had befallen the false Princes Katherine had happened to her instead.
Torn between the joy of seeing her brother again at last and the terror that coursed through her veins that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to explain to Caleb, Katherine looked from one of them to the other, not knowing what to do. Words would’ve been a wonderful tool to have at her disposal now, but without them, she could only shake her head, wishing she could explain all that had transpired to both of them.
“You look radiant,” James said, still holding her at a distance. “Gone is the little girl I used to give piggyback rides to, that’s for certain. I simply don’t understand....” His voice trailed off, and then, he too, was looking at Caleb, needing an explanation. “This is my sister—Katherine, Princess of Nadoria.”
Caleb cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on Katherine's. “So I see.”
The weight of his eyes made her breath catch in her throat as she managed a small curtsey without lowering her eyes.
“How?” James began, placing his hands on his hips. “How did this mistake, this error in identity, occur?”
Caleb shook his head, his eyes still on Katherine’s face. “I don’t know.” He didn’t say more.
“I mean... who was the other woman, the one you sent to me? There was one, wasn’t there?”
“Yes, there was. I suppose I don’t know that either.” Caleb finally looked away from her, scratching his head as he continued to shake it adamantly. “I’m such a fool,” he muttered.
Whether she was meant to hear that or not, Katherine stamped her foot to get his attention. When he was looking at her again, she shook her head, looking him in the eyes. She needed to find a way to make James understand this was her fault, not Caleb’s. It would be difficult to do since she could not use words to retell the story. Caleb had to give her a chance to explain the lies Rose had told, and James had to be persuaded not to take this out on Caleb. Grabbing both of James’s arms so that he would be forced to give her his attention, she pointed at herself, indicating it was her fault, not Caleb’s.
“Katherine, I thought you had been captured,” James explained. “I saw a carriage, one that I was told you were riding in, and then it was swept away by Gradenian soldiers. I thought I had lost you forever.”
Her hands flew to her mouth again. Poor Rose. As angry as her lies and schemes had made the princess, Katherine didn’t wish for anyone to suffer such a fate, not even Rose. She felt tears stinging her eyes again.
Caleb cleared his throat, and Katherine turned her head to watch him, shifting his weight uncomfortably. “James, why don’t you and, uh, Princess Katherine take some time to catch up. You can use the library.”
“Yes, I believe that’s a fine idea,” James said, taking hold of her arm.
Caleb was already headed to the door, his head down. Katherine desperately wanted to gain his attention, to make sure he understood she needed to speak to him, too, but he wouldn’t turn his head in her direction.
Two servants stepped forward, and Katherine realized they were there to escort her and James to the library, but she couldn’t make her feet move that direction. She wanted to run after Caleb.
James tugged lightly on her arm. “Come along, Princess. Let’s sort this out.”
Katherine followed Caleb out the door with her eyes and let go a remorseful sigh, praying he’d give her an opportunity later. Dale followed him, as did Gordon, but the dark-haired officer stopped short of the door and gave her a small, encouraging smile. Katherine wasn’t sure what he was trying to convey, but it made her feel slightly better to know he was still on her side, though he likely felt as duped as anyone else. With nothing else to do, she went along with James, headed toward the library, thankful to have her brother back but praying it wouldn’t cost her the man she loved.
Silas Renshaw was out of breath. His horse had dropped dead before he had reached Castle Meadington, and he had been forced to run the last four hundred yards. His lungs felt as if they might explode any second, sending him on his way to join his beloved steed, but Prince James had commanded him to bring the message to the queen as quickly as possible, so he intended to just that.
He hadn’t waited for a servant to lead him to the throne room. Once he was told that was where he could find the queen, he took off sprinting in that direction, not caring if his lungs burst out of his chest.
She turned her head, alarmed, when he flew through the door, but she recognized him, and then her face turned to marble as she waited for him to report. Her eyes pierced him like daggers as he drew in enough breath to relay his message. Finally, he was able to cast it out in spurts. “Princess… Katherine… kidnapped… Leopold.”
Eleanora’s eyes doubled in size as Silas slumped to the floor. She rose, and the train of her gown trailed across his face as she stepped over him, giving orders. “Prepare the army!” she shouted. “Leopold of Gradenia has committed an act of war, an act he will soon regret! I will have my sister safely returned--at any cost!”
Chapter 30
“I thought I might never see you again,” James was saying, clasping both of Katherine’s hands in his. “I’m so glad that you are safe. Eleanora will be so relieved.”
Katherine nodded. It hurt her heart to think that James had been under the impression she’d been abducted. She wished there was a way to quickly send word to Eleanora that she was safe, but it would take at least two days for a message to reach her. In the meantime, her sister would no doubt be planning her advancement on Leopold’s forces.
But if he had attempted to take her, then that is what he deserved. The fact that he had failed didn’t change the intent.
Nevertheless, she needed to find a way to let James know what had transpired, to make sure that the relationship between Nadoria and Arteria was not damaged.
“Who is this Rose person?” James asked before shaking his head and trying again, knowing as well as anyone that Katherine could not answer the question as he’d phrased it “Was she a friend of yours?” Katherine hesitated before shaking her head no. At first, she had thought so, but no, clearly, she was not her friend.
“Was she from Clovington?”
Yes.
“Did you know her before you arrived here?”
Again some hesitation but she nodded, yes.
“So, she was an acquaintance, not a friend?”
Correct.
“Was she a noble.”
That was a certain no.
“Yet, when you arrived, she pretended to be you, Princess Katherine?”
Yes.
“How, could she have possibly gotten away with that?” He knew that was not a yes or no question, but she couldn’t blame him for asking it anyway. “It seems ludicrous that some commoner was able to convince a king that she was a princess, and apparently, that the princess was a servant girl.”
Despite the phasing, Katherine was able to reply. She raised her right hand and pointed to the finger where she always wore her ring. He would notice immediately.
Gasping, James clarified, “She took your ring?”
Yes.
“The audacity! She stole your signet ring and was able to convince Caleb and his staff that she was the princess and that you were a servant girl?”
A whore, Katherine thought, but she didn’t feel the need to attempt to express that part to her brother, so she only nodded her head.
James stood, walking a few paces before returning to where Katherine sat on the settee. “And Caleb believed her?”
Katherine shrugged. Yes, apparently. But Rose had been very convincing. In fact, the longer she had pretended to be the princess and Katherine played the role of servant girl, the more Katherine herself had become convinced.
James sat back down. “Well, I suppose the important thing is that you are safe. And we will have you home in Nadoria where you belong in a few days.”
Before she even gave it a second thought, Katherine shook her head vigorously. No, she was not returning to Nadoria.
James’s eyebrows furrowed. “I know you likely don’t feel particularly safe after what has happened to, uh, Rose, but we will travel via the shipping channel. The Nadorian Navy will keep us safe.”
Again, Katherine shook her head, no. As much as the thought of being back at Meadington, away from all that had transpired, was tempting, she knew for a fact she would not go, not unless Caleb made her.
He still didn’t understand. “You don’t want to go to Nadoria?”
No.
James’s eyes widened as his mouth came open. “It’s not Philip, is it? Surely you don’t want us to return you to him. He did say you were his wife.”
Katherine tasted bile rising in the back of her throat and was certain her expression showed the same horror. No! Of course not! She shook her head even harder. Then, she pointed at the floor. Here. She wanted to stay here.
He was beginning to understand. “You want to stay in Arteria?”
Yes, precisely.
“Why? What in the world would make you want to stay here?”
Oh, so many things. So many people. But one in particular. Katherine tipped her head to the side and gave her brother a moment to reach his own conclusion.
It didn’t take him long. After a moment of thought he asked, “Caleb?”
The pink that instantly tinted her cheeks likely would’ve been answer enough, but she nodded her head as well.
James sighed. “This is unexpected,” he muttered, leaning back against the settee.
She knew exactly what he was thinking. As far as they both knew, Eleanora had never considered aligning herself so closely with Arteria. While she hoped her sister wouldn’t dare attempt to marry her off for her kingdom’s gain in the future, she may not be pleased with this alliance either. Katherine hated the fact that it was even a consideration. She deserved to marry whomever she wanted, and since he happened to be a king, that should be enough to make everyone happy.
“I will speak to Eleanora,” James finally said, his expression changing as he turned back to face her. “She will understand. She must. After all, if he’s the one you choose to be with, who is anyone to stand in your way?”
Katherine couldn’t help but smile. James leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, and she sighed in relief. She was willing to do whatever she had to in order to stay with Caleb, even if it meant defying her sister, but there was still one problem—what if he wouldn’t have her?
James released her and looked in her eyes. “If you wish to stay here with Caleb, so be it. As long as he is treating you with the love and respect you deserve, you will have my blessing. And I will do my best to convince Eleanora.”
Katherine reached for her brother again, and his arms came around her once more. He kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Katherine.” She squeezed him tightly, letting him know she loved him, too.
Philip sat in the chamber Leopold had provided him with, sipping his third goblet of wine for the day, looking over the gloomy terrain in front of the castle, the rainy day mirroring his current mood, and reflecting on what his next move might be when Katherine arrived. It shouldn’t be long now, though that’s what he’d thought the day before. He’d received word that the party had stalled, avoiding the Arterian Army, and he appreciated their caution even if it kept him unsettled. One thing was certain regardless of when she arrived; he was looking forward to completing the consummation of their relationship.
There was a resounding knock at the door. He set his goblet down and went to answer it, thinking it better be the guard he’d instructed to inform him when the princess arrived and no one else who dared to pull him away from his thoughts of Katherine’s writhing body.
Shocked, Philip stared into the face of Leopold himself. Philip’s mouth dropped open as he fought for words.
“May I come in?” Leopold asked, stepping past him before Philip could answer. He moved aside, and Leopold took a quick look around the room. “Dark in here,” he mumbled.
Philip said nothing, closing the door behind him as Leopold crossed over to the small table in front of the window, the one Philip had been sitting at. He poured himself a drink in an empty goblet and downed it before turning back to address Philip, who had only taken a few steps from the door.
“How are you, dear cousin?” Leopold asked, setting his goblet down and approaching his relative slowly.
Philip opened his mouth to answer but didn’t have the opportunity to speak before Leopold’s fist landed squarely on his jaw, the steel tips on his glove ripping into his flesh and leaving him sputtering.
Reeling, Philip’s hand flew to his face as he stumbled backward. He caught himself before he hit the floor, and stared up at his cousin in disbelief.
“Never think that I don’t know what happens in my own kingdom!” Leopold spat, bending down and grabbing Philip’s hair, pulling his face up to look at him. “I know everything!”
Blood poured down the side of Philip’s face as fury mounted inside of him He was a king! Never had he been treated like this in his entire life. And yet, he was a guest in Leopold’s fortress. If he dared cross him, stand up to him, Philip would be thrown in the deepest, darkest dungeon, never to be seen or heard from again.
Leopold released him, and within seconds, his jovial attitude was back. He wore a smile on his face, crossing back to the table to pour another drink. Philip rose, wiping at the blood but not speaking. Leopold topped Philip’s wine off, and sitting down, gestured for Philip to join him at the table.
Hesitantly, Philip crossed the room, wiping the splatters of blood on the back of his hand and then on to his trousers. He sat in the chair as he was told, waiting for Leopold to speak. The pain in his jaw was intense, but he did his best to hide it.
“Now, tell me, what is your plan? What is it about this girl that has you risking war with Nadoria?”
Philip cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully. When he had decided to reclaim his bride, he knew there was a possibility that Eleanora might see it as an act of hostility. He hoped that he would have the opportunity to meet with her and let her know that he was simply taking what was rightfully his. There had been no terms set forth in their agreement that Philip must retain his kingship over Clovington in order to maintain Katherine as his wife. If he could not have his castle, at least, he could have her. He was merely retrieving her from the Arterians. No act of aggression against Nadoria was ever intended or implied.
Rather than explaining all of that to Leopold, he responded simply, “She’s my wife.”
His cousin nodded. “And?”
“I simply want what’s mine.”
Leopold let out a long sigh, setting his goblet on the table. “Eleanora seems to disagree with you. Now, I am in a position where I must either engage Nadoria in war or somehow convince her that you have acted on your own. I am sure she thinks this was all my idea, considering what her brother and his men witnessed. Tell me, did you think I wouldn’t know?”
Philip had considered what might happen if Leopold discovered he had borrowed his cavalry uniforms to obtain Katherine, but he’d hoped to keep it secret. In general, he followed a rule of doing what was necessary at the time and dealing with the consequences later, if they came. He’d just assumed he’d find a way to smooth things over with Leopold. Now, looking at his cousin while his jaw throbbed, he wasn’t so sure. “Cousin, you and I are on the same side in this. You know you have my allegiance. You must understand, however, my wife belongs here, with me, by my side.” Then he added, “When you see her, I think you will understand.”
“Philip, my dear cousin, I don’t think any woman could possibly be worth all of this trouble.” He shook his head slightly and exhaled through his nose. “But at this point, it doesn’t matter. You’ve already done the damage.” He cleared his throat, and after a moment, he nodded in acceptance. “Very well then. I hope she arrives safely.”
Without another word, Leopold pushed up from the seat and sauntered toward the door. Philip knew he should stand in respect, but his throbbing jaw kept him seated until the door closed behind him. Then, he pounded his fist against the table, rattling the dishes.
Leopold headed down the hallway, his hand aching slightly from the blow he’d delivered to his cousin’s face but otherwise, he felt better having put the ass in his place. Philip was of little consequence now and only seemed to bring trouble wherever he went. That needed to be stopped, but he wouldn’t worry any more about him at the moment other than to send a message to Eleanora that Philip had acted alone in his devious scheme to reclaim her sister Katherine.
As he strolled down the hall, he heard fast approaching footsteps from behind and turned to see one of his guards running in his direction. “Your Majesty,” he said, “He’s here.”
A devilish grin consumed his face as Leopold took in the news. It seemed his own little package had arrived. Now this was a prisoner of consequence, someone he could barter with. “Take me to him,” he insisted, following the guard at a quick pace, his excitement overwhelming as he thought of all the fun he was about to have.
She was standing on the balcony of his private chambers overlooking the rose garden, the night breeze catching her loose curls, sending them flying like butterfly’s wings around her elegant neck. From his vantage point, the moon illuminated her pale skin so that she appeared to be glowing, and he could plainly see how easily one could compare her to an angel.
