Page 39 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

‘She’s never been to Santanger or Isla’Rosa before, and she’s never met Princess Laia.’

Maddi felt unaccountably defensive after Aristedes had come over to interrupt her conversation with the French ambassador’s wife.

‘That’s not why I pulled you away.’

Maddi looked up at Aristedes. ‘It’s not?’

He shook his head. ‘I pulled you away because we need to be the first on the dance floor.’

Dread pooled in Maddi’s belly as Aristedes led her into another room, where the sounds of a waltz enveloped them. Laia had told Maddi about the endless hours of dance practice she’d had to endure when growing up.

She hissed at Aristedes, ‘I’ve never danced like this before. I don’t know what to do.’

If people didn’t already suspect she might not be Princess Laia, then surely when they saw her wooden dance movements they’d guess in an instant.

Aristedes, unconcerned, swung her into his arms and said, ‘It’s fine. Just follow my lead and try to relax.’

Try to relax!

Maddi might have laughed if she hadn’t been so terrified. Doing something for the first time, surrounded by hundreds of people scrutinising her every move!

Aristedes’s arm was high across her back and he held her hand in his, close to his shoulder. He said again, ‘Just relax. Don’t look at them—look at me.’

That would be even worse than the hundreds of curious eyes. But she did it, and it worked to an extent. The world narrowed down to Aristedes and those amazing, unfathomable eyes.

A question came to her, unbidden, and it came out of her mouth before she could stop it. ‘Does anyone call you Ari?’

‘My brother does, and my mother used to call me Ari. Sometimes women would call me Ari, but it was an attempt to foster an intimacy that I didn’t appreciate.’

Maddi made atsk-ing sound. ‘How cheeky of them.’

To her surprise she realised they were revolving easily around the dance floor, her feet following his. Other couples had joined them now, and the pressure eased a little.

Maddi was curious. ‘So, these women...there were a few...?’

‘Are you asking me how many lovers I’ve had?’

Maddi flushed. ‘No.’

Yes. And did he have a current lover?

‘You’re very impertinent.’

Maddi winced. ‘I’m sorry. I tend to speak and then think.’

Aristedes’s mouth twitched again. She was beginning to love that twitch. That sign that she could make him smile, even a tiny bit.

He said, ‘I’ve had my fair share. I’m not a monk. But I’m not going to violate my wedding vows. Once I’m married I will be faithful to my wife.’

She was surprised at the vehemence in his voice. ‘Even if you don’t...fancy her?’

He’d told her himself he’d never felt anything like that for Laia.

‘Dynastic marriages are built on far more solid foundations than chemistry and emotion. They have to be.’

‘Was that what your parents’ marriage was like?’

For the first time she felt tension in his body. His jaw clenched.