Mum's The Word!

“Could you run down to the kitchen and get glasses of warm milk for these two?”

“Hate milk,” the talkative one said. “Ice cream.”

Recalling the nanny’s assessment that the girls were spoiled, Olivia hesitated a moment before giving a mental shrug. Again she reminded herself they weren’t her responsibility. She could indulge them to her heart’s content. “With chocolate sauce?”

“Yeah!”

Olivia nodded. “Please fetch two bowls of ice cream with chocolate sauce.”

“Of course, Lady Darcy.”

The maid scooted past her, eyeing the odd group before disappearing through the doorway.

Olivia half sat, half collapsed on the sofa near the fireplace and gestured to the girls. “Let’s get acquainted, shall we? My name is Olivia.”

They hesitated for a moment before coming toward her. Olivia kept her warmest smile fixed on her face and patted the seat beside her.

“Please sit down. The ice cream will take a little while. The palace is very big.”

The girls held hands and stared about the enormous room in wide-eyed silence. Now that she could see them better, Olivia noticed the Alessandro family resemblance. In fact, they looked like the pictures she’d seen of Gabriel’s sister, Ariana, at a similar age. Were they cousins? She frowned. Her extensive research on Sherdana had included all the royal family. She recalled no mention of young cousins.

“I’ve only been here a few days and I’ve gotten lost a dozen times already,” she continued, her voice a soothing monotone. “I was very scared when that happened. But I also discovered some wonderful places. There’s a library downstairs full of books. Do you like stories?”

They nodded at her, their movements identical as if choreographed.

“So do I. My favorite stories when I was a little girl were about princesses. Would you like to hear one?” She took their smiles as assent. “Once upon a time there were two princesses and their names were Karina and Bethany.”

“That’s us.”

* * *

Gabriel paced his office, impatient for Stewart to arrive with news that the twins had been settled into the palace. In his hand was the single photo he’d kept of Marissa after they’d broken up. He’d sealed it in an envelope and shoved it in the back of a drawer. Why he’d kept it was a question he was brooding over now.

After a long, unproductive strategy session with Christian regarding Marissa’s daughters, he’d sent his brother home. Although he had rooms for his use in the palace, Christian liked his privacy and only rarely stayed in them. Sometimes Gabriel suspected that if either of his brothers had a choice they would give up their titles and any claim to Sherdana’s throne. As it was they spent almost no time in Sherdana. Nic had gone to university in the US where he’d met his business partner and only returned when he absolutely had to, while Christian spent most of the year out of the country pursuing his business interests.

As close as the triplets had been growing up, the distance between them these days bothered Gabriel. While he’d known, as eldest son, that he’d be in charge of running the country someday, he’d never expected that his brothers wouldn’t be around to help.

Stewart appeared as Gabriel was returning Marissa’s photo to the envelope. Glancing at the clock he saw it was almost three in the morning. He’d sent his private secretary to check on Marissa’s daughters half an hour earlier.

“Well?” he demanded, pushing to his feet.

“They arrived at the palace a couple hours ago and I arranged to have them escorted to the nursery in the north wing.” It had seemed prudent to squirrel them away at the opposite end of the palace, far from where the royal family was housed.

“Have you seen them?” He wanted to know if the girls bore any resemblance to him, and could scarcely restrain himself from asking the question outright. Christian had cautioned that a DNA test would have to be performed before Gabriel let himself get emotionally involved. It was good advice, but easier agreed to than acted upon.

“Not yet.”

Gabriel’s temper flared. “What have you been doing?”

The private secretary wasn’t fazed by his employer’s impatience. “I went to the nursery, but they appear to be missing.”

“Missing?” He couldn’t imagine how that had happened. “Didn’t the lawyer say they had a nanny? Did you ask her where they are?”

“She’s gone. Apparently she was escorted from the palace by one of the guards an hour ago.”

“Escorted...? On whose authority?”

“Lady Darcy’s private secretary.”

Unable to fathom how she’d gotten involved, Gabriel stabbed his fingers through his hair. This business with Marissa’s daughters was fast spiraling out of control. “Have you spoken with her?”

“It’s three in the morning, sir.”

And if two little girls weren’t missing, he might be inclined to leave his questions until morning. “Tell her I want to speak to her.”

“Right away.”

His private secretary wasn’t gone more than five minutes. “Apparently she’s in Lady Darcy’s room, sir.” Stewart paused. “With the girls.”

Dismay shouldered aside irritation as Gabriel headed for the wing that housed his future bride. An encounter between Olivia and Marissa’s daughters was a problem he hadn’t anticipated. No doubt she would have questions about them. She was proving more troublesome than he’d expected based on their limited interaction before he’d proposed. Christian had warned him there was more to Olivia than a pretty face and polished manners, but she’d done an excellent job keeping her agenda hidden. The question was why.

Gabriel knocked on the door of Olivia’s suite, agitation adding sharpness to the blows. His summons was answered more quickly than he expected by a pretty woman in her early thirties, wearing a classic blue dress and a frown. Her eyes widened as she spied him standing in the hall.

“I’m here looking for two little girls who’ve gone missing from the nursery,” Gabriel said, his tone courteous despite the urge to push past her. “I understand they are here. May I come in?”

“Of course, Your Highness.” She stepped back and gestured him in. “Lady Darcy, Prince Gabriel is here to see you.”

“If you’ll excuse us,” Gabriel said, gesturing her out before entering the dimly lit suite and closing the door behind him.

His gaze swept the room in search of his fiancée. He spied her by the fireplace. She looked serene in a simple cotton dress, her hair in the same updo she’d worn to the gala. So she hadn’t yet gone to bed. This thought made his attention shift to the large bed where he spied a lump beneath the covers.

“Sorry for the late visit,” he told her. “But two children have gone missing.”

“Bethany and Karina.”

She knew their names. What else had she found out?

“What are they doing here?” he asked the question more sharply than he’d intended and saw her eyes narrow.

“They each had a bowl of ice cream and fell asleep.” Her sweet smile had a bit of an edge. “They were terrified of that horrible woman who’d been hired to look after them and refused to sleep in their own beds. So I brought them here.”

“And plied them with ice cream?”

“Their mother just died a few days ago. Strangers tore them from the only home they’d ever known and brought them to this big, scary place. Do you have any idea how traumatic all that was for them?”

“The nursery is not scary.”

“It was for them. And so was that awful woman who was taking care of them.”

“Is that why you had her escorted out of the palace tonight?”

Olivia’s eyes flashed. “I suppose you’re going to tell me it wasn’t my place to fire her, but she reminded me of the villain in every children’s story I’ve ever read.”

Her outrage was charming and Gabriel found his annoyance melting away. “How did you come to meet them?”

“I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d go for a walk. When I got to the stairs I could hear their cries and the nanny’s scolding. They were running down the hall away from that woman and the things she said to them.” Olivia’s lips tightened. “I would like to speak to their father about her. First thing tomorrow morning if at all possible.”

“The situation with them is a little complicated,” Gabriel told her, his gaze once again drawn to the lump in the center of the mattress.

“Then explain it to me.”

This was what Gabriel had been wrestling with all evening. What he was going to tell the world about Marissa’s daughters was a small issue compared to how he would explain things to his parents and the woman he would soon marry.

“Some matters need to be cleared up first.”

Olivia’s hard stare searched his expression for a long silent moment before she spoke. “What sort of matters?”

He couldn’t tell her that the girls were none of her business when she’d already taken their care upon herself. At the same time, he didn’t want to claim the girls before the matter of their heritage was cleared up.

“Perhaps you’re referring to a DNA test.” She laughed at his surprise. “They look like your sister when she was young.”

“They do?”

“Didn’t you notice?”

“They only just arrived. I haven’t seen them yet.”

Heart thumping hard against his ribs, Gabriel moved toward the bed. Since finding out about the twins, he’d been impatient to see them, but abruptly his feet felt encased in concrete. Caught between dread and hope that the girls belonged to him, Gabriel stared down at matching faces, peaceful and so innocent in sleep.

The breath he’d taken lodged in his chest as recognition flared. Marissa hadn’t lied. They were his. He traced each of the children’s delicate cheeks with his finger and his muscles slackened as relief washed over him.

“They’re yours, aren’t they?” Olivia’s voice swelled with emotion, but when he glanced at her, her expression was as serene as if they were discussing the weather. “I had hoped they belonged to Christian.”

“I just learned about them tonight.”

“Their mother never told you?” Olivia sighed. “And now she’s dead.”

“Things ended badly between us.” He couldn’t face Olivia with his emotions this raw, so he kept his gaze on his daughters. “I didn’t know she was ill.” For a moment he was consumed by despair. He pressed his lips into a tight line. Then, feeling her watching him, he settled his features into an impassive mask.

“You loved her.”

He and Olivia had never spoken of love. Their marriage was about politics, not romance. But if she suspected he’d given away his heart to another woman, she might not be so happy.

“We were together a long time ago.”

“Karina and Bethany aren’t even two. It wasn’t that long ago.”

Despite her neutral tone, Gabriel suspected she wasn’t thrilled to have his past thrown so fully in her face. If the truth about the twins got out the press would speculate and create drama and controversy where there was none. Olivia would become the unwitting victim of their desire for ratings.

“This has to remain a secret,” he told her.

“Impossible. The minute you brought them to the palace you risked word getting out.”

“Perhaps, but I’d like to postpone that as long as possible so we can strategize how we’re going to control the damage.”

“If you’re worried about my father’s reaction, don’t be. He’s committed to opening a plant here.”

“And you?”

“They’re two precious little girls. I’ll support whatever decision you make, but I think you should proudly claim them as yours.”

Her eyes were clear of hesitation or deceit. Did she realize this would make her a stepmother to his former lover’s children? Would another woman have been so understanding?

“I can’t figure you out.”

“Your Highness?”

“Gabriel,” he growled, amused rather than annoyed. “I’ll not have you calling me Your Highness in bed.”

The underlying heat in his voice reached her. Her cheeks flared pink.

“Gabriel,” she echoed, her soft voice low and intimate in a way that warmed his blood. “I promise to remember never to refer to you as Your Royal Highness, or Prince Gabriel, while we’re making love.”

For the first time he glimpsed the Olivia beneath the enigmatic, cultured woman he’d decided to marry. Impish humor sparkled in her eyes. Intelligence shone there, as well. Why had she hidden her sharp mind from him? Gabriel considered how little time they they’d spent together and shouldered the blame. If he’d gotten to know her better, he’d have seen the truth much sooner.

“All of a sudden, it occurs to me that I’ve never kissed you.” He took her hand and dusted a kiss over her knuckles.

“You kissed me the day you proposed.”

“In front of a dozen witnesses,” he murmured. He had asked her to marry him in front of her father and close relations. It had been a formality, really, not a true proposal. “And not the way I wanted to.”

“How did you want to?”

She’d never flirted with him before and he discovered he liked the challenge in her gaze. Anticipation lit up the room as he set his finger beneath her chin and tilted her head, bringing her lips to a perfect angle to align with his. He watched her long lashes drift downward.

Her breath caught as he stopped just shy of brushing Olivia’s lips. The disturbed rush of air awakened his senses with fierce urgency. He longed to crush her against him and feast on her soft mouth. Instead, he concentrated on the scent of her, a delicious floral that reminded him of a spring evening when the roses were in full bloom, while he reined his urges back under control.

What was happening to him? Her body’s tension communicated across the short distance between them, the trembling of her muscles, a siren call that demanded he claim her. He was a little startled how compelling that desire was.

Ever since they’d danced, he’d been preoccupied with investigating the chemistry that had sparked between them. He hadn’t expected to find passion in his marriage. But now that the sexual chemistry had flared, he couldn’t wait to explore her every sigh and moan.

From the start she’d intrigued him. Every time they shared the same room, she’d claimed and held his attention. But he’d chosen her because of what her father’s investment could mean for Sherdana rather than for any emotional connection between them. And then tonight she’d revealed that her tranquil exterior camouflaged a quick mind and determined nature.

“This might not be the best place for our first kiss,” he told her, his voice raw and husky. Body aching in protest, Gabriel stepped back.

“I understand.” She glanced toward his sleeping daughters.

But he doubted that she did because he barely understood his own actions.

No woman before or after Marissa had made him feel like losing all control, and it was logical to assume that no one ever would. Earlier he’d thought of Olivia as cool and untouchable. He’d been very wrong.

This abrupt and overwhelming craving to make love to her long into the night until she lay sated in his arms wasn’t part of the plan. He needed a woman who would grace his side in public and warm his bed at night.

The operative word being warm.

Not set it on fire.

“I think they should stay here tonight,” Olivia murmured, her words wresting him back to the other complication in his life. “In the morning, we can get them settled upstairs.” She must have seen a protest building because she shook her head. “They’re staying put. They’ve been through enough for one night. I want to make certain someone familiar is with them when they wake.”

Gabriel’s eyebrows rose at her adamant tone. “And you’re that someone familiar?”

“I fed them ice cream,” Olivia said, her expression lightening. “They’ll be glad to see a friendly face.”

“You certainly have that.” He glanced toward the sleeping girls. “And a very beautiful one, as well.”

Three

Olivia didn’t sleep well on the couch. But she wasn’t sure she’d have slept any better in her bed alone. She kept running through her evening. Rescuing the twins, discovering they were Gabriel’s illegitimate children and finally, the kiss that had almost happened.

Why had he hesitated? Had she imagined the desire in his eyes as they’d danced earlier that night?

Doubts had begun to plague her as soon as Gabriel left. Her experience with men wasn’t extensive. Indulging in lighthearted affairs wasn’t something she’d ever done. Her friends accused her of being overly conscientious about her reputation, but in fact, she hadn’t been attracted to the men in her social circles. She might have worried about her inability to feel physical desire if she hadn’t experienced something magical her first year of university.

She’d attended a masquerade party with one of her friends. The event’s host was one of London’s most notorious bachelors, and it was the last place she should have shown her face. Fortunately, the costumes and masks had enabled her to remain anonymous. The crowd had been racier than she was used to. Drinking and drugs had led to some boisterous behavior and Olivia had made the mistake of getting cornered.

The man had used his size and strength to pin her against the wall and run his hands beneath her skirt. She’d struggled against the hateful press of his moist lips against her throat, but couldn’t free herself. And then it had been over and he’d ended up sprawled on the floor some distance away, the hands he cupped over his bloody nose muffling the obscenities he launched at the tall stranger who’d stepped in.

The hallway was too dark for her to see her rescuer clearly and she was still shaken up by the violence of the encounter, but she managed a grateful smile. “Thank you for helping me.”

“You don’t belong here,” the stranger had told her, his English lightly accented. “It isn’t safe for someone as young as you are.”

Her cheeks had grown hot at his words because he was right and she had felt foolish. “When is it safe for any woman when a man won’t stop when she says no?” She peered through the guests, searching for her friend. “Next time I will carry a stun gun instead of lipstick in my purse.”

He’d smiled. “Please don’t let there be a next time.”

“You’re right. This isn’t my crowd.” She had spotted her friend halfway across the room and decided it was time to leave. “It was nice to meet you,” she had told him. “I wish the circumstances had been different.” Impulsively she rose up on tiptoe and touched her lips to his cheek, before whispering, “My hero.”

Before she moved away, he had cupped her cheek and dropped his lips to hers. The touch electrified her and she swayed into his solid strength. His fingers flexed against her skin, pulling her closer. The kiss had been masterful. Demanding enough to be thrilling, but without the roughness that would make her afraid.

Magic, she remembered thinking, as she’d indulged in a moment of reckless daring.

Olivia released a long slow exhale at the memory. Seven years later it continued to be the most amazing kiss she’d ever had. And she’d never even known his name. Maybe that’s why it dwelled so vividly in her memory.

Lying with her forearm across her eyes, Olivia pushed aside the emotions stirred by that singular event. No good would come from dwelling on a romantic moment. The man who rescued her was probably as vile as the rest of the guests and had merely suffered a momentary crisis of conscience. She was marrying an honest, good man and needed to stay focused on the here and now.

As the room began to lighten, Olivia gave up on sleep and pulled out her laptop. During her research into Gabriel and his family, she’d focused on all things Sherdanian. Now she searched for his past romance and discovered a couple articles that mentioned him and Marissa Somme, a half American, half French model he’d dated for several years.

Olivia scanned the news stories. A few mentioned rumors that Gabriel had been considering abdicating the throne to one of his younger brothers, but ultimately, the affair ended instead.

Awash in concern, Olivia went looking for images of the couple. What she saw wasn’t reassuring. The news outlets had gotten it right. The couple had been very much in love. Olivia stared at Gabriel’s broad grin and Marissa’s blinding smile and guessed if she hadn’t been a commoner and an unsuitable candidate to give birth to the future king of Sherdana, they would have married and lived happily ever after.

Obviously Gabriel had chosen his country over his heart. And Marissa had vanished.

Hearing soft whispers coming from the bed, Olivia rose from the sofa. Sure enough, the twins were awake. They’d pulled the fluffy cream comforter over their heads, encasing themselves in a cozy cocoon.

For a moment, Olivia envied them each other. An only child, she’d always longed for a sister to share secrets with. If her mother had lived, she could have had a second child and Olivia might not have grown up so isolated from other children. Because her world had been filled with adults—nannies and various tutors—she’d never had a best friend her own age to play with. In fact, playing wasn’t something she’d been given much freedom to do.

Multiples obviously ran in the Alessandro family. Did that mean she could expect a set or two of her own to be running around the palace in the years to come?

Olivia tugged on the comforter, pulling it down little by little to reveal the twins. They lay with noses touching, intent on their communication. Their first reaction as the comforter slid away was fear. Olivia saw their hands come together, as they took and received reassurance from each other.

Then, they recognized her and smiled.

“Someone’s been sleeping in my bed,” she teased, her words bringing forth giggles. “And they’re still here.”

Then she growled like a big bad bear and reached down to tickle them. Squeals and laughter erupted from the girls, a vast improvement over last night’s terrified protests.

Olivia sat down on the bed. The prince would be back soon and the girls needed to be prepared to meet him. No doubt he’d informed the king and queen and they would be interested in meeting their grandchildren. It would be an overwhelming day for the girls and Olivia wanted to prepare them.

“Today you are going to meet many new people,” she told them. “I know you might be scared, but you don’t need to be.”

“A party?”

“Sort of.” If that was what it took to keep the twins from being afraid, then so be it.

“A birthday party?”

“No.”

“Mommy said.”

Bethany’s mention of their mother reminded the girls that she was dead. Olivia saw Karina’s lip quiver and rushed to distract them.

“Are you this old?” She held up two fingers and was rewarded with head shakes.

“We’re this old.” Bethany held up one finger.

“But you’re too big to be one. I’ll bet you have a birthday coming up soon.”

“Get pony,” Bethany said with a definitive nod.

Olivia rather doubted that, but clever of her to try to sound convincing. “I’m not sure you’re old enough for a pony.”

Karina spoke for the first time. “Puppy.”

That seemed more doable.

“Pony,” Bethany repeated. “Mommy said.”

“There might be a pony in the stables,” Olivia said, aware she was already caving to their demands. She hadn’t pictured herself the sort of mother to give in to her child’s every whim.

Bethany nodded in satisfaction. “Let’s go.”

“No.” Karina shook her head. “Puppy.”

“Oh, no. It’s too early to go to the stables. We have to get dressed and have breakfast. Then we have to get you settled in your own room.”

“No.” Karina’s large green eyes brimmed with anxiety.

Immediately Olivia realized what was wrong. “It’s okay,” she assured them. “The mean lady is gone. You will have really nice people taking care of you.”

“Stay here.” Bethany had an imperious tone well suited to a princess.

“I’m afraid you can’t do that.”