Magnus fixed her with his gaze. “No. Christian hasn’t mentioned anything. Please do not seek to paint me as the villain of this story. Right at the outset, the three of us made an agreement regarding your fake engagement. We all knew it would eventually have to end.”
“So, what is now going to happen?”
He moved away from the door, coming to sit beside her, a soft, hopeful look on his face. “I know this is difficult. The last thing I want is for you to be hurt. That was one of the reasons why I was hesitant about this ruse in the first place. I could see the pitfalls, but Christian pressed the need for him to have a companion in order to gain entry to the Carlton House set. In the end, I had to trust that you would keep your thoughts focused on your eventual return to Sweden.”
Her father, Prince Stefan and of course Prince Gustav were convinced that her marriage to Gustav was a fete accompli. Even Christian seemed resigned to it. Everyone expected it happen—everyone, except Erika.
Christian, where are you?
If he was here right now and could hear what her father was saying, things might be different. Christian may finally come to see sense and understand that he was her destiny, not Gustav.
But he isn’t. He is somewhere else in London. And who knows who he is with.
That painful thought tore at her heart—plunged a knife deep into her soul.
Perhaps she was being too harsh in her assessment of her father’s behavior. He may well have had it right all along. He certainly seemed to have a clear picture of things and was reconciled to her future being with Gustav.
It was time for her to accept that her brief sojourn in the sun with Christian was over. “I shall return the betrothal ring to Christian as soon as I see him. In the meantime, what else would you have me do?”
Magnus patted her hand softly. “Good girl. What I need you to do is to start packing. The Northern Lion sails for Stockholm at the end of next week. I intend that you shall be the one to bear the glad tidings of the trade agreement to our king.”
Next week. She would be leaving England in a matter of days.
“But what about you? Won’t you be coming with me?” she replied.
She got another series of soft taps on the back of her hand as her father momentarily turned his head away. “No. Eventually I will return home, but there is much to do here to ensure the trade agreement is a success. Christian will also need further grooming for his future role of official envoy. I don’t expect to be back in Stockholm until after my first grandchild is born. At that time, I expect the king will find me a suitable senior post on his private council in appreciation for all that I have done for Sweden.”
He was abandoning her. Leaving his only child alone to her fate—one that would serve his purposes.
“Am I still to marry Gustav, even after I have been betrothed to his brother?”
She had pinned her hopes on the betrothal putting paid to that idea, assuming that Gustav would no longer want her.
“Yes, we all have our duty. Prince Gustav’s is to take you as his wife after a suitable period has elapsed following your return from England. My letters to King Charles and Prince Stefan will go with you in the diplomatic bag.”
All the hard work she had put into helping make Christian a success, the weeks of maintaining the fantasy of their romance, was now revealed for what it truly was—a small precursor to the biggest sacrifice of all. She would marry Prince Gustav and smooth her father’s way to influence and power.
Erika withdrew her hand and got to her feet. “Excuse me, Pappa. I need to be alone.”
He gave her a gentle smile, appearing to stir from his musings of greatness. “Yes of course. You have done your duty here in England, now it is time to go home and take up the role that has been assigned to you. That of Prince Gustav’s wife.”
Erika left the room, her heart heavy with loss. In a little over a week she would be on board the ship to Sweden, leaving behind both her father and Christian. There would be many preparations to make for her journey home.
She headed for the library and the large box of unopened correspondence which lay within. Two years of Gustav’s voluminous letters would have to be finally opened, read, and their overbearing lectures memorized.
Erika was going home to Sweden.
OceanofPDF.com
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Thank god this is only wine.
As the hours of drunken discourse continued, all Christian could think was that he was grateful to have been brought up on vodka. While the rest of the dinner party guests got deeper into their cups on red wine, he remained mostly sober. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to his Viking forebears and their ability to imbibe and not fall face forward into their cream of leek soup.
By the time the sixth course had been served, several guests had fallen asleep at the table, while three had already called it a night and gone home. Slowly but surely the number of people seated at Sir Vincent and Lady Lynch’s oversized mahogany table dwindled.
He glanced up from his salmon mousse as a footman entered the room and came to Sir Vincent’s side. He bent and spoke softly into his employer’s ear. There was some nodding and a “yes,” at the end of which the cabinet minister rose from his chair. Christian caught the brief eye lock between husband and wife as Sir Vincent made his polite excuses and left the room.
