Page 18 of Falling for the King

Her grip tightened on the crystal stem.

‘To Serena?’ she ridiculously clarified, who else would it be?

‘No. Yes. I don’t know.’

What?

‘I’m not exactly sure what you mean.’ It was a miracle her voice remained so steady.

He cleared his throat. ‘I need to remarry; I’ve started the vetting process.’

She leant forward certain she’d misheard him. ‘Vetting process?’

‘Yes.’

‘What exactly is that and how does it work?’

‘Frederick drew up a list of ten women who all fit the criteria I have for a wife and tonight I started meeting them.’

She gave herself time to process his words. ‘So Serena is the top of the list?’

‘Correct.’

‘Does she know she’s on a list?’

His chair creaked as he shifted.

‘It’s not a conversation I’ve had with her but it won’t be a secret. I need a wife who meets certain specifications.’

‘That’s so … so clinical.’

‘It’s best to keep emotion out of this.’

‘Emotion out of it?’ Her voice reached an incredulous pitch. ‘You’re choosing a wife, not a horse.’

‘Setting out expectations, having clear mutual goals, that’s what matters. That’s what makes a marriage successful, not a whole range of theatrics,’ he said in a toneless manner.

‘I’m hardly an expert on marriage but that isn’t right. People have feelings, desires. None of us are machines.’ She peered through the flickering firelight to where he sat, legs apart, his tension evident as he looked over at her.

‘Love or more precisely lust, it all passes,’ he said dismissively.

‘Not always.’ Why was she being stubborn? Certainly, she’d thought herself in love when she’d married Max and she’d been wrong. Infatuation was a poor imitation that hadn’t stood a chance once his real intentions became known. None of which meant she didn’t believe in love; it just wasn’t for her. And for the king, was it because his wife had died and he didn’t want to risk his heart again?

‘We’re getting waylaid. I asked you here to get your opinion on Serena.’

‘Wouldn’t you have been better to have invited her and got to know her better? Isn’t that what this set up is for?’ She waved her hand around the room sickened at the thought of Serena sitting here in this seat and sharing intimacies with him in this dimly lit room.

His chair creaked once more.

‘I … You haven’t answered my question.’

‘I think you deserve someone who loves you. Truly loves you.’

He erupted out of the chair to stand in front of the fire. His back to her, one hand braced the mantelpiece the other rubbed the back of his neck.

‘That’s the absolute last thing I want.’

‘Because of Monica?’