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He shook his head as he kissed the fingers that Trev was trying to stick into his mouth. “We’re invited to their private apartment at six. We’ll visit, you’ll get to know them a little. Then we’ll have an early meal. There will be no ceremony, no protocol to observe. Just the family. Just us. Together.”
“Perfect,” she said.
“I knew you would think so.” He asked Trev, “How about you, young man? Ready to meet your new grandpa and grandma?”
Trev beamed. “Yes!”
The sovereign’s apartments were larger than Rule’s, but even the private foyer had a welcoming quality about it. She got the sense that real people lived there. The floor was marble, inlaid with ebony and jade, and the chandelier was a fabulous creation of ironwork and crystal. But the hall table had a bowl filled with shells on it and a family photo taken outside, beneath the wide-spreading branches of a gnarled oak tree. Sydney barely had time to pick out a much-younger Rule from the nine children arrayed at the feet of the two handsome dark-haired parents, before the thin, severe-looking woman who had opened the door to them was leading them on, down a hallway lined with oil portraits of princely relatives, the men wearing uniforms loaded down with ribbons and medals and the women resplendent in fancy ball gowns and glittering tiaras.
Rule had hold of Sydney’s hand. He carried Trev high against his chest on his other arm. As they approached the end of the hall, he squeezed her fingers. She sent him a smile and squeezed back, all too aware of the fluttery, anxious sensation in her stomach.
The hallway ended at a sitting room. The tall woman nodded and left them. The same dark-haired man and woman as in the picture in the foyer rose from a matched pair of gold-trimmed velvet chairs to greet them.
“At last,” said the woman, who was tall, full-figured and quite beautiful. She seemed ageless to Sydney. She could have been anywhere from forty to sixty. She had the eyes of an Egyptian goddess and a wide, radiantly smiling mouth. “Come. Come to me.” She held out slender arms.
Sydney might have stood there, gaping in admiration at Rule’s mom forever. Luckily, he still had her hand. He started forward and she went with him.
Then, all at once, they were there.
Rule said, “Mother. Father. This is Sydney, my wife.”
And then Rule’s mom was reaching for her, gathering her into those slender arms. “Sydney,” she said, with such warmth and fondness. “I’m so pleased you’re here with us.”
“Uh. Hello.” Smooth, Sydney. Very smooth. Really, she should have insisted that Rule at least tell her what to call this amazing creature. Your Highness? Your Sovereign Highness? Your Total Magnificence? What?
And then Rule’s mom took her by the shoulders. She gave her a conspirator’s grin. “You shall call me Adrienne, of course—except during certain state functions, before which, I promise you will be thoroughly briefed.”
“Adrienne,” Sydney breathed in relief. “Rule speaks of you often, and with deep affection.”
Those Egyptian eyes gleamed. “I am so pleased he has found what he was seeking—and just in time, too.”
And then Rule was saying, “And this is Trevor.”
Rule’s mom turned to bestow that glowing smile on Trev. “Yes. Trevor, I …” HSH Adrienne’s sentence died unfinished. She blinked and shot a speaking glance at Prince Evan. It only lasted a split second, and then she recovered and continued, “Lovely to meet you.” Trevor, suddenly shy, buried his head against Rule’s neck. Adrienne laughed. She had an alto laugh, a little husky, and compelling. “How are you, Trevor?”
“I fine,” Trevor muttered, his head still pressed tight to Rule.
Rule rubbed his back. “Say, ‘Hello, Grandmother. So nice to meet you.’“
It was a lot of words for a suddenly shy little boy. But he said them, “‘Lo, Gamma. Nice to meet you,” with his face still smashed into Rule’s neck.
“And it’s a delight to meet you, as well.” Adrienne loosed that husky musical laugh again.
And then Trevor’s dad was taking Sydney’s hand. “A Texas girl,” he said in a voice as smooth and rich and deep as his son’s. “Always a good choice.”
Sydney thanked him and thought that he was almost as good-looking as his wife. No wonder Rule was drop-dead gorgeous. How could he be otherwise with a mom and dad like these two?
They all sat down. The severe-looking woman reappeared and offered cocktails. They sipped their drinks and Evan wanted to know about her parents. So she told them that she had lost them very young and been raised by her grandmother. They were sympathetic and admiring, of her Grandma Ellen and of the successes Sydney had achieved in her life. They knew she was an attorney and asked about her work. She explained a little about her experiences at Teale, Gayle and Prosser.
The talk shifted to Rule and the progress on his various projects. It was a bit formal, Sydney thought. But in a nice, getting-to-know-you sort of way.
She was so proud of Trev. He sat quietly on Rule’s lap for a while, watching th
e adults, big dark eyes tracking from one face to another. Both Adrienne and Evan seemed taken with him. They kept sending him warm looks and smiles.
Slowly, Trev was drawn in. After twenty minutes or so, during a slight lull in the conversation, he held out his arms to Adrienne. “Gamma. Hug, please.”
Adrienne reached for him and Rule passed him over. She wore a gorgeous designer jacket and a silk dress underneath. Sydney worried a little that Trev would drool on Her Highness’s lovely outfit.
