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She broke the silence first. “We’d best be heading back to the dining room as well. You don’t want the princess wondering where you went.”
“Yes, we should,” he replied in a voice as far away as the rest of him. Then he coughed. The action seemed to shake him back to life, because when he looked at her, his eyes were sharper. Apologetic. “We should talk later.”
“There isn’t that much to talk about,” she replied. Whatever they’d been about to discover was a missed opportunity.
* * *
They were met at the dining room entrance by both King Carlos and King Omar. While Armando’s father wore a concerned frown, the sultan looked ready to burst with excitement. “There you are, my friend! I wondered where you had gone to for so long.”
“I was feeling under the weather,” Armando replied, “and went out for some fresh air.”
“With your assistant?” King Carlos asked.
“I asked Rosa if she would get me something for my stomach. Vittorio told me Mona has arrived.”
“Yes!” replied Omar. “The weather finally cleared, and our pilot was able to get clearance. She is freshening up after her flight and will be back momentarily. You do look pale,” the sultan noted, cocking his head. “I hope it is nothing serious. This arrangement has been plagued enough by illness. Ah, here is my daughter now.”
It was like a scene in a movie. At the sound of King Omar’s pronouncement, all heads turned to the far end of the room to see Princess Mona walk in.
Not walk, float. She moved like she was moving on air with the amethyst color of her gossamer gown trailing behind her. “My deepest apologies, King Carlos,” she said after executing a perfect curtsy, “for arriving so late. I hope I am not disrupting your daughter’s special evening.”
“You can blame me,” Omar said. “Mona was going to go to a hotel, but I insisted she make an appearance. She and your son were long overdue to spend time together.”
“You are most right, Omar,” King Carlos replied before kissing Mona’s fingers. “Your presence is welcome no matter how late. I’ve already instructed the staff to add a setting next to Armando.”
“You’re too kind, Your Highness.” She cast her eyes down in appropriate demureness, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
For a woman who wasn’t planning to attend, she looked breathtaking. Her dark hair was pulled back tight to give accent to her almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones. And her skin...her complexion looked like someone had airbrushed her.
The woman turned her curtsy to Armando. “Prince Armando, I’m so pleased to see you again.”
Armando nodded. “I’m glad to see you are fully recovered. You...” He cleared his throat. “You look as lovely as I remember.”
“I’m a fright from rushing to get here, but thank you for the compliment. I’m looking forward to our getting to know each other better over this next week.”
“The same here.” He coughed again. “Sorry. I think might need a glass of water.”
“As good a cue as any to take our seats before your sister notices we are gone,” King Carlos said. “Although I would say the odds are in our favor.”
“They do appear very much enamored with one another,” Omar noted.
“Indeed,” said the king. “If we were to all go to bed right now, I am not sure they would care. In fact, we may have to tell them when dinner has ended.”
Speaking of not being noticed... Rosa lagged behind as the royal quartet walked away. There was a brief moment when Armando looked back, but she purposely didn’t catch his eye. Looking at him would only cause her to replay their conversation in the archway, and she felt cold and alone enough as it was.
“Hey, beautiful, I’d wondered where you’d gone. They’re just about to serve the main course. Or so the forks tell me.” Leaping to his feet, Darius pushed in her chair. “Everything okay with the boss man?”
She looked across the table to where Armando was introducing the princess to the rest of the guests. They made a good-looking couple, the two of them. They would make good-looking heirs as well.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” she asked.
“The two of you were gone for a while. I was afraid something might have happened. Some kind of royal attack or something. We’re not under attack, are we?” he whispered teasingly.
Rosa forced a smile. It wasn’t Darius’s fault she’d left her affinity for flirting back in the archway. “No attack. Yet,” she replied. “His Highness had a problem he was trying to work out.”
