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William laughed. “I will have an opinion. It’s human nature to have an opinion. But you mistake me for someone who cares who you shackle yourself to for all eternity. I will have an opinion, and I will escort you about London so you are properly tended, but I hardly care who the lucky fellow is.”
“Then kindly don’t give me your opinion unless I specifically ask for it.”
He held up both hands. “Fair. Are we agreed?”
“No. When you are not escorting me in an official capacity, you are to keep to yourself. I am none of your business.”
This was beginning to sound a bit like a dressing down. “I’ll no’ agree to that,” he said, holding up a finger. “You must admit you are aweebit of my business, as I have agreed with your prime minister, who has the consent of your mother the queen as I understand it, to escort you about. And if you donna mind me saying, I’ve heard you are your own worst enemy. And lastly, but certainly no’ the least of it, I am good company.”
“I’m sure you believe that is true,” she said smartly. “And I amnotmy own worst enemy. I am my own best counsel! Why is it that men can never see that the villains are always the men? Why do gentlemen always believe that they have some divine understanding of a woman that is better than a woman’s own understanding? And by the bye, you are to address me as Your Royal Highness.”
“Huh.” He sat a little straighter. “You do excel at keeping the mincing of words to a minimum, and for that, I must commend you. In answer to your...complaint, gentlemen generally know better than ladies because ladies are emotional and gentlemen are practical.”
She snorted. “A ridiculous lie men tell themselves.”
“And I will address you as you prefer when we are in public, but I donna intend to scrape my knuckles on your floor every time I cast my eyes on you,Your Royal Highness.”
A corner of her mouth tipped up. “That seems a rather emotional response, no?”
He suppressed his strange desire to smile. “What will you have me call you in private?” he stubbornly insisted.
“Highness.” She lifted her chin ever so slightly.
“Aye, you’ve already tried to decree it. But as you are not my sovereign I have declined the offer. We are old friends, so I shall call you Justine and you may call me William.”
She gave a small laugh of incredulity. “We are not old friends. We are not evenfriends.”
“We are indeed friends, even if you have forgotten our earlier acquaintance.” He stood up, and the footmen began to cartwheel around him in their haste to pull his chair away and carry off his napkin, held on a tray, like it was soaked in blood. William bowed to Justine. “A fellow Scot, the Duke of Sutherland, is opening his picture gallery for viewing to a small group of acquaintances at Stafford House. I should like to extend an invitation to you and Princess Amelia to attend as my guests.”
Justine stood up, too. “You may give the details to the master of my chamber. He will send word if we accept the invitation.”
His eyes narrowed. “I think you might accept for yourself as I am, at this very moment, presenting you with the invitation. That is, if you are so inclined.”
Her eyes narrowed, too. “I think it beyond your simple comprehension that a princess of my standing might have a calendar that is a bit complicated.”
He took a small step forward, closing the gap between them. “Complicated? Or persnickety?”
She lifted her chin and shifted closer to him, too. “I don’t know what that means.”
He glared down at her. “It means that I believe you intend to make this situation,” he said, wagging his forefinger back and forth between them, “as difficult as possible.”
She shifted even closer and smiled devilishly. “I will make our situation whatever I want to make it, for I am aroyal princess.”
William shifted so close that his legs were engulfed in her skirts and she had to tilt her head back to glare up at him. “A piece of friendly advice,Justine, aye? Perhaps you need no’ mention you are a royal princess at every conceivable opportunity.”
“Oh!Thankyou for advice I specifically asked you not to offer me! Now, here is a piece of advice for you,William. Perhaps you ought to remember that Iama royal princess, and not a debutante to be blinded by your charms. I suggest you not even try. Shall I have a footman fetch your hat?”
Her eyes were glittering with something that looked a bit like mirth and ire. Mirthful ire. Was there such a thing? Worse, William knew that by some sorcery, she knew that his hat had been trampled by sheep. “I will speak to Bardaline on my way out.” He stepped back and bowed very low. “YourRoyal Highness.”
She put her hands on her waist. “My Lord Douglas.”
William strode out.
He marched through the corridor to the front door. He’d known there would be issues between them, and that she would resist...but he hadn’t expected to be so bloody attracted to her resistance.
And now he was stuck. He was stuck with a very attractive, glittery-eyedprincesswho was going to be a queen and meant to remind him of it every moment she was in his company.
“Ewan!” he croaked as he strode out the door.
