AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No.”
That was a small relief. Lila would have flayed any of them who would dare to say such a thing to Princess Amelia. Yes, she was unpredictable and said things that other people were certainly thinking. But she was also charming and lively and really very beautiful, and more importantly, she meant well. Lila had a soft spot for her. When she’d first met her in London two years ago, she’d thought then that the princess had everything a man could possibly want, but needed some time learning how to live in a world that was not full of privilege. To experience what others endured to find love.
“I’m glad to hear it. Speaking of the gentlemen you met...did you find any to your liking?”
“Not a one,” the princess said flatly.
Well, that was disappointing news. Lila thought she’d assembled some of the best candidates on her list. But this young woman was a hard one to match, and Lila was not daunted. Yet. “I am astounded!” she said gaily. “I was certain at least one or two would stand out. Surely one or two did? You danced and danced, and I thought you were quite taken with Monsieur Archembeau.”
The princess arched a brow at Lila. “Archembeau’s uncle is my mother’s cousin. We are practically brother and sister.”
“Fortunately for us all, that’s not how familial relations work. But do tell me what you found lacking in the monsieur?”
“Nothing! I found nothing lacking in any of the men you introduced me to. Every last one of them was perfectly polite and eager to charm, as I said.”
What the devil was annoying her so? “What about Mr. Cassidy? His family is well known across Europe.”
The princess rolled her eyes.
Lila suppressed a sigh. “Lord Frampton?”
“Who?”
“Ma’am—surelysomeonestood out to you. I don’t mean to suggest that you found the man you wish to marry, but I would think that you would have found things to admire, someone to have piqued at least a bit of interest. The more you can tell me, the more I can narrow the list to introduce you to someone who meets your desires.”
She snorted. “The only one who stood out to me was the Duke of Marley, and not for the reasons you would like. Please explain to mewhy you insist on inviting someone like him to the ball or any other social event. That man left me standing on the edge of the dance floor. And that was after he attempted to decline to dance. He has made it very plain he is not a suitor. He’s gloomy.”
Was this a spark of interest? No one had stirred that sort of emotion in Princess Amelia at all. That her response was not flattering to Marley was neither here nor there—what mattered was that her feelings were strong. “Well, he’s experienced—”
“A tragedy, I know, I know. He has no wish to be here, so I don’t see why he was invited at all. Don’t invite him again. Please.”
“Oh, I won’t,” Lila said. “But I didn’t invite him.”
The princess frowned and glanced at Lila from the corner of her eye. “Can’t you ask Beck not to invite him, then?”
“Of course!” she said brightly. She wouldn’t—she’d be a fool to ask that, to ban the only man the princess had spoken of since arriving in England. “I will certainlytry.But...they are neighbors.”
“I don’t care. I don’t want to see him.”
“But... Beck might.” In fact, Lila thought the perfect thing to do in this situation was to suggest a supper party with Marley prominently on the invitation list. Beck would be delighted. There was nothing he enjoyed more than a good meal with good wine and good company. Marley wasn’t particularly good company, but that wouldn’t deter Beck. “Is thereanyoneyou would like to see again?”
The princess sighed so wearily, one could imagine she’d been dragging a plow around a muddy field. “I don’t know, Lila. They all seem the same. I don’t mean to be troublesome—I truly don’t. One seems as good as the next, but quite honestly, I’m disappointed. I had hoped someone would leap out at me and capture my wildest imagination.”
Lila didn’t know if anyone would ever capture the princess like she desired, but she hoped she would at least find someone who would, over time, capture her. “It’s all right. I have so many in my book—”
“There must be something wrong with me. The only men who have ever appealed to me are all wrong. All I want is someone who excites me, but perhaps more important,esteemsme, Lila.Me.Not my position in a royal family, but me. Unfortunately, I am off-putting and cocksure.”
Lila wished she knew who had said such a horrible thing to Princess Amelia. She smiled sympathetically. “You are not off-putting or cocksure. I think that people expect you to be one way, and you’re another, and they aren’t sure what to make of it. You’re a princess, and they have ideas about what that is. But they long to meet you, and to be you, and to see their ideals in you. They may not recognize that you are your own person and you can’t possibly please them all.”
The princess folded her arms and gazed across the lawn.
Lila understood her disappointment. Princess Amelia was no different than any other young woman—she wanted someone to love her and hold her in high esteem. She wanted someone who would accept her as she was. The princess despaired of finding that man, but Lila had no doubt there were scores of gentlemen who could love her. The real problem here was not the lack of suitable men—it was that the princess desired someone complicated and exciting. Or, as she put it—the wrong person.
But Lila knew very well that sometimes the wrong person was actually the right person. And as much as the princess couldn’t see it, someone had stood out to her at the ball. Just not in the way she’d expected.
The more she thought of it, the more a match between Joshua and the princess would be lovely for both of them. She could hardly wait to speak to Beck about a supper party.
To a Resident of Devonshire, Concerned,
