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A rush of warmth filled Petrus, and he squeezed Charlotte’s hand, which he still held, tighter. “I love you, Charlotte,” he said, pouring more feeling into the words than he intended to. “I love you, and you give me strength. I know we can work our way through this maze.” He slapped his free hand against his thigh and stood, taking her with him. “I will look for solutions in every corner and behind every Christmas decoration.”
“That’s the spirit,” Charlotte said, beaming at him.
“You are right,” he went on, feeling taller and stronger for her support. “There must be a solution to this problem. I can convince my uncle that the two of us are meant to be together and that all of Aegiria will be better for it.”
“And I will help you in any way I can, my dearest,” Charlotte said.
Petrus couldn’t help himself. Charlotte was so wonderful and such a burst of sunlight that he swept her into his arms and kissed her again. Their bodies melded together as he held her and explored her mouth. It occurred to him that letting someone find them together like that could be a solution to everything, but he still had Charlotte’s reputation to think about. Uncle Milas was just as likely to disapprove of Charlotte for allowing herself to be kissed out of wedlock, especially since Petrus was intended for someone else, as he was to decide he liked her.
“We must go about our business as usual,” Petrus said, breathless as he ended their kiss. “A solution will present itself. We simply need to be looking out for it.”
“Agreed,” Charlotte said. “All will be well, I promise you.”
Petrus loved her, but he wasn’t certain that was a promise she could make.
ChapterFive
Christmas was only a few days away, and even though Charlotte did everything she could to endear herself to King Milas and Petrus’s entire, extended family, she wasn’t certain she was quite hitting the mark. Everyone treated her with absolute politeness, and she knew that they liked her well enough, but every time she might have had a chance to be seen at Petrus’s side in a public situation, something or another, most frequently Crown Prince Oskar, kept them apart or pulled Petrus away.
Lady Jenny seemed to sense that her chances of winning Petrus and staying in Aegiria were slipping more and more as well. The poor woman was so quiet and so withdrawn, no matter what Charlotte tried to make her feel valued and included.
“This salmon dish is exquisite, and so unique,” Charlotte commented to Lady Jenny across the table at supper, three days before Christmas. “And it is so pink. Do you enjoy the bright color, Lady Jenny?”
Lady Jenny seemed surprised that Charlotte was speaking to her at all. She seemed to have listed slightly at the table, where she was seated between Petrus and Prince Oskar again, dropping slightly toward Oskar’s side. She straightened quickly, blinked rapidly, and said, “Yes.” She then shook her head and drew her hand up from under the table to take her fork. “I believe the salmon is smoked rather than cooked, which is what gives it the pink color.”
Charlotte smiled—it was encouraging that Lady Jenny had spoken to her at all—but sent Petrus a peek to see if there was anything that could be done.
“New potatoes with dill compliment the dish especially well,” he said, then added, “Do you not think so, Lady Jenny?”
But Lady Jenny had drifted into her thoughts once more, and looked miserable because of it.
Which didn’t make the slightest bit of sense to Charlotte, since Petrus had been the one to speak to her. It wasn’t that Charlotte wanted Petrus to fawn over Lady Jenny or to turn her head, but if the two of them could at least become friends, then perhaps they could all get to the bottom of the situation.
“I hear we are to play another game this evening after supper,” Charlotte tried again, only barely catching Lady Jenny’s eyes to let her know it was she Charlotte was addressing. “Something called Huckle Buckle Beanstalk?”
“I am unfamiliar with the game,” Lady Jenny said, then went back to her supper without looking at anyone.
Charlotte sent Petrus another look, along with a slight shrug, then continued to eat herself. She simply did not know what was wrong, and it was aggravating.
She wasn’t the only one who noticed things were amiss.
“What is the matter with Lady Jenny?” Priya asked as the two of them took a small detour to the ladies’ retiring room before joining the rest of the family in the library after supper. “She has been so sallow and withdrawn since we’ve arrived.”
Charlotte finished washing her hands in the basin on one side of the room, biting her lip as she did. It wasn’t her place to share Lady Jenny’s troubles, but Priya was like a sister to her, and she needed advice.
“There is a great deal more intrigue at the palace than any of us could have imagined,” she said, turning to face Priya. “It turns out that Lady Jenny was brought here from Sweden specifically so that Petrus might marry her.”
“Oh, dear.” Priya pressed a hand to her chest. “Does that mean your beloved is already betrothed?”
Charlotte shook her head. “He is not. There is no understanding between them but that of family expectation.”
“The family expects Petrus to marry Lady Jenny?” Priya blinked.
“King Milas would very much like him to, yes,” Charlotte said. She frowned. “At least, that is what Petrus thinks.” After the conversation between King Milas and Crown Prince Oskar she and Petrus had overheard the other day, she wasn’t so certain. The king wanted Oskar to marry, that was true, but Lady Jenny’s name was never brought up.
Priya thought for a moment, then focused her gaze on Charlotte. “You do not seem as upset as I would imagine.”
“Because Petrus has made it quite clear that he loves me and wishes to marry me,” Charlotte said, glad to announce that much to her dearest friend. She smiled as she did, but that smile dropped a bit too quickly. “Petrus feels torn between his obligation to his family—who have been so generous as to count him as one of their own, considering his manner of conception—and his love for me. We are attempting to seek a solution that will satisfy everyone.”
