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Nerves rolled around in her stomach, but Madeline had known as soon as the issues had been brought up by Albert Gustaff, seconded by George Monaco, and approved by Prime Minister Carrera, that she had to be appointed. The other quick to volunteer members had former associations with the infamous Rindlesbachers and were not fans of King Nolan and his family. Thankfully, she had more loyal friends within parliament and had won the vote.
She had vowed to herself and to parliament and the prime minister that she would be thorough in her investigations and observations and fair with the royal family, particularly King Nolan, and the kingdom she’d pledged her allegiance to. It was a very sticky situation, and everyone had agreed the investigation needed to be done quietly. Thankfully, as it was a closed meeting, it had been sealed and the media should never find out.
She personally did not believe the allegations of misuse of funds, some whispering of embezzling, but worst of all, the association, protection, funding by, and a possible scandalous relationship with Naomi Rindlesbacher. Naomi was a beautiful and conniving lady who had convinced, tricked, or paid a lot of men to be her pawns, but there was no world where King Nolan would associate with that vile manipulator.
Ninety percent of parliament was in agreement with Madeline, but there had been too much controversy, danger, and infiltration, reaching even the former prime minister and the deceased Lieutenant General. Parliament was taking no chances. How long would this investigation take? The bonus—many hours spent with the most enticing man she’d ever known.
“Sir, the members of parliament and Prime Minister Carrera have sent me to work personally with you …” Her voice trailed off as his gaze became almost smoky. Her stomach lifted, not from nerves but from anticipation of sticking close to this man’s side for the foreseeable future.
“Personally?” King Nolan repeated. The way he said that word sounded as if she’d asked him to cuddle up, talk for hours, and get to know each other better.
No. She was projecting her hidden desires, which would definitely stay hidden, onto him.
“Yes, sir.” She made her voice stiff and unyielding. “Until the issues and allegations have been resolved to parliament’s satisfaction via my reports.”
“What issues and allegations?” Tristan demanded, obviously confused at her formal tone and bothered by those words directed at his father. As anybody would be.
Madeline prayed they could all make it through this without her offending either of these important men. She pulled a paper out of her large bag and laid it on the desk. The king didn’t look at it, his eyes fastened on hers.
“The misuse of the people of Augustine’s funds by the royal family. King Nolan in particular.” She started there. She didn’t know that she could spit the rest out. No way was King Nolan in cahoots with that evil temptress, Naomi Rindlesbacher.
The office was silent. King Nolan held her gaze. His blue eyes filled with challenge and injury. She could almost see the question in his eyes. Did she believe these allegations?
How to assure him that she believed he was an honest man and a loyal king while maintaining her purpose here? She had to resolve the issue to the members of parliament and Prime Minister Carrera’s satisfaction without making a mistake and revealing she was enthralled with the king. If she didn’t close this issue, they’d send someone else. The slick-tongued George Monaco had made certain she knew that. After he had asked her to dinner for the hundredth time. The man seemed to relish her constant rejections.
If the king thought ‘misuse of funds’ was damaging, how would he feel when he read that paper, or she had to reveal the rest? She could only pray he wouldn’t escort her straight out of his office and the castle. She’d have to convince him she had his best interests in mind and was protecting him from a much harsher and more devious emissary. She’d have to convince herself she had no personal interest or attraction to the king, or she might mess up the entire mission.
Staring into his blue eyes, she feared the last part of her mission would challenge all of her long-standing self-control around handsome and powerful men. Was there a more handsome or powerful man in the world than the king of Augustine? Not that she was aware of.
She’d never so much as glimpsed this man’s equal.
ChapterTwo
King Nolan Auguststared at the breathtaking woman seated across from him. She had the kind of mesmerizing beauty silly boys wrote songs about. Being loyal to his wife, he’d never dwelt on Madeline Prescott’s attractiveness, poise, and resilience throughout their years of association.
Until last Christmas.
Asking her to dance at Tristan and Jennifer’s wedding had been a mistake. He had experienced a connection, warmth, and desire with Madeline he’d never thought he’d feel again in this life. Truthfully, he didn’t know that he’d ever felt tingles or desire like that, even with Anne. He and his wife had been friends for so long that tingles had never been part of their many years of love and devotion.
Yet Madeline was a surprise and a mystery to him. The yearning to be close to her slapped him in the face every time he saw her, and especially if he got the chance to touch her hand or stare into her emerald green eyes.
Madeline was an expert at maintaining a professional distance while teasing him and making him smile at the same time.
When his close friend Henry Shule or his sons or daughters-in-law gently encouraged him to think about dating again, he could only see Madeline. He had no idea how to approach such a sought-after and accomplished parliament member about dating, and honestly felt a little betrayal to Anne with the strong feelings for Madeline and concern how Kiera would respond to him dating. His daughter had already lost her mum, he couldn’t disturb her world again. It was simpler to claim he wasn’t interested.
He’d approved of the rumor of the king ‘refusing to move on from his beloved wife’ to discourage the far too many interested women. It had sort of worked. The fact that he rarely left the castle and spent most of his time in Zoom meetings or with his family helped as well.
When Anne had been murdered, Ray had basically put the family on lockdown. Even now, eighteen months after Anne’s death and with William and Treven Rindlesbachers dead, they’d fallen into a pattern of reclusiveness that they hadn’t altered much.
Naomi was still hiding out there. Somewhere. The woman had no end to her schemes, and her thirst for revenge would be even stronger with her husband, son, and illicit lover killed. She’d be recruiting help and coming up with some plan to strike. It was safer and easier to stay home.
Now the only woman he was interested in, Madeline, was bringing allegations of ‘misuse of funds’ on him and his family. ‘King Nolan in particular.’ Had she really said that? How dare parliament even intone such a thing?
Nolan strived to be a fair and benevolent king, and he was completely dedicated to his country and his family.
Any illusions that Madeline might return the feelings he repressed every time he saw, or even thought of her, were dampened in the face of reality. Her emerald eyes that always captivated him were currently searching his. Did she think he’d stolen from his country? Did she believe he would lie to her about it or try to hide something from their countrymen, her, parliament, or the prime minister?
“No wonder Prime Minister Carrera declined our invitation to have lunch and work at the castle today,” Tristan said, breaking the silence. He dragged the official document Madeline had placed on the desk in front of him and looked it over.
