AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER TWO
ITTOOKARROSAseveral moments to realise where she was the next morning. So many nights she’d dreamt she was back in the Cornish cottage, it was almost a shock to find herself there in actuality and not just in her imagination. The cosy bedroom was exactly the same as it had been the last time she had slept here. It never failed to touch her that Simone and Clem had kept a room just for her. The imposing château in which she had been raised had never felt like home the way the cottage did, and even though at twenty-one she’d moved out to a villa in the estate grounds, when she thought of home she thought of here.
The walls were the same sea green she’d picked at fifteen, the curtains and bedspread the ones she’d chosen at the same time. The dressing table still held some out-of-date cosmetics and the hairbrush she’d left here eight years ago and the small built-in wardrobe was filled with her clothes, most of which still fitted despite being bought for a teen. She’d rifled through it nostalgically the night before, searching for pyjamas. Some of the clothes were a little out of date and some not suitable for a woman in her mid-twenties, but nobody would be photographing her here; there was no need to be the fashionable designer Princess who graced countless magazine covers. Here she could just be Rosy in a pair of shorts and bikini top. Besides, there was always Clem’s room to raid if she needed anything more.
It wasn’t just her room that had been preserved in time. Clem had left home at eighteen to go to drama school and her room, which had been redecorated the same time as Arrosa’s, was still decorated in the grey and white with orange accents theme she’d chosen back then. As for Simone’s room... A lump filled Arrosa’s throat as she stood at the doorway. There was no trace of the sickroom it had become. Rather it was as if Simone would walk in at any time to pick up one of the chic scarves with which she would transform her deceptively simple clothes. Her jewellery hung from pegs on the wall, her bed heaped high with cushions, the window seat overlooking the sea dressed with her favourite cashmere throw. It was impossible to believe that she wouldn’t be coming back.
It took Arrosa a couple of hours to get herself together and dressed, padding around the cottage as she reacquainted herself with every nook and cranny. She took coffee, fruit and yogurt outside to breakfast in the pretty cottage garden before donning some of her old denim shorts, teaming them with a bright pink vest top, tucking her curls into a ponytail and adding some sunglasses as she readied herself to leave the house.
Walking down the road, weaving in and out of crowds of tourists, browsing shop windows felt like a five-star luxury experience. Nobody was watching her, nobody was judging her, she didn’t need to watch her facial expressions or ensure that every hair was in place. Almost unconsciously her stride lengthened, her pace got jauntier as she breathed in the fresh sea air and drank in the scenery. She was almost lost to her surroundings as she stepped into the road, only to stop with a shock as a car screeched to a halt, a heavy hand on the horn alerting her to the fact she had nearly got herself run over. Of course, they drove on the left here. Holding up her hands in apology, Arrosa stepped back, only to halt in surprise as she recognised the irate driver at the wheel. It was the man who’d spoken to her yesterday, Jack something. The one she’d told she wouldn’t be sticking around, the one who had asked her out for a drink. Recognition mingled with interest and a pull deep down she barely recognised, a flare of attraction as she took in the broad shoulders, sensual mouth and hooded eyes.
Arrosa sensed the moment he recognised her in return, his expression changing from annoyed to momentary surprise to inscrutable. She flushed, realising that he must think that she’d lied to him to get out of the offered drink. To her surprise she felt a need to explain, to tell him that she had been tempted, surprisingly tempted, to accept, that she really hadn’t expected to be here this morning. But as she stood there, hands outstretched in both apology and almost a plea to be heard, he nodded curtly before accelerating away.
‘Dammit,’she muttered. But then again, what did it matter? It wasn’t as if she’d see him again. But some of the jauntiness left her step as she continued her walk, looking out for traffic a little more carefully.
Attraction was almost a foreign feeling to her. She’d spent so long schooling her emotions to be the perfect princess, the perfect diplomat, that her own personal preferences were almost indiscernible even to her. It had been a long time since she’d had such an instinctive reaction to someone. It was nice in a way to know that she still could feel an instant attraction.
Remembering Clem’s instructions to swim and eat, Arrosa popped into the bakery to buy some fresh scones, and then into the delicatessen to add jam, cream and strawberries to her bag, promising herself a jog, swim or both before she tucked in to the delicacies. As she left the deli she bumped into Clem’s friend Sally who she’d known as a teen and, after explaining Clem’s sudden absence and her own appearance, was delighted to be asked to come along to the pub on Saturday and invited to see the latest in a superhero series at the cinema with Sally and her daughter in a few days’ time. The cinema usually meant formal premieres complete with red carpets and receptions and uncomfortable corseted ballgowns. The prospect of a normal seat with popcorn and company she’d chosen was enticing and she accepted with alacrity, promising to let Sally know about the evening drink as well.
Returning to the cottage with her bag bulging with local delicacies, Arrosa started to put them away, pausing to look at remembered plates and mugs, blinking back tears as she saw the jars of jams and chutneys labelled in Simone’s exuberant script. She’d just started to chop up some salad for lunch when her phone pinged with a message and she picked it up, expecting to see Clem’s name, only for embarrassment to surge through her when she saw Akil’s name on the screen. Embarrassment and guilt; she couldn’t believe she’d just run away from the awkward situation she’d put them both in. With no little trepidation she opened the message.
Arrosa, I’m at your house with Clem. Let me know everything is all right.
Biting her lip, she reread it. So much for her confidence that nobody would come seeking her and discover their subterfuge. Here they were, less than twenty-four hours after Clem had suggested swapping, and they’d already been found out. Did this mean that she would need to return home? With a heavy heart she tapped out a returning message.
Everything is absolutely fine. I just needed some space. You can trust Clem with anything.
Reading one of Simone’s adored vintage crime books with lunch cleared her head somewhat, as did a run followed by a refreshing swim, and by the time she sat back down in the garden to catch the late afternoon sun, Gus at her feet, with a fresh cup of tea and her book some of the anxiety had faded. There was no need for Akil to tell anybody that Clem was in Asturia instead of Arrosa and she knew he was no gossip, that was one of the reasons she trusted him. But she couldn’t help but be relieved when her phone rang and Clem’s name lit up the screen.
‘How’s it going?’ her sister asked.
‘I’ve had a run, a swim and I’ve got a week’s worth of calories waiting for me in the form of cream and buttered scones so I’m absolutely fine. I’m more worried about you. What happened with Akil?’
‘He came to see you. It was all slightly mortifying. I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t know about your not-quite-a-proposal as he mistook me for you at a distance and by the time he realised I wasn’t you he’d already mentioned it. In the end I didn’t really have a choice, I had to tell him who I am. But don’t worry, our secret’s safe.’
Arrosa sat back, trying to decipher Clem’s tone. There was a suppressed emotion she couldn’t quite identify, a strange kind of self-consciousness, almost excitement, in her sister’s voice. Whatexactlyhad she and Akil talked about?
‘What did you think of him?’
‘I liked him. I liked him a lot. Obviously, he’s handsome, and he’s clearly successful, but there’s a lot more to him than that. You could do a lot worse, Arrosa.’ Clem paused. ‘But that’s by the by. Being able to do worse is not enough. I still think you need more, you of all people, with the path you have to tread. You need a real partner, someone who loves you and will always put you first. And I told him so.’
Arrosa could just imagine it. Her sister was always forthright. ‘What did he say?’
‘He agreed that you both had a lot of thinking to do. But I’m going to say to you what I said to him: I can see why on paper you’re a good match. You can trust him; he knows your world. But I think that if you focus on that rather than what’s in your hearts then there’ll be trouble down the line. You both deserve more than something second-best.’
Arrosa’s eyebrows shot up.Bothdeserve more? It sounded as if Clem and Akil had had quite the chat. It also sounded as if Akil had made quite the impact on Clem. Interesting. But it was also reassuring to know that someone cared enough about her to be so blunt, to put her interests first. She might feel alone far too often, but she always had her sister.
‘Look, Clem,’ she said reluctantly. ‘My assumption that nobody would come and visit me, that we could pull this off with no one the wiser, was obviously completely wrong. It’s been one day and already you’ve had to explain who you are to someone. I feel better already, just having the chance to walk down the road without anybody knowing who I was is the tonic I needed. It gave me the space to untangle my head a little.’ She blew out a deep breath and stared out at the sea in the distance, trying to crystallise her thoughts, rationalise her relief at being away, that odd jolt of attraction that reminded her that she was a woman as well as a princess.
‘I think you’re probably right,’ she said slowly, feeling her way through her tangled thoughts. ‘I suggested marriage to Akil out of fear and panic and they’re not the right reasons for marriage. Who knows what the future holds? It’d be silly of me to close down any chance of a meaningful relationship just because I’m a little bit scared. So, job done, I feel better and I’m ready to call Akil and apologise for putting him in such an awkward situation. With all that in mind, maybe we should swap back.’ She closed her eyes as she made the offer. It was the last thing she wanted, this tantalising hint of freedom to be lost before she’d really had a chance to enjoy it.
‘You must be crazy,’ Clem said emphatically. ‘Unless you’ve gone around proposing marriage to several other suitable men, I can’t see anyone else just turning up at a guarded palace without an invitation. Akil was clearly a special case. And no way is twenty-four hours enough time for you to be completely rested. AndI’mnot ready yet either. I’ve not seen our father and I’ve hardly started exploring. One trip to one beach and one lunch of clams, delicious as they were, isn’t exactly the exploring I’d intended.’
‘Which beach did you go to?’
‘I’m not sure.’ Self-consciousness entered Clem’s voice. ‘Akil took me out for lunch and for a walk.’
‘That was nice of him.’ The two had clearly hit it off. Arrosa wasn’t sure what that meant but she resolved to clear the air—and clear up the situation—with Akil as soon as possible.
