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‘Just for show?’
‘I guess that’s something we could decide. Things ended abruptly between us. We weren’t ready. I wasn’t ready. I regret that.’
Much as he didn’t want to, Jack knew that he had to end the conversation right now before he was tempted into doing something stupid like agreeing to her plan.
‘I miss you, Rosy.’
‘I miss you too.’ Their gazes caught and held, and he drank her in.
‘And I understand your reasoning but...’ He saw her straight-backed posture sag just a little as he saidbut. ‘I can’t do that to the girls. They like you, Rosy.Ilike you, you know that, but I’m a grown man and I can cope with a little heartbreak. They can’t.’
But how he wanted to agree. How he wanted to spend time with her as if it were still the summer, be with her openly, hold her hand and kiss her and make love to her. Because after all it was the fish and chip loving, ice cream eating, denim shorts and bikini-clad Rosy he’d fallen for. Surely spending time with the Princess in her formal world would be the cure he needed? But it was too much of a risk—and not just for his girls.
‘I appreciate you giving us a place to lie low for a while and I know the girls can’t wait to see you, but let’s think of another way to put a stop to the rumours.’
‘Of course.’ Her smile was determinedly bright. ‘It was just an idea. What are you thinking?’
‘Well, the theatre, for example.’ Inspiration hit him. ‘After all, we’re all connected to it. Who’s to say that’s not why you were in Polhallow this summer? Nobody has any proof that weweretogether, apart from a woman who thinks she saw us and a few rumours. Let the romance talk die a death but use it to do something good for Polhallow instead.’
She stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable before nodding. ‘Yes, that makes sense.’
‘Good, well, let me make some plans. Thank you for the coffee. I’d better get back.’
‘Sure.’
He sat there for a moment, wishing for one moment things were different. Jack knew that he was about to turn his back on an opportunity that would never present itself again, turn down the second chance that he had been dreaming of in his heart of hearts.
‘Okay. I’ll see you soon. No, don’t get up, I’ll see myself out. Thanks for the coffee.’
As Jack shut the front door behind him he couldn’t shake the image of Rosy, straight-backed again, a serene expression on her face, only a hint of a shadow in her eyes giving any hint that she wasn’t completely happy with his decision. He could tell himself with perfect truth that all his reasons for saying no were to do with the girls. After all, the last couple of days had been bewildering, terrifying and out of control. They’d had to flee their home, seek sanctuary in a strange country. If this was just what the rumour of a romance between himself and a princess could do, what would any confirmation of that rumour provoke? No, better to let all the speculation die down and return to their normal life as soon as possible.
But Jack was also aware enough to know that there was more to his decision. He’d been burned before, and he couldn’t risk being burned again. Of course, he absolved Rosy from having similar motives to Lily. She wasn’t looking to shock anyone, to rebel against her parents and societal position, but if they were together, for whatever reasons, it would still be a mésalliance. Nobody in her world would think him a suitable consort for their Crown Princess. He had no idea about court life, he knew nothing about Asturia—until a couple of months ago he couldn’t have pointed it out on the map—he didn’t speak the language, didn’t know the customs. If he was with Rosy, in reality or pretence, then he would be repeating the same pattern as before, be completely out of place, a scandalous object of interest.
None of Lily’s friends had believed that she was seriously considering marrying him. Boys like Jack, he’d heard one of her friends say, were perfectly acceptable for messing around with—after all, everyone knew that boys with everything to prove were the best lovers—but one simply didn’t marry them. He’d done everything in his power to prove every single one of them wrong and he still got a visceral sense of satisfaction whentheynow courted him, asked him to dinner parties, solicited his advice and sought his investments. But he’d never forgotten how they’d made him feel. Vowed never to be put in that situation again.
And that was why he had to walk away. Because here she wasn’t Rosy, she was the Crown Princess, and girls like her simply weren’t for guys like him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘DIDYOUSEEJACK?’Clem asked when she returned to the villa that evening. Sharing a home with her sister was something Arrosa wasn’t sure she would ever take for granted. She would never not appreciate having Clem on hand to laugh with, cry with, watch meaningless television with, chat through her problems with.
It wasn’t just the companionship; she was so proud of her sister it almost hurt. Clem had risen above the headlines and started to carve out her own identity here in Asturia. She was looking at university courses, still volunteering at the local hospital and was officially assisting Arrosa. She was also dipping her toes into court life and had been invited to a ball at the British Embassy in a week’s time.
But, of course, the downside to having her sister so close was that she knew Arrosa better than anyone and there was no dissembling, no hiding behind her princess face.
‘He turned me down.’ Some of the heartbreak she didn’t want to admit even to herself cracked through the armour she had donned and quickly she added, ‘It’s complicated. It’s fine. I expected it. It’s probably for the best.’
‘Okay.’ Clem poured them both a glass of wine and nodded towards the garden. ‘It’s still so warm out even if it is October. Shall we?’
With unspoken accord the sisters headed down to the lake. They shared a deep love of water, and both felt better when they were gazing into it. They sat on the comfortable chairs Arrosa kept on the jetty and Clem sniffed the wine before taking an appreciative sip.
‘This is much needed; three children are a lot for a full day! But it’s so nice to see Sally. I’ve asked her to come to the ball with me. Akil is attending, but in a work capacity, and I could do with moral support—and she could do with an evening off.’
‘Sounds good. And what did you think of Tansy and Clover?’ Arrosa half held her breath as she waited for her sister’s reply. It really mattered that Clem liked them, she realised.
‘They’re nice girls, a credit to their dad. And they’re both wild about you. I was a pretty poor substitute. They kept asking when they would see you.’
Arrosa stared down at her wine. ‘I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. Jack made it clear there’s no future for us. I don’t want to complicate things further.’
