Chapter Three
Roberta steadied herself as she waited nervously beyond the ballroom doors, ready to be announced.
She had never been to this house before.
It belonged to someone from the highest echelons of London society, and scandal had kept the Ashtons at a distance from that rarefied atmosphere.
The engagement hadn’t yet been officially broadcast, but tonight was supposed to be a strong indicator that there was a romance between her and Niki.
Freddie’s idea.
She had not had more than a couple of words with Niki since the arrangements were made.
She suspected he was avoiding her, but then she felt guilty for being so self-obsessed.
He was the ruler of his country, after all, and no doubt had much to do.
Besides, their engagement was nothing but a practical solution to his problem.
It wasn’t real, so why should he trouble himself with her feelings?
And yet she still felt miffed.
She tried not to fiddle with her hair or clothing, reminding herself she must appear to be calm and unruffled.
She must make a good first impression on all the people who were beyond that door.
And they weren’t all strangers. Gabriel would be there, as head of the Ashton family, with his duchess, Vivienne, but no other Ashtons would be present.
Her sister Olivia was still at home, living in blissful ignorance of the sham engagement, with her husband, Ivo, and two children, and her second sister, Justina, also had no idea what was afoot.
If either of her sisters had known, they would have been there in a flash, but Freddie and Gabriel had decided it wouldn’t be safe to have family members who were not in on the secret scrutinizing Roberta.
If the truth slipped out—and it was possible she would blurt it out—and Niki’s enemies discovered it was all a pretense, they might use it to their own advantage.
They might call him a coward or a puppet of the British government and say that he was not the proper ruler for Holtswig. As for who those enemies were?
“Best not to think about that,” Freddie had informed her in their brief meeting before she arrived at the ball. “That is for me to worry about. You just enjoy yourself.”
Easier said than done. How could she enjoy herself when she felt weighed down with the expectations of others? She kept reminding herself that this was all a sham, the sort of game she had imagined herself playing since life had become so dull, but it didn’t seem to help.
“Lady Roberta Ashton!”
At the sound of her name being called by a footman, she almost jumped in the air like a nervous horse at the starting gate before she took a breath and started forward.
The room beyond the doors looked vast, and although it was unlikely, it seemed to her that everyone was looking at her.
Above the music came a hum of sound—murmurs and whispers.
Roberta had been instructed to make her way to the front of the room, where Niki and his entourage were waiting with their hosts to greet their guests.
This was a celebration of everything Holtswig, to which the hosts had some distant connection, and was really an excuse to throw a ball in his honor.
She caught a glimpse of Gabriel and Vivienne, smiling encouragingly, but she tried to keep her gaze focused on the group before her. More particularly, on Prince Nikolai.
As usual, he looked proud and aloof, his expression inscrutable, and he was wearing a uniform she had never seen before.
Dark blue with gold trim, and a rather large medal pinned to his chest. Was it real?
She bit her lip on the urge to blurt out her question.
Neither the time nor the place, Roberta, she reminded herself.
She curtsied low when she reached him, and on lifting her head found Niki’s gaze fixed firmly on her face.
There was a sparkle in his eyes. It was almost as if he was satisfied to see her here, curtsying before him, but the emotion was gone in a flash, and he was back to his impenetrable expression.
“Lady Roberta,” he greeted her, holding out his hand.
She lay her gloved fingers in his, and he tightened his grip as he raised her up. “Your Highness,” she said, not sure what to do next.
But Niki had matters under control. He drew her to his side and rested her hand on his forearm before turning to face the room. It was a statement without words. He was telling these guests that Roberta was special to him.
The hum from the crowd grew into a roar.
Clearly, none of them had expected this, apart from Gabriel and Vivienne, who were watching her in their protective way, and Freddie, with his speculative gaze trained on the other guests.
Roberta wasn’t sure what he imagined he’d see, but all she could see was surprise and excitement on the faces turned to her and Niki.
“What an unexpected surprise, Brother.” A man wearing a similar uniform to Niki’s came to join them. Ten years older than Niki, he had the same dark eyes, but his hair was lighter, and he was rounder in the face and plumper in the body.
“Unexpected in what way?” Niki inquired with a frown.
“For you to single out Lady Roberta Ashton.” He bowed to Roberta and gave her a truly charming smile. The sort of smile given by a man with a certain notoriety with women. “When have you ever shown such marked attention to a female before?”
“Lady Roberta and I have been friends for years.” Niki said it as if it was true. His gaze slid over Roberta, and she read his warning to let him lead the way. “But if we were to be more than that…Would you not be happy for me, Karl?”
“Of course!” Karl smiled again, as if he genuinely meant it. “I would always wish you every happiness, Niki. In fact”—and he looked around at the others in the group, who seemed to be straining to overhear their conversation—“you should have the first dance with your lovely friend.”
Before Roberta could say a word, she was being led out onto the floor, and the orchestra was beginning to play a familiar tune.
It was just the two of them as Niki bowed before her, took her hand in his, and settled the other at her waist. He was only slightly taller than she, but somehow his authority made him seem much larger.
Roberta tried to push her worries aside and concentrate on her steps.
Although these days she was practiced at dancing, not like in earlier times when she and her sisters had to learn everything from scratch, tonight she felt anxious.
What if she stumbled and made a fool of herself?
But then, she reminded herself, what did it matter?
In three months, Niki would be gone, and her time in the public eye would be over.
Her gaze darted back to the prince’s entourage, all of them watching like hawks. Karl was smiling and chatting with a lady a little older than him, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Perhaps he didn’t. He was so unlike Niki, it was startling.
“I did not know you had a brother,” she said when she was sure she could talk and dance at the same time.
“Karl is my half brother,” he replied, moving her easily about the floor. His skills as a dancer were well honed, but there was a stiffness about him, as if he understood the mechanics but did not enjoy displaying himself like this. “His mother was a housemaid in the castle.”
“Oh. Then he is like me and my sisters?” Roberta blurted. She meant illegitimate. A bastard. But at least she had the good sense to bite back the actual words.
His mouth tightened. “We will not discuss the scandals the Ashtons have been involved in,” he said sternly.
“If asked, we will concentrate on my grandfather’s friendship with your grandmother, and our shared love of riding.
These are matters that will make our ‘friendship,’ and soon ‘our engagement,’ more plausible to my family and my people. ”
Hmm, that told her! After what felt like a scolding, Roberta wasn’t sure what to say next. Perhaps she should remain silent? But dancing the entire dance without saying another word would not give an impression of a happy couple.
She made herself smile and asked, “How is Leopold?”
He made a sound that was almost a laugh, or perhaps he was trying not to laugh. “Leopold is well. You will see him soon. I have brought him with me to my aunt’s house in London, and I am eager to ride with you. Perhaps tomorrow morning?”
Roberta wondered what his reaction would be if he knew she rode most mornings in male attire, and then decided it would be better not to tell him. “I would like that very much, Your Highness.”
Her silly infatuation was over, but there had been a time when she had imagined all sorts of romantic scenarios when it came to the prince.
Kisses had featured a great deal, if she were honest, and declarations of undying love on his part, which she had graciously received.
It felt ridiculous now to think she had ever allowed herself to be swept up in those fantasies.
Besides, Roberta had already decided she had no intention of marrying.
She intended to please herself when it came to her life choices.
As much as she loved her nephews and niece, she would rather have a dozen horses than a brood of children.
Olivia had laughed at her when she disclosed this, and said she was young and would change her mind when the right man came along.
Roberta didn’t agree. Since her coming-out, she had been perfectly happy as a single young lady.
Well, if you discounted her current situation—the pretend engagement.
She suspected that part of her reason for agreeing—apart from feeling it was the least she could do to stop Niki from being hurt—was a selfish desire to experience something exciting.
Now she reminded herself that when this was over, life would return to being dull again, so she’d best make the most of it.