Mcclone The Proper Princess (Her Royal Duty, #4)

1. Auflage 2019
ISBN: 978-1-944777-33-3
Verlag: Cardinal Press, LLC
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 274 Seiten

Reihe: Her Royal Duty

She's been a proper princess-but she wants to rebel.
After the death of her fiancé, Princess Madeleine knows a loveless, arranged marriage awaits her. She's resigned to her fate until she meets her intended husband. Crown Prince Enrique is gorgeous, but he comes on way too strong, says the wrong things, and fumbles with apologies. He's more court jester than Prince Charming. How can she marry him?
Enrique might be self-centered and lack social skills, but he's trying to do better-for himself, his country, and his future wife. Despite their royal union being a political necessity, he wants his marriage with the captivating Madeleine to be a love match. He's willing to do whatever it takes to woo her. How hard can it be to win his princess bride's heart?
Nearly impossible, he discovers, because Madeleine seems unwilling-or unable-to give him her heart. On their wedding day, instead of exchanging vows, will the royal couple say goodbye?

Her Royal Duty Series:
Book 1: (Christina and Richard)
Book 2: (Izzy and Nico)
Book 3: (Julianna and Alejandro)
Book 4: (Madeleine and Enrique)

Autoren/Hrsg.

Mcclone, Melissa

Leseproben

CHAPTER ONE

In her bedroom, Princess Madeleine-Victoria of Gaullia stared at the gown hanging from the top of the armoire. Yards of luscious white fabric decorated with the finest lace appliques, crystal accents, and intricate stitching fell to the floor where the cathedral train pooled. The wedding dress was meant to be worn by a princess bride and future queen.

A crown-jewel-sized lump lodged in her throat.

That would be her.

Which was the problem.

She should be ecstatic to see the magnificent dress designed specifically for her. The craftsmanship astonished her. Each detail was exact. Much of which had been created by hand.

Any other bride would be thrilled to wear this gown but not her. Dread knotted her stomach. The thought of putting on the dress made her skin itch. Not the reaction a bride-to-be should have, but she couldn’t help herself.

Madeleine sighed, a long exhale capable of powering the windmills dotting her country’s plains.

Pull yourself together.

This wasn’t how a princess should behave.

For the past five years, she’d known and accepted that a loveless, arranged marriage would be her fate. Her parents hadn’t been in a rush to find her a husband after Louie, her fiancé and the crown prince of Friedlich, one of two countries that bordered hers, died. They’d allowed her to do as she wished, which had meant getting a graduate degree in political science while seeing to her royal obligations. Not once had she contemplated not doing her duty.

Until now.

She reached out to touch the exquisite fabric before pressing her arm to her side.

Could she turn her back to the expectations placed on her and say no? Especially when her parents and brother—her entire country—were counting on her.

Not because they wanted a royal wedding. The stakes were higher than that. This was to save her kingdom and her people.

Yes, she had a choice, but did she want to risk the land where she’d been born and raised?

No.

The answer was as simple as that but led to a quagmire of complicated emotions.

With her heart sinking, she stared at the gorgeous wedding gown. She might have a choice—her father was a king not a dictator—but the consequences were too great if she chose to go against her parents’ wishes.

Maybe he won’t be as horrible as she’d heard.

“He” being her intended husband.

Crown Prince Enrique Cierzo de Amanecer from La Isla de la Aurora, the island of the dawn.

She’d never met him, only seen his picture. He was attractive, but he’d been called selfish and self-centered by the few women he’d dated. A surprisingly low number of dates. Not one serious relationship had been mentioned in the articles she’d read. He was said to have issues, most particularly wanting to be catered to by those around him. She wished they had time to date so she could find out what he was like because he sounded like a complete narcissist. Granted, he wasn’t the only prince like that.

She also knew that the media exaggerated and lied. Gossip and rumors were part of being a royal, except not one article had mentioned wild parties or a revolving bedroom door. The criticism centered on Enrique’s personality, which made him seem less than desirable as a spouse. Not only that, but it also appeared as if his search for a bride had been met with only disastrous results. His once-fiancée, the wealthy and beautiful Princess Julianna of Aliestle, had canceled their engagement and married his younger brother.

How had that happened?

And why?

Julianna would have been queen if she’d married the older brother. The fact she hadn’t suggested Prince Enrique must be the definition of awful.

Madeleine shuddered. If only one of the other eligible male royals on the continent was to be her intended spouse. But the crown prince of La Isla de la Aurora had something the others didn’t. Still…

“I’m cursed.”

Logical or not, that was the only explanation.

Feeling this way was nothing new.

Once upon a time with another groom and a different gown, she’d been floating off the ground, unable to sleep or eat, due to the anticipation of marrying her one true love. If only…

She went to her nightstand where a bouquet—a gift from Enrique—sat. The blossoms scented the air with a sweet fragrance, but she ignored that.

Madeleine opened the narrow top drawer and removed a framed photograph.

Louis.

Her Louie.

The love of her life.

Her fiancé.

The man she wanted to be the father of her children.

“If only you were still here with me, my love.”

Even though she’d memorized every detail about Crown Prince Louis Fredrick, she stared at the photo. Strands of his long blond hair blew in the wind. His vibrant blue eyes had been able to see beyond the surface, knowing what was in her heart often before she did. Those soft lips had kissed her for the first time when she’d been a teenager and for the last time when she was twenty-two, days before they were to marry.

“I wish you could tell me everything will be okay.”

With her fingertip, Madeleine touched the glass covering his picture. The pang in her heart was as familiar as taking a breath. So was the slight burn in her eyes. She wiped away the tears before they ruined her makeup.

Five years hadn’t diminished the heartache of losing Louie in a helicopter crash. The suddenness of the tragedy had sent her world spinning. The fact she was supposed to have been with him compounded the loss with overwhelming guilt. Her parents had brought in a grief counselor to help her muddle through.

Overall, Madeleine supposed she was doing better. The passage of time had made her sorrow not as visible on the outside. She could smile and pretend all was well. Everyone had been fooled.

But nothing, including the passing of years, would lessen her love.

Madeleine pulled the necklace she wore from under her clothing. A ring hung from the long gold chain—Louie’s crest. She’d returned her engagement ring because it was a family heirloom, part of Friedlich’s royal collection. But his parents had given her Louie’s signet ring, the one he’d worn on his pinkie, though he’d left it at home the day of the crash.

A knock sounded on the door.

She placed the photo into the drawer before blinking to make sure no more tears welled. “You may enter.”

Her maid, Lilia, bustled into the room. In her early thirties, she wore a plain black dress with a white apron. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. The severe look did nothing to let the world—at least the one inside the castle walls—see the vibrant, kind woman who had kept Madeleine going when she hadn’t wanted to get out of bed or eat.

As Lilia studied the gown, an expression of awe appeared on her face. “It is a lovely wedding dress, ma’am.”

Was Lilia remembering the other wedding dress a younger Madeleine had only worn for the fittings?

Best not to go there.

“Yes, the dress designer outdid herself.” Somewhat surprising given Madeleine’s only request had been a design different from her first wedding dress. She only wished she felt an ounce of joy at the thought of wearing this new one.

She turned away from the gown. “Has our visitor arrived?”

“Not yet, ma’am. The crown prince should arrive in an hour or two.”

The weight of the country on Madeleine’s shoulders lifted. Air flowed freely into her lungs. She had a reprieve, if only for a short time before they would sit together to have afternoon tea.

Eyes clouding with concern, Lilia took a step closer. “Ma’am?”

Madeleine held up her hand. “I’m fine.”

As fine as she would be with only half a heart beating in her chest. Louie had taken the other half with him when he died. Somehow she’d survived this long, but she wasn’t sure how.

“A little tired.” She didn’t want to take her frustrations out on Lilia.

“I doubt you’ve been sleeping well with so much going on.” Lilia gave her an encouraging smile. “Meeting the man you will marry must be so exciting.”

Madeleine’s blood turned ice-cold. “You have no idea.”

Another knock sounded.

What was this? An impromptu soiree? She thought that wouldn’t happen until their guest arrived for afternoon tea. “Enter.”

Her mother, Queen Anne-Elizabeth, came into the room with quick, purposeful steps. Nothing about the woman was soft and genteel, except the scent of her expensive perfume. The royal bloodlines flowing through her veins meant she was related to many of the...