Innocence (41 page)

“Papa!” Lisa clutched his arm. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt him.”
 

“I promised I wouldn’t
shoot
him.”
 

Before Lisa could press him on the issue, the carriage came to a halt. Once they had been ushered inside an enormous foyer, her father spoke quietly with the head steward. He explained their need to speak with the Marquis of Marsden who, they had been told on good authority, was awaiting an audience with the sovereign.

“This way, sir, ladies.” The steward ushered them into a drawing room more opulent than any Lisa had ever seen before. Even Rebecca’s eyes widened as she took in the rich furnishings, enormous paintings and statues, and sheer size of the extensively gilded room.

“We’ll need to see Lord Marsden first, but would it be possible for you to alert the King to our presence and request an audience?” her father asked, and the steward’s eyebrows rose.
 

“Certainly, sir.”
 

The minutes ticked by uncomfortably, Lisa practically leaping from her seat when the steward returned and directed them to follow. As they walked the magnificent corridors of the palace, her stomach tied itself into a knot of apprehension.
 

Then she saw Nathaniel.

He was standing outside a set of enormous double doors, his hands clasped behind his back. When the doors slowly opened, she gasped, afraid they would be too late.

Forgetting etiquette, protocol, and anything else that stood between her and the man she loved, she ran towards him.
 

“Nathaniel!” she called, and he turned to face her.

“Lisa?” He took a stumbling step then started to run. “Lisa!”
 

He quickly closed the distance between them with his long strides, and she threw herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck as he spun her in a circle.

“Oh, Nathaniel.”
 

Oblivious to their audience, his lips found hers in a kiss of such pent-up longing, Lisa almost swooned at the onslaught of emotion. The world faded away, and everything was Nathaniel. His warmth. His touch. His taste. His scent. The feel of his body pressed tightly against hers was everything she had longed for and everything she had feared she would never experience again.
 

“My Lisa,” he whispered against her lips as he lowered her slowly to the ground.

“My
daughter
.”
 

Her father’s voice was gruff with emotion, and she looked up to see he had placed a hand on Nathaniel’s shoulder.

A deep but delighted laugh drew Lisa’s attention, and she saw a man who could only be King William standing not five feet away. Nathaniel turned to face him, tucking her protectively under his arm.

“My cousin,
Princess
Anneliese, I do believe.”
 

The sovereign made his announcement with undisguised glee, and Nathaniel’s knees buckled.

Chapter 37

Alliance

Nathaniel sagged against Lisa’s side. He was too heavy for her to hold, and for a horrible moment, she thought he was going to fall to the ground taking her with him. Rebecca squealed and flapped her arms, which was no use at all. To Lisa’s relief, her father stepped forward and grabbed Nathaniel’s other arm to keep him upright. It only took a moment for him to regain his composure, or at least the strength in his legs, but his face was terribly pale.

“Are you all right?” she whispered.

He looked at her with a wild expression. “Princess?”
 

“Daughter of a Princess.” Lisa didn’t think that necessarily made her one also, but she was not about to contradict the King.
 

Nathaniel laced his fingers with hers, but she was in no fit state to savour the sublime sensation, mortified as she was by what they had just done.

Approaching Nathaniel ahead of the others would have been unseemly, but running to him, throwing herself in his arms, and kissing him with unrestrained passion in front of her father—as if that wasn’t bad enough—and the sovereign ruler of the Empire? Lisa doubted there was a degree of scandalous behaviour to cover her actions. A whimper escaped her throat, and her father released Nathaniel and moved to stand on her other side, linking their arms.

The King harrumphed, and Lisa met his commanding gaze.

“Your Majesty.” Her father and Nathaniel made their obeisance, addressing the King in unison. Rebecca curtsied gracefully, and Lisa followed suit, not
quite
as gracefully considering she was still holding her father’s arm and Nathaniel’s hand.
 

“Lady Rebecca.” The King smiled in the girl’s direction. “It’s a pleasure to meet another of my many young cousins. Why don’t you run along to the Queen’s quarters? I’m sure she would be delighted to entertain you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Rebecca looked disappointed to be dismissed but turned without complaint to follow the steward the King signalled to escort her.

“Sir George. How lovely to see you again after so many years.” The Sovereign addressed Lisa’s father. “Somewhat different circumstances than the last time. Not a battlefield in sight, though I hear you’ve been in the wars?”
 

“In a sense, Your Majesty.” He acknowledged with a wry nod.

“I’m sorry to hear of your difficulties, but it’s good to see you’re on the mend and reunited with your lovely daughter. Although, it would appear you have been keeping some rather interesting secrets.
Hmm
?”

The King did not wait for a reply, directing his attention to Nathaniel.

“Well, Lord Marsden, there’s no faulting your taste. But now I’ve seen the object of your affection in person, I cannot understand how you mistook this particular young lady for a
servant
. She’s not only a vision of loveliness but related to half the royal houses of Europe!”

Nathaniel flinched but kept silent.

“My dear young cousin.” The King’s smile when he addressed Lisa was gentle. “You are the very likeness of your mother. I’m only sorry she’s not alive for me to compliment her on her delightful daughter in person.”

“I didn’t think you had ever met my mother, Your Majesty,” Lisa said.

“I visited the French court before all the troubles began.” His expression sobered momentarily before a slight smile curved his mouth. “If my memory serves me, she was a somewhat
precocious
child. A trait she might have passed on to her daughter?”

Inwardly squirming, Lisa could do naught but nod.

“As for how I was able to recognise the likeness, come with me, and I’ll show you.”
 

The King presented his arm for her to take, eyeing Nathaniel until he released her. Her father patted her arm, and Lisa looked to him in alarm.

“You’ve nothing to fear, my dear,” the King said. “I’d just appreciate a few moments for us to become acquainted, and I’m sure your father would like a few moments to acquaint himself with Lord Marsden.”
 

After bowing in her direction, Nathaniel turned to face her father with the look of one condemned.

Grateful for her father’s earlier promise—and the fact he could not have brought a weapon into the palace if he had wanted to—Lisa was a little concerned by his pallor. His endurance was improving day by day, but she worried the rigours of the journey combined with her outrageous behaviour had taken their toll.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Lord Marsden will take good care of your father,” the King said, accurately discerning the source of her anxiety. One of them, at any rate.
 

Lisa allowed the aged sovereign to escort her across the throne room, trying her best not to stare like a girl in short dresses at her extravagant surroundings. They made their way towards another set of carved doors that led to a series of luxurious drawing rooms before coming to a halt in a long, wide room lined with portraits in gilded frames.

“The rogues’ gallery.” He smiled ruefully. “Ancestors and relatives going back to William the Conqueror, my namesake, and beyond.”

“It’s very impressive,
Your Majesty.”
 

Lisa wasn’t sure of the protocol required for conversing with one’s sovereign, as it wasn’t a topic Miss Brewer had covered in any detail. All the governess had said Lisa would have to do at her presentation was curtsy then move on when signalled. She had expected to be a part of a group of girls of minimal rank presented en masse, not engaging in private discussions with the King about their mutual ancestry.

Stifling a sigh, Lisa concluded that while she may have made a right mess of things in her handling of their recent affairs, her father’s penchant for leaving her in the dark hadn’t helped matters.

“You must be wondering how I was able to recognise you.” The King gestured with a sweep of his arm to a painting of Lisa’s mother standing with a very handsome couple whom she assumed must be the grandparents she’d never met.

The older woman, also a red head, was wearing the triple-stranded pearl necklace that currently adorned Lisa’s neck, and her hand rose to touch it reverently.
 

“Proof positive, if any was needed, wouldn’t you say?”
 

Lisa nodded, momentarily speechless. Releasing her arm, the King gestured for her to approach the large painting. Running her gaze over the canvas, she mentally recorded every detail. The small portrait of her mother her father had commissioned a visiting artist to paint was the only picture they had of her and held pride of place in their drawing room. Fortunately, Mr Waters had thought to hide it, otherwise she imagined Lord Copeland would have taken it with him when he’d stripped the rooms of almost everything of value.

“Thank you for showing me this,” Lisa said sincerely. “Do you have any idea how old my mother was when this was painted?”

“Thirteen or fourteen, or so my steward informed me. Just before the Terror. The artist took it with him away from the palace to complete, which is how it came to be here and not destroyed by the revolutionists.”

“My father would appreciate a viewing, if you wouldn’t mind?”
 

“Of course, though I imagine he might like some privacy when he first sees it. I’ve been informed he was widowed some years back, but I remember your father as a single-minded young man. I wouldn’t be surprised if he loved your mother quite
recklessly
, a trait I suspect he may have passed on to his daughter. He certainly went to great lengths to keep his bride safe, at least, I presume that was the reason he did not come forward and announce she had survived the uprising. It wouldn’t surprise me if his feelings have not faded overly, despite the passing of time.”

“Your Highness is very astute in his observations and most considerate.”
 

“A sovereign must put the welfare of his subjects ahead of his own or so, my third cousin, the Marquis of Marsden’s father, has informed me on numerous occasions. He likes to badger me with his social justice rhetoric whenever I’m in the mood for a good debate, even when I’m not, come to think of it. But enough of that. It’s time we discussed our current predicament.”
 

The King escorted Lisa to a grouping of chairs and directed her to take a seat.

“Lord Marsden was glowing in his commendations of you, but there are laws governing who may and may not marry so close to the throne. I was planning to refuse him when a steward overheard his use of your name and approached me with an extraordinary tale. You can imagine my dismay when I realised Sir George Barlow’s heroic young daughter was, in fact, a distant cousin.

“It’s most regrettable I was not able to prevent your recent time of distress, Lady Anneliese. I can only imagine the indignities you’ve endured, fearing your father murdered, having to flee halfway across the country virtually unaided, and then forced to masquerade as a
servant
.”
 

He shuddered, and Lisa ducked her head to hide her smile. She’d heard King William was a practical fellow, even taking a hackney coach on occasion if his coach was delayed. But it appeared, despite his years as an admiral in the navy, there were lines he was unwilling to cross.
 

“Marsden was circumspect in his attempts to protect your reputation,” he continued. “But reading between the lines, I came to the conclusion, one he did not deny, that he’d taken terrible advantage of a vulnerable young lady. One he had falsely assumed was not of a suitably high enough station to be his marchioness. Is that correct?”

“It’s not all his fault, Your Majesty. Our feelings for one another are mutual.”
 

“Be that as it may,” the Kind said crossly. “I’ve half a mind to strip him of his titles
and
have him thrown in the Tower!”

Lisa’s hand rose to her throat at the image of Nathaniel disgraced
and
imprisoned. She was about to beg for the King’s mercy, but he raised a hand.

“
However
, I’ve decided that won’t be necessary. His willingness to forsake all to make amends for his deplorable behaviour was rather impressive. And the enthusiastic greeting I just witnessed leads me to believe you would not be opposed to the match?”