The Stolen Princess (37 page)

“Neither do I,” Callie said.

Neither did Gabe. Had she really called him her beloved husband? And if so, did she mean it, or was it just to calm that captain fellow?

“I do,” an unexpected voice said. Nicky stepped forward and pointed at the count. “
He
told you we were prisoners of Mr. Renfrew, didn't he? And
he
told you that Mr. Renfrew was responsible for us fleeing Zindaria.”

“Fleeing?” Captain Kordovski repeated. “You were stolen.”

“No, Mama and I fled because
he
”—he pointed again at the count—“was trying to kill me and nobody would believe Mama.” Nicky looked at Captain Kordovski. “That's why you didn't stop me back then, isn't it? You weren't holding me prisoner, you thought you were rescuing me.”

Captain Kordovski nodded, a grim look in his eye.

Nicky grinned. “And because
he
”—he stabbed his finger at the count for the third time, this one with glee—“didn't know I could ride I was able to steal a horse and get away.”

The count glowered at the small boy. “You should have been drowned at birth, a twisted little weakling like you,” he snarled.

“Weakling enough to outwit you,” Nicky crowed, undaunted.

And Callie saw…In that tiny spilt second as Nicky crowed, she saw the expression on the count's face change. She saw his hand move…

“No!”

She wasn't close enough. Gabe was between her and Nicky, and Ethan was too far to reach. She was too far away. She caught the glint of the pistol rising, pointing straight at Nicky's heart, and she knew…she knew…

“No!”

Afterward she wasn't sure whether she'd screamed or not. It must have been only for that one spilt second that he aimed the pistol but it seemed an eternity, a nightmare that went on and on and on.

She couldn't reach. She couldn't…

But Ethan—Ethan saw and launched himself through the air, throwing himself between the count's gun and her son. Gabe was behind Ethan. She couldn't see…She couldn't see…

“Nicky!”

The sound of the pistol shot cut across her scream, breaking it off, causing her to catch her breath in horror. And then, before she could see, before she could even react, another shot slammed into the stillness…

He was before her. Gabe was before her…What…what…

In Gabe's hand was a pistol, cold and gray, lethal, aiming straight before him.

And now she could see. The count sagged where he stood. A bloodred bloom was spreading over his waistcoat. His eyes were wide, astounded, as if he'd been caught unawares…His hand lifted and then fell. His gun clattered to the floor…

There'd been two shots. Two!

“Nicky,” Callie screamed again and tried to shove Gabe aside. He caught her as he'd catch a child and held her.

“Let me…”

“Ethan,” Gabe said urgently and set her aside. She grabbed Nicky, hauled him to her, hugged as if she'd never let him go.

“Did he hit you? Oh God, Nicky, did he hit you?”

“Mama, no…Mama, Mr. Delaney…”

She stared down at Nicky, unable to believe he was really unhurt. But there was nothing. No blood. No hurt.

Mr. Delaney…

Finally she dared look at the other players in this horror.

The count's still form lay crumpled over the gun, his eyes staring lifelessly up at the ceiling.

Count Anton was dead.
Dead.
It was over at last. Nicky was alive and Count Anton was dead. And Gabriel was alive.

And Ethan…

“Damn, I wasn't fast enough,” Gabe was saying, pushing his friend into an armchair and examining his arm in concern. “Damned hero…”

“Just winged me in the shoulder, sir,” Ethan gasped. “Nothin' serious.”

“Mr. Delaney, you saved my son's life,” Callie managed, even now unable to believe the nightmare was past. “How can I ever thank you?” Somehow she forced herself to let Nicky go.

Averting her gaze from the count's lifeless form, she stepped forward and tried to see the damage. “Here…here, let me help you.” She pulled out a tiny lace handkerchief and began to mop up blood. It was completely ineffectual. The blood oozed from between her fingers.

“I'll be fine, ma'am,” Ethan said, looking an entreaty up at Gabe.

“He'll be fine,” Gabe reiterated, gently moving her aside. “It's not even hit muscle by the look of things. Winged is what he's been. What we need is a pad.” He cast a look of distaste at the floor, at the count. “Callie, my dear, fetch the landlord. We need to get rid of this offal and we need some clean rags.”

“I need to help Eth—” she started.

“You need to take care of your son,” he told her. “You need to hug him and get him out of here while we clean up. This is no place for you and the child. I'll take care of Ethan. You hug Nicky—and Nicky, you hug your mother.”

She gave Nicky a hug then released him. “Gabriel, this blood was shed because of me and my child, so give me your handkerchief and let me do what I must,” she told him.

Reading the determination in her eyes, he handed her his handkerchief. She knelt and pressed it to Ethan's wound. “I'm not the least bit bothered by blood,” she informed Gabriel.

“So I see,” Gabriel stood back, a faint smile on his face. “That will teach you to be a hero,” he told Ethan.

The landlord, having heard the shots, burst into the room.

“Ah, landlord, some brandy, please, and a quantity of clean linen,” Callie ordered over her shoulder.

“Were that a gunshot? In my inn?” the man demanded. He saw the count's body on the floor and recoiled. “Is he—is that—?”

“Yes, there is a dead body, but don't worry, Captain Kordovski will remove it, won't you, Captain?”

“Y-yes, of course, Princess.” Captain Kordovski was still in shock at the count's blatant attempt on the crown prince's life.

The landlord's eyes bulged.
“Princess?”

“Yes?” Callie responded. “Landlord, the brandy? The clean linen? Make haste, if you please. There is a man bleeding here!”

“Yes, Yer Royal 'Ighness.” The landlord bowed deeply and hurried off.

L
ater Captain Kordovski explained. The day after Princess Caroline and Prince Nikolai had disappeared Count Zabor—no, uncle Otto was not dead—had officially frozen all of Count Anton's property and assets pending an inquiry into the prince and princess's disappearance. He'd accused Count Anton of murder, but Count Anton had claimed their disappearance had nothing to do with him, and that the princess and her son had been stolen by enemies of Zindaria.

“But you weren't stolen, were you, Princess?” Captain Kordovski finished. “Not by this man or any other.”

“No,” she told him. “Mr. Renfrew never stole me, nobody did. But he has saved me and my son, over and over, and I married him of my own free will.”

Every generous word was like a knife in Gabe's heart. He hadn't saved anyone. And he'd blackmailed her into marrying him under the guise of protecting her son. And then failed to do it.

Captain Kordovski continued, “Count Anton left Zindaria, insisting he could find the prince and princess. He vowed to get them back, safe and sound.”

“I suppose it was that or become a pauper and a pariah in his own country,” Nash interjected.

“Yes, that is true,” the captain agreed. “But now I think maybe Count Zabor did not trust him, for he sent myself and the Royal Guards after Count Anton to ensure the safety of the prince and princess.” He glanced at the princess and said stiffly, “He knew I would die before I let harm come to either of them.”

Callie nodded. “I know that, Captain. I wouldn't have come into this room otherwise.” She gave Gabe a speaking look.

“Were you at Tibby's cottage?” Ethan said in a cold voice.

Captain Kordovski raised a brow. “Where do you mean?”

“At Lulworth. Little white cottage, covered in roses.”

Captain Kordovski shook his head. “No, we only met up with the count in London two days ago. It took us several days to discover he'd sailed to England, but we traced him through embassy connections, and from there to the home of the Austrian ambassador, Prince Esterhazy.”

Ethan grunted.

Gabe nodded. It was as he thought. The captain's arrival had saved Nicky. Nothing else. Nobody else.

“We shall convey the count's body back to Zindaria,” Captain Kordovski told Callie. “It is the correct thing to do. No matter what he has done, he belongs in Zindaria.”

Callie nodded. “Yes, you are right.”

“And you, Princess, you belong in Zindaria, too, you and Prince Nikolai.” Captain Kordovski hesitated, then said, “You are much beloved in Zindaria, Princess.”

“Me? You mean Nicky.”

He shook his head. “They don't know Prince Nikolai—he has never made any public appearances.”

Callie nodded. Rupert was ashamed of Nicky's limp.

Captain Kordovski continued. “I am sure they will come to love Prince Nikolai, but you, Princess—you are very special to us. Zindaria has never had a princess so much loved by the people.”

“Me?” Callie was amazed.

“The whole country is in mourning at your loss.”

“For me?” Callie couldn't believe it. “But it was Rupert they loved. I saw it whenever I went out in public with him. The people always cheered and waved and some threw flowers.”

Captain Kordovski shook his head. “It was for you, Princess, only for you. Prince Rupert was greatly respected, but he was never loved, not like you. And that is why we need you, as well as Prince Nikolai, back in Zindaria.”

All the Royal Guards bowed and clicked their heels and gave her speaking looks to show their agreement.

Callie smiled mistily at them all. She'd had no idea. She still could not quite believe it, but one thing was clear, she had no choice. She had to go back. “Thank you. We will return soon, I promise.” She did not look at Gabe.

The stone in Gabe's chest turned to lead. She was leaving him.

T
hey returned to London a lot more slowly than they'd left. Partly that was due to the inferior quality of the horses they'd hired, but also everyone was tired. It was just on dawn.

To Callie's great disappointment, Harry drove her and Nicky back in the curricle. She had thought, hoped, that Gabriel would have, but he'd been withdrawn and kept himself away from her, organizing horses and men and paying the innkeeper. And ordering his brother to drive them home.

“Will you really return to Zindaria?” Harry asked her after a while. Nicky was asleep, his head in Callie's lap, both of them wrapped in the fur cloak.

“I have to,” she said. “Nicky is the crown prince. His future is there.”

“And what of Gabe?”

She sighed. “I don't know. I don't know what he wants anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“He barely even looked at me just now. All that time in that horrid little inn, he didn't so much as touch me or even come near me.”

Harry frowned. “But you know why. I told you before.”

She was bewildered. “No, I don't know why!”

“He failed you. He expects you to be disappointed in him.”

“But why? Nicky is safe. It's all all right now.”

“Yes, but Gabe lost him in the first place, and then he didn't rescue him.”

Callie stared at him in disbelief. “You can't possibly mean that! That's ridiculous. As if I would hold that against him. I don't care how Nicky was rescued, I only care that he's safe.” She smoothed her hand over her son's sleeping body as she spoke. “Not that it would have made any difference to how I feel about Gabriel anyway. As I said, love is not a series of tests.”

“You really do love him, don't you?”

“Yes, of course. And why do you keep asking me that? Is it so hard to believe? Gabriel is a very lovable man.” She sighed. “He's a wonderful man.” And she didn't know how she was ever going to be able to live without him.

Harry gave her a searching look. “I used to think you were using my brother for your own ends.”

“I was. I am,” she said guiltily. Love was an end, wasn't it?

His face softened. “Yes, but you do love him. It makes all the difference. I don't want to see him get hurt. Women can do terrible things to a man.”

“Men can do them to women, too,” she said.