when we are married, I promise.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly against hers before she could reply.
“Now, try and get your beauty sleep. I gather your mother is arranging for some official engagement photographs to be taken in the morning before I leave.”
~ * ~
“I am so sorry, Lara. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
She poured her brother another cup of coffee as they sat opposite each other in the sitting room of her suite the next morning. It had still been early when Carl knocked at her door and asked to speak to her. He looked haggard and disheveled as if he hadn’t been to bed, and her vulnerable heart softened at the anguish etched in his face.
“Please don’t worry. It’s done, Carl. I’m going to marry Jack.”
Carl took a gulp of his coffee. “But, if I hadn’t been such a stupid fool you wouldn’t be placed in this terrible position. I can’t believe I let this gambling addiction control me leaving us in such a mess. I’m so ashamed.” His face crumbled as he tried to hold back his tears.
She rose and held him close, comforting and soothing, her heart breaking for her brother and his weakness. “It’s okay, Carl. We can come through this. You are going to get some help, aren’t you?”
He hugged his sister tightly before looking into her concerned face. “Yes. Absolutely. I know I have a major problem but it was also part of the deal between father and Jack that I sort myself out and get counseling for my addiction.”
Sitting again at the table, she held her brother’s hand trying to ease his agony.
“Can you ever forgive me, Lara? I mean, all I can think about is Michael and Jack fighting over you. It was as if you were wearing a sign saying princess for sale to the highest bidder.”
She was silent, not quite sure whether she should laugh or cry at Carl’s remark.
“I know you would much prefer to be with Michael and the fact you’re being forced to marry Jack because of me, is a nightmare,” Carl continued, his face tightening again with guilt.
“I love him, Carl.”
“What?”
“I love Jack. I loved him from the moment I first saw him and I would never marry Michael.”
He looked astounded as he took in the quiet, calm words of his sister.
“The only trouble is he doesn’t love me. He believes I knew about your difficulties all along and have manipulated everything to suit. But he still wants to marry me and I’m willing to accept him on any terms so I can be with him.”
Sitting back in his chair, a look of relief swept across Carl’s handsome features. “Well, I’m shocked. I had no idea. I thought you were having a fling with some hunky, Aussie fisherman.”
This time Lara did burst out laughing. “You can’t tell me I don’t know how to pick them,” she giggled. “Bringing home a multi-billionaire to save us all from ruin.”
“Do you think you’ll be happy with him?”
“I don’t know but it won’t be for the lack of trying on my part.”
Carl stood and she could see it was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Trust me, Jack worships you. It’s written all over him,” he said, with a grin.
She stood next to her wayward brother and gave him another hug. “I hope you’re right,” she smiled, touching his cheek in a parting gesture. “And yes, of course I forgive you.”
~ * ~
Jack had to hand it to Lara. Not by even a blink or a gesture did she show her true emotions as later that morning they posed for their official engagement photos in the ballroom of the royal palace.
He knew she had to be miserable because he was the person who had caused it, he decided, as he dutifully moved closer to her where she sat on a high-backed velvet chair in regal splendor.
He still puzzled over the situation he found himself in but the one thing he was sure of was that he wanted Lara as his wife. Even if she didn’t love him. And the way he had lashed into her with his caustic, biting words, he had made sure she didn’t even like him. He was still brewing over the fact that she would have preferred to marry Michael. He guessed that most times he would have shrugged his shoulders and walked away. But, after hearing the way Michael had spoken about Lara