arrested to help me clear my name. My parents will recognize your value to the family reputation.”
“Reputation?” Francesca asked. “You don’t think they’ll be happy because I cleared your name and that’s good for you personally?”
Viggo shrugged. “I don’t think they’ll object to that,” he said. “But reputation is very important to them.”
Francesca’s heart sank. “If that’s true, I can’t imagine them wanting you to be with me. I’m a commoner. I’m an American. In their eyes, won’t I just be another one of your conquests?”
He raised his eyebrows. “My conquests?”
“You know who I mean,” she said, blushing faintly. “All those women you used to spend your time with.”
A cocky grin spread across his face. “You’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “I think it’s cute that you’re jealous.” He reached across the aisle of the plane and took her hand. “Anyway, there’s no need for it. I only have eyes for you, Francesca.”
She bit her lip, smiling. She knew that, but it was always amazing to hear it.
“Besides,” he added, “I wouldn’t think much of the chances of any guy who set out to conquer you. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. I consider myself lucky that you chose to be with me.”
“Would you believe I feel the exact same way?” she asked.
Viggo smiled. “I guess we’re both pretty lucky.”
Hours later, the plane landed at the Konäs airport. It was already evening. The sun was down and the sky was dark, although to Francesca it still felt like early afternoon.
“How late is it here?” she asked.
“It’s about nine o’clock,” Viggo said.
“Will we be meeting your parents tomorrow, then?”
“No,” he said. “You and I have different plans for tomorrow. They’re planning a late supper for us.” He pointed to a car on the tarmac. “That’s our car. We’re going straight to the palace.”
“The palace!” Somehow, in all her worrying about meeting the royal family, Francesca had never quite pictured a palace. She had envisioned a big and well-appointed house like the one Viggo owned in Konäs.
“I don’t believe my brother will be there tonight,” Viggo said. “It will be just my mother and father. So you can ease yourself in. Neither of them is currently ruling, of course. They’re royalty in name only, like me.” He grinned.
Francesca wasn’t reassured. She was more afraid of meeting her boyfriend’s parents than she was of meeting royalty, and she had actually been least anxious about the brother.
Still, there was no choice but to go forward now, and she did want to meet Viggo’s parents, in spite of her anxiety. She followed him to the car and got in.
The drive seemed all too short. In less than ten minutes, they were pulling through a massive wrought-iron gate and along a cobbled drive, and then they were coming to a halt before a decadent palace. Francesca thought it looked like it had been crafted out of sugar, with its massive columns and brightly colored towers. She hesitated at the foot of the steps that led up to the entrance.
A door opened and a man and a woman walked out. The man was an older version of Viggo, his hair white instead of white-blond, his face creased with laugh lines. He held up a hand in greeting.
Francesca had not expected him to look so cheerful. Viggo’s description had made her think she would be meeting a cold, standoffish family, but they looked happy to see him.
The woman glided down the stairs. She held out her arms to Viggo, looking him up and down. “You look very well,” she said.
“I am, thank you,” he said. “How are you and Father?”
“Quite well,” she said. “We’ve been anxious to begin the supper, but I’m sure you got here as quickly as you could.”
He nodded. “This is Francesca Bellucci,” he said. “Francesca, this is my mother.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty,” Francesca said. She wasn’t sure whether to curtsy or offer a handshake, so she ended up doing both.
“It’s lovely to meet you too, Francesca,” the Queen said. “I’ve been so looking forward to this. I don’t know that Viggo has ever brought someone special home to meet us.”
Viggo looked embarrassed at his mother’s assessment, and Francesca was surprised and pleased to see that he had been wrong to think that his parents couldn’t embarrass him. Clearly, they could.
Perhaps the distance between them was not as great as he had suspected.
They went in and sat down for the meal. The supper consisted of several kinds of seafood.