Protecting The Princess - Nadine Millard Page 0,46

toward him were too difficult to confront right now. And so she focused all her anger on Althea Furberg and what she had done to Christopher.

The door to the library suddenly sprung open and, releasing a sigh, Harriet stepped out from behind the curtain. It wouldn’t take Althea long to find her, so there was little point in hiding.

“Ah, Your Highness. There you are.”

Althea had been like Harriet’s shadow for four days now and if the grimace on the lady’s face was anything to go by, she was as happy about that as Harriet was.

“You do rise with the birds, don’t you?”

Harriet merely scowled at her.

She worried that Lady Althea was quite mad. All day, she twittered away to Harriet as though they were the closest of friends on a luxurious sojourn in the country.

See? Harriet told herself. The worst kidnapping ever.

“Your cousin has requested your company at breakfast, Princess.”

Harriet didn’t miss the slight bite in Althea’s tone.

That was another thing she’d noticed over the last few days. That while Lady Althea hung on Augustus’ every word, he spent all of his time ingratiating himself to Harriet, and Althea was not happy about it.

Well, Harriet decided as she followed Althea from the room, she was done being a pawn in Tallenburg’s game with her brother.

She wasn’t going to sit around here waiting for Christopher to send in the guard, which he would, just as soon as he received Tallenburg’s letter.

The duke thought Christopher would be so scandal adverse that he would happily hand over the mine deeds for Harriet’s safe and secret return.

But he didn’t know Christopher.

He might be subtle. And sometimes overly concerned with reputation and public appearance.

But he had a core of steel and would not give in to blackmail. That’s why he would make a wonderful king. Why he was already running Aldonia.

The ladies swept into the ostentatious formal dining room and took their seats, either side of where the duke would sit at the head, as though he were sitting on a throne.

The duke had delusions of grandeur and an unhealthy obsession with wealth. It would, Harriet was sure, be his downfall.

And she wasn’t going to sit around waiting to be used in his dastardly scheme.

She was getting out of there the very first chance she got.

“He’ll be expecting capitulation, of that there is no doubt.”

“Indeed. And an answer soon.”

Jacob stood from the table at which he, Prince Christopher, Prince Alexander, and Hans were discussing the situation.

The situation.

That’s what Prince Christopher had called his sister being bloody well kidnapped.

After Jacob had burst through the palace gates as though the hounds of Hell were chasing him and demanded to see the prince, it hadn’t taken them long to figure things out.

Knowing that Lady Althea was Tallenburg’s informant must have been a blow to Prince Christopher. Everyone who worked for the palace, or who attended court, had assumed there would be an announcement soon.

Yet the man had been stoic, caring only that the princess be returned safely and without scandal.

The Furbergs had been questioned, but nothing had come of that except hysterics from the mother who had thought her daughter would be queen.

For three days they’d investigated before finally discovering the property not far from Gant that had been bought by the duke using an alias.

In the furore, nobody had made comment on the fact that the princess had been taken on Jacob’s watch. But once they got her back, he knew a reckoning was coming.

And he deserved it.

But he didn’t give a damn about his job. About the interrogation that was sure to come. About the uncomfortable questions he’d be forced to answer.

All he cared about was Harriet. He wanted her back. Safely in his arms, even though she probably still hated him.

She could hate him, though. Just as long as she was safe while doing it.

“We’ve done enough talking,” He tried and failed to keep his tone even.

And he knew by the shrewd look of both princes and the shaking of Hans’s head, that he was making his feelings more than obvious.

“I just—” He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. “I know that I am responsible. I let the princess go.”

“And we will get her back.”

This came from Prince Alexander, who had arrived at the palace while Jacob and Harriet had been in the cottage. It seemed like a lifetime ago now.

And while the younger prince was a lot more laid back than his older brother, there was no denying the fact that he was