Royal Ruse - Emma Lea Page 0,5

my knee. “Just…you know…we wanted you to know how important it is for you to go through with this proposal.”

My eyebrows popped up. “You thought I would chicken out?”

“You’re not exactly the most assertive man,” Father said and swigged the last of his drink.

“And we didn’t want you to use going to Kalopsia as a way out of asking her to marry you,” Mother supplied.

“It might seem like an exciting adventure with exotic women throwing themselves at you, but it’s not,” Father said.

I didn’t know what to feel. My parents thought I would use Kalopsia as an excuse to run away. Until that point, I hadn’t even wanted to go to Kalopsia. I liked my life. Other people might see it as monotonous, but it was my life, and it suited me fine.

Marrying Clarissa was the next logical step in our relationship, and I had never once thought about using this summons to Kalopsia as an excuse to break-up. If anything, having a royal title and a place in the royal court would actually make Clarissa more inclined to marry me.

“Women will throw themselves at you,” Mother said. “Gold diggers, only after you for your money and your position. We know how…soft…you can be and we wouldn’t consider ourselves doing our parental duty if we didn’t protect you however we could.”

“And so you will deny me the title and the place in the royal court unless I am married?” I still couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with them.

“If you and Clarissa are engaged, then that will be good enough,” Father said as if he was extending me an olive branch and bending the rules for me.

The word no bubbled up in my throat. I wanted to stand and walk out and tell them to…tell them to…

I sighed and slumped in my chair. Who was I kidding? I’d never stood up to my parents ever, and I wouldn’t be doing it now either. I hated conflict and although it made them see me as weak, I would much rather keep the peace than deal with their tantrums if I defied them.

With the possibility of the trip to Kalopsia being taken away from me, I discovered that I really wanted to go. I’d never been away from the influence of my family for more than a few days at a time. Even when I attended college, I lived at home. Now I had the opportunity to go to a whole other country, away from them and their disappointed looks, and I wanted it more than I’d wanted anything else in my life.

If I had to be engaged to Clarissa to make it happen, then that was what I would be.

I smoothed my tie and buttoned my suit coat before I knocked on the door and waited. Clarissa lived by herself in an 1880s antique colonial in Dover, just minutes from Wellesley. The house had whimsical yellow siding and dark shutters and didn’t really suit Clarissa in the slightest. But it was a gift to her from her parents, so she didn’t complain about it too much. I knew she would have preferred something in Boston proper, and no doubt she had plans to sell the house after a suitable time so as not to offend her parents, and buy something more to her tastes. Although, as I stood back and took in the beautifully appointed house, I couldn’t help thinking it would be a delightful family home.

I froze at the thought. I was proposing to Clarissa, sure, but having a family together? I didn’t think I was ready for that quite yet.

The door opened, startling me out of my imminent panic. I leaned forward to brush a kiss on Clarissa’s proffered cheek and then handed her the bouquet I’d picked up earlier from the florist.

“Oh, these are lovely,” she said as she ushered me inside.

I followed her through the house to the recently renovated kitchen and watched while she filled a vase with water and arranged the flowers.

“Sorry I’m a few minutes late,” I said, tugging at the cuffs of my sleeves. “My parents wanted a quick word with me before I left.”

“Is that why you chose that tie?” Clarissa asked and then waved her hand. “Shall we go?”

I looked down at my tie. It was blue. “There’s something wrong with my tie?” I asked as I followed her back down the hall to the front door.

“It’s fine,” she said, reaching for her coat.

I held it for her as she