The Princess Special Edition Page 4

  “Ready?”

  Looking up at him, Shelby nodded. “I think I am. Are you ready?”

  “To lose my girl? Never.”

  It was said with a smile before he kissed her brow, waited for her to lower the blusher, and then offered his arm. They moved toward the door, both with a mix of emotions. The moment had arrived. Where would God take them from here?

  Nikolai watched his bride come into the king’s ballroom on her father’s arm, almost sagging with relief when he saw her veil. He knew she could see him, but he wasn’t up to meeting her eyes. He wasn’t certain why he thought it would be easier to wait, but at the moment he knew he was the biggest coward alive.

  Shelby, on the other hand, was anything but relieved. She knew the prince was tall—very tall—just like the king, but the man her father handed her over to towered above her. He glanced down at her, his look serious, as she suspected it would be, but just the sight of that tall frame and handsome face caused Shelby to blush alarmingly. She suddenly asked herself how she could have thought he needed someone to take care of him. He looked as self-possessed as any man could. She thought she might need a chair.

  “Dearly beloved,” Pastor Allen began suddenly, and Shelby forced her mind back to why she was there. The mental effort didn’t work for very long. She ended up having a ridiculous conversation with herself.

  So he’s tall, Shelby. What do you care? At 5'8" you’re not exactly short. Okay, so I’m above average, but he’s even taller than my father and the king. He must be 6'3" at least.

  “Marriage is not something to be taken lightly,” Pastor Allen said, and Shelby came back to the moment, her face still flaming. “It is to be entered into reverently, with a heart of commitment.”

  Shelby heard the word commitment and felt herself grow calm. She was not unusual. She wanted love and romance as much as the next person, but from the time she gained a peace about marrying the prince, she knew she would be committed to this marriage. It was unconventional and a bit scary, but she had seen something in the king and queen, as well as in the prince’s letters, that told her she could honor God in this way. Would the prince be pleased to know she was doing it for that reason? At this point it was hard to say, but Shelby knew her own heart, and that heart was filled with commitment and peace.

  “Do you, Shelby Leigh Parker, take Nikolai Rafael Markham to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Pastor Allen was saying to her.

  “I do,” she said softly, listening as the pastor addressed the man beside her, and then as Nikolai’s deep voice said his own vow without a hint of hesitation. Not many minutes later, they were husband and wife. Shelby watched as the prince shook Pastor Allen’s hand, turned, briefly met her family, and then offered her his arm. The moment Shelby took it they began to walk from the room. Vaguely aware of her parents and her brother, Brice, she barely caught sight of the king, queen, king regent, queen regent, and even the slightly bent queen mother, all of whom stood on the prince’s side of the aisle.

  Shelby was not completely familiar with the palace. She’d had only one tour. But she knew they were headed back toward the north quadrant. In seemingly no time at all they stood in the spacious sitting room, the green sitting room as Murdock had called it, that was accessible from both of their bedrooms. Once there, the prince stopped and faced Shelby.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “I am, yes. Are you all right?”

  She watched him hesitate; clearly he hadn’t expected her to return the question. He stood looking down at her, making no move to lift her veil.

  “I believe I am,” he said at last. “I wanted to thank you for coming to the palace this way. If there’s anything you need, just ask. The staff is most helpful and will delight to serve you in any way.”

  Shelby watched as he paused but made herself keep silent. “I wish,” he began softly but stopped. “I’m sorry I can’t—” Again she watched him hesitate, his eyes looking like those of a wounded animal. Abruptly he turned and walked away. Shelby followed his progress, even going so far as to lift her veil to watch him. He did not turn back, but when he reached the door, he slipped quietly into the wide hallway.

  The moment of doubt she’d had in the king’s ballroom was long gone. Confident air or not, it was again utterly clear to her that the prince needed great care.

  Shelby’s first night in the palace was not restful, but she didn’t feel too bad in the morning. Rising a little before six, she showered and dressed casually, mentally going over the layout of her new home. After a moment’s thought she was sure she could find the kitchen. She made her way downstairs and to the rear of the quadrant, through a large dining area and into the spacious, spotlessly tiled kitchen. The room was empty, but someone had put coffee on. Shelby found a mug, poured the aromatic brew, and took a chair at the table. The flavored coffee was delicious. She was joined inside of two minutes.

  “Good morning, Princess Shelby,” Arlanda said with a smile. She was the housekeeper for the north quadrant. “Did you sleep well?”

  “I think I did all right for the first night.”

  Arlanda, looking wise beyond her years, smiled at her. “I think that was your way of saying it was a bit rough.”

  Shelby smiled at being caught. She had met this woman just a few days before and liked her in an instant; indeed, she had liked all the staff.

  “How about some breakfast in the small dining room?” Arlanda offered.

  “Will I be in the way if I stay here?”

  “Not at all. What are you hungry for?”

  “Were you going to eat now?”

  “I’ve eaten, but I’d be happy to fix whatever you’d like.”

  “I think I’ll just have cereal.”

  “I’ll bring you some.”

  Shelby didn’t try to stop her; she simply noted where everything was located so she could help herself in the future.

  “More coffee?” Arlanda offered as she set things down on the table.

  “Are you having some?” Shelby questioned, and Arlanda had to hide a smile. So far, the princess had answered half of the questions directed to her with a question of her own.

  “I am,” Arlanda said, deciding swiftly. “I’ll just bring the pot.” After Shelby helped herself to the cereal and fruit that appeared, she bowed her head and thanked God for the food. Her mind thoughtful, she then spooned sugar onto her cereal, adding milk and strawberries.

  “May I ask you a question, Arlanda?” Shelby asked between bites.

  “Certainly. Anything at all.”

  “Does the staff live here at the palace? I can’t remember if Murdock said.”

  “Most of us do, yes. Murdock is married to Fran—I think you met her. She does the cooking. They have quarters right off the kitchen. Gilbert and Hank, who take care of the cars and do some of the grounds work, live above the car barn. So does Kris. Gilbert is my father and Hank is my brother, by the way.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize.”

  Arlanda was in the midst of explaining where her room was when they were joined by Murdock and Fran.

  “Good morning,” Shelby greeted them. They looked as delighted to see her as they had when they first met her.

  “Good morning, Princess Shelby,” Murdock returned. His very manner begged to serve. “Is there anything I can get for you? Would you be more comfortable in the dining room?”

  “I’m fine here, thank you.”

  “How was your room? Did you lack for anything?”

  “No. It’s all very nice.”

  “Whenever you’re ready,” Murdock said as he opened a thick leather book he’d set on the table, “I’m free to go over your daily and weekly schedule with you. You don’t have anything scheduled today until noon, when the king and queen regent are expecting you to join them for lunch.”

  Shelby nodded, thankful that the queen had warned her of the schedule she would have. Most activities would be arranged through Shelby, but some would come through Murdock who,
knowing her schedule as well as the prince’s, might accept for her. Shelby was always free to cancel.

  “Does that work for you, Princess Shelby?”

  Shelby suddenly realized that Murdock was waiting for an answer.

  “Yes. That’s fine. I’m not sure, however, if I can find the door to the south quadrant.”

  “Arlanda or I will see you there.”

  Shelby smiled, but inside she had questions. Would the prince be there? Was the prince even in the palace right now? With the way their rooms were set up, it was fairly easy not to see each other, but she had the vague impression that if he was around, she would know it. There was a door in her bedroom that led directly into the prince’s bedroom, but Shelby wouldn’t have gone near it even if there had been a fire.

  The princess finished eating, thanked everyone in the kitchen, and made her way back to her room, her mind still on the meal at noon. She wouldn’t have risked any wagers on the matter, but something told Shelby that the prince would not be in attendance.

  “The queen was hoping to have breakfast with you this week. She said Wednesday or Friday would work for her,” Murdock said later that morning as he looked over the appointment book on the table in front of him and then to Shelby’s. They were working in Shelby’s sitting room.

  “Either day is fine for me.”

  “All right. Let’s go with Wednesday, and if we have to change, I’ll tell you.”

  Shelby made a note even as Murdock went on to say he would confirm the time with her later. They worked over the entire week’s schedule and even went into the next week before finishing. Shelby was closing her book when the phone rang. Murdock made his way to the door as Shelby picked it up. It was the king.

  “Good morning, Shelby.”

  “Good morning.”

  “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have something I need to ask you. Is now a good time?”

  “Yes. I’m quite free.”

  “Good. Have you heard of the Royal Care Center for the Elderly? It’s right here in Faraday.”

  “I’m familiar with it. Some years ago my grandmother lived there for a brief time.”

  “She did? That’s very interesting, and I’ll tell you why. The care center likes to have a representative from the royal family on their board of directors. The queen mother served for many years, but she curtailed most of her duties about four years ago. Since then no one has replaced her. The center contacts me every so often about getting involved again, and now in the early post I’ve had another letter. I will admit that I immediately thought of you.”

  “What is involved?”

  “The directors meet and go over business about once every two months. Beyond that, the duties are light. You’re welcome to visit or join the residents for a meal any time you like.”

  “Would it be possible to see the letter you just received?”

  “Certainly. I’ll send all my correspondence with the center to you. Wallace will bring it over within the hour.”

  “All right.”

  “Shelby?”

  “Yes?”

  “You don’t have to do this. I did think of you, and your being familiar with the center helps, but if you don’t want to get involved right now, I’ll simply thank them for their letter and we’ll drop it.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  “Call me if you have any questions.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re welcome, my dear. I’ll check with you later.”

  Shelby was off the phone for some minutes before it hit her. I’m the princess. I’m the princess of Pendaran. I’m living at the palace and talking to the king as though it were an everyday occurrence. For a time Shelby had to sit very still. Pendaran was not a country whose citizens had little to do but follow their royalty around and snoop into their private lives, but everyone was aware of the royal family, and for the most part, the family was respected. The newspapers covered stories that the king and queen released; in fact, someone from one of the papers was coming on Friday to take her picture, but as a rule, Shelby had not followed the media very closely. She knew about the big events, but lately there hadn’t been many of those.

  Will my marriage to the prince be considered big? I hope not. I find I just want to be on my own, left to myself to do my job.

  Shelby had a sudden need to read and study her Bible. The only thing in her life that never changed was God’s love for her. She spent the next hour studying in the book of 3 John and praying. By the time she left to eat lunch with King Regent Anton and Queen Regent Ketra, her head was out of the clouds and her feet were firmly planted on the ground.

  “We won’t keep you very long,” Ketra said as soon as the three were seated. “Nikolai was not available for lunch, and we know you must be busy too. It’s hard to settle into a new place, and I am well aware of how strange it can all be.”

  Shelby felt herself relaxing. If memory served her correctly, Anton had been the royal in this marriage, not Ketra. Shelby thought they might have much in common.

  “I am wondering when I’ll know my way around,” Shelby admitted.

  “There’s always someone to ask,” King Anton put in, “but a map would probably help.”

  “Yes, it would,” Ketra inserted, “and I have just the one. Anton drew a map for me after we were married, and I know I still have it. It’s probably yellowed and bent, but I’ll find it after you leave and send it over.”

  “Thank you,” Shelby said sincerely.

  “We enjoyed your parents and brother, Shelby,” the king offered. “Brice told me he’s studying physics. He’s an impressive young man.”

  “I think so,” Shelby agreed, “but then I’m biased. I’ve really missed him since he went to school.”

  “And how about now?” the queen asked. “Do you miss your parents?”

  “I haven’t had time yet, but I know it will come. It’s nice to know I can see them whenever I want to.”

  “I’m glad for you that they’re close,” the king stated. “Ketra’s family was from the north, and she pined for them, didn’t you, my dear?”

  “I thought I would die that first year. I was so much in love with Anton but so lonely for my family. Finally the girls started to come, and I didn’t have as much time to miss them.” Ketra suddenly stopped and studied Shelby. “I can’t remember the last time we had a redheaded king or queen. This should be fun.”

  Shelby’s face reddened in an instant.

  “Now, Ketra,” the king chided compassionately, “see what you’ve done.”

  The queen looked apologetic, and Shelby was thrilled when lunch was served and she could bow her head, first for the prayer and then over her food. She had an enjoyable time with the couple and even made a swift visit to meet Anton’s mother, but Shelby walked back to her room with her head in a muddle. Right now she felt as though she were swimming in mud, with no clue as to the direction of the surface.

  Four

  Within a week of living at the palace, Shelby was finding her feet. She liked to rise early and even fixed her own breakfast most mornings. Someone always had coffee on to brew but wasn’t always present when she arrived. The staff, however, was swiftly growing accustomed to seeing her at the kitchen table for breakfast. Invariably she had her Bible, the newspaper, her date book, or all three. On this morning, just eight days after she’d been married, she ate without looking at any of them. The staff moved around quietly, seeing that she was in great thought.

  And indeed she was. Shelby’s mind was still on the church services the day before. One of the first questions Shelby had asked the king and queen was about the church they attended. She had been glad to hear it was a church she was familiar with, one that shared her biblical beliefs, but her next question had been almost as important to her: Did the church have a ministry to the deaf? Shelby had been involved in that ministry in her own church for a long time and had no desire to give it up.

  Yesterday she had come into church on h
er own, gaining stares that told her many people had seen her picture in the paper. She deliberately sat far over on the right-hand side so she could see the man signing at the front. Having grown up with a deaf father, she had been able to follow every word but soon chose to look at the pastor and concentrate on her notes. She had enjoyed it very much and been convicted several times. While she knew dozens of people who went to church because it made them feel good, Shelby didn’t want that. Her desire was to be convicted of sin and to change to be more like Jesus Christ, even if it hurt.

  She was still in the midst of all these thoughts about the day before when the prince walked into the kitchen. She was glad that she’d just swallowed the toast in her mouth, or she might have choked.

  “Murdock,” he began genially, “I have to make a change on the schedule. Do you have your book?”

  “Of course, sir. What day?”

  “This Friday.”

  Shelby stopped attending at this point and simply watched him. He was in slacks, white shirt, and tie; clearly his jacket had been discarded elsewhere. And she had been right—he was very tall. Handsome too. His hair was jet black, and although she couldn’t see his face clearly, she had seen through her veil that his eyes were a startling sapphire blue. Shelby was still just watching him when he turned and noticed her.

  “Hello,” he spoke kindly, smiling a little in her direction.

  “Good morning,” Shelby said softly, keeping her seat.

  The prince finished his business with Murdock and finally turned to look at her again.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said conversationally, shocking Shelby into silence. The redhead stared at him until he laughed a little and glanced at Murdock and Arlanda.

  “I take it I have met our guest and forgotten.”

  But the two servants were staring at him in equal shock, and a cold feeling swept down his spine. The face he turned back to Shelby was not at all friendly. That lady stood to her feet before speaking.

  “I’m Shelby,” she said breathlessly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”