The Prince's Bride

The Prince's Bride Read Online Free PDF

Book: The Prince's Bride Read Online Free PDF
Author: Victoria Alexander
Tags: Historical
trusted. You are on the side of—”
    “Good instead of evil?”
    “Well, yes.”
    “Overly dramatic but you could put it that way I suppose.” He chuckled. “I am currently charged with protecting the interests of my king and my country. As a representative of the crown, yes, you can trust me.”
    She blew a relieved sigh. “I had thought as much but—”
    “You needed to hear me say it.”
    “Yes, I did.” She smiled in gratitude. “I must get back. Again you have my thanks.” She pulled open the door and cautiously glanced down the corridor. The hallway was empty. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. If she could make it back to the ballroom unnoticed, she could pretend this entire incident had never happened.
    But what of Alexei? Strange, he seemed of rather less importance at the moment. His proposal would have to wait. Not that another day really mattered. He could declare his intentions as easily tomorrow as tonight.
    She made her way back to the ballroom, turning her attention once again to the prospect of becoming a princess and away from intrigues and unexpected dangers. She was confident the incident was at an end, and it was easy to wipe away all thoughts of wicked men and their wicked knives from her mind.
    What proved a bit more difficult was ignoring the lingering memory of a strong, male body pressed against hers and the passionate kiss of a dangerous man.
    Rand stared at the closed door for a long moment. A scant hour ago he would have wagered a small fortune that this mess could not get any more complicated. He would have lost.
    The beautiful Lady Jocelyn was now smack in the midst of it all.
    He walked over and picked up the knife from the floor. It was unremarkable in appearance, of a style made predominantly in the Baltic regions. Quite common and therefore worthless in determining ownership. But lethal in the right hands. And it had quite nearly skewered the lovely lady’s neck.
    He uttered a short curse at the thought of what would have happened if he’d arrived so much as a split second later. Of course, he’d had no idea she was in the room. The man he was watching had escaped his observation and apparently met with his accomplice in the darkened shadows out of doors. Rand and his men were checking each room with access to the terrace or gardens in hopes of uncovering the very meeting Lady Jocelyn had stumbled upon. It was only a heightened sense of danger that had served him well during the war years that led him to the right door.
    Why she had been in the music room anyway?
    She’d started to say something... Of course. He snorted with disdain. She was here to meet Alexei. Rand had missed most of the season thus far, only returning to London a few weeks ago, but he couldn’t fail to miss hearing of the woman who had apparently attracted the attention of the crown prince of Avalonia. The incomparable Lady Jocelyn Shelton.
    He had to admit she was indeed incomparable and wondered why he’d barely noticed her at their brief earlier meeting. With golden hair and eyes only a shade darker, the rich color of honey, she stood a bit taller than most women, which only served to increased comparisons to the perfection of a Greek statue. Her family connections were excellent and her dowry was obviously substantial.
    For a man seeking a wife, she was the prime pick of the lot this year. And who would have suspected the surprising amount of courage, perhaps even intelligence, hidden in that enticing package? Another woman would have been hysterical at such a narrow escape.
    No, he amended the thought. Strike intelligence. If she was there to meet Prince Alexei she wasn’t nearly as smart as she might appear. The prince was notorious for his amorous liaisons, and while rumor was rife that he was looking for a bride, Rand suspected even Lady Jocelyn’s sterling qualifications would not be up to snuff for a royal match. If the prince wished to meet with the lady privately,
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