The Queen's Nine-Month Scandal Read Online Free PDF Page B

so that her hair fell into his hands.
    But then he noticed the way she’d blanched, going parchment white. And her eyes, those stunning sapphire eyes, were huge in her face. Incredible pain made his chest tighten and he breathed out, ‘That was it wasn’t it? You were just looking for someone who would relieve you of your burden. Your innocence.’
    The pain made Daniel lash out, ‘Did you get a taste for it Queen Analia? Did you court more experiences in the meantime, making up for lost time? Is the baby even mine? Tell me, did you use a mask each time to protect your precious identity or did they have the pleasure of knowing who you were—’
    ‘Stop it!’ Analia was trembling all over. She crossed her arms in a bid to hide it. ‘It wasn’t like that.’
    As cold as ice Daniel said, ‘What was it like?’
    She hated that he was glaring at her so fiercely. Shakily she admitted, ‘That night I was feeling restless. I didn’t set out to sleep with someone, but I’ll admit that the thought of the future stretching ahead of me made me feel stifled, claustrophobic. I knew no matter what happened I’d have no choice but to go forward with an arranged marriage.’
    Daniel’s face hardened even more. ‘Until you became conveniently pregnant.’
    Analia protested vociferously. ‘ No , I would never have done that.’
    ‘Yet you did,’ Daniel said flatly. Was there a bleakness to his voice or was it her fanciful imagination?
    ‘But you used protection.’ Analia pointed out.
    ‘It split.’ Daniel didn’t like to be reminded of how he’d used this as an excuse to look for her. When his reasons had been much less altruistic, and much more personal. Carnal. And the worst of it, when face to face with her now, was the knowledge that she’d known who he was. Something dark compelled him to confirm it. ‘You looked at my passport before you left, didn’t you?’Unmistakable guilt flashed across that exquisite face and she looked down. ‘Yes.’
    Old pain rose up inside Daniel like a spectre. ‘Perhaps that was it? I’m not good enough for a queen? The neglected son of a poor alcoholic Irishwoman and a disgraced Russian who had been cast out of his family? One who took his own life rather than deal with grief and pain?’
    ‘ No ,’ Analia denied, but felt shame lance her when she remembered thinking that Daniel, with his reputation, would be the worst possible person for her to have been seen with. But that had paled in significance in the face of the incredible pain in her heart to walk away from him.
    He admitted grimly, ‘I recognised you as soon as I saw your picture. We would have met sooner or later, somewhere.’
    Analia was pained. ‘I was afraid that might happen.’
    Daniel felt stark and empty inside at her words—at her confirmation that she’d never wanted to see him again. ‘You would have married into your inbred German royal family and got on with your life?’
    Analia felt sick. She’d dreaded being in a marriage of convenience and meeting Daniel again because it would have torn her apart. She willed him to try and understand. ‘I had no choice—my whole life has been set up for this moment. I have to have heirs and continue my line.’
    Bile rose from Daniel’s belly to think of that scenario. Analia lifted her chin in an unmistakably regal gesture and it mocked Daniel when he thought of noticing it before. ‘You’re the father of this child. I haven’t been with anyone else. Only you.’
    Daniel asked coolly, ‘Is it true that if you don’t name and marry the father of your child you’ll be forced to abdicate?’
    Analia’s throat ached with emotion. A hard ball seemed to be lodged in her chest. A fledgling dream, deep inside her, shattered to pieces at his dispassionate delivery. ‘Yes, unless my people want to keep me on the throne by a referendum vote.’
    Daniel came close to Analia and with every step his heart beat faster, the desire surged, but with iron control he