‘I’m too tired to eat,’ she protested when the fürst returned. ‘Really, once I get warm, I’ll just go to my room and sleep.’ If she rested her head against the back of the Chippendale chair for even a moment, she thought she might fade into a dreamless exhaustion.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, but there was no satisfaction at having made her escape. Instead, she envisioned countless guards, searching every pathway, every road.
Her heart pulsed within her chest, though she tried to blot out the fear. She tried to comfort herself by imagining a steaming hot bath, a clean nightgown and a soft bed. There would be time to make plans in the morning after a good night’s rest.
A horrifying thought occurred to her. Without a staff here, she had no one to help her undress. Even worse … had Karl brought her trunk from the other coach? Did she have anything at all to wear?
‘I will need a ladies’ maid to attend me,’ she informed him. ‘Please send Bernard to find someone.’
‘It’s after midnight. I’ll send him to the village, first thing in the morning.’
‘No, not in the morning,’ she corrected. ‘Now.’
He sent her an annoyed look. ‘I’m certain you’ll survive one night without a lady-in-waiting to tuck you in or brush your hair for you.’
She sent him a look of disbelief. The prince didn’t understand what she was saying. There was no possible way for her to sleep unless someone helped her out of her corset and petticoats. But her alternative was to ask him for help. And that was most definitely not going to happen.
‘What about my trunk of clothing?’ she asked. ‘Did your footman bring it?’
His face showed no reaction at all. All he would say was, ‘There may be clothes that were left here by the governor’s wife.’
Then she truly had nothing at all to wear. Serena didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Nothing at all had gone right with her escape from the palace. The only thing that would make it worse would be if the guards caught up to her this night and forced her to return to the palace.
The sound of a man clearing his throat interrupted them. When Serena looked up, the footman Bernard looked embarrassed. He held a wooden tray containing a teapot, two cups, a covered plate and a jar of preserves. ‘Your Royal Highnesses, I must apologise. There was very little food in the house. I found some eggs in the hen house and prepared what I could.’ He bowed and set the tray upon the dining-room table, apologising as he left.
Serena lifted the cover and winced at the sight of the overcooked scrambled eggs. They were badly burned on one side, while the rest was runny. ‘I suppose he did try to cook for us.’
‘You wanted to know how ordinary people lived,’ the fürst pointed out.
She didn’t want to eat, but it would be rude to ignore the footman’s valiant effort. When she ventured a taste of the overcooked eggs, it surprised her to realise how starved she was. When she offered the plate to Karl, he shook his head. ‘I’m waiting to see if you survive.’
There was a hint of roguery in his voice, and she raised an eyebrow. ‘Did you want me to be poisoned?’
‘Not at all. I’ve no wish to be a widower before I’m a bridegroom.’ He poured her a cup of tea. Serena took it from him, but the drink was weak and tea leaves floated on the surface.
She stared down at the watery brew and wondered if she ought to tell him that she was ending their betrothal. ‘How long are you planning to keep me here?’
‘How long were you planning to spend your holiday?’ he countered.
She could feel his gaze upon her, though she didn’t meet his eyes. ‘I was going to stay three days at my grandfather’s lodge.’ After that, she’d intended to leave again, perhaps taking a train somewhere far from Germany or Badenstein.
He ate his own eggs, but all the while, his eyes were studying the room. ‘Your father’s men will come after you.’
‘I know it.’ A cold chill spread over her skin, and she pushed her plate aside, walking to stand by the fire. ‘They’ll try to force me to return.’
‘The king will be angry with you for taking such a risk.’
She said nothing, though her hands had begun to tremble. It was easy to hide her fear behind the guise of cold.
The prince left his own plate and came to stand before her. ‘Marry me here, on the island,’ he commanded. ‘And when we return, I’ll shoulder any trouble that arises.’
She shook her head slowly. Not only did she have no intention of marrying him or anyone else, but she wasn’t going to return.
‘You’d prefer to wait until the summer?’ he mused. ‘After being here with me, I don’t know if the king would allow it.’ He took her hands and drew her to stand. ‘We’ll wed tomorrow.’ Within his voice, she heard the commanding air, the expectation that she would do his bidding.
She was not a household maid, bound to obey. But neither would she have this argument now, not when she was too tired to think clearly. ‘We’ll discuss it later. Where do you think the servants went?’
‘I don’t know. But if Bernard can’t find them, I’ll hire a new staff.’ His posture stiffened, his bearing almost that of a soldier. This was a man accustomed to issuing orders and being obeyed.
He reached to her hood and lowered it to her shoulders. ‘A lot could happen in the week we spend together, Princess.’
She stepped back. ‘Or nothing at all.’ Her mind was made up. In the morning, she would decide where to go and how to get there. Although it terrified her, she had to make her own decisions and decide what she wanted to do with her life.
An awful thought occurred to her. If she refused to wed the fürst, would he reveal her whereabouts to the king? She stared at Karl, not knowing what sort of man he was.
‘I’m tired,’ she said at last. After all the travelling, the need to rest was overpowering. And though she could not change out of her gown, perhaps she could find a way to sleep in her clothes. ‘Do you think my room is prepared?’
‘All should be in order.’ The fürst led her toward the main staircase. While he escorted her up the stairs, Serena glanced behind them. There was no footman, no one else but the two of them. It felt awkward without her ladies, and she suddenly realized that she could be in danger if the fürst wanted to press his attentions upon her.
When they reached the door to her chamber, she ordered, ‘You may leave me now.’
He raised an eyebrow at her tone, but she ignored it and fumbled with the doorknob, trying to escape him as quickly as possible.
‘I am not your servant,’ he said quietly, resting his hand against the door frame.
‘Neither were you invited.’ She tried to push her way past him, but he refused to move.
The suffocating fear rose up, and Serena crossed her arms over her chest, turning
