me to waltz, ready for the coronation ball.’ Luisa flashed him a challenging look. ‘At home our local dance was a disco in the school hall and I never learnt anything formal.’ She looked at a point over his shoulder. ‘It didn’t matter at our wedding because the country was in mourning and there was no dancing at the reception, but this time …’ She shrugged stiffly. ‘I didn’t want to disgrace you on your big day.’
Raul frowned. There was something so intimate about the idea of teaching Luisa to waltz. Holding her in his arms and showing her how to move her body with his.
‘You could have asked me.’ Surely that was the sort of thing husbands did? He’d have revelled in it.
What did it say about their marriage that she’d turned to his secretary to help her?
Colour washed her throat and her mouth pursed. ‘And make it obvious there was another simple thing I couldn’t do? You have no idea how hard it’s been to try to get everything right—the protocol and customs and language—and still I make so many mistakes. Besides—’ she drew a shaky breath ‘—it’s so basic. How embarrassing not even to know how to waltz.’
She blinked quickly and his heart compressed.
‘I don’t care if you can’t dance.’ His voice was rough as he stepped closer.
‘But I do. I wanted …’ She chewed her lip.
‘You thought anyone would care about your dancing ability? That I’d care? That’s absurd!’ Not after they’d shared so much. More than he’d shared with any other woman.
‘Absurd?’ She shook her head and spun away to pace the room again.
Raul wanted to tug her into his arms but the way she wrapped her arms round her torso and her strained expression told him this wasn’t the time.
‘What’s really absurd is marrying someone you don’t know. Giving yourself to someone who’ll never care for you. Can never care for you because he never got over the woman who hurt him years ago.’
Shock held Raul mute as her words lashed him. He couldn’t credit what he heard. Luisa believed he hadn’t got over Ana?
‘That’s not true!’
He reached for her, took her arm, but she shrugged out of his grasp.
Anguish lacerated him at her rejection.
‘Do you know how it feels knowing I wasn’t your first choice of wife, not even your second? That you married me because of who my grandfather was?’
She drew a huge shuddering sigh and Raul felt the full weight of regret bear down on him for all he’d done to this vibrant, special woman.
All through their relationship his needs had come first. She’d given him what he wanted, more than he’d ever dreamed possible, and all the time she’d suffered.
He’d known it, had felt pangs of guilt but never before had he truly faced the full magnitude of Luisa’s distress and loss. He’d conned himself into believing she’d begun to feel some of the pleasure he did in their union, shared some of his hopes for the future.
Reality hit him like a sledgehammer to the heart.
Raul shoved trembling hands into his pockets rather than reach for her. Clearly she didn’t want his touch. The knowledge burned like acid.
‘Is that why you’ve booked a flight to Sydney next week?’
Luisa’s mouth gaped then shut with a snap. ‘You know about that?’
‘I just found out.’ He waited. When she remained silent he prompted, hoping against hope there was another reason for her trip. ‘Is there a family emergency?’
She shook her head and he felt hope flicker and fade.
‘I wanted to go home.’ Her voice cracked and it was all Raul could do not to scoop her close.
‘This is your home.’ His voice was rough, emotion scouring each word.
She shook her head so fervently fine gold hair whirled around her face and he’d have sworn her eyes shimmered with tears. His stomach clenched as from a crippling blow.
‘I need time. Time away from here.’
Time away from him.
Something withered in Raul’s breast. Something he couldn’t put a name to. He’d hoped eventually she’d be happy with him, forget how he’d forced her to come here. Had he deluded himself, believing she’d come to care for him? That they’d begun to share something special?
But he couldn’t give up.
‘You belong here now, Luisa.’
He cut himself off before he could say she belonged to him.
‘Do I?’ She spun away, her arms wrapped over her chest. She drew a shuddering breath. ‘I think it would be wise if I went away for a while. You see—’
‘Running away, Luisa?’ He couldn’t be hearing this. Only yesterday she’d snuggled, naked in his embrace, and he’d felt. he’d hoped.
She shook her head. ‘You’ll be crowned. You’ll have what you want.’ Her voice sounded muffled.
And what if it was her he wanted? It struck him with the force of absolute truth that he wanted nothing more than to spend his life with Luisa.
Why had he not seen it so clearly before?
The crown, even his country, meant nothing without Luisa.
Had he lost her for good?
Unbidden, an image rose of her and Lukas. Would they meet in Australia?
He refused to consider the possibility.
‘You can’t leave the day after the coronation. At least put off the trip for a while.’ He needed time to make her see reason. Time to convince her to stay.
She stiffened. ‘I thought I should be there for the ceremony. But maybe it would be better if—’
She stopped as his mobile phone beeped insistently. With an impatient click of his tongue Raul reached into his pocket and switched it off.
‘That’s your private line. It’s probably important.’
He stalked towards her, in no mood to be distracted. ‘This is important, Luisa.’
The sound of Luisa’s landline ringing cut across his words. Before he could prevent her, she’d lifted the receiver, as if eager for the interruption.
‘It’s for you.’ She held out the receiver to him. ‘The government’s legal counsel says he has to speak with you.’
Raul hesitated. They needed to discuss this now. But the matter he’d had the lawyers working on would surely help his
