Conveniently Wed To The Prince. Nina Milne

Eloise had never really recovered, relapsing and lurching from periods of depression to episodes of relative calm until illness had overtaken her.

      In his anger and grief he had started his search for a job under an assumed name, changed his surname by deed poll and got himself new documentation, determined to prove himself without any reference to his royal status.

      It hadn’t been easy. And he would be grateful for ever to the small independent estate agent who’d taken pity on him. His need for commission had honed his hitherto non-existent sales skills and negotiating had come naturally to him.

      ‘Luckily I was a natural and it piqued my interest.’

      Holly tipped her head to one side. ‘But how did you go from that job to a multibillion-pound business?’

      Was that suspicion in her voice? The idea that she still believed Alphonse had funded him shouldn’t matter but it did.

      ‘I worked hard and I saved hard. I worked multiple jobs, I persuaded a bank to take a chance on me, I studied the market and invested in properties until I had a diverse portfolio. Some properties I bought, did up and sold, others I rented out. Once my portfolio became big enough I set up a company. It all spiralled from there.’

      And when it had he had resumed his own identity, wanting the world to know what he had made of himself.