‘Won’t it be dangerous? Wouldn’t they recognise their crown prince?’
‘Even if I walked among them, most wouldn’t know me. Vertraumen is separate from the mainland, and they keep to themselves. My father’s face is on their currency, not mine.’ He folded his napkin and stood. ‘And, it’s easier to learn the needs of your country when you spend time amongst the people. You should try it.’
‘Do you disguise yourself?’
‘I wear plainer clothing, but most people aren’t that observant. So long as you don’t behave like a princess, I doubt anyone will notice.’
‘What if it isn’t safe?’ She was less worried about the citizens and more afraid of being recognised. Someone might send word to her father.
The prince’s mouth tilted in a silent challenge. ‘It will be fine. And we’ll find out what happened to the household staff while we’re there. We’ll learn more if we blend in among them.’
‘I don’t know,’ she hedged, uneasy about the prospect. ‘I’ve never gone out without my guards or my ladies. Who will protect us, if they discover who we are?’
‘You don’t look very much like a princess right now,’ he pointed out. ‘And I am quite capable of protecting us.’
‘How would you do that?’
The fürst departed for a moment and returned with his great coat. Inside, he showed her a revolver. ‘In the past five years, there have been at least ten assassination attempts on my life.’ His gaze centred upon her. ‘I’m certain you’ve experienced the same.’
She nodded. It was a part of being a princess, an unfortunate reality that terrified her. One of her ladies had become deeply ill when some food had turned out to be poisoned.
‘There were two attempts this year.’ A shudder gripped her at the memory. God willing, if she escaped the palace, there would be no more threats.
‘You’ll be safe enough,’ the prince said, discreetly hiding the revolver again.
Her stomach twisted with nervousness. She’d never ventured out in disguise before, and she frankly preferred to stay at the manor house where she could make her plans. ‘Perhaps you should go without me,’ she urged. ‘You could send the seamstress here with the patterns and material.’
The fürst rested his hands upon the table. Softly, he asked, ‘What are you afraid of?’
She studied the china plate, knowing that she sounded like the worst sort of coward. When she glanced into the other room, she saw the sunlight spilling onto a chaise longue. Outside was the freedom she’d wanted so desperately. And already she was allowing the shadow of her father to dictate her decisions.
‘I’ve hardly ever been outside the palace,’ she admitted to the prince. She didn’t know if she dared to try it. What would it be like to wander among the other people, like a commoner? To be viewed as a woman instead of a princess … she’d once dreamed of such a thing.
Serena lifted her gaze to his, expecting to see frustration upon his face. Instead, the prince was merely waiting for her answer. ‘It will be safe,’ he repeated.
She didn’t truly believe him, but what choice did she have? If she didn’t learn how ordinary people lived, how would she ever survive apart from her family? Assuming she avoided her father’s guards, that is.
‘All right,’ she conceded at last. ‘But promise me, if we’re discovered—’
‘We won’t be.’ He brought her cloak over and handed it to her. ‘Remove your jewels before you go.’
Serena took off her earrings and set them upon the table, reaching behind for the clasp of her pearl necklace. It had an intricate fastener, and she had no idea how to get it off.
‘Will you let me help you?’ the fürst asked.
She wanted to refuse, even though she knew it was foolish. Instead, she conceded, ‘You may.’
When his hands rested upon her shoulders, her skin prickled with an unfamiliar sensation. He reached for the pearls, and the strand rolled across her neck like a caress as he worked with the clasp.
His fingers moved over the pearls, and the heat of his hands permeated her throat while she breathed in the scent of his skin. Serena tensed as he freed the clasp, but all he did was set the necklace down upon the table. If he saw the bruises around her neck, he made no comment.
‘There are three buttons unfastened,’ he murmured against her ear. Heated tremors raced through her at the feeling of his warm breath upon her skin. ‘Would you like me to fix them or leave them alone?’
She kept her gaze staring straight ahead. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. ‘Please help me with them.’
Once again, his hands touched her nape, adjusting each button slowly. Before the prince pulled his hands away, he lifted a fallen lock of hair and twisted it, pinning it away from her face. The intimate gesture made her cheeks flood with colour.
‘Th-thank you,’ she stammered, rising up from the table. She reached for the earrings and necklace, searching for a place to hide them.
Karl nodded toward the sideboard, and she stored the jewels in a drawer. Then he handed her the cloak she’d worn yesterday. ‘Are you ready?’
Not at all.
But Serena donned the cloak and raised her hood. If she ever wanted a glimpse of the outside world, now was her chance.
Karl led the princess outside the manor house, though he made no move to touch her hand. She reminded him of a skittish bird, ready to take flight at the least provocation.
‘Are you certain we should walk?’ she asked. ‘Isn’t there a curricle or a carriage here?’
‘There is, but it would take time to ready the horses. Bernard has gone to hire staff from the village,’ he reminded her. ‘And if we are to remain unnoticed, it’s better this way.’
‘What about an escort, or someone to guard us?’ She looked around as if she weren’t at all certain he was capable of protecting them.
‘Samuel will follow in a few moments.’ Karl started to walk and after a sigh, the princess squared her shoulders and continued beside him. In her bearing, he could see her exhaustion. Her face was pale, her eyes weary from lack of sleep.
Although he told himself that it was only temporary, it made him aware that he’d done a poor job of taking care of her. She needed servants of her own and new clothing. Of the women he’d known in the past, most had been enamoured of baubles and beautiful gowns. Money and wealth were all that mattered to them, and his mistresses had given themselves freely, so long as he was generous.
Princess Serena was different. She seemed more eager to escape the palace than to surround herself with luxury. And if he wanted to wed her within days, he had to learn what she wanted most and fulfil that desire.
The path from the manor house led downhill to a small village. Out upon the sea, several fishing boats had gone out for the day’s catch.
‘When we reach the village, I’m going to hold your hand,’ Karl warned. He didn’t want her to overreact when he touched her. ‘We’ll pretend to be a married couple.’
She stopped walking and studied him. ‘Why would I need to hold your hand?’
‘Because it will let the others know that you’re under my protection.’
The closer they walked to the capital city, the more nervous Serena became. Her face was pale, her