“Absolutely not! I’ve known Prince Alexi Ladislas since we were both public-school mates in England, and I’ve never considered him anything more than a friend.”
“Ah, so it is personal.”
“Not in that manner.”
“But he’s your friend, meaning he let you down.”
Lady Wendy seemed to deflate just a bit. “I should have anticipated something like this. There was an unfortunate incident with an actress in Monaco last fall…” She seemed to shake herself away from her memories. “He’s been restless lately, more so since we’d planned this trip to the States.”
“I don’t know what I can do for you, Lady Wendy. That prince is sure not hiding out on my ranch.”
“No, but for all intents and purposes, he could be here.”
“What do you mean by that?”
She took another deep breath, then bent forward just enough to pull that silky material tight against her breasts. “You really are the very image of Prince Alexi, Mr. McCauley. With just a proper—I mean a similar—haircut and his wardrobe, I know that we’d be well on our way to—”
“Whoa! You want me to pretend to be this prince until he shows up?”
“Exactly,” she answered with more enthusiasm than he could have imagined. “With any luck, we’ll be able to contact Prince Alexi within twenty-four hours. I’m sure he’ll see reason and return to his entourage. Unfortunately, canceling the events until his return would appear suspicious, even if I were to come up with a good excuse.”
“Why? Is he involved in something shady?”
“Shady?”
“You know…illegal, immoral or just a little crooked.”
“Absolutely not! He’s a fine, upstanding man from one of Europe’s oldest royal families. He’s educated, intelligent and heir to a kingdom.”
Hank narrowed his eyes. “You sure you aren’t sweet on this guy?”
“No! And besides, even if I were, that’s beside the point.”
“Which is…?”
“I need your assistance, Mr. McCauley, and I’m prepared to make it worth your while.”
“How’s that?”
“While the treasury of Belegovia does not rival those of Great Britain or the Arab world, I can offer you a substantial fee for only a few days of your time.”
Hank shook his head. “I’ve got chores to do, horses to tend. Twenty-five bags of sweet feed are bein’ unloaded this afternoon. This ranch doesn’t run by itself, Lady Wendy.”
“Surely you can hire someone to fill in for a few days. If we get started immediately, I can have any alterations made to the wardrobe, brief you on the itinerary and give you some lessons on protocol.”
“Protocol, hmm? In other words, you’d tell me what to do and say. Tell me, Lady Wendy, how are you gonna explain my Texas accent?”
“I would, of course, give you elocution lessons.”
“You’d teach me to speak like some foreign prince in less than a day? I don’t think so.”
“Prince Alexi speaks English flawlessly. He grew up in England while his family was in exile. He even lived in the States for five years before returning to Belegovia.”
“Did he live in Texas?”
“No, Boston.”
“Then he might as well talk like you, Lady Wendy, because Texans can barely understand those fast-talking Yankees.”
“Surely with a little practice…”
Hank shook his head. “No offense, Lady Wendy, but I don’t think you’ve thought this plan through. Maybe it would be best to just tell everyone he’s sick. Food poisoning, or a summer cold. Those can be pretty nasty.”
“I’ve always found the ‘sudden illness’ reason generates rabid speculation by the press. The tabloids might fabricate ridiculous stories that would make Prince Alexi’s character seem in question. He’s never taken drugs, nor does he drink to excess, but that is the first thing they would write. No, I simply cannot suddenly state that he is ill. Besides, any sickness serious enough to warrant canceling the trip would worry his family needlessly.”
“You could always tell them the truth, that he’s run off for a couple of days,” Hank suggested gently.
“I can’t do that to the king. Although I didn’t grow up in Belegovia, I’ve grown quite fond of the country and the royal family.”
“I’m just not sure I can help you. I’ve never really tried, but I don’t think I’m much of an actor.” He’d talked to one of those Hollywood types about a role in a film once while a movie company had been in Austin, but Hank just didn’t see himself as a either a “pretty boy” or a thug, and he sure didn’t want to play some stereotypical Texas cowboy. He sure wasn’t a prince. Nope, he was a horse trainer now.
She seemed to deflate, slumping back against the sofa. The fire went out of her pretty whiskey-colored eyes. “I’d so counted on a successful trip…the triumph that would bring needed revenues into Belegovia. The country has come so far in so few years, but King Wilheim has such plans…plans Prince Alexi shares. But as of this morning, he’s off with a petite blond waitress from that truck stop on the interstate, and I—”
“Kerry Lynn? He’s gone and run off with Kerry Lynn Jacks?”
“I believe that is her name. As a matter of fact, she gave me the idea of asking you to fill in for the prince—indirectly, of course, since she had no idea she would be running off with the prince at the time—when she mentioned you and she were once involved.”
“Not serious. But that’s beside the point. What in the world was Kerry Lynn thinkin’, runnin’ off with some foreign prince?”
“I believe he was being noble at the time. Something about her unreliable car and a trip to see some relatives…Besides, he can be most compelling when he applies himself.”
“But still, she’s no fool. He must have fed her a line of bull.” Hank shook his finger at the British lady as he leaned forward. “If that prince so much as lays a finger on her, he’ll be answerin’ to me!”
“She kissed him!”
“What?” He slumped back into the recliner.
“Right there in the truck stop, she kissed him. She thought he was you, and she threw her arms about his neck quite enthusiastically and kissed him on the mouth.”
Hank smiled. “Kerry is a bit impulsive. I hadn’t been by to visit in quite a while and I suppose she was just glad to see me.” Hank rubbed his bristly chin. “Say, what date is this, anyway?”
“Wednesday, May 8.”
“Dang it! I’ll bet Kerry thought I was bringing her a graduation present. She’s getting her degree from Southwest Texas State University on Saturday.”
Lady Wendy looked a bit green. “How old is this young woman?”
“Well, she’s three years younger than me, so that would make her twenty-eight.”
The lady seemed to relax. “I thought for a moment that Prince Alexi had run off with someone…younger.”
He almost heard her unspoken words—much younger. Jailbait younger. Hank had to chuckle despite the serious situation of Kerry being off on her own with some foreign prince. “She’s been going to college part-time for as long as I can remember ’cause she helps her mother and sisters by working as a waitress.”
“If