The Royal and The Runaway Bride

“Hmmm,” Alex said, aiming for an expression of sage perplexity. “Well, let’s take a look at him.”

Phillip led her down a row of half doors, the generous-sized stalls behind them smelling of cedar chips, saddle soap and the natural muskiness of horseflesh. She had always loved this part of being around horses—the smells, rough and masculine textures, sounds of hooves restlessly shifting on wooden planks, snuffles and whinnies of horses talking to one another in their secret language. It was the riding part that hadn’t been as easy, or at least as painless.

Phillip stopped in front of a stall and whistled between his teeth. Almost immediately, an enormous black head with shining dark eyes appeared in the opening. “Hello, Eros, old man,” Phillip murmured tenderly. He ran a gentle hand beneath the horse’s chin and thumped the side of its neck.

“Phillip,” she gasped, “he’s gorgeous.” She meant it.

Her eyes took in the dark line of the animal’s body on the other side of the door. The classic lines of the Thoroughbred were perfected in the shining flanks, the delicate limbs and well-muscled barrel chest of the horse. She’d ridden some wonderful horses as a girl, up until the time she’d quit her lessons fourteen years ago when she turned sixteen and gotten up the nerve to tell her father riding just wasn’t for her. But Eros made them all look like commoners.

Alex swallowed over a lump of emotion in her throat. Would she ever dare ride such a horse? Or course, Phillip probably didn’t let just anyone hop on the back of this magnificent creature, clearly his pride and joy.

“Any opinion?” he asked, interrupting her admiration.

“He’s wonderful, of course,” she breathed.

“I meant, your professional judgment.”

“Oh. Of course.” She recovered quickly, her mind racing to come up with something…anything that might sound like trainer-talk. “Ummm. Well, anyone can see he’s still jittery. Something has broken his confidence.”

Phillip scowled and reached out to rest his palm over the wide, velvety bridge of Eros’s nose. “You can see that in here? Just by looking at him?”

She nodded wisely. “Yes. I’ve seen this sort of thing a lot. The whole character of the horse can change after one bad incident.”

“But nothing happened to—”

“Nothing your stable hands will admit to,” she said quickly. “I don’t know about you, but people who work for my fa— my employer,” she corrected herself hastily, “although they may be loyal and honest in most ways, often have trouble admitting to a mistake. They don’t want to make their boss angry, so it’s natural to cover up, hoping things will mend themselves.”

He studied her for a long moment. “I suppose you’re right. I probably will never know what, if anything, got to Eros that day.”

“Exactly.” She felt more confident now that she’d gotten him to agree with her, even though her point was a vague one at best. “So all we can do now is build the horse’s confidence.”

“How do we do that?”

She only had to think for a second before she remembered how she’d recovered after a few bad falls. “You start at the beginning. Retrain him as if he’s never jumped before.”

Phillip shook his head. “My own trainer said that he must be made to take a couple of high jumps, then he’ll be fine.”

She let out a doubtful chortle. “Right. And how are you going to force a couple thousand pounds of horseflesh over a five-foot hurdle, short of using a forklift?”

He smiled and stepped closer to her, their shoulders touching, and she felt a tingle of excitement. “You have a point. Tell me more,” he said.

She let Eros sniff her palm then stroked his sleek black throat. “Ride him on the flat for a dozen or more loops around the ring. No jumps at all. Then walk him over a rail lying on the ground. After he’s comfortable with that, move up to a rail placed no more than four or five inches off the ground. Keep raising the height slowly, but don’t move him up until he takes the new level without hesitation. If it takes weeks, fine. Don’t push him.”

Phillip nodded slowly. “It sounds logical. You’ve used this technique before with other horses?”

“Zillions!” She smiled when Eros playfully nuzzled her cheek. And now, she thought, time for lunch. She couldn’t get enough of the wonderful Mediterranean seafood found all over the island.

But Phillip had other ideas. “Let’s get him saddled.”

“What?” She stared at him apprehensively.

“No time like the present. Besides, you yourself said you won’t be here for long. I want to take advantage of your expertise.”

“But I’m sure your own trainer—”

“He hasn’t succeeded yet, and I don’t want to take the chance that Eros might connect Marco with whatever originally spooked him. He seems to like you. Maybe a woman’s touch is what he needs.”

“I haven’t brought riding gear,” she objected.

“There’s plenty you can use in the tack room. Just down there.” He pointed. “I keep spare boots, crops and such for guests. What shoe size do you take?”

“Six, American,” she said wearily.

“I’m sure there’s something that will fit you. Go along. I’ll get him ready for you.”

Great, she thought glumly a moment later as she pulled riding breeches over her casual shorts and wedged her feet into leather riding boots. What was she going to do now? She could confess to Phillip Kinrowan that she had lied to him and wasn’t who she claimed to be. But that would be humiliating. She didn’t care if he was angry, but she wouldn’t be laughed at.

Or she could call his bluff and ride Eros. And risk breaking your neck by doing so, a little voice inside her warned.

But the timid jumper had seemed as gentle as a lamb in his stall. Sure, Thoroughbreds were unpredictable and their moods could change without warning. But she knew how to handle a basic trot around a ring or a walkover exercise, and that was all she was going to do. She’d explain to Phillip that pressing the horse to take a jump of any height today would be premature and could permanently ruin him for competition. What owner would take that risk?

Alex grinned. She could do this. No sweat. Then on to bouillabaisse!

Phillip cinched up Eros’s saddle, talking comfortingly to him all the while. “She weighs hardly more than a feather, old man. You won’t feel her. And you saw how nice she was, right? Pretty woman like that, she’d never do anything to hurt you. Just relax and take her for a little spin around the ring, and let me enjoy the view, huh? Do that for me?”

It seemed almost too good to be true, Alex’s advice. He wondered why such common sense hadn’t occurred to him or Marco. So simple. Start from the beginning. But she was obviously well experienced. He was excited to see how Alex would handle Eros. The horse was spirited, true, but he had been a well-mannered mount until the day he started refusing jumps.

Phillip walked Eros into the yard, toward the largest of the training rings. Two of his stable boys were talking to a man he recognized as being from the royal court. He wondered if he’d been sent with a message for Alex and hoped there wasn’t a reason to take her back to the palace before they’d had time for a leisurely lunch. He was about to ask but Alex appeared, jogging across the yard, her cheeks prettily flushed.

“Is he ready?”

“He’s all yours,” Phillip said, handing over the reins to her. “Need a leg up?”

She shook her head, wedged a toe into a stirrup and lightly bounced once to propel herself up and into the English-style saddle. “Piece of cake.”

“So I see.” He chuckled. She really did look sexy up there astride the big horse. He hadn’t guessed wrong about that. “What’s next?”

“We won’t do much more than get to know each other,” she said. “Just cruise a couple of times around the ring. If he’s happy with that and wants more, I’ll step him across a few rails.”

“Signal me if you want them and I’ll set up for you,” he offered.

She nodded, clucked once at Eros and touched him lightly on his flank with her crop. He responded by walking smoothly toward the ring. Phillip watched as she moved Eros into a relaxed canter, sitting erect and easily on his back. They looked a perfect match, although he was a large horse for such a small woman. Still, temperaments often counted for more than size where horses were concerned.

“That’s quite an animal you have there,” a voice said, speaking in the local Italian dialect.

Phillip turned to face a man he recognized from Daniel’s court. He was reed thin, with a slightly receding hairline and a no-nonsense expression. “Yes. One of my favorites. I’m lucky to have come across such an experienced trainer at a time when I need one.”

“Oh? Who is that?”

Phillip tilted his head toward Alex. “She’s riding him now.”

There was a pause that Phillip read as confusion. He looked at the stranger. “Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing at all.” But the man seemed cautious of the words he chose next. “I’m Gregor Paulus. I was Prince Marc’s assistant, before the accident.” The two men shook hands. “I’m the one responsible for seeing to the comfort and travel arrangements of the American branch of the family and their staff while they’re on the island. I have a message from the palace for the, um, the trainer.”

“I hope she doesn’t have to rush back. I’ve promised her lunch,” Phillip explained.

Paulus smiled. “That’s very good of you, sir. No, there’s no rush.”

“Perhaps I can give her the message?” Phillip asked.

“It’s of a personal nature…from her family in the States. I’ll just go back up to the house, if that’s all right, and wait until she’s finished.”

“We won’t be long,” Phillip promised, then turned back to Alex.

“He’s doing great!” she called out.

“I can see that.” Phillip waved then grinned at the beautiful picture before him—woman and horse, moving in fluid motion as one.

“Ready for a step-over?” he called on her next loop.

“Sure, why not?” She beamed at him, looking as if she were thoroughly enjoying herself.

Phillip ducked through the fence and walked into the ring. He moved two rails from jump supports down to the ground, leaving nothing for Eros to clear above three inches. An easy step-over, just as Alex had described. Then he moved out of the way and leaned casually against the inside of the fence to watch.

Eros slowed as he approached the rails lying on the ground. Alex gently guided him over them. She leaned down to whisper in the horse’s ear and hugged him around the neck. “Good job, boy.” She waved at Phillip. “Once more?”

“Go for it.” He gave her a thumbs-up for encouragement, then watched, transfixed, as Eros and his lovely rider made five more loops around the ring.

Alex was thrilled with herself. Her plan was working! Nothing to this training business, she thought. “Let’s try a low jump!” she shouted at Phillip.

“Do you really think he’s ready?” Phillip frowned. The last time Eros had balked with him in the saddle, he’d barely been able to hang on.

“Sure,” she said. “I think he’s up to a little challenge now. Set the jump low—just two feet off the ground.” Since even a beginning jumper could easily clear four feet, this would be a piece of cake.

Phillip shrugged. After all, Alex was the pro and must know what she was doing. He walked to the middle of the ring and set the pole in the second notch from the ground. Eros’s hoofbeats as he rounded the far curve of the ring accompanied Phillip as he returned to the gate, where he stood to watch. He studied Alex’s face as she and her mount came around the bend and faced the jump.

Something stubborn and proud was reflected in her expression. She bit down on her bottom lip, leaned forward to say something in Eros’s ear, then brought the huge animal into a smooth gallop. It was at that moment he saw the flicker of fear in Eros’s dark eyes as they rolled in a panic at the sight of the jump. Phillip was suddenly terrified for Alex.

“No!” he shouted, knowing that no matter how good a rider she was, no matter how much Eros trusted her, the animal’s terror would get the better of him. They were headed for disaster. “Alex, don’t do it!”

But a wild fire shone in Alex’s eyes and she ignored him. Phillip wanted to close his eyes. He did hold his breath. He gripped the fence on either side of him, and time seemed to stand still as dust flew from beneath Eros’s hooves and the ground trembled and the horse sped past him heading directly for the jump.

Alex leaned forward in the saddle, standing in the stirrups, her legs acting as springs, ready to absorb the impact of landing on the other side of the rail. A few meters before the jump, Eros balked, tossing his head and refusing to take to air. His big body twisted and he wrenched himself about, setting his hooves. Alex, unprepared for the sudden stop, was helpless to retain her seat. Thrown over the horse’s head, she tumbled to the hard ground, landing with a sickening crack.

Phillip’s heart pounded in his chest. His eyes burned, and for breathless seconds he couldn’t make himself move. Alex didn’t move, either. Eros pawed the dust, whinnied and danced nervously.

At last, a groom raced into the ring, grabbed the horse’s reins and led him away, looking at Phillip as if he must be mad. As if he were to blame for the woman’s recklessness! Others quickly gathered outside the rails, but no one dared say a thing. “Alex!” he breathed, breaking out of his paralysis and running to her.

Two

Alex’s first awareness that anything had gone wrong was the sudden pressure of hard earth beneath her body, where a leather saddle had been moments earlier. She made herself lie absolutely still, not daring to move. It was a position she remembered with no fondness from her teenage years, the last time she’d seriously ridden. The last time she’d jumped.

She kept her eyes closed and, one body part at a time, assessed her condition. Her head—aside from a dull headache, it didn’t feel bad. Thank goodness she’d worn a helmet. Her back—she gently contracted the muscles and felt her spine respond, straightening just a fraction of an inch but enough to reassure her that all was in working order. Her legs—she wiggled her toes and tightened the muscles in her legs. Her arms—well, the fingers could flex. She tried to push herself up onto one elbow now that things appeared to be functioning. A flash of white-hot pain sliced through her left shoulder.

“Ow!” she moaned and fell back down to the ground.

“Don’t try to get up!” a masculine voice ordered. “Devon,” Phillip shouted to one of his stable boys, “call Doctor Elgado. Tell him we need him immediately.”

“What happened?” Alex asked foggily, honestly remembering nothing beyond the moment she’d come around the circle after taking Eros over the rails laid out on the ground.

“You missed a two footer.”

She scowled and felt Phillip’s hand slide gently beneath her head, pillowing it and raising it even with the line of her neck and spine. “Why’d I do a dumb thing like—” Then it came back to her. Her little deception. Horse trainer, indeed!

“I’m sorry, Alex. Dear God, I’m so sorry.” Phillip’s voice was choked with emotion. “I just assumed you knew best. I should never have let you try to jump him.”

“He was doing so well…” she murmured, lapsing into a spell of dizziness.

“And you looked magnificent up there. Don’t waste your strength trying to talk. Do you know where you’re injured? Is it your back?”

“No, I think I’m okay there. But my shoulder, the one closest to your hand—”

His fingers softly kneaded the area around her shoulder blade, then forward in the soft hollow between her armpit and breast. She felt the area warm and tingle to his touch. Then she winced at the sudden sharp pain.

“Yes, there,” she said tightly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I can’t tell if anything’s broken. My physician will be here soon.”

She nodded. The ring’s dusty surface felt as hard as the limestone cliff she’d climbed earlier that day. “Do you think we could wait somewhere more comfortable?”

“I don’t want to move you if there’s any chance of spinal injury.”

“I’m sure there’s not,” she said. “Everything moves. No numbness anywhere, no pain except in the shoulder.”

“You can’t walk,” he objected, “and if I try to carry you I might hurt you.”

“This isn’t exactly cozy down here,” she said dryly. “Besides, you owe me, Prince.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled.

She opened her eyes to peek up at him as he carefully positioned himself over her and slipped one arm beneath her, taking care to support the injured shoulder against his chest as he rolled her toward him. When he lifted her, she felt a flash of raw fire in her shoulder and she squeezed her eyes shut. But she knew he was doing his best not to hurt her anymore. Once she was fully enclosed in his arms and he was standing erect, the pain lessened.

He carried her past rows of concerned faces as stable boys and household staff looked on.

“Someone ought to teach that horse the difference between up and down,” she grumbled aloud. Relieved laughter from his staff rewarded her effort to lighten the atmosphere.

“Is there anything I can do, sir?” a woman in an apron asked worriedly.

“Have Juan wait at the gate for the doctor and bring him straight to the parlor. Mint tea might be nice,” he added vaguely.

“Brandy would be nicer,” said Alex. “In a very big glass.”

The woman chuckled. “Brave girl. Brandy she is.” She cast Phillip a chastising glare. “Why you not warn her?”

“I did—I did!” He let explanations go on a long sigh.

Alex said nothing more until he had laid her down on a long, soft settee arranging pillows beneath her head and neck to support her. Pulling up a leather hassock, he sat close beside her, holding her hand between his two and bringing her fingertips to his bowed forehead as he closed his eyes tightly and muttered something to himself.

“What was that?” Alex asked.

“I’m sorry. I’m so very— I know Eros better than you. I should never have let you take him past a simple canter. It’s just that you’d convinced me that you were on the right track. All that talk about Eros’s fears, starting at the beginning, building his confidence.”

“Well, it’s what a rider does after she takes a fall so I figured why shouldn’t it work with a horse?” He looked blankly at her. “I mean,” she added hastily, “it’s worked so well with other horses I’ve trained.”

“You’re a daring young woman.” He shook his head and kissed her knuckles, his eyes wandering as he became lost in thought. She wondered if he was even aware of the intimacy of their position—he bending over her, his large hands enclosing her small one, his warm mouth lingering against the flesh of her curled fingers.

They stayed like that for a while longer, and she didn’t move, didn’t pull her hand away. Didn’t even want to lose touch with him. She knew that it was guilt, keeping him here beside her. But she didn’t mind as long as he stayed.

At last Phillip looked down at her and rolled his amber eyes in dismay. “How can I show you how sorry I am for this?”

She followed the line of his strong jaw with a lingering gaze. “Maybe I’ll think of something,” she murmured. He was incredibly handsome. Reckless, impulsive thoughts came to mind. Visions of his wide hands touching her in more intimate places. She felt a steamy flush wash over her entire body.

There was a commotion in the hallway outside the parlor and an older man in tropical casuals burst through the door and hastily crossed the room. He was carrying a small leather case and he immediately pushed Phillip aside to get close to Alex. “Your boy tells me the young lady took a bad fall.”

“Yes, Doctor. She was on Eros.”

“Couldn’t you have found a more reliable mount for her?” he chided Phillip. “Last time you jumped him, it was a fiasco.” Alex got the impression that the doctor must also be involved with European jumping to be so aware of the horse’s problems.

“I’ll explain later. Just look to her, will you?” Phillip snapped irritably.

Alex smiled, amused by his impatience. It was clear he was going to suffer through the disapproval of a lot of people for a long time because of her accident.

The doctor made everyone including Phillip leave the room while he opened her blouse and examined her shoulder, then he listened to her heart and checked her reflexes.

“Well?” she asked when he was done.

“You are in amazingly good shape for the spill you took, miss. But that shoulder is sprained. You’ll need to wear a sling to rest it until it heals.”

“How long will that take?” she asked.

He frowned, looking uncertain. “I’d give it a few weeks.” He took supplies from his bag. “This might hurt a bit while I adjust the tension of the sling. Do you want Phillip back in the room to hold your hand?”

She thought for a moment. “No. A little more of this fine brandy will do.” She took four very long swallows, draining the snifter. Immediately, a heady stream of warmth flowed through her throat, filling her chest and rushing out to the tips of her toes and fingers. She shut her eyes and braced herself. “Go for it, doc.”

Phillip paced the vestibule while his housekeeper looked on worriedly. “Are you sure, sir, there is nothing I can—”

“Nothing, Maria. Thank you. Just go on with—” He waved a dismissing hand. “Whatever.” No doubt she had been preparing their luncheon, which would never be eaten now.

Alone again, he stared helplessly at the closed door to the parlor. A single sharp cry of pain made him jump. He took three hasty steps toward the door, his hand reaching out for the knob. Then he stopped himself. The doctor had sent him out for good reason. He must respect Alex’s right to privacy.

Phillip bit down on his lower lip so hard he tasted the salt of his own blood. The outside door opened.

It was Paulus. “I was taking a walk through your fine garden while I waited, and heard there had been an accident.”

“Alex, yes. But she’s all right. The doctor says it’s a sprain.” Phillip had been listening at the door, unable to wait for an official announcement.

“I’ll call the palace and inform them.”

“Yes,” Phillip said, realizing that was probably something he should have been doing instead of all this useless pacing. “Thank you.”

A moment later, the door still hadn’t opened and Paulus returned. “King Daniel says I’m to bring her back with me as soon as the doctor says she is able to be moved.”

“Oh.” A shadow of dull, gray disappointment fell over Phillip. Why had he assumed Alex would remain here with him? “No,” he said hastily.

“No?”

“It was my fault, the accident. I didn’t warn her strongly enough. She should remain under my roof to recuperate.”

The man hesitated. “I…well, that’s not the king’s wish. It isn’t for me to say whether—”

“She’ll stay here,” Phillip stated, his mind made up. “I’ll speak with King Daniel. She shouldn’t be moved any more than is necessary.” He didn’t know that to be a fact, but it sounded a good enough reason. “I’m responsible for her condition, and I should see to her recovery.”

Paulus looked puzzled but didn’t argue further. “I will return to the palace with your message.”

“I’ll call as soon as I have my physician’s report.”

Phillip turned back toward the parlor door. It was quiet now inside. He hoped that was good news.

Alex was barely aware of the doctor leaving the room. The brandy had numbed her, and the pain in her shoulder had retreated to a dull ache as soon as the doctor finished messing with the sling. She nestled into the soft cushions of Phillip’s settee and drifted off to sleep.

She floated.

For the first time in weeks Alex felt detached from the terrible disappointment that had chased her halfway around the world to her brother’s new home, Altaria. She hadn’t planned to attend the ball in his honor, but it had provided a welcome escape from her troubles.