Page 9 of The Accidental Prince (Accidentally in Love #3)

T he Fürst quickened his pace, keeping his hand around her waist. Serena knew it was merely to ensure that she kept up with his stride, yet the warmth of his hand felt too familiar. She tried to move away from him, but his hand only curled around her in a protective grasp.

“Please,” she said softly, “don’t touch me.”

She expected him to ignore her request, but instead, his hand dropped away, his face sober.

He waited for her to say more, but Serena felt her cheeks redden.

What could she say? That any kind of touch bothered her, reminding her of the beatings she’d endured?

His penetrating gaze pushed down her defenses, leaving her to feel desperately uncomfortable.

The prince took the edges of her fichu and parted them, revealing her bruised throat. “This was why you left the palace. Wasn’t it?”

He knew.

Serena couldn’t find the right words to answer so she remained silent.

“Who did this to you and why?” he demanded.

She flinched at his harsh tone. Without answering, she took the edges of her fichu, and used the lace scarf to cover her neck.

There was a flash of anger in the prince’s eyes before he returned his gaze back to the house. Though he hadn’t pressured her for answers, she sensed that he was only biding his time.

Karl led her to the back entrance of the house, locking it tightly behind them. As they continued through the maze of rooms, the silence continued. At last, they reached the drawing room.

The Fürst’s posture was rigid as he walked over to a carved wooden clock that hung upon the wall. After checking the time on his pocket watch, he adjusted the hands of the clock and swung the pendulum.

“While you were with the dressmaker, I spoke with one of the other islanders. He said that they have been without a governor for weeks. With hardly any provisions left, some have resorted to stealing.”

She wasn’t surprised to hear it. “Frau Bauherzen told me about the hardships. I think you should send word to your father and appeal on their behalf.”

The prince reached for the clock key and inserted it, winding it up.

But even after he swung the pendulum a second time, there was no sound of ticking from within the clock.

“I agree. I’ll have the king send troops to restore order and help with supplies.

” He folded his arms and stared at her. “It would be best if we married today or tomorrow, before we leave. I can arrange it this afternoon, if that would suit.”

It took an effort to keep her mouth from dropping open. He spoke of marriage as if it were having afternoon tea. “I’m not going to marry you.”

“I promised I would keep you safe,” he said quietly. “Marrying you is my means of doing so. Surely you understand that it will silence any gossip about us. We’ve no choice in the matter.”

But Serena had no intention of surrendering her freedom to his whims. Although he was right that her virtue was already destroyed by being with him, she had no desire to wed any man. It didn’t matter what people believed, for she intended to disappear and live where no one would find her.

She straightened and walked over to him. “You will return to Lohenberg. And I’ll go to my grandfather’s hunting lodge, as I’d planned.” It wasn’t the truth, for she hadn’t decided where to go, but it was all she could think to say.

“You can’t go there. Your father’s men would bring you back to the palace within hours.” He closed the clock door and turned to face her. “Unless that’s what you want.”

Most definitely not. If they found her, she would bear the full brunt of her father’s temper. Serena closed her eyes at the thought.

“Who were you running away from?” he asked. His gaze fixed upon her throat, and the anger in his expression unnerved her.

She ignored the question. Even if he believed the truth, there was nothing he could do about it. “Why did you kidnap me?” she countered.

The Fürst moved so close, she could feel the warmth of his breath against her mouth. Though he didn’t touch her at all, it took all of her courage to hold her ground. “Why do you think, Princess?”

Her body seemed drawn to his words, the heavy woolen gown feeling restrictive. She thought of his hands upon her nape, unfastening the buttons last night.

He believed that he was still going to be her husband, that he had the right to touch her in this way. When she dared to look at him again, the heat in his eyes held her transfixed.

“You’re trying to ruin me,” she whispered.

“You’re already ruined,” he responded, reaching out to cup her face. His hands were gentle upon her skin, but embarrassment blazed upon her cheeks. “I’m trying to tempt you.”

A sudden chill swept over her, and Serena took a step backwards. He let her go, and the darkness in his eyes took on a shadowed look. This was a man accustomed to getting what he wanted. And he wanted her.

Her mouth went dry at the thought of sharing his bed.

Karl von Lohenberg looked as if he knew exactly how to seduce a woman, how to lure her into wickedness.

But she couldn’t allow herself to be caught up in him.

Though he’d helped her to escape Badenstein, she would find another way to repay him.

A way that didn’t involve marriage or sharing his bed.

“Anna should never have written to you,” she said to him. “I would have been fine on my own.”

His dark look said he didn’t agree. “There are many men who would take advantage of a woman traveling alone.”

“I wouldn’t have been alone. I had guards.”

“What you did wasn’t safe. Half-a-dozen bullets would have ended their lives, and you could have been kidnapped.”

”I was kidnapped,“ she reminded him, “by you.”

“For your own good.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Can’t you imagine what would have happened to you, if another man had stolen you away?”

She sent him a pointed look. “And your intentions are more honorable?

“I offered to marry you.” He took another step forward, pressing her back against a chaise longue. “You’ll admit, I’ve not once forced my attentions on you.”

“Yes, you have,” she countered. “Last night. And—and—you’ve been entirely too forward.”

With him standing so close, she wished she hadn’t spoken. It sounded like a challenge, instead of a criticism.

“I’ve never hurt you, Princess. And I promise, when I touch you, it will only bring you pleasure.”

She couldn’t breathe when he was looking at her in this way. Her fingers dug into the chaise longue, and he backed away, shielding his thoughts.

“I know a priest who can perform the ceremony, and in the next few days, we should explore the island. Then I can provide a detailed accounting of the conditions here. Once I’ve sent word to the king, we’ll return to Badenstein.”

She said nothing, refusing to belabor the issue, when he wasn’t listening to her. Her head ached, and she was so tired, her vision blurred.

The prince lifted the clock from the wall and took it with him as he crossed into the dining room. Now what did he want that for?

Serena followed him, not understanding his intent when he rang for the footman. When Bernard arrived, the Fürst ordered him to fetch a set of tools. The footman seemed not at all surprised at the request and hurried to obey.

“What do you need the tools for?” Serena asked.

“I’m going to fix the clock.” He took off his coat and rested it on the back of a chair.

She stared at him, shocked to see a man of his rank performing such a menial task. “Why?”

“Because I can.” He pulled a chair out from the dining room and sat. “You’re free to do as you please. Bernard will bring us luncheon, soon enough. I hope he acquired a cook as well as the food, or we might end up eating eggs again.”

Serena took a few steps toward the library, feeling somewhat uncertain of what to do.

The prince’s dismissal was unexpected, and she leaned against the door frame, distracted with thoughts of her own plans.

For so long, she’d obeyed her father’s orders, never allowed to think for herself. Not anymore.

She walked amid the books, tracing her finger along the spines. Possibly she could find an atlas and make a list of possible locations to live. There were many Greek islands, and she envisioned living somewhere warm, with olive groves lining the hills and soft sand beneath her shoes.

“You’re smiling,” came the voice of the prince. “What are you thinking of?”

Serena blinked and snatched a book from the shelves.

“Nothing.” She risked a glance at the prince.

From his vantage point at the table, she could see him watching her.

Beside him lay the clock face. He turned back to his work and began loosening various parts of the apparatus, working as though he’d manufactured clocks all his life.

Her gaze fell upon his hands and his long fingers that moved with expertise. He was completely focused upon his work, though she sensed that his mind was not at all on the mechanical parts. It was a distraction, nothing more.

Serena couldn’t fathom his reasons for wanting to take it apart, but it intrigued her.

He tilted the clock toward the sunlight so he could see better, and she glimpsed a structure of gears.

His dark hair was cut short, but across his cheeks, she saw the darkening shadow of stubble.

Though it should have made him appear rough and unkempt, instead it made him look dangerous.

“You may as well come closer,” he said, nodding toward her. “You can’t see very well from over there.”

She didn’t move. “Perhaps I don’t want to.”

He set down a small wooden mallet, a slight smile playing upon his mouth. “Or you could pretend to read that Treatise on Hydraulic Engineering that you’re holding. I suppose you’d find it fascinating.”

Serena glanced at the book she was holding. She hadn’t even looked at the title, and it struck her that his vision must be quite good to have viewed the title from so far away. “It might be interesting.”