Page 36 of The Marked Princess

Three more hands reached out to touch her hair, her shoulder, her sleeve. Lily covered her hand with her own with her sisters standing behind them, as they all turned their gazes to the sea, giving the princess their silent support.

“Edmund will make a wonderful king,” Josselyn whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “And who knows, perhaps with time, I'll forget about Alex and fall in love with him instead.” She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the salty sea air that surrounded them and closing her eyes as she tilted her face toward the sun.

“Someday.”

Chapter Twenty-One

“We should have a ship ready to sail first thing tomorrow morning. I'll need to round up the crew tonight, most of them have gone into the city for the evening. Let Her Highness know we'll do all we can to see her safely to Devon.”

“Thank you.” Alex shook the harbor master's hand. “I know they just arrived, so I appreciate them making such a quick turnover. I'll feel much more at ease once the princess is ensconced in the duke's castle.”

“It's an honor to be of service to the royal family. I only wish we could have the ship prepared for you tonight. Do you have somewhere to stay? I can put you up here, if you need a place.” The older man gestured toward the stairs. “It's not much, but we've got a couple of rooms up there that the captains make use of on occasion.” He grimaced. “Though, I'm not sure they're fit for royalty...”

“I was planning to take them over to Jonathan's place with me and the girls,” Hiram assured him. “They have plenty of room.”

Alex dipped his head toward the harbor master as they prepared to leave.“We appreciate the offer. I'll bring the princess back here first thing tomorrow. Thanks again.”

The older man smiled and tipped his cap. “You keep that girl safe now, you here? I'm looking forward to meeting her in person.”

Hiram and Alex walked out into the sunshine, breathing matching sighs of relief as they spotted the girls clustered together, looking out at the water. Hiram called out that it was time to leave, and they reluctantly left their place by the wall. They were quiet as they filed past him to climb into the wagon bed, and Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw more than one of the sisters shooting him dirty looks. What was that about? He reached out to touch Josselyn's elbow before she passed, and she paused, looking up at him expectantly.

“Is everything all right, Your Highness?”

A loud harrumph sounded from inside the wagon, but Josselyn just smiled ruefully. “As fine as everything can be, all things considered. I think everyone's just a bit tired and grumpy from being cooped up in the wagon for so long. I know I am.”

Alex moved up to the front to sit with Hiram. They rode in easy silence back through the city, passing through the main square once again. Alex watched the people shopping in the plaza, his eyes alert for anything suspicious. A flicker of gold in the corner of his eye grabbed his attention, and he craned his neck to catch a glimpse of a man with golden hair walking in the opposite direction. Very familiar golden hair... could it be the man they'd met on the way there? One of the prince's scouts? His hand moved to his sword, his fingers wrapping around the hilt. He kept his eyes trained on the man's retreating form, hoping he might turn so that he could see his face, but the crowds of people swallowed him up and soon the wagon was turning onto a side street, leaving the hustle and bustle of the plaza behind them.

“Jonathan's place is just down the road.” Hiram led the team down the road a bit further before pointing out a large, red brick building on the corner. “This one here.”

A young stable hand waited outside, and he hurried to take the reins from Hiram as they hopped down off the wagon. The women piled out of the back before he had a chance to offer his assistance, so he simply took up the rear of the party, watching the street warily.

A stern-faced butler received them at the door and lead them into a large parlor. “If you'll all have a seat, Mr. Banri should return any moment now. Gayle will bring you some tea and refreshments while you wait.”

“Thank you, Rodgers, that would be excellent.” Hiram settled into an over-sized armchair, looking quite at home. The women joined him, finding places on a large settee and matching chairs. Alex hesitated in the doorway, uncertain of the protocol here. Opting for formality, he shifted to the side, standing sentry beside the door, face forward and hands clasped behind his back.

“Aren't you going to join us?” Lily asked, her legs tucked up beneath her as she curled into a large armchair.

“I'm fine here.”

“Don't be ridiculous, boy, you're a guest here, same as us,” Hiram reprimanded. “Come sit down.”

Alex looked over at the group, frozen in uncertainty. He didn't want to offend their hosts, but would it really be appropriate for the princess's guard to be counted among the other guests? There was a time when he would have joined them readily and thought little of it, but now... now, he wore his duty like a shield, protecting himself from unwanted feelings and desires.

Josselyn rose off of the settee and walked over to him, her eyes understanding as they met his own. She slipped her hand into his, and his heart tripped over itself at the feel of her smooth skin against his own. With a gentle tug, she pulled him away from the door. “I'd feel more secure with you beside me, then standing off to the side. I insist you join us.”

He tore his gaze away from their entwined hands, swallowing hard as he attempted to keep the telling heat from his face.

“Of course, if you insist, Your Highness.”

He sat beside her on the settee, his posture stiff. Fortunately, a maid came in with a cart full of tea and sandwiches, and everyone was soon distracted as they filled their empty stomachs. They were just finishing up, when the door swung open and two men strode into the room, one who looked to be around Hiram's age, the other likely in his mid to late twenties.

The older man, who was tall and broad with a thick head of gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard, spoke first.

“I've doubled the sentries, per your request, Hiram, so I'm hoping you're ready to explain what this is all about.” He paused, looking around the room. “Ah, excuse me. Girls, welcome. It's always a pleasure to see your lovely faces grace our humble home.”

The sisters all chorused their various greetings. Dahlia gestured to the settee where Josselyn sat beside Alex. “We've brought some rather special guests with us, Mr. Banri. May I present Her Royal Highness, Josselyn deLure, and her personal guard, Alex Grey?”

Mr. Banri looked at them in shock, confusion coloring his features. “This is... the princess? But she's so old. I thought the princess was a young maiden still.”