The Princess And The Cowboy

Melissa’s jaw dropped. “That’s only three weeks away. Why hasn’t Bonifay brought this up before now?”

“He says it’s because Montclaire’s economy is in such shambles—which it is. But I think it’s mostly so he can exercise his control over me.”

“I bet he already has a husband picked out for you, doesn’t he?”

Josie swallowed hard, but it didn’t rid her of the bitter taste in her mouth when she thought of her fiancе. “His name is Alphonse Picquet. He’s the fifth richest man in France. He prides himself on having worked his way up in Marseille from an arrimeur… What is the word in English?”

Melissa wrinkled her nose. “Stevedore.”

Josie grabbed her friend’s hand. “He’s older than my father, Melissa. He’s big and fat and bald and ugly—and he’s going to ruin Montclaire.”

“Ruin it? How?”

“One of the shepherds overheard his men talking at the north end of the island. They’ve found a rich supply of marble. When Monsieur Picquet becomes prince, he’s going to quarry it. His surveys discovered that nearly the entire island is made of top-grade stone. In twenty years, Montclaire will be one huge pit.”

“And I’m sure he’ll make Bonifay rich in the process. What a sneaky, rat-faced…” Melissa peered at her closely. “You did check this out, right? There really is such a law?”

Josie nodded miserably. “It was in the historical archives, in a dusty book of law dated 1437.”

“Tell me one thing. If the Princess of Montclaire is getting married, why isn’t the story all over the television and newspapers?”

“I convinced my father to keep Bonifay from making the announcement until after I returned. I told him how impolite it would be to upstage your wedding. Appearances, you know.” Josie smiled sadly. Appearances were all her father cared about. “It was the only concession I could get.”

“Dang.” Melissa shook her head in disgust. “You do need a husband, don’t you?”

“It’s my fault. After I graduated, I should’ve insisted on taking the reins of government. I should’ve wrested them away from Bonifay. But you know how much I hate being a princess. I was content to spend the days with my horses. I told myself I didn’t know the first thing about ruling. I’ve never been taught the most rudimentary procedures. Bonifay saw to that. It wasn’t hard for him to convince Papa I’d be more valuable as Montclaire’s window dressing. That’s all I’ve been—a well-dressed objet d’art, trotted out on special occasions to represent my country.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it, Josie. You couldn’t have known. It’s your father’s fault, not yours. He’s the prince.”

Tears burned Josie’s eyes as she thought of her father. Poor befuddled man. He’d spent the last twenty years in a fog of grief, staring at the deep blue depths of the sea that had claimed the life of her mother. His black hair had turned to silver that very night, some said. She had to admit it heightened his royal appearance.

Appearance was all there was to her father, though. He would rouse himself from his grief long enough to talk to visiting dignitaries—because that was for appearances. But that’s all he’d do. Ruling the country held no interest for him. She held no interest for him. His only child.

So Bonifay was the de facto Prince of Montclaire.

“If only I hadn’t been such a coward, I would’ve done something before now. I would’ve found a rich husband who would help my people, not make their home a rock pit.”

Melissa grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t worry, Josie. We’ll find you a rich husband. Dad’s invited some of his business friends to the wedding. He’s not just a rancher, you know. You have to invest in more than cows these days, just to keep the cows in feed. Anyway, if one of them won’t do, surely they’ll know someone who will.”

Josie hugged Melissa close and felt a weight lift from her heart. Ever since Bonifay informed her three days ago of the marriage he’d planned, she’d been counting the minutes until she arrived in California. She knew the only true friend she’d ever had would help her.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Josie tugged at the outrageous blond wig Melissa had yanked down over her black hair.

“No,” her friend said. “But do you have any other choice?”

Josie sighed. “You were just married. I’m supposed to be helping you change. Not the other way around.”

“You did. It took exactly nine minutes for me to step out of my wedding gown and into this dress.” Melissa waved her concerns away. “I’m ready to go. Now we have to make sure you are.”

Her heart beating dully with dread at what she had to do, Josie studied her reflection in her best friend’s dresser mirror. A stranger stared back at her. “I look like…like…”

“Like trailer-park trash? This is perfect. You look enough like my cousin Betty Jo to pass right by your bodyguards.”

Melissa scrutinized Josie’s image in the mirror. “The Versace gown detracts from the trailer trash image, I know, but that doesn’t matter, since it’s what all eleven of the bridesmaids were wearing. It being a different color from yours will help fool them. Just remember—don’t let them get a good look at your face, and giggle all the way to the stables. Like you’re going there to have hot sex with a man.”

Josie had long ago stopped blushing when Melissa mentioned hot sex with a man. Sex was one subject her friend never tired of. And to tell the truth, Josie liked hearing her talk. After all, sex once-removed was better than no sex at all.

Josie met her friend’s eyes in the mirror. “Are you sure I’m doing the right thing?”

Melissa stopped fussing with the wig, pushed Josie’s excess skirts out of the way, and sat down next to her on the dresser bench, facing her. “We’ve talked and talked and talked, and haven’t been able to come up with a better plan. If only Dad knew more bachelors—but I guess most of the people his age are married. And the younger ones are all living on their parents’ money or have jobs, so they won’t do. If only we’d had more time, I could’ve—”

“You couldn’t help it.” Josie hugged her friend. “The wedding parties were already planned. You couldn’t miss one given in your honor.”

Melissa smiled wryly. “You don’t think they were in my honor, do you? Most of them were an excuse for Sacramento society to get a princess into their homes.”

“I’m sure that’s not the—”

“That doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you find a husband so you don’t have to marry that awful man Bonifay picked out for you. Since we couldn’t find you a decent husband in the past week, you have to find an indecent one.” Melissa grinned at her own wordplay. “A cowboy will be perfect.”

Josie shook her head. “I have to ask some cowboy to marry me? Who came up with this plan?”

“I did, and you know it.” Melissa arched a brow. “Don’t go soft on me now. It’s perfect. There’s a rodeo starting in a little over an hour on the south border of our property. I showed you where yesterday, when we went riding. A cowboy will be the least likely person to know who you are, plus he’d be the least likely person anyone would suspect you of marrying.”

“I don’t know if I have the nerve to walk up to a stranger and ask him to marry me. What if I can’t find a man who will?”

“Well, don’t just walk up to one and blurt it out. Ease into it. And don’t worry. These are rodeo cowboys. They don’t like to be tied down, but they do like money. Since you can offer the right candidate several thousand dollars in exchange for a few months’ use of his name, you’ll have more takers than you can throw a lasso at. Especially since this is not going to be a platonic relationship.”

Josie ignored her friend’s playful nudging. She wasn’t thrilled with the idea of having sex with a perfect stranger, even if he would be her husband. But she knew if the marriage wasn’t consummated and Bonifay’s men found her, it would be quickly annulled and the wedding with Picquet would proceed.

“If only I could go with you and go on my honeymoon.” Melissa sighed. “I could help you pick out a real cute cowboy.”

Josie shook her head. “I need to do this on my own. I’m going to have to disappear for a few weeks, and I don’t want even you to know where I am.” Steeling herself for what she had to do, Josie took one last look in the mirror. She straightened the bodice of the gown and stood. “I’m sure Peter’s getting anxious for you to go downstairs so you two can leave. You put the bundle of clothes and money in the tack room, right?”

“Behind the second row of saddles on the left.” Melissa stood and faced her, tears shining in her green eyes. “Well, who’d a’ thought? I’m married, and you’re about to be.”

Josie smiled wryly. “With any luck.”

Melissa gathered her into her arms. “Take care of yourself, okay? You’ve never been on your own. I’ll be worried.”

“Don’t be.” Josie returned the hug. “I’ll be fine. Go on downstairs. I’ll slip out during the excitement of you and Peter going away.”

With one last hug and a lingering glance from the door, Melissa left. A few minutes later, Josie heard the commotion of the wedding guests wishing the new couple well. She took a deep breath and slipped into the empty hall.

She grabbed a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses as she passed the kitchen. Accessories to complete her disguise. With another deep breath, she opened the door and stepped boldly through.

What was probably less than a minute seemed like an hour, but she made it into the stable without raising an alarm. She paused to catch her breath as she entered the cool shade, but didn’t linger.

Placing the champagne on a bale of hay, she picked up her voluminous skirts and ran down the wide corridor between the stalls that housed dozens of blooded thoroughbreds and quarter horses. The familiar smells and sounds of the stable comforted her, but she didn’t pause to enjoy the rare solitude. She ran straight for the tack room.