The Duchess Diaries: The Diplomat's Pregnant Bride / Her Unforgettable Royal Lover / The Texan's Royal M.D.

“Here, I’ll take that.”

The scene in the sunny, green-and-white breakfast room certainly seemed to give credence to Maria’s comment. The duchess was holding court, her snowy hair in a crown of braids, her chin feathered by the high lace collar of her favorite lavender silk blouse. Her smile was far from regal, though. Wide and lively, it transformed her face as she carried on an animated conversation with her guests in their native language.

But it was those guests who stopped Gina in her tracks. In the bright light of day, Dominic appeared every bit as dangerous as he had last night. Must be that European, unshaved whisker thing. Or his preference for black shirts. This one was starched cotton and open-collared, showing just a hint of a silver chain at his throat.

The woman seated across from him was almost as riveting. Her hair fell well past her shoulders, as lustrous and raven-black as her brother’s. Her cheekbones were high and sharp, her mouth a glistening red. Thick lashes framed dark eyes with just the hint of a slant. If the rest of her was as striking as that sculpted face, the woman could walk into any modeling agency in New York and sign a high six-figure contract within minutes.

All of a sudden Gina felt fat and dumpy and just a tad jealous of the way these two outsiders seemed to have glommed on to her grandmother. That lasted only until the duchess spotted her. Her lined face lit up with love.

“You’re awake at last. Come and join us, dearest.”

Dominic pushed back his chair and took the platter of toast so Gina could bend to give her grandmother a kiss. The look he gave her banished any lingering nasty thoughts. Fat and dumpy wouldn’t have put such an admiring gleam in his eyes.

“Good morning, cousin. Did you sleep well?”

“Very.”

“You must let me introduce my sister. Anastazia, this is...”

“Eugenia Amalia Therése,” the brunette said in an accent noticeably heavier than her brother’s.

She, too, pushed back her chair and came around the table. Holding out both hands, she kissed Gina’s cheeks. “I have been so eager to meet you, cousin. I, too, was named for the Archduchess Maria Amalia of Parma.” She wrinkled her perfect nose. “I am Anastazia Amalia Julianna. Such long names we have, yes?”

Despite her cover-model looks, she was open and friendly and engaging. Gina couldn’t help but smile back.

“We do indeed.”

“You must call me Zia. And I will call you Gina.”

That thorny matter settled, they joined the others at the table. Gina helped herself to two slices of cinnamon toast while her grandmother gave them all a rare glimpse into the family archives.

“Poor Archduchess Maria Amalia,” she said with a wry smile. “Married against her will to a mere duke while two of her sisters became queens. Marie Antoinette of France and Marie Caroline of Naples and Sicily.”

Charlotte took a sip of her tea and shared another historical tidbit.

“The three sisters were reportedly very close. They often exchanged letters and portraits and gifts. One of the last letters Marie Antoinette smuggled out of her prison was to Amalia.”

“I’m told there’s a miniature of their mother, the Empress Marie Therese of Austria, in your Metropolitan Museum of Art,” Zia said eagerly. “It is one of the places I hope to visit while I am here.”

“You must get Eugenia to take you. She spent many hours at the Met as a child.”

“Oh, but I must not impose.” The brunette turned her brilliant smile on Gina. “From what your grandmother has told us, you’re very busy with your work.”

“Actually, I’m off today. We can go this afternoon, if you like.”

“I would! And you, Dom. You must come, too, to see this long-dead ancestor of ours.”

His gaze met and held Gina’s. His mouth curled in a slow smile. “I’ll have to see if I can reschedule my afternoon appointment.”

* * *

Gina didn’t get a chance to corner her grandmother until midmorning. Zia had gone out onto the terrace to check her phone for voice messages and emails. Dominic retreated to the study to make some calls. As soon as he was out of the room, Gina pounced.

“Okay, Grandmama, ’fess up. What’s behind this sudden spurt of hospitality to distant relatives you’ve never met.”

“Really, Eugenia! I should hope I’m not so lacking in generosity as to let two young and very charming relations stay in a hotel when we have plenty of room here.”

“But you don’t know anything about them.”

“That’s what Dominic said when I extended the invitation. He tried to refuse, but I insisted.”

“Did either of them tell you what they do for a living?”

“Dominic does some kind of security work. Anastazia just got her MD degree from Semmelweis University in Budapest.”

Gorgeous and smart and a doc. Another nasty little worm of jealousy poked its head up. Gina might have started feeling dumpy and fat again if Dominic hadn’t come back into the room.

“I’m yours for the afternoon, if you’re sure you wish to...”

He broke off and pivoted on the balls of his feet in the direction of the hall. Startled, Gina strained to hear in the sudden silence and picked up a faint buzz.

“Oh, that’s my phone. I left it in my purse on the hall table last night. Excuse me.”

The call had already gone to voice mail when she fished the phone out of her jam-packed bag. She saw the name on caller ID and stabbed the talk button just in time.

“Hello, Jack.”

“Hi, Gina. I just wanted to check and see how you’re feeling after your long odyssey last night.”

The sound of his voice stirred the usual welter of confused emotions. Despite her abrupt departure yesterday, she couldn’t believe how much she missed him. How much she ached for him.

“I’m good,” she said, “although I decided not to go in to work since I had the day off, anyway.”

“So you’re going to put your feet up and rest, right?”

“Pretty much. Although I did agree to take my cousins to the Met this afternoon.”

“Cousins?”

“Two of them. Dominic and his sister, Anastazia. Their parents came from Prádzec, which was once part of the Duchy of Karlenburgh.”

“And is now in Hungary.”

Trust an ambassador-at-large to know that. The phone to her ear, Gina wandered toward the end of the hall. Dom sat next to her grandmother’s chair and appeared to be amusing her with some anecdote.

“Did the duchess know they were coming?” Jack asked.

“They surprised her. Me, too! I thought Dom was a burglar when I came chest-to-chest with him last night.”