Conveniently Wed To The Prince

‘If neither of you has succeeded in meeting the criteria of the will in three years from this date Il Boschetto di Solewill go to the Crown—to Crown Prince Frederick of Lycander or whoever is then ruler.’

There was a silence, broken eventually by Stefan Petrelli. ‘That is a somewhat unusual provision.’

Was that all he could say? ‘“Unusual”?’ Holly echoed. ‘It’s ridiculous!’

The lawyer looked unmoved by her comment. ‘The Count has left you each a letter, wherein I assume he explains his decision. Can I suggest a short break? Mr Petrelli, if you’d care to read your letter in the annexe room to your left. Ms Romano, you can remain here.’

Reaching into his desk drawer, he pulled out two envelopes sealed with the Bianchi crest.

Stefan accepted his document and strode towards the door indicated by the lawyer. James Simpson then handed Holly hers and she waited until he left the room before she tugged it open with impatient fingers.

Dear Holly

You are no doubt wondering if I have lost my mind. Rest assured I have not. Il Boschetto di Sole is dear to my old-fashioned heart, and I want it to continue as it has for generations as an independent business.

The Bianchi heir is not a man I approve of, but I have little choice but to leave a vast amount of my estates to him. However, the grove is unentailed, and as he has made it clear to me that he would sell it to a corporation I feel no compunction in leaving Il Boschetto di Sole elsewhere.

But where? I have no children of my own and it is time to find a new family. I wish for Il Boschetto di Sole to pass from father and mother to son or daughter, for tradition to continue. So of course my mind goes to the Romanos, who have given so much to the land over the years.

You may be wondering why I have not simply left the grove to your father. Why I have involved Prince Stefan. To be blunt, your father is getting on, and his good health is in question. Once he is no longer on this earth Il Boschetto di Sole would go to you, and I do not know if that is what you wish for.

You have chosen to live in London and make a life there. Now I need you to look into your heart. If you decide that you wish for ownership of Il Boschetto di Sole then I need some indication that this wish is real—that you are willing to settle down.If you have no wish for this I would not burden you.

Whatever you decide, I wish you well in life.

Yours with affection,

Roberto Bianchi

The letter was so typical of Count Roberto that Holly could almost hear his baritone voice speaking the words. He wanted the land he loved to go to someone who held his own values and shared his vision. He knew her father did, but he didn’t know if Holly did or not. In truth, she wasn’t sure herself. But she also knew that in this case it didn’t matter. Her father loved Il Boschetto di Sole—it was the land of his heart—and to own it would give him pure, sheer joy. She loved her father, and therefore she would fight for Il Boschetto di Sole with all her might.

Simple.

Holly clenched her hands into fists and stared at the door to await the return of the exiled Prince of Lycander.

CHAPTER TWO (#uc12d64b0-4620-5973-a65c-20aa59a01404)

STEFAN SEATED HIMSELF in the small annexe room and glared down at the letter, distaste already curdling inside him. The whole thing was reminiscent of the manipulative ploys and stratagems his father had favoured. Alphonse had delighted in the pulling of strings and the resultant antics of those whom he controlled.

During the custody battle he had stripped Eloise of everything—material possessions and every last vestige of dignity—and relished her humiliation. He had smeared her name, branded her a harlot and a tramp, an unfit mother and a gold-digger. All because he had held the trump card at every negotiation. He’d had physical possession of Stefan, and under Lycandrian law, as ruler, he had the final say in court. So, under threat of never seeing her son again, Eloise had accepted whatever terms Alphonse offered, all through her love for Stefan.

She had given up everything, allowed herself to be vilified simply in order to be granted an occasional visit with her son at Alphonse’s whim.

In the end even those had been taken from her. Alphonse had decided that the visits ‘weakened’ his son, and that his attachment to his mother was ‘bad’ for him. That he could never be tough enough, princely enough, whilst he still saw his mother. So he had rescinded her visitation rights and cast Eloise from Lycander.

Once in London Eloise had suffered a breakdown, followed by a mercifully short but terminal illness.

Guilt twisted his insides anew—he had failed her.

Enough. He would not walk that bleak memory-lined road now. Because the past could not be changed. Right now he needed to read this letter and figure out what to do about this unexpected curveball.

Distasteful and manipulative it might be, but it was an opportunity to win possession of some important land in Lycander in his own right. The idea brought him a surge of satisfaction—his father had not prohibited him from inheriting land. So this would allow him to return to Lycander on his terms. But it was more than that... The idea of owning a place his mother had loved touched him with a warmth he couldn’t fully understand. Perhaps on Il Boschetto di Sole he could feel close to her again.

So all he needed to do was beat Holly Romano.

Holly Romano... Curiosity surfaced. The look she had cast him when she’d learned his identity had held more than a hint of animosity, and that had been before they’d heard the terms of the will. Perhaps she had simply suspected that they were destined to be cast as adversaries, but instinct told him it was more than that. There had been something personal in that look of deep dislike, and yet he was positive they had never met.

No way would he have forgotten. Her beauty was unquestionable—corn-blonde hair cascaded halfway down her back, eyes of cerulean blue shone under strong brows, and she had a retroussé nose, a generous mouth...and a body that Stefan suspected would haunt his dreams. Whoa. No need to go over the top. After all, he was no stranger to beautiful women—the combination of his royal status and his wealth made him a constant target for women on the catch, sure they could ensnare him into marriage.

Stefan had little or no compunction in disillusioning them.

Enough. Open the damn letter, Petrelli.

The handwriting was curved and loopy, but strong, Roberto Bianchi might have been ill but he had been firm of purpose.

Dear Stefan

I am sure you are surprised by the terms of my will. Let me explain.

Your mother was like a daughter to me. I was her godfather, and after her parents’ death I became her guardian. As she grew up she spent a lot of her time at Il Boschetto di Soleand I believe she was happy there, on that beautiful, fragrant land.

It was a happiness that ceased very soon after her marriage to your father—a marriage I deeply regret I encouraged her to go through with.

In my—poor—defence I was dazzled by the idea of a royal alliance, and Alphonse could be charming when he chose. I believed he would care for your mother and that she would be able to do good as ruler of Lycander.

I also did not wish to encourage her relationship with Thomas Romano—a man of indifferent social status who was already engaged.

Stefan stopped reading as his mind assimilated that information. His mother and Thomas Romano had been an item. A pang of sorrow hit him. There was so much he didn’t know about Eloise—so much he wished he could have had time to find out.

As you know, your parents’ marriage was destined for disaster, and by the time I realised my mistake there was nothing I could do.

Your father forbade Eloise from seeing me, and not even my influence could change that. In the end he made it a part of the custody agreement that if Eloise saw me she would be denied even the very few visits she was allowed with you.

Stefan stopped reading as white-hot anger burned inside him. There had been no end to Alphonse’s vindictiveness. Familiar guilt intensified within him. Eloise had given up so very much for him, and had had no redress in a court in a land where the ruler’s word was law.

When Eloise left Lycander I was unable to find her—I promise you, I tried. I wish with all my heart she had contacted me—I believe and I hope she would have if illness hadn’t overcome her.

If Eloise were alive I would leave Il Boschetto di Sole to her. Instead I have decided to give you, her son, a chance to own it. In this way I hope I can make up to you the wrong I did your mother. I want to give you the opportunity to return to Lycander as I believe your mother would have wished.

Eloise was happy at Il Boschetto di Sole, and I truly believe that if she is looking down it will give her peace to see you settled on the land she loved. Land you could pass on to your children, allowing the grove to continue as it has for generations—as an independent business that passes from father and mother to son or daughter.

If you wish this, then I wish you luck.

Yours sincerely,

Roberto Bianchi

Stefan let the letter fall onto his knees as he considered its contents. He hadn’t set foot in Lycander for eight years. The idea of a return to his birthplace was an impossibility unless he accepted his brother’s charity. But now he had an opportunity to return under his own steam, to own land in his own right, defy his father’s edict and win the place his mother had loved—a place she would have wanted him to have.