Chapter Thirteen

ABDICATION

Maggie could hardly breathe after Han’s exit preceded a minute of complete silence at the dining table. Cameron stood to leave with the money in his hand.

“Cameron,” Abbi said, sliding her chair back.

“Believe it or not,” he said, “I think I can handle this.” He glanced briefly at Erich, then at Maggie, as if he were trying to gauge their reaction to what had just happened. It was one of those rare moments when Maggie knew her father was a sovereign, and she almost felt like a criminal. But she had nothing to say.

Han heard the door open and looked up to see the duke as he stepped into the hallway and the dining room door closed behind him. Han turned to walk away, but he stopped when Cameron said, “Han. I want to see you in my office—right now.”

“Is that an order?” he asked, turning back to face him.

“Yes, dammit. It’s an order.”

Han took a deep breath and followed Cameron into his office. He’d certainly heard the duke curse before, but never had it been directed at him. He doubted this encounter would go well. After the door was closed, Cameron motioned Han to a chair. He tossed the money down on the desk and took his usual seat behind it. Han felt sweat rise over his lip while he waited for the inevitable eruption. He’d just caused an ugly scene, and he’d been less than kind with the duke’s daughter. He felt certain he deserved a scolding, and he was determined to take it like a man. He was dealing with a sovereign, the ruler of Horstberg, one of the most powerful men in Bavaria. However, this man was also his father-in-law now. He simply didn’t know which side of Cameron’s persona he might be dealing with at the moment. But when Cameron turned to look at him, apparently searching for the right words, his eyes were concerned, almost sad.

“Han,” he said at last with no hint of anger, “did I do the wrong thing?”

Han sighed and looked away, trying to grasp the depth beneath his question.

“Tell me, Han, was it wrong of me to put you in the position you’re in now?”

“Forgive me,” Han said. “I should not have expressed my anger so . . . inappropriately. What I’m struggling with right now has nothing to do with you.”

“It certainly does have something to do with me. I’m the man who told you to manipulate my daughter into marrying you, at all costs.”

“Well, I did that, didn’t I.” Han said as if he hated himself for it. Maybe he did.

“Yes, Han, you did it. You did everything I asked you to do. And I was under the impression that Maggie was happy with the way it turned out. But apparently you’re not.” He glanced toward the money on the desk. “If you’re giving me a refund, does that mean you’re not pleased with what you’ve procured?”

“I didn’t do it for the money or the position.”

“I know that.”

“Well, your children don’t know it!” Han shouted softly.

Cameron leaned back in his chair and sighed. An enlightenment in his expression made it clear the problem had begun to make sense.

“Why did you do it, Han?” he asked gently.

Han admitted readily, “I love Maggie. I’ve loved her for as long as I can remember. But maybe I was just too big for my breeches. Maybe it was ridiculous for me to ever believe that I could fit into her world.”

“Perhaps I’m missing the point, Han, but I was under the impression that you’ve always fit into our world, as you call it. You were raised right alongside my children. I held you in my arms when you were barely a day old. Is this social distinction such an important issue?”

Han looked Cameron in the eye and got to the point, “To Maggie it is.”

“We didn’t raise her to be that way.”

“I know.”

“You’re suited to the job, Han. The reasons I want you to have it don’t have anything to do with your marriage to Maggie.”

“I know that, too. But it’s not you that I have to work with, Your Grace—not directly. And I cannot be an effective advisor to your son without complete trust and acceptance. If Erich—”

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. “What?” Cameron called, and Erich opened the door.

“Well, speak of the devil,” Cameron said. “Come in, by all means. Maybe you can talk some sense into your brother-in-law.”

Erich closed the door and leaned against it a moment, seeming apprehensive. Han deliberately avoided looking at him.

“Sit down,” Cameron said, and Erich did. “This concerns you more than it does me. Who you have working as your highest advisor should be up to you. Perhaps I was out of line in not consulting with you on this before I offered Han the job. It’s up to you.” The duke motioned elaborately toward Erich and leaned back in his chair.

“I can’t force him to work with me,” Erich stated.

“Do you want him to work with you?” Cameron asked as if Han were absent.

“Is that relevant?” Erich asked.

“Oh, come on, Erich,” Han said with disgust, unwilling to remain silent. “Why don’t you act like a duke? Just cut through the muck and get to the point!”

“And what point is that?” Erich asked tersely.

Han leaned toward him. “You and I have been like this,” he crossed his fingers, “since we were babies. There is only one thing that’s ever come between us, and that’s your sister. When we were teens, I was well aware that you didn’t approve of my interest in Maggie. You seemed to think that just because I didn’t pour my heart out to you with confessions of my love for her that I surely had dishonorable motives. It was as if seventeen years of friendship wasn’t enough for you to give me the benefit of the doubt that I would want what was best for Maggie. Once Maggie slapped me back into place and told me she wanted nothing to do with me, you could be chummy again. And now it’s evident that little has changed. As I see it, you can trust me, lean on me, turn to me—except when Maggie is in the middle. But she’s my wife now, and she will always be in the middle. After all we have been through together, what makes you think that I am the kind of man who would marry a woman just so I could get the highest paying job in the country?”

Erich turned away. He said nothing, wouldn’t even look at him.

“Well,” Han added, “if you can’t trust, lean on, and turn to your highest advisor, then how the hell are you going to run a country? Get somebody else, Your Highness. You can find me in the stables.” Fearing he would erupt again, Han stood and left the room.

Erich winced when the door closed, even though Han hadn’t slammed it. He felt utterly humiliated and wished his father hadn’t just witnessed that conversation.

Following a miserable silence, Cameron said to Erich, “Is he right?”

“I don’t know.” Erich shook his head. “But he’s certainly given me something to think about.”

“You think good and hard about it, boy. Whether he works directly with you or not, he’s family now, and he deserves to know that our acceptance is unconditional. From where I sit, Han has never behaved in a way that would not warrant my greatest trust and respect. If there’s something you know that I don’t, maybe you’d better let me in on it.”

Erich said nothing. What could he possibly say? He pressed a hand over his face as if it could make him think clearly, and he was relieved when his father dismissed him, saying simply, “Make certain you’re at that meeting in an hour.”

Han went upstairs to change his clothes. He was hoping to avoid Maggie until he cooled down, but she was sitting in the middle of the bed, crying.

“Where have you been?” she asked when he said nothing.

“I had a little meeting with your father.” He pulled his most comfortable clothes out of the closet and began to change.

“What did he say?”

“He was wondering if he’d done the right thing . . . concerning you and me.”

“And did he?” she asked with a sniffle.

“I don’t know, Maggie. You tell me.”

She said nothing until he was pulling on his old boots. “Where are you going?” she asked.

“Someplace I can feel completely at home. Should you decide to go riding, my dear, I will be waiting to do your bidding.”

“That’s not fair, Han,” she snapped.

“No,” he said with his hand on the doorknob, “it’s not fair. There is nothing even remotely fair about conditions of the heart being measured by my occupation.”

“I love you, Han,” she said firmly.

Han took a deep breath and turned to face her. “Yes, I know you love me, Maggie. But it feels to me like a condescending kind of love. I feel as if I’m being granted some great favor to have earned the love of one so noble. I get the impression that deep inside you’re still believing that my love for you was always something convenient. You seem to think that right from that first kiss when I was seventeen, I’ve been somehow using you to worm my way into a world I wasn’t allowed to be a part of without having du Woernig blood. So, I’m going to prove the truth to you, Maggie. After you have seen me working in the stables for fifty years and never taking anything from your father that I didn’t earn, then—maybe then—you will believe me when I say that I did it all for love. I did it all for you.”

Emotion pressed close to the surface, and Han hurried from the room before she could see the tears leak from his eyes. He quickly wiped them away and hurried outside and across the courtyard. The young man on duty in the family stables seemed surprised by Han’s offer to help, but he made no protest. While Han was scrubbing down one of the duke’s stallions, he began to relax. The familiarity of the work was calming, and he felt better. In spite of the dramatics, there was relief in knowing he’d said what he needed to say. Maggie and her family knew exactly where he stood. He’d vented the feelings that had plagued him. Now he could only hope that the results would be favorable.

Maggie sat on the bed, stunned and afraid, for more than an hour after Han left. While the life she had shared with Han—right from their childhood—was complicated and full of many different emotions, one fact stood out strongly. She did love Han. And she knew he loved her. When it came right down to it, hadn’t his speech in the dining room been a declaration of just that? He was refusing the job and the money to make it clear that he loved her. Suddenly needing to see him, Maggie jumped from the bed and opened her closet. Pulling out an old skirt and blouse, not unlike those she’d worn in the Black Forest, she hurried to change and brushed out her hair.

Maggie entered the stables to find Han dumping a bucket of water over the back of one of her father’s stallions. For a moment, it felt as if they’d gone back in time. How clearly she could remember walking in here as a young woman, wanting only to have him close. The same excitement surged through her. He looked as young and firm as he had at seventeen, though his shoulders had broadened and his maturity was evident. Quietly, she moved toward him while he bent to wash the horse’s belly, unaware of her presence. Standing directly behind him, she pressed her hands down over his hips.

Han gasped and straightened himself abruptly. He closed his eyes briefly to absorb the feel of Maggie’s hands moving with purpose down his legs and up again.

“What are you doing, Your Highness?” he asked.

Maggie leaned her chest against his back and pushed her arms around his waist. “Something I’ve always wanted to do but never dared.”

“Always?” he questioned, wishing he could see her face.

“Even when I hated you, I often walked in here and had an irresistible urge to just touch you in a way no respectable woman ever would.”

“So, the truth comes out,” he said lightly. “It was merely lust that made you marry me.”

“That too,” she said, but there was no humor in her voice. “Are you alone here?”

“Anton went to take care of something.”

Han turned to look at Maggie and caught his breath. Her appearance took him aback. She had come out here a common woman. He looked into her eyes, questioning her purpose. Tears pooled there immediately, spilling over her face as she said, “I love you, Han.” She glanced away briefly and bit her lip. “It’s apparent that I have made things difficult for you.”

Han looked down and cleared his throat unintentionally loud. “It would seem there is much we both need to adjust to,” he said, hoping to avoid any further contention.

“Can we talk . . . later?” she asked.

Han met her eyes and felt warmed by her concern. “Yes,” he said, “I would like that.”

Maggie eased into his arms, heedless to the water on his clothes. She sighed with relief to feel his embrace tighten around her. As long as he held her this way, she believed everything would be all right. Looking up into his eyes, her relief deepened when he bent to kiss her. He kissed her long and hard, holding her so close she almost felt like a part of him. Then somewhere in the distance she heard an elaborate “Ahem.” They both turned to see Erich watching them, his arms folded over his chest, his expression a combination of amusement and disgust.

“What is this?” he asked. “A little serious necking?”

“Oh, no,” Han chuckled, turning to look at Maggie. “I have every intention of making mad, passionate love to your sister . . . whether you like it or not.”

“Well, for heaven’s sake, go someplace besides the stables. Those of us who are not fortunate enough to find a tolerable woman to share life with have no desire to be affronted by those of you who have.”

Han chuckled, but Maggie heard a tenseness in it and realized that their bantering was not as light as it seemed. Noting the severity in Erich’s expression, she thought it best to give them some time alone. She eased away from Han and said graciously, “I’ll talk to you later, my love.”

Han nodded and reluctantly let her go. He watched her until she had disappeared, then he turned his attention to Erich. “Did you need something, Your Highness?” he asked. Erich said nothing, and he added, “A horse saddled, perhaps?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Han turned back to rinsing down the stallion at his side. “It’s not ridiculous. It hasn’t been so long since I was doing just that. Do you think that marrying your sister should magically change everything?”

“It does make you part of the family. But . . . there’s more to it than that . . . obviously.”

Han met Erich’s eyes briefly. “What’s obvious? You tell me. Because apparently I’m missing something.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’ve known me all my life, Erich. With what you know about me, do you honestly believe my interest in your sister was for the sake of my personal gain?”

“I admit,” Erich said, pushing his hands behind his back, “if I look at everything I know about you, my assumptions concerning Maggie don’t fit.”

Han took a deep breath and reminded himself to stay calm. His best friend had as much as admitted that he’d always assumed the worst.

“But,” Erich went on, “what you said a while ago certainly shut me up. I’ve been thinking, and . . . and I’m not too proud to admit that I may have been wrong. I don’t know, maybe I was jealous somehow . . . that you and Maggie shared something I couldn’t be a part of.”

“And what did you and Maggie share that I couldn’t be a part of? Do you think I never felt excluded?”

“I’m certain you did,” Erich said. “But you always handled it so graciously that I never even considered that it might have bothered you.”

“It didn’t bother me,” Han said, concentrating more on his grooming of the horse, “until Maggie told me she would never marry someone beneath her. And I never felt that social distinction between you and me . . . until it became evident that you disapproved of my romantic interest in your sister. As I see it, there were only two possibilities for that. Either you didn’t trust me, or you figured I was beneath her social station. I never had any other indication that you considered my lack of royal blood a problem. So my conclusion is obvious.”

Erich looked down and sighed loudly. When he said nothing, Han added, “If I’m wrong, Erich, feel free to straighten me out.”

Erich sighed again and said, “I don’t know, Han. I honestly can’t go back in time and tell you why I behaved the way I did when I was seventeen. But I can tell you how I feel now.”

“By all means . . .” Han motioned elaborately with his arm.

“I must admit that I’ve had my doubts. I couldn’t blame you for wanting your father’s position, or for wanting to get out of the stables. We both knew all along you had the brains to do it. It’s just that . . . I got the impression through the last few years that you didn’t like Maggie at all.”

“And how was I supposed to behave when she’d turned me out like an old pair of shoes?”

Erich looked away, apparently thoughtful. Han continued his work with the horse, attempting to ignore the tension. He knew they needed to work this through. He only hoped they could come to a favorable resolve.

“Han,” Erich finally said, “I want to ask you something. And I want you to look me in the eye when you answer.”

Han turned with purpose toward Erich, completely confident. He had nothing to hide.

“Tell me, Han, why you married my sister.”

“I married Maggie because I love her. I’ve always loved her. But I wasn’t fool enough to wear my feelings on my sleeve where even you could throw pity my way if she’d married some prince or baron. Your father’s offer was an answer to my every prayer, and I won’t apologize for taking full advantage of it. But if I hadn’t believed in my heart that I could make her happy, I would have done my best to keep her from marrying Koenig, and I would have kept her safe, but I would not have even attempted to get her to marry me—under any circumstances. But I knew I could make her happy. My methods were a bit brash at times, I admit, but she wasn’t exactly in the frame of mind for civil negotiation.”

Erich almost chuckled and glanced down briefly. He looked Han in the eye again and said, “There’s something else I need to know. Perhaps it’s none of my business, but I must admit it’s bothered me.”

“All right. Let’s get it all in the open and get it over with. If I’m going to be saddling your horse every day, we certainly don’t want misunderstandings between us.”

Erich ignored the gibe and persisted with his purpose. “When Maggie was fourteen . . . I know you were . . . involved. But did you . . .” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Are you trying to ask me if I took your sister to bed?”

“I suppose I am.”

“And if I did? Is it forgivable?”

“Just answer the question.”

“I assume you want me to be honest.”

“Get on with it, Han,” he said with the imposing quality of ducal authority he’d learned from his father.

“All right. We did a lot of kissing, Erich. And I certainly enjoyed being close to her. But I never once—let me repeat that—not once, did I ever do anything with her that was inappropriate.”

“And that’s it,” Erich said to reassure himself.

Han put his hands on his hips. “Let me put this plainly, since it’s obviously concerned you a great deal. I could have had her, Erich. She practically begged me to make love to her. She was a passionate young woman, acting purely on instinct. But she was fourteen years old. She was the duke’s daughter, and my best friend’s sister. And I loved her enough to know that crossing that line would only bring pain into her life. I knew it wouldn’t be right. It was as simple as that. I was alone with Maggie for many weeks after we left here last spring, but I swear to you Erich, our relationship was not consummated until she was my wife.”

“You didn’t have to tell me that, you know. You could have told me it was none of my business.”

“Yes, I could have.”

“But I appreciate knowing.”

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know, Erich, if it will strengthen the trust between us. I have nothing to hide. Maybe I should have made a point of telling you years ago. In truth, I would be disappointed if you didn’t care about Maggie enough to let her virtue and happiness come between us. If I had wronged her, I would expect you to beat the hell out of me. Maybe you should have anyway.”

Erich chuckled and shook his head. Then his eyes filled with severity. “You must forgive me, Han, for my poor judgment. I pray that I can learn enough from this to become a better man—and a better ruler.” He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “And I’m asking you to work with me . . . as a friend, as my brother, and because you have what it takes to do the job well.”

Han absorbed Erich’s declaration for a lengthy moment. “Don’t patronize me, Erich,” he said, not wanting even a tiny degree of doubt in taking this step. “We’re talking about running a country. You know more than anyone the seriousness of what that means.”

Erich lifted his chin slightly, and his innate regal quality came through. “That’s why I want you. I was wrong, Han. I admit it. Do you want me to beg?”

“Maybe,” Han chuckled and reached a hand out toward Erich. Erich hesitated only a moment before he took it firmly. “It would be an honor to work with you, Your Highness,” he said with genuine respect. “I pray that I will have the courage and intellect to serve you well.”

“Your willingness and integrity are all I will ever need,” Erich said.

Long after Erich walked away, Han just stood there. It would seem he’d done the right thing, but he’d not expected results so quickly. Looking forward to talking with Maggie, he hurried to finish the chore he’d started. Young Anton returned and thanked Han for his help. Han was leading the now-clean stallion to its stall when he heard the boy say, “Good day, Your Grace. Would you be wanting a mount?”

“No thank you, Anton,” Abbi du Woernig said kindly.

Han turned to look at her as he closed the stall and latched it. Their eyes met, and it was evident she’d come to see him.

“Hello, Han,” she said.

“Your Grace.” He nodded and walked toward her. “What might I do for you?”

“If you’re finished here, I was hoping you might join me for coffee.”

“I’m a bit wet,” he admitted, glancing down at his shirt.

“A little water never hurt anything,” she said, putting her hand over his arm.

They walked slowly across the courtyard and to one of many drawing rooms in the castle, as if she had all the time in the world. She talked of the weather and reminisced about her children when they were young. They sat across from each other while she briefly recounted the story of her meeting Cameron du Woernig and becoming his wife. A maid brought a tray in and Han watched as the duchess poured out the coffee and passed him a cup. Her natural grace, her movements and mannerisms, reminded him so much of Maggie. And yet Maggie was so different from her mother. They finished their coffee and set the cups aside before the duchess stated her purpose for this visit.

“I just wanted to thank you, Han.”

“For what?”

She smiled serenely. “Once Cameron told me that he’d put Maggie in your care, I knew everything would be all right. I missed her, and I admit that I worried about the both of you, knowing Mr. Koenig was on the loose. It was difficult. But I knew that you would do everything in your power to see that she was safe. I knew she was in good hands. With you at her side, her life is in good hands. That’s all I wanted to tell you.”

When she said nothing more, Han knew he had to ask, “You didn’t want to talk about my little outburst earlier?”

“No,” she said. “Did you?”

Han chuckled. “You are an amazing woman, Your Grace. Your son-in-law burst into the dining room, caused a scene, yelled at your daughter and made her cry, and you have nothing to say?”

She smiled again. “Apparently you’d like me to say something.”

“I just assumed that’s why you wanted to talk to me.”

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you since you returned. I felt now might be a good time. Under the circumstances, it seemed that you could use some friendly company.” Han smiled at her perception, and she went on. “As for what happened earlier, I admire your courage, Han.”

Han sat up a little straighter. This was certainly not what he’d expected.

“It takes courage to confront misunderstanding and hard feelings, especially with people you care for and respect. There are some things that Maggie needs to face up to, but I suspect those things are painful for her. In my experience, most people don’t face up to their pain unless someone cares enough to force them to. Maggie’s very lucky to have a man who loves her enough to have the courage to confront her behavior when it becomes difficult. And as for Erich.” She chuckled softly. “Well, he’s got a little of that du Woernig arrogance. As long as it’s honed properly, it makes for a good ruler. That’s part of the highest advisor’s job, you know, to keep that arrogance and power from getting out of hand.”

“Is it?” He grinned.

“You would be good at it, should you change your mind.”

“Oh, Erich’s already begged me to come back. He apologized, and he wasn’t even arrogant.”

Abbi smiled. “Well, good for him. He came around faster than I thought he would. Your friendship means a great deal to him.”

“Do you think so?”

“Oh, yes. He nearly went mad while you were gone. A day didn’t pass when he didn’t talk about you, and Maggie, too, of course. I believe he’s nearly as glad as I am that she’ll not have to move away as Sonia did.”

“Well,” Han chuckled, albeit tensely, “I’m glad about that myself.” Han felt suddenly sad that Sonia wasn’t around as she always had been.

“You love Maggie very much,” the duchess said.

“Yes,” Han looked her in the eye, amazed at her perception, “I do. I always have, I believe.”

“It must have been very difficult for you when she severed your relationship. You were, what . . . seventeen at the time?”

“We were both . . . far too young. I believe now it would have been better to keep my feelings to myself until she’d had a fair chance to grow up a little more.”

“Perhaps, but . . . I never worried about how you would treat her. And that’s not what we were talking about.”

Han felt a little uneasy at her insight. But he simply responded to her previous comment. “Yes, it was difficult.”

“And yet you continued to look out for Maggie.” Abbi smiled serenely. “Even as children, I recall your being drawn to her, always protective of her.”

Han shifted slightly in his seat, wondering what she was getting at. But her next statement took him completely off guard. “It was you who informed me that the nanny was drinking on the sly . . . and that she didn’t treat Maggie very well.”

“I’d forgotten about that,” Han said.

“So had I.” Abbi’s confident demeanor faltered slightly. She glanced down at her hands and smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt. “Sonia brought it up around the time all of this drama was getting stirred up with Maggie in the spring. She said that Helga had treated Maggie differently, perhaps because she was more of a stubborn, strong-willed child. And she wondered if the way Helga had treated Maggie might have had some influence on Maggie’s personal struggles.”

Han leaned forward, setting his forearms on his thighs as he began to perceive what she was getting at. The memories became more clear as he thought it through, but he hardly knew what to say. He was relieved when Abbi continued.

“Although the changes in Maggie occurred when she was older, I can’t help wondering if there isn’t a connection. Still, I have difficulty understanding exactly what changed her. She was never the same after that illness.”

Han met her eyes, marveling at her wisdom and perception. He wished that he could somehow combine it with everything he knew about Maggie. Then he wondered if that was her purpose. “I have an idea,” he admitted, and she seemed relieved.

“I was hoping you might. My concern is for Maggie’s happiness, Han—and yours as well. If there is something painful bottled up inside of her, I believe it will impede her life as long as it remains. Perhaps if we understand it, we could help her to be free of it.”

“I’m just guessing,” Han said, “that it had something to do with those awful girls . . . What were their names? Ah yes, Anastasia and Esmerelda.”

Abbi’s eyes widened. “The baron’s daughters?”

Han nodded. “They were here when Maggie rode out into that storm. Earlier that day, Maggie and I had been walking in the garden in the rain. When we came in, they had just arrived—earlier than expected—and Maggie looked as if her world had ended. When she had recovered from her illness, she told me straight out that—” Han stopped himself as a painful knot erupted into his throat. He stood and walked to the window.

“Are you all right?” Abbi asked.

Han sighed. “It would seem Maggie’s not the only one with painful things bottled up inside.” While Han wanted to be free of these feelings, he didn’t know where to begin.

“What did she say, Han?” Abbi asked gently.

Han cleared his throat and leaned against the window pane. Drawing a deep breath, he said, “She told me that she would never marry beneath her.”

Abbi’s stomach tightened. She gasped before she pressed a hand over her mouth to hold back the emotion spurred by this revelation. While it was difficult to acknowledge that her own daughter would harbor such a hurtful attitude, she couldn’t deny that it helped many other things make sense. She cared for Han like her own son; she always had. To know that Maggie had hurt him this way was difficult. The past couldn’t be changed, but it could usually help the present be understood more fully.

“I can’t comprehend how that must have hurt you,” Abbi said with compassion.

Han chuckled as if he could force the pain to go away, but his voice was shaky when he admitted, “I always wondered why she couldn’t just treat me with the same respect you gave my parents—whether she wanted to marry me or not.”

“Have you ever told Maggie how you feel about this?” she asked.

He chuckled again while the tension inside him increased. He told himself it shouldn’t have surprised him that Abbi du Woernig would be so easy to talk to, but he had difficulty comprehending that she was his mother-in-law; though in a way, she had always been like a second mother to him. “I don’t know what I’ve told her, to be quite honest. The last several months feel like a tornado when I try to piece everything together in my mind. I know I should be grateful for the progress we’ve made. We’re married. She’s admitted that she loves me, and I believe she means it. But there’s something so condescending about it that—”

Han stopped when the doorknob turned and the door came open. His heart quickened when Maggie peered inside, her eyes going to her mother.

“Oh, there you are,” she said, closing the door behind her. “I was wondering if we could talk.”

By the way she moved toward her mother, Han knew she was unaware of his presence in the room.

“You would be welcome to join us,” Abbi said, motioning toward Han.

Maggie stopped and turned to look at him, startled. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, a little unsettled to imagine what they might have been talking about, especially considering everything else that had happened today. “I thought you were alone. If I’m interrupting, then—”

“You’re not interrupting,” Han insisted.

Abbi spoke cheerily. “We were just talking about that horrible nanny we had when you children were younger; I believe her name was Helga.”

Han saw a visible tension overtake Maggie’s countenance. She sat down near her mother and said nothing while Han and Abbi talked about Helga for several minutes. Han was amazed at the casual way Abbi influenced the conversation to a point where Maggie began to express her hatred for Helga. As Maggie gained momentum, it seemed easier for her to talk about her difficult memories of the woman. Han had no doubt that Abbi was as astonished as he was by the expression on Maggie’s face when she tearfully admitted to Helga’s attempts at manipulating her behavior in order to give the nanny peace and quiet. Helga had repeatedly told Maggie that if she were really a princess, she wouldn’t be so fidgety and prone to physical activities; she would instead prefer to sit still and mind her manners. She’d been told that any child with royal blood would never be so high-strung and willful.

“What on earth was she implying?” Han asked angrily.

Maggie realized all she’d just admitted to and glanced warily toward her mother before she chose to concentrate on the pattern in the carpet. “She said more than once that Erich and Sonia looked so much like my father, but that I . . .” She couldn’t finish the sentence due to a large inexplicable knot blocking her voice.

“Was she implying that you were not Cameron du Woernig’s child?” Abbi demanded, and Maggie nodded.

Abbie was so quickly overtaken by fury that she had to clench her fists and her teeth to keep from exploding. Taking a long moment to put all of this into perspective and take in deep, calming breaths, Abbi at least felt relief that the nanny had long ago left Horstberg, or she’d be tempted to hunt the woman down and punish her for this. She couldn’t even comprehend the emotional impact this had had on Maggie, and yet so many things that had been confusing to Abbi over her daughter’s behavior made so much more sense given this new revelation.

“Maggie,” Abbi said, her voice trembling with anger, “I can assure you that I was never unfaithful to—”

“I know that!” Maggie insisted. “I never wondered about that! It’s just that . . . I always wondered what was wrong with me. I wondered why I couldn’t . . .” She became lost in tears again, and Abbi put a comforting arm around her.

Han blinked back his own tears and pushed a hand through his hair, grateful beyond words for Abbi du Woernig’s presence. When Maggie calmed down again, her mother gracefully led the conversation to the incident with the baron’s daughters. He was grateful that Maggie seemed to forget he was there as she spilled her heart concerning the way their tormenting had pressed sore points created by Helga. Something had shut down inside her at that time as she’d tried to convince herself that it was necessary to prove that she was a princess at all costs.

“I know I hurt Han very badly,” she admitted. “But I didn’t know how to fit my feelings for him in with everything else. I only knew I was hurting, and I couldn’t fix it.”

Again, she fell apart in tears, and Han discreetly left the room, fearing he would do the same. Abbi obviously had everything under control, and it was a mother’s love and understanding that Maggie needed now. He went up to the room he now shared with Maggie, needing to be alone. Knowing his wife would look for him there if she needed him, he tried without much success not to think about how the conversation downstairs might be going. It was well over an hour before she arrived, and he turned from the window when she came in and closed the door. Her eyes were red and swollen; she’d obviously done a lot more crying after he’d left.

When she didn’t seem prone to speak, he asked lightly, “Did I miss anything?”

Maggie twisted the handkerchief in her hands. “My mother told me that I should always trust my instincts and listen to what my feelings are telling me, in spite of what others might say or do.” Han completely agreed but made no response, wanting her to go on. “I can see now that rather than trusting my feelings, I was ignoring them. That’s why I couldn’t see what Nik Koenig was really after, and . . . that’s why I was such a fool to not . . .” She faltered with emotion, but Han held out a hand toward her, and she rushed into his arms.

“Oh, Han,” she cried, “you must forgive me for being so cruel to you. I was so insensitive . . . so shallow. I know you loved me right from the start. And I think that deep in my heart I always loved you. I just . . .”

“It’s all right,” he whispered. “I understand, Maggie. I really do. It’s all in the past now. Oh,” he held her tighter, “I love you, Maggie.”

Maggie drew back to look at him as a thousand questions from the last several months came together, needing one firm, final answer. The sincerity in his eyes was evident. But she could see now that it had always been there. She just hadn’t known what she was looking at. Her strongest and deepest instincts bathed her with peace as he bent to kiss her. She was indescribably grateful for his love, for his patience on her behalf, and for his courage in not allowing her to become caught in Nik Koenig’s trap. As his kiss gained fervor, she wondered if any woman had ever been so happy as she was in that moment.

When their kiss ended, Han erupted with laughter and lifted her off the floor, turning with her in his arms. Maggie laughed and leaned against him to gain her balance when he set her feet back down.

“I have something for you,” he said, digging into his pocket. He held a closed fist in front of her. “When I was seventeen, I saw something just like this in town, and I wanted more than anything to buy it for you, but I couldn’t afford it. I know it doesn’t compare to all the jewels that a princess owns, but . . . it comes from the heart.”

Fresh tears welled up in Maggie’s eyes as he took her right hand into his and she felt a ring slip onto her finger.

“What’s behind us doesn’t matter anymore, Maggie.”

She glanced down and blinked the mist from her eyes, attempting to focus enough to see what he’d given her. The jade stone in the center was flanked by two small diamonds that sparkled in the gold band.

“Oh, Han,” she said, “it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever owned.” She pushed her arms around him. “I’ll treasure it always.” She kissed him and added, “I love you, Han Heinrich.”

Han laughed again then reluctantly reminded her that it was time they went downstairs for supper. They walked hand in hand to the dining room and paused outside the door, where Han kissed her, believing they were alone. When he drew back from the kiss, Cameron and Abbi were standing nearby, and he resisted the urge to tell them they shouldn’t be so sneaky. Han chuckled when he saw Maggie blush with embarrassment.

“Everything’s all right, I assume,” Cameron said, opening the door to the dining room.

“Everything is perfect,” Maggie said, going in first. Cameron lifted an eyebrow toward Han. He smiled and shrugged. Abbi winked at him as she passed by, and the men followed her into the room. Erich was already seated, looking at a newspaper.

“It’s about time,” he said, setting it aside.

“What?” Cameron asked. “You’re not eating out tonight?”

“I turned down three invitations,” Erich said. “I’ve had enough of romance . . . if that’s what you call it.”

“You could take a lesson from Han,” Maggie said, showing him her new ring as she was seated with Han’s assistance. “Look what he gave me.”

“Ooh,” Erich looked at it closely then smirked toward Han, “jade and diamonds. Expensive, eh?”

Han just shrugged again, grateful to feel no tension between them, whatsoever.

“When did you get paid?” Erich asked. “You still owe me a couple of drinks from last February, I believe.”

“I didn’t pay him anything yet,” Cameron stated, and it occurred to Maggie that Han had produced evidence of an immense amount of money just today. He’d paid her father back in full, and he’d given her an expensive gift. She sensed a certain purpose in her father’s demeanor just before he added, “Han doesn’t need my money.”

Han saw the duke look him straight in the eye, as if seeking his approval before he said anything more. Han just smiled and nodded subtly. Now that he knew where he stood with Erich and Maggie, he had no problem with having the secret out.

Maggie looked pointedly at Han, silently demanding to know what secret he might be sharing with her father. Again, he only shrugged. “You’re not saying much,” she said directly to Han.

“I said more than enough earlier.” He smiled and took a long swallow of his wine.

Maggie turned to her father, as if to get an answer.

Cameron smiled playfully. “I hear a rumor that Han received an inheritance. He’s rather well off, actually.”

“You are?” Maggie asked her husband.

“I guess the secret’s out,” Han said with exaggerated dismay. He smiled and added sweetly, “I didn’t want you to marry me for my money.”