“I was not sulking,” Sophia said as she entered the drawing room where Klaus was sitting paging through the Lady’s Monthly.
He stood, putting the magazine back on the table where he must have found it. “You look much better—not that I minded your dressing gown, it was very pretty.”
She frowned at him and tried her best not to let even the slightest tinge of amusement cross her lips. Deep inside, her traitorous mind did little jumps of joy at the thought that he liked seeing her in dishabille.
“Watson did confirm that my sister would like me to return to Everston,” Sophia allowed, as she sat on the sofa across from the chair Klaus had been sitting in. She certainly hadn’t expected that he would come and sit next to her, but he did just that. Not only did he sit close, but he faced her and took her right hand in his, since her left arm was in the sling the doctor had insisted she wear. It still hurt from the night of the ball when she’d not worn it, not wanting to look too odd or injured.
“I had a long conversation with your sister yesterday,” he told her. “She wanted to know what had upset you so much.”
Sophia turned her head to look away but said nothing.
“I told her that I loved you and then what happened the night of the ball. She was surprised it was you who was so upset. She thought I should have been the one to take to my room and stay there.” His lips lifted into a smile.
He was teasing her. “No, she did not! She doesn’t believe in such nonsense,” Sophia said, trying to keep her own smile away.
“Oh, all right, perhaps she didn’t say exactly that, but I could tell she was thinking it.”
Now she really did giggle.
“Sophia, I love you. Please, please tell me why you won’t marry me,” he said, becoming serious again.
“Lou…” Sophia started, but then a lump in her throat got in the way.
“Your sister has given me her blessing. She even sent the maid to corroborate if you didn’t believe me,” he told her.
Sophia turned and looked up into his sky-blue eyes. He looked earnest. Could it possibly be true?
He let go of her hand and placed his gently on her cheek. “Let me say it again because it doesn’t seem to be getting through to you. I love you. Your sister has no objection. I have done everything—absolutely everything possible—to ensure that I be granted my freedom so that I could ask you to marry me.”
“Well, I’m sure you wanted your freedom for yourself—”
“Of course I did, but truly, I was thinking of you as I worked to impress the Prince with my skills. I want to spend the rest of my life doing everything within my power to make you happy. Please, say you will marry me?”
Tears pricked at her eyes. “Is this my Christmas miracle?” she breathed.
“If you’ll say yes, it will certainly be mine.”
She gave a little nod. And suddenly he was kissing her. His lips pressed fervently against her own, his tongue traced the outline of her mouth until she opened to him, and then their tongues danced together in the most joyous of dances.
When he lifted his head, he smiled. “You have made me the happiest man, Sophia.”
“And you have made me frustrated, angry, annoyed, and unreasonably happy.”
He laughed. “And I may do so for the rest of our lives.”
Klaus could have wished Lady Melfield’s maid anywhere else, but she had ridden with him inside the carriage on the way to London, and she was going to do the same on their way back. Of course, the main difference was that Klaus had been a nervous wreck and had actually found the woman’s calm, cool demeanor somewhat comforting on their way to London. Coming back, however, he rode with Sophia’s hand clasped tightly within his own, and he wanted nothing more than to be able to kiss her, nibble at her ear, or even just tell her again and again how happy he was. But Sophia was clearly uncomfortable even just allowing him to hold her hand with the woman present. Twice she had tried to slip it from his; twice he’d reclaimed it.
“Klaus,” Sophia whispered, with a pointed look at the woman sitting calmly across from them.
“I don’t care. We are engaged now. I am allowed to hold your hand.”
“You will not be truly engaged until Lord and Lady Melfield have said so,” Watson said crisply.
“But I thought my sister had already given her approval,” Sophia asked, pulling her hand from Klaus’s once again.
“She said she wanted Lord Klaus to return you to Everston,” the woman said.
Sophia glared at Klaus. “You said she approved—”
“She did!” He turned and narrowed his eyes at Mrs. Watson. “You know very well she did.”
“I wish to hear it from her mouth while the two of you are standing directly in front of her. And Lord Melfield, as well, has a say in the matter. He is Miss North’s guardian.”
Sophia huffed and crossed her right arm under her left, which was within its sling, ensuring that Klaus couldn’t hold her hand.
“Well, in that case, do you need to hear it from the Prince and my father as well?” Klaus snapped.
“Yes, that would be most reassuring,” the woman said, giving him a cold smile.
“I am—”
“Klaus, let’s just be patient, please,” Sophia said, putting her hand on his arm.
He was grateful this woman was Lady Melfield’s maid and not Sophia’s. He would not hesitate to fire her the moment they were married if she were tied to Sophia.
They arrived at Everston just in time to change for dinner.
When Klaus entered the drawing room before the meal, Sophia was not down yet. Lady Melfield immediately left her conversation with Lady Everston to come over and greet him. “Well?” she asked.
He could only smile. “Aside from some frustration with your maid on our way back, it all went well.”
“My maid?” she asked.
“She refused to accept the fact that Sophia and I were engaged until she learned of your approval, and Lord Melfield’s.” Klaus told her.
“Oh, she is such a stickler,” Lady Melfield said, brushing aside his words. “Well, I certainly approve, as you very well know. And I am so happy for you, Klaus.”
He relaxed a little. “Thank you.”
Sophia came in and joined them.
Lady Melfield immediately gave her sister a hug without saying a word and then tapped her ring against her glass to get everyone’s attention. Once everyone had turned toward her, she said, “I have wonderful news! We are to have another wedding.” She turned and looked at Klaus and Sophia with a brilliant smile on her face.
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Isa said, giving a little clap of her hands.
“Congratulations!” Ranleigh said.
“Wait, just a moment,” Lord Melfield said. “Do I not get a say in this? Klaus, you did not come to me to ask for my sister-in-law’s hand.”
Klaus’s breathing stopped. Was he really going to cause trouble? To insist on such formalities? Was he truly Sophia’s guardian? “I, er, I asked Lady Melfield’s permission, but I wasn’t aware that I needed yours, my lord,” Klaus stammered.
Lord Melfield just smiled at him. “Well, officially, I am her guardian. However, in all things Sophia, I do defer to my wife. If she said it was all right, then, of course, it is. We’ll meet later with solicitors to draw up a marriage contract.”
“But what about Lord Klaus’s confinement to Kottenfurst?” Lady Hope asked.
“I have released him from it,” the Prince said. “He is to be my secretary once we return to Aachen. And I have also approved of this match. Alex, you don’t have any objections, do you?” he said, turning to Klaus’s father.
“I have only one stipulation,” Lord Kottenfurst said.
“What is that?” Sophia asked, beginning to look worried.
“That you learn to ride a horse better!” the man said before bursting out into laughter.
“Oh,” Sophia breathed with relief.
“How about if, as a wedding gift, I give Miss North the sweet mare she rode the day we went out to tour my estate?” Lord Everston offered.
“That is very kind of you,” Sophia said, giving him a grateful smile. “Just so long as you don’t switch it with that other horse I rode after that.”
He laughed. “No, no. I promise that one I will be keeping for myself. She is a handful!”
“So, there are no objections?” Klaus confirmed, looking around the room.
“We only wish you both all the happiness in the world,” Nik said, putting his arm around Lady Hope’s shoulders. She nodded her agreement.
“Thank you,” Klaus said.
“And now we’ll have two royal weddings to celebrate, so you’d all better plan on coming to Aachen this spring,” the Prince said.
“I don’t know that mine counts as royal,” Klaus began.
“Of course it does! You’re my nephew. You may not be the heir to the throne, but you are still a member of the royal family.”
“Thank you, sir,” Klaus said, with a bow. He turned to Sophia. “Well, now you’ll get your chance to be a real princess, unlike your sister.”
She just laughed. “Just so long as I’m with you, nothing else matters.”
THE END
Thank you for reading Christmas Forgiveness by Meredith Bond!
This story is an addition to the Royals & Rebels series, which tells the stories of Prince Nikolaus, his sister Princess Louisa, and their accidental ally Lucinda North as they each discover romance, and adventure.
Read book 1, In Lieu of a Princess, now!
