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A Royal Christmas Proposal
Leanne Banks


Princess Fredericka Devereaux’s Christmas Wish List
1. A special first holiday season for my baby son, Leo.
2. Mistletoe hung with care throughout the palace.
3. A beautiful stocking for Leo, embroidered with his name—and maybe one for my new bodyguard, Treat?
4. The ability to stop gazing at Treat from afar!
5. An evening snuggling under a blanket with my sexy guard to watch old Christmas movies.
6. A feast fit for a princess and my prince(s)—Leo and Treat!
7. A father for Leo … and the husband of my dreams?
* * *
Royal Babies:
A new generation of little princes—and princesses!

A Royal Christmas Proposal
Leanne Banks

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
LEANNE BANKS is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who is surprised every time she realizes how many books she has written. Leanne loves chocolate, the beach and new adventures. To name a few, Leanne has ridden an elephant, stood on an ostrich egg (no, it didn’t break), gone parasailing and done indoor skydiving. Leanne loves writing romance because she believes in the power and magic of love. She lives in Virginia with her family and a four-and-a-half-pound Pomeranian named Bijou. Visit her website, www.leannebanks.com (http://www.leannebanks.com).
This book is dedicated to all the parents who have gone the extra mile, two miles or one hundred miles for your child’s well-being. Thank you for your love and devotion. You’ve made the world a better place.
Contents
Cover (#u7a64b188-7b21-5217-93f9-dcf90a00c1a3)
Introduction (#u6f8f74ab-06ff-5ad2-ac27-ef73aa7b54ca)
Title Page (#u7eb58f2c-90cb-523f-b275-dbfcdc29e680)
About the Author (#u5b10b3da-f459-5240-9f53-f8255bc47dd0)
Dedication (#u2afcdbd3-54e4-53f5-82ad-7569629c112e)
Chapter One (#u1f0a5cf9-f1b2-5f8d-8301-84c98b433916)
Chapter Two (#u79bd6a0a-d1f0-5214-b431-9112cd85da34)
Chapter Three (#ueeb022d9-145d-593b-bbc7-f65bc046e802)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ulink_ce3ef017-2186-55a4-bf67-312980b50015)
Princess Fredericka hoped her brother wasn’t going to be impossible.
She knew she had made more than her share of mistakes. She’d been a wild child when she’d been a teenager and terrified her family with her antics. Everyone had breathed a sigh of relief when she’d gotten married, because she’d appeared to calm down. In many ways she had, but she’d learned things didn’t always turn out the way one expected. She’d managed to make the best of what life had dealt her. Ericka knew her brother Stefan, the ruling prince of Chantaine, however, would have a hard time seeing her as a competent single mother to her adorable son, Leo.
She resisted the urge to fidget as she waited to be invited into her brother’s office. She nodded at staff members as they hung holiday greenery and put candles in the window. Ericka suspected the Christmas decorations had been ordered by Eve, her brother’s wife. Ericka barely remembered seeing Christmas decorations when she had been growing up in the palace. With the exception of the huge Christmas tree in one of the formal rooms, one might not have known the holiday existed. Of course, the deep chill between her mother and father hadn’t helped matters.
Her father, Prince Edward, had been a philanderer and an absentee father and husband. Her mother had felt trapped and bitter. Ericka remembered wishing only that she could run away. She’d done exactly that in more than one way, which was why she suspected this was going to be a messy discussion. Stefan was extremely protective.
The door to Stefan’s office finally opened. “Your Highness, Princess Fredericka, please come in,” Stefan’s assistant said.
She nodded. “Thank you very much,” she said, then entered her brother’s office while the assistant left the room. “Stefan,” she greeted, walking toward her brother. She noticed a wisp of a couple gray streaks on the sides of his dark hair. The burden of his position was obviously weighing on him.
She kissed his cheek and he kissed hers. “How are you?” she asked.
“I’m well,” he said. “I’m more concerned about you and Leonardo.”
Ericka smiled. “Leo and I are great. I’m happy to be back in Chantaine after spending the last year with Tina in Texas.”
“You could have spent the last year here in Chantaine,” he said, and rounded his desk to sit in his chair.
Ericka sat in the chair across from her brother, watching him as he tented his fingers and studied her. “I think it was good to be with Tina in Texas during my pregnancy and delivery. She and her husband were supportive, and it was fun having their daughter, Katarina, around. She’s quite the spitfire. Little ones put everything in perspective.”
“True,” Stefan said, giving a serious nod. “I think it would be best for you and Leo to live at the palace.”
Ericka’s stomach twisted and she bit the inside of her lip. She hated to go up against Stefan but knew it was necessary. “I think not,” she said. “I’ve found a lovely gated cottage and a nanny. I think this will be best for Leo and me.”
Stefan frowned. “But what about security? You and Leo need to be protected. That would be much easier within the palace walls.”
Ericka shook her head. “The palace isn’t the place for me. If you think about it, it’s not the place for most of us. None of your siblings live here. I apologize for how this may sound, but the palace feels claustrophobic. I don’t want that for Leo.”
“He’s a baby,” Stefan said. “How will he know?”
“Babies sense more than you think. He would sense my tension. Leo and I need our own place. As I said, I have found a wonderful nanny and I’ve arranged for therapy for his hearing disability.”
Stefan pressed his lips together. “Is there any chance you’re wrong about his hearing? He’s so young.”
“No,” she said, remembering the grief she’d suffered when she’d learned her perfect Leo couldn’t hear. The doctors had tested Leo before she’d left the hospital with him, and many more tests had followed. “He has a hearing disability and I’m determined to make sure he gets the best treatment available.”
“I can’t believe you don’t think living in the palace would make your life easier,” Stefan said. “And your son’s life safer.”
Ericka shook her head. “Don’t try to guilt me into doing things your way, Stefan. I have to follow my best inner guidance. I have to be my own expert. I’m counting on you to be supportive.”
Stefan sighed. “This situation is going to put a lot of pressure on you. I hesitate to bring up the past, but—”
“You’re talking about the time I spent in rehab in my teens,” she said. Ericka couldn’t blame any of her family for being concerned, but if she’d successfully survived her most recent humiliation, she could handle anything. “I’m lucky I learned to avoid chemicals early on. I haven’t had a drink in nearly a decade. I learned to wake up every morning and make the decision that I’m not going to drink or use drugs that day.”
Stefan nodded. “It’s obvious you’ve come a long way, but I still don’t want you to be overwhelmed.”
“I’m going to be overwhelmed at times,” she assured him. “I have a baby. Being a mother is new. But I’m a Devereaux and I’m not the weak link you may have once thought I was.”
“I never said you were the weak link,” he said with a dark frown.
“Well, maybe you just thought it,” she said gently with a smile and lifted her hand when she could see he was going to protest. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll soon see there’s more to me than you thought. I’ll be very happy in my cozy cottage.”
“Okay,” he said reluctantly. “As you wish. However, I insist on providing you with security. You’ll have a guard within the next couple of days.”
Ericka made a face. “If you insist,” she said. “Just make sure whoever you choose is low-profile or they’ll get on my nerves. No one too pushy.”
“I do insist, and I’ll make sure you have the best security possible. You’re working for the palace, so protection is more than appropriate. The new rules specify that if any of the Devereaux family is working for Chantaine, they shall be given security. You’re taking over the coordination for the conference for The Royal Society for A Better World, although I don’t know how you expect to do it with a baby and no husband,” he said.
“Single mothers have been accomplishing great things for ages,” she said. “I’ll have a nanny and two sisters willing to help.”
“Along with Eve,” Stefan said of his wife. “She would kill me if I didn’t offer her assistance.”
Ericka smiled still amazed at the change Eve had wrought in her brother. The two were soul mates. Her happiness faded a little when she thought of her own future romantic prognosis. She wasn’t sure her soul mate existed. Brushing the thought aside, she knew it was silly for her to waste one moment on any ideas about romance. She had no time or energy for a man in her life right now.
“You’re always welcome at the palace if you should change your mind.”
“Thank you, but I won’t,” she said. “Now shall we cover a few issues about the upcoming conference?”
Stefan shot her a smile that held a hint of approval. “Down to business already?”
“I’ve been ready,” she said, and powered up her tablet.
* * *
Two days later, Stefan sent Ericka a text message informing her that one of his assistants would be bringing her security detail to her for introduction. Ericka frowned at her phone in response. This wasn’t the best time. She was tired and hadn’t even taken a shower yet. Leo hadn’t slept well and had been fussy throughout the night. Even though Nanny Marley was more than able to care for Leo, Ericka had wanted to soothe him. Ericka was finding it more difficult than she’d planned to turn Leo’s care over to someone else.
Silly. Ericka had never considered herself overly nurturing, but Leo had provoked powerful changes within her. Of course now that sunlight streamed through the windows of the cottage, Leo slept peacefully.
Yawning, she pulled her hair into a topknot and quickly changed clothes. She dashed to the bathroom to splash water on her face and brush her teeth. The introduction with her security detail shouldn’t take any longer than five minutes. After that, she planned to sneak in a little nap before working. Before Leo, Ericka would never have considered meeting someone without being turned out to as close to perfection as possible. Having a baby had changed her priorities.
A knock sounded at the door and she rushed to answer it. Leo was already being treated for his hearing disability with infant hearing aids, and Ericka never knew what sounds might awaken him.
Spotting her brother’s assistant through the glass window beside the door, she opened it. She immediately caught sight of a man standing just behind her brother’s assistant. He stood at least as tall as her brother-in-law from Texas. Over six feet tall. How was this subtle? she wondered. He would stick out like a sore thumb in Chantaine. What had her brother been thinking?
“Hello, Your Highness. Rolf here,” her brother’s assistant said as he made a quick bow. “I’m here to introduce you to your primary security detail. Mr. Montreat Walker.”
Ericka nodded toward Rolf then turned to Mr. Walker out of politeness. “Mr. Walker.”
He gave a half-hearted dip of his head. “You can call me Treat,” he said in a Texas twang.
“Oh, really,” she said, thinking he was not a treat. With his stubborn chin and too-broad shoulders, he looked as if he would be a pain in her derriere. “Mr. Walker,” she said then turned to Rolf, who appeared to be cowering from both her and Mr. Treat Walker. “Thank you so much for stopping by. I’ll be in touch with Stefan.”
“I’d like to check your home security system first,” Mr. Walker said.
“Excuse me,” she replied, unable to hide her disapproval.
“Yes,” the overly tall, overly muscular, overly American man, said. “I’ve been hired to protect you. I need to make sure your home is adequately secure.”
“I have a security system,” she told him.
“Then you won’t mind me checking it,” he said.
Actually, she would, but she couldn’t say that. She shrugged and opened her door widely. “Don’t wake my baby.”
He lifted his eyebrows for a half-beat then stepped forward. “I’ll do the best I can, but I will need to test your alarm system.”
Ericka stared at Rolf. “Please tell my brother I’ll be in touch,” she said.
“Yes, Your Highness,” he said before he dipped his head and walked away.
“I’m a done deal,” Mr. Walker said to her. “Your brother has made his decision.”
Ericka tried to look down her nose at him, but he was too darn tall. “Nothing is a done deal.”
Mr. Walker shrugged. “Good luck. I’ll check your system.”
Ericka frowned at him as he swaggered through the hallway. “I told you not to wake my baby.”
Mr. Walker paused and turned to look at her. “How strong is his hearing disorder?”
Ericka could have cried at his question. If only she knew how extensive his hearing loss was. Even the doctors had told her the measurement for his hearing disorder could change. “Profound. He’s been awake most of the night.”
Mr. Walker nodded. “I’ll check the house. I’ll have to test the alarm system some time. You let me know when I can do that without startling him.”
If only he could startle Leo, Ericka thought. If only she could make a sound that would startle him. Ericka stared after Mr. Walker, hating him and liking him at the same time. What could he possibly know about having a child with special needs? Nothing, she suspected. His life had probably been perfect. No troubles. No trials.
Leo’s future was full of trials. She stiffened her back. She needed to cushion her child in his infancy and make him strong for his future years. Her job was to provide the perfect amount of support and hope. Whatever that was.
A flash of fur passed between them.
Mr. Walker frowned. “Was that a cat?”
“Yes. The doctor said Leo would benefit from a pet.”
He frowned in confusion. “A cat? Don’t they sleep twenty-three out of twenty-four hours a day?”
“Sam is awake much more than that, plus he watches after Leo.”
“You mean, he stalks your baby,” Mr. Walker said.
She blinked. “He does no such thing. Sam protects Leo. He’s probably studying you right now to make sure you won’t hurt the baby.”
Mr. Walker lifted a dark eyebrow. “This is one more challenge for implementing a sound security system.”
She lifted her head. “Sam stays. We brought him back from Texas. My brother insisted he was neutered before we arrived. Stefan doesn’t want any more potent cats on the island. He’s afraid Chantaine will end up with too many cats.”
“Understandable,” Mr. Walker said. “Practical.”
“Mr. Walker, you need to understand that you’re dealing with a very human element. My son. I know that the people of Chantaine don’t hold a grudge against me. They’re delighted I have returned.”
“But there could be one person who’s not delighted,” he said. “And I’m here to protect you from that person.”
Ericka stared into his dark eyes and knew he would protect her from anything. She held his gaze for a long moment and saw a flash of tenderness. It surprised her. How could a man who appeared so hard be kind?
If he couldn’t be kind to her son, she had no use for him. If he couldn’t tolerate her cat, he would be dismissed.
* * *
Treat Walker looked into Princess Fredericka’s disapproving blue eyes. He’d read her file. She’d been known as the teenage wild-child beauty. She’d even made a few trips to rehab before she’d gotten herself straightened out and married a French film director.
Although the princess had returned to Chantaine frequently for public and family events, she’d seemed to prefer life out of the limelight. With the exception of red carpet appearances with her husband, Fredericka had focused more of her time on studies in fine arts.
When her husband fell for a younger actress, Fredericka’s life began to fall apart. The combination of the scandal and her pregnancy had been overwhelming, so she’d disappeared to live in Texas with her older sister during her pregnancy.
At first glance, she looked a little too perfect. With her aristocratic bone structure, she could have modeled for a Renaissance sculptor. Although she was trying to hold him in cool contempt, he glimpsed humanity and a little bit of fear in her eyes, a hint of purple shadows that showed she wasn’t sleeping well.
Taking care of an infant with serious hearing loss could be hard on anyone, especially since she appeared to be trying to do most of it on her own. “Your son,” he said. “He’s lucky you have the resources to give him the best help he needs. Not everyone can get their child the right kind of help.”
Her eyebrows knitted slightly. “Money can’t solve everything. The choices may be difficult,” she said before she turned away from him.
* * *
Ericka spent the day juggling caring for Leo and planning her work schedule. Since the nanny had gone to market, Ericka carried Leo in a cloth baby carrier against her chest as she talked on the phone. Leo quickly drifted off to sleep and Ericka answered a few calls. When he began to drool against her collar, she suspected he was ready for genuine nap in his crib. Just as she pulled him from the cloth carrier and set him in his crib, he let out a squeak of protest.
Wincing, Ericka immediately placed her hand over his tummy. Her sister had taught her this trick. Leo didn’t like the abruptness of being detached after being held. A little more of a human connection seemed to soothe him and he gave a little snorty baby sigh. Ericka held her hand on him for several more moments, staring at his rosy, plump cheeks and dark eyelashes against his perfect skin. Pride and love welled up inside her. He was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen in her life.
Carefully backing away, Ericka turned around and pulled the door partway closed behind her. Then she walked straight into a wall. Or, it felt like a wall until it swore under its breath. Her heart hammering in panic, she opened her mouth to scream at the same time she looked up into the hard face of Mr. Walker.
She slumped in relief and he immediately clasped her arms as if he thought she were going to faint. The notion annoyed her, “Remove your hands from me,” she said in the icy tone she’d learned from one of her governesses.
He immediately released her and she stumbled backward, glaring at me. “I thought you had left to get an alarm system. What are you doing here now? And why didn’t you knock?”
“First, since I’m your security detail, I’m like a member of the family. I don’t have to knock,” he said.
“Oh, yes, you do,” she said. “You’re not family. You’re staff. All staff knocks before entering.”
“Plus I didn’t want to wake your baby if he was sleeping,” he continued.
She opened her mouth then closed it, feeling as if someone had let the air out of her balloon. “Well,” she said, desperate to establish some boundaries with this man who seemed to take up entirely too much space. “You shouldn’t come up behind me like that and startle me. There’s no excuse for that.”
“I was examining the hallway for the best alarm system.”
He was so implacable, she thought, her irritation growing. “I’m not sure this is going to work,” she said, and walked past him. “My nanny and I are working perfectly well together. Your presence is disruptive.”
“Give me a couple days,” he said. “You’ll barely notice I’m around.”
That did it, she thought. Mr. Walker was going back to the States. She would talk with Stefan that afternoon.
Except Stefan wasn’t picking up his private cell phone, and his assistant said he was indisposed. Stalling tactics. Ericka recognized them because he’d used them before on rare occasions when he wanted things his way. She considered calling Stefan’s wife, Eve, but with two young children and another on the way, Eve had her hands full. Besides, this was between her and Stefan.
Ericka made another call. “Bernard, this is Ericka again. How are you?”
“Quite well, Your Highness.”
“I realize Stefan is quite busy today,” she said.
“Yes, yes, he is,” Bernard said.
“Lots of activity in his palace office,” she said.
“It’s often busy in the Prince’s office. As you know, he works hard for the people of Chantaine.”
“Of course he does. Since he is at the Palace office today, I’ll just scoot over for a quick visit. I promise it won’t take more than a moment or two. Ciao,” she said.
“But, but, but—”
Ericka disconnected the call and smiled grimly to herself. Two could play this little game. Stefan would be hard-pressed to avoid her if she was standing outside his office.
Ericka found Nanny Marley taking a well-earned break reading in the sunroom. “Marley, I need to make a quick trip to the palace. I won’t be gone long.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll keep an ear out for him.”
Ericka shook her finger at the sweet middle-aged woman. “We’ve already discussed this. You’re not supposed to address me as ‘Your Highness.’ Please call me Ericka.”
“I keep forgetting,” the woman said. “It just doesn’t feel respectful.”
“It’s my wish,” Ericka said. “So that makes it respectful. Please?”
“Yes, Miss Ericka,” Nanny Marley said.
Ericka smiled. “That’s a little closer. I’ll be back soon.”
“No hurries on my account, ma’am,” the nanny said.
Ericka drove her tiny smart car through the winding streets of Chantaine. Her route to the palace took her past the view of the azure ocean trickling against a white sandy beach. She’d never realized how much she’d missed her homeland until she’d returned. In fact, she’d fought the idea of ever returning. She’d had too many memories of feeling confined and suffocated in Chantaine. Leaving had felt so freeing.
Even now, she felt twinges from her memories, but she was determined to keep her feelings and future in perspective. One of her most important decisions had been not to live at the palace. Another important decision had been to hire Nanny Marley. The next decision would be to get rid of her assigned security man, Mr. Walker.
As she pulled up to the palace, the gates were opened and she was waved through. Parking her car at the side of the main building, she touched her finger to the sensor that would allow her inside the door. Her shoes echoed on the marble floor of the hallways as she made her way to her brother’s office. The same office had once belonged to her father, although her father had spent far less time performing royal duties and much more time on his yacht with his mistress du jour. She’d always found it amazing that her father had managed to sire six legitimate children despite his numerous affairs. Now that Ericka was grown, she could look back and see that her mother had continued to have children in hopes of truly winning her father’s heart. Unfortunately, her mother’s wish had never come true.
Ericka’s stomach knotted as she remembered feeling that same sense of desperation at losing her husband. She’d been all too aware of the deterioration of his feelings for her. In fact, she’d made love with him in a final effort to win him back. When she thought of how weak she’d been, she could hardly bear it. It had taken her over a year to find herself again and get centered. She never wanted to be that weak woman, dependent on a man again. Never.
Reaching her brother’s office, she knocked on the door and waited. Impatience nicked at her and she knocked again.
The door swung open and one of her brother’s assistants dipped his head. “Your Highness,” he said.
“I need to see my brother,” she said.
“But he’s—”
“It won’t take long. I promise. Stefan,” she called. “I know you’re in there. Do you really want me yelling outside your office?”
Her brother’s assistant groaned and seconds later, he backed away, allowing her entrance. Stefan frowned at her. “I just got off a conference call with two dukes from Spain and Italy.”
“Great timing,” she said, and shot him a broad smile. “I thought you might be signing off around this time.”
“I actually had some other items on my list,” he said, his irritation clear.
“I imagine they could wait until tomorrow. Eve and your little ones would probably love to see you tonight.”
His hard gaze softened. “You’re probably right. Eve is worn out by the end of the day with this pregnancy, although she would deny it.”
“You married a strong woman,” she said.
“So I did,” Stefan said. “I suspect you’re here to complain about your new security man.”
“Your suspicion is correct. I specifically requested someone low key, who won’t interrupt my routine or bring undue attention.”
“Mr. Jackson will work out with no problem. He comes highly recommended. I wanted the best for you and Leo.”
“You gave me the Texas version of the Jolly Green Giant. He’s been an interruption since he walked through the door. He doesn’t like the cat—”
“Can’t blame him there,” Stefan muttered.
“Leo likes the cat,” she said.
“Leo doesn’t know any better,” Stefan retorted. “Listen, you haven’t even given Mr. Walker a chance. He hasn’t been there a whole day. The least you can do is give him a trial period.”
“One more day,” she said.
Stefan shook his head. “At least a week. He left an assignment in the States at my request.”
“I don’t need this kind of invasion into my privacy. I can’t believe you think Leo or I are at risk here in Chantaine.”
“You forget Eve’s encounter with that crowd before we were married,” he said.
“That’s different. I won’t be doing nearly as many appearances since I’m focusing on the conference. Any time I’m making an appearance, you can assign someone from your security detail for me.”
Stefan sighed. “I don’t like to frighten you, but I don’t trust your ex-husband. How do you know he won’t try to use Leo to get some sort of settlement?”
Ericka’s blood ran cold at the thought. She swallowed over a lump of fear and shook it off. “My ex-husband couldn’t be less interested in Leo. He knew I was pregnant when I left.”
“He could change his mind. If he does, I want to be ready for him.”
Chapter Two (#ulink_3c687919-70b1-5e78-847e-a14c33e93ca9)
Treat heard two voices coming from the den of the house as he walked down the hall. He stopped outside the den and watched as the princess used sign language while she gazed at her computer tablet. The baby sat next to her with his eyes closed, apparently asleep.
“So, how did you like that, Leo?” she asked and turned to look at her child. She gave a soft laugh. “Bored you to sleep, right?”
She sighed. “Well, maybe we can get you to extend your little nap in your crib,” she said as she gently picked up the baby and stood. She turned and met his gaze.
Treat saw the way her body stiffened slightly. “Anything I can do for you? I’ve decided to focus security around the perimeter of the property and give you and your nanny a panic button.”
“Fine,” she said with a total lack of interest. “I’m going to try to put Leo down now. He has a hard time sleeping unless he can see me or I’m holding him.”
“Maybe it has something to do with his other senses being heightened. Do you leave a light on in the bedroom?” he asked.
“No. I hadn’t thought of that,” she said. “I use room darkening shades for him during the day.”
Treat shrugged. “Just something to think about. He’s probably a very visual guy.”
She studied him for a moment. “I’ll do some research.”
He nodded. “Looked like you were doing well with the sign language,” he said.
“You know sign language?” she asked.
“A little. Not enough to get any—” he said, and wiggled his hands for the sign for applause.
Her lips twitched in an almost smile. “I’ve got a long way to go. Right now, though, I’m putting my big guy to bed. I’m glad you won’t be concentrating as much on alarming the house. Leo may not be able to hear the alarms, but it would be startling for Nanny and me.”
“I hear you,” he said. “Listen, do you mind if I take a swim in the pool at night? It’s one of the ways I like to stay in shape.”
He felt her gaze dip to his shoulders then she blinked and cleared her throat. “Of course not,” she said. “Excuse me while I put Leo to bed.”
Treat felt something wrap around his ankles and watched Sam wind around him. He frowned.
“Looks like Sam likes you,” Princess Fredericka said.
Treat watched her as she retreated down the hallway. He shifted from one foot to the other and narrowed his eyes. Sam looked up at him and gave a meow. He glared down at the cat, but the cat continued to mark him. Glancing toward the hallway, he thought about the woman who’d just left the room. He’d expected a snooty princess. At first glance, maybe she was. But in less than twenty-four hours, he’d glimpsed something else. A princess trying to teach herself and her baby son sign language? She wasn’t what he’d expected.
Treat felt a strange gnawing sensation in his gut. He hadn’t felt anything like it in a long time. In fact, he hadn’t felt much of anything for a long time. He’d made sure not to invest in anything too emotional. His life hadn’t allowed for it once he’d suffered that last professional football injury. Treat hadn’t gotten truly involved with a woman in several years. He’d been too busy trying to make a living. Once he’d switched to security, he’d decided to make his fortune with it. The past few years he’d worked non-stop with his partner to build their security business. Now, he was making the step to take the business international.
He needed cooperation from Princess Fredericka and he also needed not to get emotionally involved. No problem, he told himself.
* * *
Another near-sleepless night, Ericka thought as she rubbed her face when the sun shone through the crack of her window coverings. She wasn’t sure when Leo had fallen asleep for more than an hour, but she planned to check out night lights and anything else that might help him. She’d finally turned on a lamp in the hallway. She wondered if that had helped.
Nanny was more than ready to step up, but Ericka had a hard time handing over Leo’s care when he seemed so distressed. Now, however, she had calls and plans to make and she wouldn’t feel quite so guilty handing Leo over to his nanny. Ericka was so exhausted that she knew she needed help.
Lying on her back in her bed, she took several deep breaths and stared up at the ceiling. She needed to open the blinds, she told herself. She’d recently read that exposure to light during the first thirty minutes of her day would make her feel more awake.
“Wake up, Ericka,” she urged herself and dragged herself from her bed. She thrust herself under a shower, brushed her teeth then stumbled toward the kitchen where Nanny sat at the table.
“You should have woken me. That’s why I’m here,” she said, offering Ericka a cup of coffee.
“He was just on the edge,” Ericka said, accepting the coffee and taking a long draw. “He kept going to sleep and waking up. Then going to sleep and waking up.”
“You should have awakened me after the first time,” Nanny said.
“I think it became a challenge,” Ericka said.
“Oh,” Nanny said in a dark voice. “That’s bad. No one should ever challenge a Devereaux.”
Ericka laughed and took another long drink from her coffee. “You’re so right.” She paused a half beat. “The security man suggested I do something with light to help Leo. Something about his sight being a strong sense. So I’m going to do some research.”
“This from the American?”
Ericka nodded. “Who knew?”
Nanny shook her head. “I would not have expected that.”
“Neither would I have,” Ericka said.
Nanny lifted her hands in the sign language for applause. “Good for you. Good for Leo.”
Ericka smiled and echoed the sign language. “We’re working on it,” she said. “In the meantime, it’s time for me to go to work.”
“Drink another cup of coffee,” Nanny said.
Ericka extended her mug up toward the woman, who refilled her cup. “I’m so glad I don’t have to meet face-to-face with anyone today. Thank goodness this is a phone day.”
“Take a nap midday then have juice and a cookie,” Nanny said. “It will be good for you.”
Ericka chuckled, but she couldn’t help thinking Nanny had a good point. Maybe, if everyone took a nap after lunch followed by a snack of juice and a cookie, then the world would be a better place. She would be less cranky. That was for sure.
She made several calls throughout the day. Coffee kept her going. Just before dinner, she signed off and typed some final notes on her laptop. The conference planning was coming along. She was pleased with her progress.
Ericka stood and shook her body to release her stiffness and tension. A short dip in the pool would do her good, she thought, and she went to her bedroom to change into a bathing suit. It was dinner time, but she was more interested in the sensation of sinking into water than eating. Thank goodness the pool was heated.
Ericka stepped down the stairs into the pool, pausing before the last step. The water was cooler than she’d expected. She finally took that last step and let out a little squeal. Sinking down to her neck, she shivered, but quickly adjusted.
She took a deep breath then plunged her face in the water and began to swim. She made it to the far wall and turned then swam back. Out of breath, she paused and chastised herself. “Go,” she muttered to herself and swam another lap. She returned and grasped the side of the pool, gasping for air.
A warm hand covered hers on the side of the pool. “Are you okay?”
Surprised, she inhaled water and coughed. And coughed. And coughed. She felt a splash beside her and a thump on her back. She hacked a couple more times then took a low, careful breath through her nostrils.
“Did you have to startle me?” she finally managed, looking up at Mr. Walker who was fully dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. Drenched, he stared down at her, his shirt clinging to his perfectly muscled body.
“I thought you were drowning,” he said. “You kept gasping for air but ducking your head under the water.”
“I was pushing myself to go a little farther. I realize it may look pathetic in your eyes, but I haven’t had a lot of physical exercise during the last few months.”
“Oh,” he said, watching her as she continued to catch her breath.
“Have you ever had a baby?” she asked.
His mouth twitched in a cockeyed smile. “Not that I can remember.”
Ericka took a deep breath and headed toward the steps. She felt his hands on her waist guiding her. “That’s not—”
“No problem,” he said, continuing to help her up the steps.
Her heart raced at his touch and she didn’t like the sensation. “Let go of me. I’m fine.”
He didn’t release her until she was steady. She resented the fact that she wasn’t steady one minute earlier. She resented him, too.
“I was just taking a swim,” she said.
He stepped up beside her in his wet street cloths and looked down at her. “Maybe you shouldn’t do as many laps next time.”
“I didn’t do that many,” she retorted.
“Cut yourself some slack. Isn’t your baby still waking up every night?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“And you don’t let the nanny take over nearly often enough, then,” he said.
Ericka took another deep breath, hating that he was speaking the truth. She so wanted him to be wrong. “I can handle it.”
“I’m your security detail,” he said, and extended his hand. “I can’t let you drown yourself.”
She ignored his hand and walked away, her limbs heavy from her exertion. “You ruined my swim.”
“I saved you from drowning,” he corrected.
She turned around and stared at him. “You are a total pain and you will be gone in six days.”
He gave a crooked smile again. “Your brother insisted that you give me a trial period.”
Ericka scowled. I hate you, she wanted to say. “Good night. You’ll be gone soon enough,” she said, and then turned to walk away.
“You know Beethoven wrote some of his most famous work when he was deaf,” he said.
She stopped and her heart stopped, too. Ericka took a deep breath, more moved by his words than she would ever want to admit. “Good night,” she repeated, although even she would admit she sounded less hostile.
Although she turned on a light in Leo’s room, he still awakened in the middle of the night and screamed bloody murder. Nanny was there to help, but Ericka felt responsible. She was his mother. She was the one who should soothe him back to sleep. As soon as she drew him into her arms, he quieted.
As she rocked him in the middle of the night, she wondered if she would ever be the mother he needed. He was such a precious soul. How could she be all he needed?
She dozed a bit with him in her lap then rose and carefully placed him in the crib, keeping her hand on him for several moments. She felt him drift to sleep and carefully walked away.
An hour later, he awakened again. This time, she let Nanny take him. At the same time, she felt like a failure. Why couldn’t she help her son so that he would sleep through the night?
Exhausted, she awakened later than usual and forced herself to climb out of bed. Stumbling toward the bath, she splashed her face with water and brushed her teeth then headed for the kitchen for coffee. She wanted to mainline it through her veins.
Nanny offered her a cup. “Would you like cream and sugar, ma’am?”
“That sounds wonderful,” Ericka said. “Have you gotten any sleep since four am?”
“Yes, ma’am, I have,” Nanny said. “His royal self gave it up after half a bottle. Men,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s all about food.”
Ericka chuckled and took a sip of her coffee. “So true. And this morning?”
“He’s still asleep,” Nanny said.
“That can be good,” Ericka said. “And bad.”
Nanny nodded. “I’ll take a nap in just a few moments,” she said.
“I’m thinking of hiring back-up assistance for cooking and cleaning,” Ericka said.
“It shouldn’t be necessary,” Nanny said. “I know our arrangement is for me to return to my apartment a few days every month. Is that a problem?” the woman asked with a worried expression.
“Not at all. Trust me, you are irreplaceable. I think a little additional back-up may help. For both of us,” Ericka said. “Leo has us coming and going. There’s too much of cooking and cleaning left to do.”
“Well, it’s not as if you’re a woman of leisure,” Nanny said. “You work very hard.”
Ericka felt a sliver of relief. “Thank you for saying that. I somehow feel as if I should manage all of this on my own.”
Nanny shook her head. “Never. It’s not as if you have a husband,” she said, and then covered her mouth as if she were shocked by her frank words.
Ericka shook her head. “Don’t worry. What you say is true. I’m just trying to figure it all out.”
“And you’re doing a wonderful job,” Nanny said. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. It won’t help you get any job done, motherhood or your other duties.”
Ericka made more phone calls to continue to secure the arrangements for the upcoming conference. Her sister Bridget called in between calls. “Hello, Bridget, how are you?”
“Pregnant and busy with the twins and all the animals my husband insists on having at our so-called ranch. When I agreed to marry a Texan doctor, I didn’t realize he was serious about recreating home on the range here in Chantaine,” Bridget said in a mock huffy voice.
Ericka smiled at her sister’s tone. Although Bridget had been known as the socialite in her family, she’d been tamed when she’d fallen in love with her doctor husband and the two nephews he’d adopted. “More animals? Horses, cattle, goats. You’re turning into a zoo,”
“Oh, darling, we became a zoo a long time ago,” she said. “Now, I know you’re busy, but Pippa, Eve and I want to have a get-together for lunch before I get much closer to my due date. Before you know it, it will be Christmas. Or I’ll be in labor. One of the two.”
“I’d love to,” Ericka said, “but I’m feeling strapped for time. Between caring for Leo and planning the conference...”
“I feel terrible that you’ve had to take over the conference, but when the doctor put me on limited activity, it squashed my schedule even more. You have a nanny and back-up, don’t you?”
“I have a wonderful nanny, but I think I’m going to have to get someone part-time for shopping and errands,” Ericka said.
Bridget made a tsk-ing sound. “You should have done that right away. Trying to do too much. You’re starting to act like overachiever Valentina before her husband took her away from us.”
Ericka smiled at the description. Bridget had nailed Tina’s personality perfectly. “I’m not sure I’ll ever measure up to those standards,” Ericka said.
“Well, you have too much right now, so I think you should ask for a loaner or referral from the palace. Anyone they recommend will have been properly vetted. You can ask for a few choices,” Bridget said.
“I’ve been trying to avoid placing any extra burdens on the palace,” she confessed.
“Oh, yes. I know all about it. Stefan is huffing and puffing because you won’t stay at the palace where he can make sure you’re safe and secure. Can’t blame you for wanting to escape, though. Even though I live in a circus with these five-year old twins and all these animals, I much prefer living outside the walls. But I insist you let the palace help you out. I also insist you join us for lunch day after tomorrow. No arguments,” Bridget said in her best no-nonsense voice.
“All right,” Ericka said. “When did you become so bossy?”
“You get a family of instant twin baby boys and you’ll be amazed how bossy you become. Ciao, darling. Go eat some chocolate and have some wine. Drink an extra glass for me.”
Although reluctant, Ericka put in a call to palace personnel. Two applicants would apply tomorrow. She fed the baby and carried him around for a while. Suddenly it was eight o’clock and she was tired and cranky. Thank goodness for Nanny. She thought about how Bridget had suggested wine and chocolate, but she was in the mood for something different. Something she’d had when she was pregnant and living in Texas.
A peanut butter and bacon sandwich.
* * *
Treat followed the scent of bacon inside the house. He’d missed that smell. “Bacon?” he said.
Ericka whirled around to look at him. “Technically pancetta.”
“Smells like bacon,” he said.
“It’s not quite the same thing,” she said. “But I’ll make do. If I burn it enough and put it on top of peanut butter, it won’t matter that much.”
“Peanut butter?” he echoed, impressed by her determination.
She nodded and turned back to her frying pan. “My brother-in-law from Texas turned me onto this when I was pregnant. It has turned into one of my favorite stress foods.”
She flipped the pancetta onto a paper towel while she slathered a slice of bread with a peanut butter.
“Hey,” Treat said. “Do you have any extra bacon?”
“Pancetta,” she corrected.
“It smells great,” he said.
She chuckled. “Here you go.”
“I think I want to try it with peanut butter,” he said.
She slid him a sideways glance. “I don’t have a lot of extra peanut butter,” she said. “My sister from Texas sends it to me.”
“Okay,” Treat said. “I’ll just take the bacon.”
She gave a heavy sigh and pulled out two more slices of bread. Slapping some peanut butter on a slice, she followed with a helping of crispy pancetta and squished the sandwich together. She handed it to him on a plate. “Eat at your own risk.”
“I’ll brave it,” he said, then took a big bite and savored the flavors. He took another bite to assess. “It’s delicious. The pancetta’s a little strong, but it’s still delicious.”
“Agreed,” Ericka said. “I’m trying to figure out how to get American bacon, although I know I’ve just offended every Italian I’ve ever met.”
“The pancetta’s not bad,” he said, taking another big bite of the sandwich.
“No, but I want cheap bacon,” she said, and took a bite of her own sandwich.
“If anyone should be able to get it, you should,” he said. “You’re a princess.”
“We have importation rules,” she said, and continued to eat her sandwich. “I wonder if I talked to Stefan. Or if I kept my mouth shut and asked Tina to send me American bacon...”
“What a scandal that could be,” he said. “Princess Fredericka imports forbidden bacon.”
She slid a quelling glance at him, then chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. I could be importing so much worse.”
He swallowed the rest of his sandwich and nodded. He brushed off his hands. “So right. Time for bed?”
She met his gaze and choked on her sandwich.
Treat smacked her on her back. He wondered if he should perform the Heimlich.
Ericka coughed then stepped away from him. “I’m fine,” she insisted, coughing.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, still coughing.
He poured a glass of water and offered it to her.
Ericka sipped it then took a shallow breath. “I think you’re right. It’s time to go to bed.”
Treat nodded. “Let me know if you need me for anything.”
“I’m fine, Mr. Walker,” she said.
“Call me Treat,” he said.
“Treat?” she echoed and shook her head. “What an interesting name.”
“Montreat,” he said. “The name was shortened.”
“Oh,” she said, and then nodded.
“Kinda like Fredericka was shortened to Ericka.”
“Interesting,” she said. “Mr. Walker. Good night.”
“Good night, Princess Fredericka,” he said.
“I need to clean up,” she said.
“I can do that,” he said. “Go on up to bed. You need your sleep.”
She paused a moment. “If you insist, Mr. Walker.”
“Treat,” he corrected.
She paused a long moment. “Treat,” she finally said in a soft voice. The sound of his name from her lips did something to him. He would have to figure that out later.
“Night,” he said as he watched her leave the room. Treat cleaned the pan and dishes then prowled the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, he heard the sound of Leo crying. He knew Ericka would get up and cradle her baby. He also knew she needed rest.
Treat climbed the stairs. He nearly bumped into Ericka.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered.
“I’m checking on your baby,” he said.
“I can take care of that,” she told him.
“But maybe you shouldn’t,” he said. “Even Saint Ericka needs a rest.”
She scowled at him. “I’ve never said I’m a saint.”
“Then stop trying to look like one,” he said. “Go back to bed.”
“Who will hold Leo?” she asked.
“I will,” he said.
“You?” she asked. “You look like you would be better with a football.”
“Football, baby, they’re close to the same.”
“A baby is close to a football?” she said, clearly alarmed.
“I’m joking,” he said. “I’ve rocked a baby before. Trust me.”
“Why should I?” she asked.
“Your brother did,” he said. “He vetted me six times from Sunday.”
Ericka sighed, clearly so weary she could hardly stand. “Just for a few minutes,” she said. “Just a few minutes. Then wake me up. I can handle this.” She turned toward her room and Treat felt a crazy quiet sense of victory as he entered the nursery and picked up the baby.
Chapter Three (#ulink_9157fd82-89a6-5f6e-be0c-455f8d66fbf2)
Ericka awakened in the night and listened for sounds from the baby monitor. Nothing. She stared up at the ceiling then closed her eyes and told herself she should go back to sleep. Leo wasn’t crying. All was well.
Except the football player was looking after her baby. Rising and pushing her covers aside, she shook her head at herself. She must have been out of her mind to put Leo in his care. Rushing to the nursery, she carefully pushed the door open and saw Treat moving the beam of a flashlight against the ceiling. He saw her and lifted his fingers to his lips to urge her to remain quiet.
Ericka looked at Leo whose sleepy gaze followed the light. His eyelids drooped then opened then finally closed. She tilted her head and looked at Treat in silence. He placed the flashlight on the small dresser then stood and ushered her out of the room, gently closing the door behind them.
“What was that about?” she asked.
“I told you he might like more light,” he said.
“That’s why I put a nightlight in there,” she said.
“I think he likes something more active. It’s a challenge to track a moving light. He’s a smart little guy,” he said.
Ericka took in Treat’s last words and it was all she could do not to burst into tears. Although she believed Leo was smart, she hadn’t heard anyone else say those exact words. He’d been called beautiful and alert, but no one had called him smart. Ericka bit her lip, determined to pull her emotions in check. “Yes, he is smart,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you for looking after him. It’s not really your job.”
“I don’t require a lot of sleep,” he said.
“I envy you that,” she muttered. Suddenly she realized how close he stood to her. She could smell the faint scent of soap and shampoo. He was so tall, she thought, and told herself she found that fact off-putting. She looked into his eyes and her stomach took a strange dip. What was that? She took a quick short breath and looked away. “You can go to bed. Nanny and I should be able to handle it now. Thank you again.”
“No problem,” he said, and walked past her down the hallway to the front door. He slept in the small guest suite. Attached to the cottage, the suite had its own door. For a moment, she wondered what he did all day in that suite when he wasn’t figuring out new ways to protect her and Leo. It occurred to her that all that solitary confinement would make her batty. Sure, she enjoyed quiet moments enjoying art. She especially missed those moments lately, but Ericka needed human connection. She wondered if Treat did.
Suddenly realizing she’d been thinking about him for at least three full moments, she shook her head and reminded herself that she didn’t care if Treat needed human connection or not. She just wanted him to stay out of the way so she could do what she needed to do.
* * *
Treat returned to the guest suite but felt like a caged animal. He felt he shouldn’t leave the property to go for a run, so he decided to take a swim. Maybe that would relax him. He slid into the pool and the water felt warm against his skin, probably because the night air was cool. Automatically swimming several laps, he waited for the exercise and the monotony of motion to ease his mind.
Being around the princess’s baby brought back memories of his disabled brother, Jerry. Jerry had been born with multiple deformities, both mental and physical, but he’d had a good soul. Treat had seen it in his young brother’s eyes and smile.
Treat had noticed that Leo didn’t smile as frequently. Leo looked as if he were trying to figure everything out. The baby appeared to want every bit of information he could get and he wanted it immediately. A demanding baby, he thought, and not just because of his hearing loss.
His brother, Jerry, had been demanding due to his health issues which had been enormous. After Treat’s father died when he was a teenager, Treat had watched his mother struggle to pay medical bills. He had cared for Jerry whenever he could, but his mother had pushed him to take a football scholarship. It had always been Treat’s dream to make a lot of money so that he could take care of both his mother and Jerry.
But Jerry had died during Treat’s junior year in college and he’d lost his mother just one year later. She hadn’t even seen Treat graduate. Treat had felt like a rudderless boat after that.
Even though he knew the princess’s situation was far different than his mother’s, he caught glimpses of the same emotions he’d seen in his mother’s eyes. Fear, worry, weariness. He also saw a helluva lot of determination. Ericka would make sure Leo received every bit of education and attention he needed. She could have taken an easier way out, but he could tell she would be actively involved in every decision in that baby’s life. Leo was damn lucky, not just because his mother was a princess, but because she was so devoted.
Treat swam a few more laps. The vision of the princess and Leo stomped through his mind. Swimming hadn’t extricated them from his consciousness, but maybe the exercise would help him sleep. Her Highness was making a bigger impact on him than he’d expected.
* * *
Ericka rose early and conducted two tele-conferences. She much preferred regular phone calls because for those, she didn’t need to apply make-up or fix her hair. During another call later in the morning, she received the disturbing news that young royals from Sergenia were in danger and needed to leave their small country due to unrest.
Ericka turned off her phone and did a session with Leo. She showed him several works of art and signed the best she could. “Here is da Vinci’s Mona Lisa,” she said, lifting her computer tablet. “He was a brilliant artist. As was Raphael.” She pulled up a photo of one of Raphael’s paintings. “I can’t wait to show you Michelangelo’s sculpture of David,” she told her son. “It’s beyond amazing. There’s nothing like it,” she said, and waved the hand toward her face making the sign for amazing.
“I must have been way behind,” Treat said from the doorway. “I didn’t know anything about da Vinci until I was in my teens. Unless you count the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
“Who are they?” she asked, feeling a strange rush of pleasure when she saw him.
“Cartoon turtle characters named after some of the great artists of the Renaissance,” he said. “Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello and Leonardo.”
“How clever,” she said.
He chuckled. “You learned about the real artists. I learned about the cartoon characters.”
Ericka frowned in sympathy. “How unfortunate,” she said.
He chuckled again. “No worries. I received a little more education later on and saw pictures of the Renaissance artists. I’m okay. Just not as cultured as you are.”
Ericka met his gaze and felt her stomach jump. “You can learn.”
“I do my best. Are you ready to go out for your luncheon with your sisters?”
“Yes” she said, standing as she remembered. “Nanny will take care of Leo.”
“I’m sure he’s exhausted from his morning lecture,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you saying I’m boring him?”
Treat lifted his hands. “Not me.”
“I need to freshen up,” she said. “I’ll be back in a moment. Nanny Marley,” she called and walked down the hall.
Treat walked over to look at Leo. “How ya doing big guy? Wanna talk football?”
Leo kicked and stared at him, making grunting sounds.
“Just so you know, Bonnie Sloan was one of the first deaf NFL football players. You can do anything you want,” Treat said. “When you get a little older, maybe we can toss the pigskin.”
A half-beat later, Nanny Marley entered the room. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s just received a very cultural tutoring session,” Treat said.
Nanny nodded and smiled. “Her Highness is highly motivated to expose Leo to art, culture and science.”
“What about sports?” he asked.
“That may be someone else’s job,” Nanny said.
Princess Fredericka strode into the hallway. “Ready,” she said, and quickly ran to Leo to give him a kiss on his chubby cheek.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Treat said, and walked with her out of the house.
“You don’t have to call me ‘Your Highness,’” she said.
“Oh, really,” he said. “Then what do I call you?”
“For the remainder of your service, you may call me Ericka in private,” she said as she walked to the car.
“And what do I call you in public?” he asked.
“Miss,” she said. “Just call me Miss.”
“Done and done, Ericka,” he said as he helped her into the car.
Just a few moments later, Treat drove to the café where Ericka planned to meet her sisters and sister-in-law. Although she was more than willing to hop out as he approached the curb, he refused to let her out. “I’ll escort you into the café,” he said.
“Well, don’t expect to stay,” she told him as he parked the car. “There will already be security for the rest of the crowd. You’ll be superfluous.”
“Superfluous,” he echoed as he walked her into the café.
She gave a heavy sigh. “It’s not an attack against your masculinity. When it comes to security, my brother Stefan provides overkill.”
“I’m glad he’s protective. You are all valuable to him and many others,” Treat said. “There’s your table. I’ll be outside. Call me if you need me.”
Ericka was still contemplating his statement about how valuable she and her sisters were, but Bridget stood, in her immense pregnancy, and extended her arms.
“Ericka, come here and give me a big hug. I need it. Maybe you can squeeze away some of my swelling,” Bridget said.
Ericka smiled and rushed toward her sister and gave Bridget a hug as big as her pregnancy. “So good to see you. You look great.”
“I’ll look so much better in a few weeks. Look at Eve. She’s doing fabulously. Six months pregnant and she looks like she could deliver after a full day of plowing fields.”
“I hope not,” Eve said, kissing Ericka on the cheek. “How’s our little boy Leo?”
“Wonderful when he sleeps,” Ericka said. “Which doesn’t seem to happen at night.”
“Oh, no,” Pippa, Ericka’s other sister said. “Hopefully, he’ll sleep soon.”
Ericka felt Pippa search her face and wished she could hide her emotions.
“You should call me for help,” Pippa said.
“You’re busy with your own baby,” Ericka said.
“Not too busy for family. Any news on treatment?” Pippa asked.
“We’re still working with hearing aids, but we haven’t seen any improvement. Surgery may be in his future, but I want to make sure he’s ready for it. Even with surgery, I’ll teach him sign language. Of course, I’m learning it, too.”
“You know the rest of us will be right there with you,” she said. “We’re happy to learn sign language. It would be good for the children. It would be good for all of us.”
Ericka’s heart swelled and she felt her eyes fill with tears. “You’re so sweet,” she said, embracing Pippa. “So very sweet.”
“Oh, stop,” Pippa said. “Let’s have a nice holiday lunch.”
Ericka sat down with her sisters and sister-in-law and enjoyed a non-alcoholic cranberry spritzer along with a salad then a chicken crepe. Afterward, the women enjoyed chocolate mousse pie.
“Delicious,” Bridget said.
“I agree,” Ericka said.
“Stefan says you’re doing a great job with the royal society conference,” Bridget said.
Eve nodded. “He said the same to me.”
“And me,” Pippa added.
Ericka felt her cheeks heat with self-consciousness. “Thanks. Our colleagues have been very responsive.”
“Good to hear,” Eve said.
“I did receive an unsettling call this morning. You know that Sergenia is experiencing some unrest and the princesses and prince need a place to go. I think Chantaine would be perfect.”
“But we’re such a small country. How could they possibly hide here?” Pippa asked.
“Different identities and jobs.” Ericka said. “They’re amenable to such a plan.”
“But would Stefan agree?” Bridget asked. “He has always wanted to remain neutral.”
“Perhaps with the proper pressure,” Ericka said, then glanced at Eve. “I hate to ask you.”
“Give me more details later and I’ll see what I can do. He’s a stubborn, but wonderful, man,” Eve said. “That’s why we all love him.”
“True,” Pippa murmured then lifted her glass of soda. “To good health, happiness and the future of the Devereaux family.”
“Here, here,” Eve said. Bridget echoed the cheer as did Ericka.
“And next week, we meet publicly for the lighting of the royal Christmas tree,” Eve said. “Bridget excused.”
“If I can be there, I will,” Bridget said, and then took another sip of her cranberry beverage. “In the meantime, we’ve just added a couple new goats to our zoo. Too many in my opinion. Do any of you want a goat?”
Silence followed. No takers. Ericka nearly choked over her spritzer, but she swallowed hard to quell the urge so that Bridget wouldn’t mistake any sound she made as interest in taking on one of her goats.
After hugs all around, the women headed out the door. Ericka waited for her sisters and sister-in-law to leave then strode outside. A crowd awaited her, taking her by surprise.
“Hello,” she managed and Treat appeared by her side.
Several people rushed toward her and Treat stepped in front of her. “Go to the car,” he instructed her. “It’s behind you.”
Ericka rushed into the vehicle and Treat followed, driving her away from the crowd. “Next time, you won’t leave last,” he said sternly. “The crowd caught on after your sisters left.”
“I was merely being polite,” she protested.
“Next time you’ll leave at the same time they leave or before,” he said. “Think about it. If I hadn’t been there, you could have been crushed.”
She wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She had underestimated how much the people wanted to connect with the royals. Now that she was a mother, she had to think more carefully about her safety. Thank goodness Treat had been there to protect her.
As he drove into her gated cottage, she felt a sense of safety settle over her. He helped her out of the car. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I was so busy fighting for my independence that I didn’t realize I was sacrificing security.” She looked into his gaze and noticed a scrape and a trickle of blood on his forehead. “You were hurt.”
He shook his head. “Someone just got a little pushy.”
Horrified, she lifted her hand. “I’m so sorry. We need to bandage it,” she said.
“It’s no big deal,” he said. “Trust me. I’ve suffered much worse. Are you okay?”
“Me?” she echoed. “I’m fine. You took care of me.”
“Good,” he said. “Go inside. Take a break or a nap. I’ll be in the guest room unless you want to go anywhere.”
“Of course,” she said, standing on the porch as he walked away, wanting to put a bandage on his wound.
She felt a bit stupid after fighting her brother and Treat. As much as she wanted to think she could walk around like anyone else, she just couldn’t. And she needed to face that fact for both herself and Leo.
* * *
The next day, the artificial pre-lit Christmas arrived outside her well-secured gate. Treat brought it inside. “Good news. There are only three pieces.”
She looked at the mark on his forehead and pressed her lips together in concern.
“Stop staring at my little mark,” he said, waving his hand in her face. “We need to get this tree put up for Leo. Where is the little sleep-stealer, anyway?”
“I hate to wake him,” she said.
Treat dropped his chin and shook his head. “Well, he sure doesn’t mind waking you. Besides, this will be a great visual experience for him.”
“You’re right,” she said, clapping her hands as she strode toward the nursery and went against every motherly instinct by waking him. His sweet little eyebrows frowned as she lifted him from his crib.
“Trust me,” she said. “You’re gonna love this.” Ericka was determined to continue talking to Leo even though he couldn’t hear a word she was saying. In a few months, if he got the surgery, he would be able to hear her, so she needed to keep talking to him. Shifting him slightly, she grabbed his infant seat and walked to the den. “We’re ready,” she said as she set Leo into his seat.
“All right, all right,” Treat said. “Let’s rock and roll.”
In a stunningly short amount of time, he put the tree up. Leo squirmed and sucked on his pacifier, but didn’t cry.
Treat plugged in the lights and Leo stopped squirming and sucking, gaping at the lights.
“He loves it,” Ericka said, delighted. “He loves the lights.”
Treat smiled and nodded. “Bet he’ll love it even more after we put on the ornaments.”
“Oh,” she said. “In the top of my closet in my bedroom. My sister gave them to me. I’ll get them.”
“No,” he said. “You stay here. I’ll get them.”
Ericka turned to Leo and cooed. “You like the lights, don’t you? Christmas is a wonderful time of love and hope, Leo,” she said to her sweet infant son. “Never ever forget that.”
Treat returned with the two boxes of ornaments and garland. “I hope you have some ornament hangers.”
‘I’m sure Valentina included them. We just need to find them,” she said, and opened the boxes. It took only a few seconds to locate the hangers. “Here they are.”
“Let’s get moving, then. Garland first,” he said as he began to spread the garland around the tree.
Ericka helped adjust the greenery. A half beat later, he grabbed a handful of hangers. Before she knew it, he hung five ornaments.
“Wait a minute,” she muttered and began to hang silver and red balls. “You seem quite experienced at this.”
“I was usually assigned the job of setting of the Christmas tree and decorating it,” he said.
“Did you set a speed record?” she asked, hanging more ornaments.

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