Page 145 of The Wrong Royal

“I understand,” I said, nodding. “That is very good news.”

Emilie’s father nodded in agreement. “If Emilie decides to go back to South Carolina with you and run the Ashford properties, and if you both assist in helping our family out of its financial difficulties, I would consider it a significant contribution. And of course, we would appreciate any guidance you can offer about the running of our properties.”

I met his gaze. “If Emilie becomes my family, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to help her country. I want to be a supportive partner in every sense of the word. She wants to do right by you and her country. I will support her.”

He got to his feet and extended his hand. I shook it. “I can see the love and determination in your eyes, and I believe you’ll be an excellent husband to Emilie.”

Leaving the meeting, I felt a renewed sense of hope. I couldn’t wait to see Emilie at the ball. If she chose to be there, it would be a night to remember. If she chose not to come, I knew it was her decision and her decision alone. Her father couldn’t be blamed for holding her back.

As I made my way back to the house, I felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. The thought of seeing Emilie after the argument filled me with a sense of longing and desire. I knew that I had to be patient and let her make her own decisions, but I couldn’t help but hope that she would choose to be with me.

I walked up to my room and found Jack shining my shoes. He knew how important the night was.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“Emilie’s no longer the heir.”

The blood rushed from his face. “What the hell did you say?” I could see the anger and confusion in his eyes.

“Relax, Jack. It’s not what you think.”

He took a deep breath and relaxed his posture. “I’m sorry. What do you mean?”

I explained the situation to him, about how Emilie had given up her inheritance to her future unborn sibling and how her father had agreed to let her marry me.

Jack nodded slowly, taking it all in. “So, what happens now?”

“Now we wait. Emilie has to decide if she wants to be with me or not.”

“You’re going to propose?” he said, smiling.

I smiled back. “I want to, but I have to wait and see if she wants to be with me first.”

Jack nodded. “Well, whatever happens, I’m here for you.”

I thanked him and sat down on my bed, lost in thought. I couldn’t help but think about Emilie and how much I loved her. I knew that I had to be patient and wait for her to make her own decision, but it was hard to contain my emotions.

As the night approached, I got dressed in my best tux with Jack’s help. He was very attentive to every detail. There wasn’t a speck of lint on the sleeves. My shoes were so shiny I could see my reflection. My hair had been freshly cut and I waited to shave until just before it was time to get dressed.

Every detail mattered. She was going to be looking at me and deciding if I was worthy of being her husband. It was a huge moment. Victoria and my parents all wished me luck.

The car arrived at Lady Hamilton’s estate. The ring in my pocket felt like a lead weight. My palms were sweaty. Orchestra music spilled out every time someone opened the door.

It was time. It was time to face my future.

58

EMILIE

My anxiety reached its peak. I was nauseated and dizzy. And excited. It felt like I swallowed a bolt of energy. My insides were humming and I felt flushed. I stood in front of a grand mirror, the reflection showing Astrid bustling around me, adjusting my gown, and fastening delicate jewelry. A knot of nervousness tightened in my stomach. This night held the potential to change everything.

Astrid noticed my restlessness. She gave me an encouraging smile as she adjusted the final details of my gown. “Emilie, you look absolutely stunning. Theo will be captivated by your beauty.”

I appreciated her words but couldn’t shake the unease that had settled within me. The last time I had seen Theo, it had been a disaster. There was a little part of me that worried the invitation to meet him in the center of the ballroom was nothing more than a cruel joke.

I took one last look at myself in the mirror. The necklace my grandmother had given me was nestled against my chest. The matching earrings complemented my gown that had taken me forever to settle on. I must have gone through twenty gowns trying to find the right one. It was a huge night and it had to be perfect.

I ended up choosing the deep purple gown with a shimmering lace overlay. The bodice was covered in pretty diamonds that caught the light and made me sparkle. If I was going to be made a fool of, I wanted to look damn good doing it.