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Her heart began to pound as the aircraft passed over deep green cypress forests towards a s there to meet her with some kind of explanation about why she had been rushed out here like this? She peered out of the portholeat a small cluster of people ere asse for her to land But she couldn’t see any sign of hie car with dark-tinted s at the front of several other similar, assorted vehicles
Warm, scented air washed over her as she walked carefully down the steps and onto the tarmac where a smart woman of around forty, dressed in crearoup and ca
‘Catherine?’ She shted you are here My name is Flavia Simoni and I am the wife of Prince Xaviero’s political secretary Did you have a pleasant flight?’
Cathy wanted to say to the woman that she was never called ‘Catherine’—but ht time
‘It was fine Thank you How’s Casiined the momentary look of disapproval which crossed the woman’s face
‘I am sure that the Prince Xaviero ish to speak to you in person about his brother, the King,’ Flavia replied coolly
Yes, definitely disapproval Cathy felt slightly desperate noare of the beads of shich were prickling her forehead and the sudden dawning that she hadn’t realised how hot it would be Surreptiously wiping the back of her hand over her brow, she looked around Surely he was here toin the back of one of those dark-ed cars ‘And is he here? Xav—Prince Xaviero, I mean,’ she amended hastily
‘Unfortunately, he is not The Prince is tied up with affairs of state,’ said Flavia ‘Which is why he asked me to accompany you to the palace So if you would like to come with me, we’ll waste no more time’
As she slid onto the back seat Cathy tried desperately to smooth down a floral dress which looked so cheap when compared to Flavia’s cool, creamy linen A million questions warred in her head, but the one which screamed out with utter clarity was theflown her out here without any kind of explanation—why on earth wasn’t he here to meet her?
She stared out of the , trying to take in the beauty of this foreign land Thick pally wide road—their succulent fronds outlined against a sky of breathtaking blue and the air was light frolitter of sun on the distant sapphire sea After a while, she could see the cluster of buildings in the distance and she leaned forward to get a closer look
‘We are approaching our capital city of Ghalazamba,’ said Flavia, with a note of unmistakable pride in her voice ‘A city which has been ruled by the di Cesere family for centuries’
Flavia’s state sense of unease Yes, she knew that Xaviero was a prince, but, despite the fancy car and the discreet presence of his bodyguards, his royal status had not really intruded on the tiland But here…why, it was as if the sheer nitude of his royal inheritance had hit her for the very first time
As they passed through the city walls Cathy thought the beautiful buildings looked like pictures she’d seen of Venice—while the dark, labyrinth lanes emphasised that she was essentially in an unknown and secretive place But then everything becareener—she could discern a verdant sweep of unexpectedly lush grass through the tallest gates she had ever seen Gates which glea open to allow the car through
‘And this, the royal palace of Zaffirinthos,’ announced Flavia quietly
The pal clae, stately white building with tall coluant, arch-shaped s She are of unfamiliar trees and plants—flowers she’d never seen before—and the scent of their perfu There was a stately statue of a nylobe held in her hands, over which cool water flowed, and Cathy wished she could go and splash some over her heated brow
Gesturing to a sweep of uarded by a row of solemn-faced men in uniform, Flavia indicated that Cathy should follow her ‘The Prince has requested that I take you immediately to his private office,’ she said
Cathy’s heart began to race as, suddenly, a wave of uncertainty swept over her What was she doing here in this uards failed to meet her eyes? But there was no tito the sound of their footsteps andushered into a roo that it momentarily took her breath away