His Queen of Hearts

Carly waited until her mother took a breath, amazed at the difference between the anguished cry at the church and the comforting yet indignant concern her mother now conveyed. She smiled, knowing full well that her mother had sobbed to her closest friends, who had insisted that Carly had done the right thing, in light of what had happened. And what an enlightenment!

“I’m fine, Mama,” Carly answered, when given the chance. “I just need some…I need some time away, that’s all.”

“Oh,” her mother said, sounding a bit disappointed. “But I can understand. I don’t know how you managed to do it, thinking I would be so very disappointed and knowing people would talk. And they have, Carly, I have to tell you. But they’re talking about how utterly awful James was to do what he did to such a sweet girl like you.”

But Carly knew that all the blame couldn’t be laid at James’s door. She had been the one taken in, the one who had judged him completely wrong. And if she had done that, there was no telling just how bad her judgment was. “I don’t know when I’ll be home, Mama,” she said truthfully.

“Well,” her mother said, dragging the word out, “I hope it’s soon. We have to make new plans, now that you’ll be living at home again.”

Certain her mother had ditched the plan they’d made together, Carly hurried to answer. “You go right ahead and sell the house, Mama, and move into that new apartment. You’ll like it so very much more than rambling in that big old house.” And with the money from the sale, she knew her mother could pay off the debts and start fresh. They’d planned it down to the smallest detail.

“Don’t worry about me,” Carly said, fighting the tears that threatened. “I’m a big girl and can take care of myself.”

But could she really? She had always been at home, and while many of her friends had married and settled down, she had taken over the responsibilities of running their large estate—an estate that had become a huge money pit.

“But, Carly—”

“No buts, Mama. It’s time I strike out on my own. But I’ll be in touch. I promise. Call Cousin Edward about the sale. And do it today, Mama, please.”

“I just don’t know…”

“You’ll love that new apartment,” she said, her heart aching. “I love you, Mama, and I’ll talk to you again soon.”

After her mother professed her own love, Carly hung up. She had spoken with her mother’s cousin Edward at length about selling the house. He knew exactly what needed to be done, and he would watch over her mother until Carly returned. If she returned. But she couldn’t now. Not yet. That was something she wasn’t ready to face for a long time.

Dev didn’t have any idea what Carly might like to eat, so he’d had the chef load up a cart with just about everything. His own breakfast had been hours ago, as was his habit. He didn’t need to eat, and he slept only when exhaustion forced him to.

Unlocking the door to his private quarters, he pushed the cart into the room ahead of him. He immediately saw Carly perched on a chair, a frown marring her pretty features.

“Glad to see you made it through the night.” He stopped next to the low table in front of her. “I hope you weren’t too uncomfortable.”

She gave him a small, shy smile. “I wouldn’t know. Apparently, I slept through everything. I hope I wasn’t a bother. If you’ll just tell me—”

“Here,” he said, passing her a plate to fill. “Dig in. I hope there’s something you like.”

Her eyes widened when he removed the shiny domed lids of several individual plates piled high with a variety of different foods. “I’m not a big breakfast eater,” she began, her gaze on the offerings, “but this looks too good to pass up. Where did you get it? Is this a hotel?”

“Of sorts,” he answered, handing her a cloth napkin.

She looked up to stare at him, surprise and a touch of fear evident in her eyes. He smiled and added two more fresh strawberries to her plate, then sat on the corner of the sofa near her. He wasn’t quite ready to reveal her whereabouts. Until he could discover how much she knew about J.R., he’d keep the information to himself. When he was certain she wasn’t involved in his stepbrother’s nefarious activities, he’d answer her questions. The less personal ones, at least.

“Relax and enjoy your breakfast,” he told her, crossing one foot over the other knee and leaning back to watch.

“Aren’t you going to eat, too?”

“A little late in the day for breakfast for most people, don’t you think?”

She placed her plate on the table in front of her, sighing, and looked up at him. “There you go again. A question for a question. I’m beginning to think you don’t want to tell me anything. Am I right?”

“I’ll answer your questions and maybe show you around when you’re finished. How’s that?”

Shrugging, she picked up her plate again and took a bite of fresh cantaloupe. While she was busy with her food, he studied her. As inquisitive as she was, he wondered how J.R. had managed to con her, if indeed he had. It was entirely possible that she was embroiled in the man’s schemes. But she didn’t strike Dev as the devious type.

He weighed the possibilities. Her angelic face and air of innocence might be an asset J.R. could put to good use. The man had fooled almost everyone with his false tales and easy-on-the-eyes appearance. But for a woman who’d left her intended at the altar, Dev wasn’t ready to believe she wasn’t involved in anything or even knew that the man she’d nearly married was nothing more than a thief.

“You don’t seem too concerned for a bride who just jilted her groom,” he pointed out.

The strawberry in her hand stopped at her open lips. She closed her mouth and returned the fruit to her plate, hanging her head, her shoulders drooping. When she looked up at him again, her eyes brimmed with tears and pink tinged her pale cheeks. If she was acting, she was one of the best he’d ever seen. But J.R. would find the best. Still, Dev had to quell the sympathy he suddenly felt for her.

“I made a…mistake,” she said, ducking her head again.

“You mean you had to marry him?” His gaze slid down her body, wondering if she might be carrying the child of his sworn enemy.

“Mercy goodness! It isn’t what you’re thinking,” she cried, her cheeks deepening to a rosy red. “We never…He didn’t—”

“You aren’t pregnant,” he finished for her, ignoring his slight feeling of relief. “Then why was it a mistake?”

Pushing the plate of food away, she leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. “This is very embarrassing,” she said in a soft voice he had to strain to hear.