“I do believe you know these two,” Zale said. “Perhaps you should introduce me, Your Highness?”
Emmeline didn’t reply and glancing down at her he saw panic in her eyes.
“Your Highness,” he prompted, gently, teasingly. “If you’d do me the honor …?”
Emmeline smiled, but her features were tight, and her expression looked frozen.
She extended a hand to Prince Stavros. “It’s a pleasure,” she said politely. “Good to see you again.”
Stavros looked at Emmeline’s hand, glanced at Zale and then back at Emmeline before slowly taking her hand. “Yes,” he agreed uncomfortably. “You look well, Emmeline.”
Zale frowned, and Demi watched the exchange, equally baffled.
For a moment Demi didn’t seem to know what to do and then her expression suddenly cleared. “Oh, Emi, I get it now! You’re making fun of those Americans and their strange manners. You were just there in Palm Beach for that polo tournament. Heard it was quite the crush.”
“Yes, it was,” Emmeline agreed pleasantly. “How long are you here for?”
Silence followed Emmeline’s question, a most awkward silence, and even Demi’s smooth brow furrowed. “Until the wedding, of course,” Demi answered, perplexed. “Unless you’ve decided to replace me as one of your bridesmaids.”
Again there was silence and Zale caught Stavros and Demi exchanging puzzled glances.
Zale reached for Emmeline’s hand. She was trembling. He didn’t understand what was happening.
“No,” Emmeline answered, breaking the excruciating silence. She smiled but she looked alarmingly brittle. “Don’t be ridiculous. How could I get married without you at my side?”
Stavros smiled. Demi hugged Emmeline. But Zale wasn’t fooled. Something was wrong with Emmeline.
They moved on, just a short distance from Prince and Princess Kallas. “Are you all right?” Zale asked, his head bent to hers, his voice pitched low.
She swayed on her feet. “I don’t feel well.”
He slipped an arm around her waist to support her weight. “I can see that,” he said, leading her through a narrow door hidden in the ballroom’s ornate white and gold paneling, exiting the ballroom for a small cream room where he swept her into his arms and carried her to a chaise in the corner.
He settled her on the chaise and she lay still with her eyes closed, her lashes black crescents against her pallor. “Do you feel faint?” he asked.
She nodded.
“A little.”
“What can I get for you?” Tears seeped from beneath her lashes. “Nothing.” Zale summoned a footman. “Brandy and water,” he said crisply.
The footman returned quickly and Zale carried the snifter of brandy to Emmeline. “Drink. It’ll help.”
She sat up, brushing away tears and took a sip, gasping a bit as the alcohol burned her throat.
He waited for her to take another sip before standing up. “How do you feel now?” he asked.
“Better.”
But her teeth were chattering and she was still too pale.
Zale slipped his coat off and draped it around her shoulders before moving to stand in front of the fireplace. He stared into the cold hearth. “You didn’t recognize them,” he said bluntly. “You still don’t know who they are.”
She lifted her head, looked at him then, her blue eyes shadowed. “No. I don’t.”
“And you shook Stavros’s hand. He’s a childhood friend.”
“I … embarrassed you.”
“No. That’s not the issue. I just don’t understand. How can you not know them?”
She didn’t answer, her head hung in shame.
But he didn’t want shame. Nor did he want an apology. He wanted answers. “Are you on something? Taking something? Pills … uppers, downers, pain medicine?”
“No.”
“Diet pills, or an appetite suppressant?”
“No.”
“Snorting anything? Smoking anything?” Her head jerked up and she gave him a horrified look. “No!” “Then what?” His voice throbbed with emotion. “What the hell happened in there?”
“I’m tired, Zale. Confused. I haven’t been sleeping much lately—”
“That doesn’t hold up. You always travel. You are a globetrotting royal, never long in the same place.”
“But there’s been so much stress. We’ve had problems and the wedding is just days from now—”
“I don’t buy it. Not from you. You are Emmeline d’Arcy. You thrive on stress. So tell me what happened in there. Tell me why you’re acting like this.”