“Regardless of what you decide,” she said, “our courtship cannot continue. I have to fulfill my parents’ dreams for me.”
“I know.”
“And you still haven’t explained why you needed me here in Europe.”
“There is method to my madness, darling. In addition to the feud, the chief impediment to our marriage is my lack of rank, agreed? Well, there might be a way to overcome that obstacle.”
Her gaze arrested. “What way?”
“Your father might relent if you could marry royalty. A prince should trump a duke.”
Jack must have recognized her growing frustration with his cryptic replies, for he finally began to elucidate. “My natural father is Prince Raoul de Villars of Navartania—a small but wealthy principality situated between southeastern France and the Swiss Confederation. Prince Raoul has no legitimate issue—no sons, or any other children for that matter—so he has long wanted to recognize me as heir to his throne.”
He waited for his revelation to sink in, and when it did, Sophie’s eyes widened. “I knew you were the son of a nobleman, but not royalty. But how is it even possible for you to inherit?”
“Given my baseborn birth, you mean? Last year Prince Raoul recovered his kingdom from the French, but the status of the succession was uncertain. If he died childless, the crown would go to a distant relative. When he recently took ill, he felt increased pressure to name an heir of his own blood and so forced through a law recognizing me as his son, allowing me to inherit the princedom if I chose.”
She stared at Jack in growing amazement. His tone was matter-of-fact, and yet she caught the flash of bitter anger in his eyes when he commented further about his adversarial relationship with his father.
“The thing is, I never chose to accept his crown and took immense pleasure in throwing his offer back in his face. I’ve always made it unequivocally clear that I don’t want his throne.”
“Few people would turn down the chance to become royalty,” she remarked slowly. “Why would you hesitate?”
Jack’s gaze darkened. “I have never cared much for my father. To be precise, I sincerely detest him. I haven’t seen him since I was seven, when he paid a visit to England.”
Hearing the fierce note in Jack’s voice, Sophie searched his face. She didn’t want to dredge up painful memories for him, but she did want to know much more about his obscure past. “Was that before or after you were adopted by Lord Beaufort?”
“Before. Prince Raoul and I have been estranged all the years since, and I refused to correspond with him. This is the first time I’ve ever tried to contact him. Last week I wrote to advise him I would soon visit him in Navartania, although I didn’t wait for his reply.”
“So you just plan to appear on his doorstep and claim the throne?”
Jack’s half-smile held little humor. “It won’t be nearly so simple as that. In order for me to inherit, I will doubtless be forced to reconcile with him.” Jack gave her a penetrating look. “Until now I’ve never had a strong enough motive to attempt it. You a
re the only reason I could be induced to make the effort.”
Her brow furrowed. “I am honored, Jack, but you should not be doing this for my sake. I could never let you make such a sacrifice.”
He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I want you to accompany me to Navartania, Sophie. If we were to marry, you would have to live there with me. Before you become my princess, you should know what you are getting yourself into.”
His phrasing shocked her more than a little. “Your princess? You aren’t seriously contemplating marriage to me, are you?”
He held up a hand in denial. “For now I am speaking hypothetically—and taking steps so that we don’t preclude our options. If I don’t act now, there will be no chance of us marrying should we wish to. Your father wouldn’t condone our marriage unless I can claim the title of prince.”
Sophie’s shock faded with understanding. It was very unlikely Jack wanted to marry her for any reason other than to rescue her. And while his gallantry touched her, she couldn’t allow him to pursue this hopeless course.
Realizing she appeared conflicted, she tried to reply with conviction. “Jack, forcing you to do something you abhor merely to save me from a marriage of convenience is not at all fair to you. Besides, there are good reasons I cannot possibly accompany you to Navartania. For one thing, the long journey to Paris exhausted my aunt. Just now she is bedridden and too unwell to travel any further.”
“But your aunt is fully supportive of my efforts, since she realizes the significance of this opportunity for you.”
“Even so, I cannot go anywhere without her.”
Jack frowned. “My trip can’t be delayed. If I am to inherit the throne, it will take time to put the legalities in motion. And that assumes I first effect a reconciliation.”
Sophie heard the note of urgency in his tone but couldn’t let it sway her resolve. “You are forgetting an even more important factor than my aunt’s infirmity. I am betrothed to the duke now. Everything is settled.”
A muscle flexed in Jack’s jaw. “It won’t be settled until you actually say your vows. Until then, our courtship is not over. Not by a long shot.”
Sophie swallowed past the sudden dryness in her throat. Jack’s adamancy boded ill for her. If he continued pressing forward in this unrealistic fashion, he could ruin all her parents’ aspirations for her. She decided to do some pressing of her own.