‘Not an illness but a foolishness that I have been happy to avoid.’ Why risk hurt or being hurt?
‘All these women, Lady Amelia, the others, they meant nothing to you?’ Now Gabriella looked horrified. ‘They were meaningless. Yet you think you can sustain a marriage.’
Now irritation sparked in him. ‘Those women weren’t meaningless. They were all individuals who I liked, who liked me. We spent time together, enjoyable time, had fun. But a future together was never an end game; I made that clear at the outset and they were in complete agreement. With you the rules are different. A future together is the start point.’
‘So you’re offering me the long-term, marriage-included package deal.’
‘Exactly. And I fully intend it to be a sustainable working partnership.’ Cesar gave an inward wince. Could he make this any less appealing? Time to lighten it up. ‘I also propose that we have some fun and, of course, there is also great sex on offer.’
The change of tactic caused a small gasp to fall from her lips. ‘You can’t really expect me to marry you for great sex?’
‘Not just for great sex. But it would be a bonus.’ He wiggled his eyebrows. ‘A big bonus.’
Gabriella gave a half-choke of laughter and shook her head. ‘I cannot believe you said that.’
Cesar grinned and shrugged. ‘Why not? In a negotiation it is important to stress the benefits on offer.’ He met her gaze and now his tone was serious. ‘I think it does matter. The attraction between us. It is a good thing.’ This he knew—he’d seen how lack of passion led to a coldness, an aura of apathy and indifference. A stifled joyless atmosphere.
Gabi looked at him closely, studied his expression and he continued.
‘I can offer you liking, respect, support, fidelity, fun, great sex.’ He took a deep breath. ‘But I can’t offer you love. So our marriage won’t work if love is what you want.’ Cesar felt his jaw tense as he awaited her answer, knew it would essentially be the make or break in the negotiations. Hoped she could see that his offer was a better proposition than the uncertainties and vagaries of love. Watched as she turned away and looked out of the window. Realised he was holding his breath as he waited for her answer.
* * *
Gabi looked out over the jagged mountainous magnificence of Aguilarez. To her left the sweeping green of the Casavallian hills. Their countries were separated by a border and so much more, yet shared the same island, both surrounded by deep blue ocean. Sharing a history and two cultures, friendship and enmity that spanned centuries. There would have been alliances through marriage in the past; no doubt she wasn’t the first ruler of Casavalle to weigh the necessity of love.
She’d always assumed she’d marry for love but now...the assumption blurred and faded. Liking, support, respect, fidelity, fun and, of course, the great sex. There was so much to be said for that. The idea of someone to help bear the weight and responsibility of ruling, a prince at her side who understood how it all worked. The fact that simply by saying I do she would help unite their two countries—surely the enormity of that outweighed the need for love.
A love she might never find anyway. Especially now. How would she ever know whether someone loved her for herself or for her position? Even if someone did fall for her how could she expect them to give up their life, their privacy and end up in the spotlight with h
er? If she fell in love with an ‘ordinary’ person what chance would that love have?
Imogen would say that love conquered all, that it would be possible to work it out. Whilst Cesar would say that that was a risk not worth the taking.
What would her parents have said? Gabi wondered. They had fallen in love, must have married with so much hope and happiness for the future.
Just eighteen months later her mother had fled, convinced that she was the wrong wife for a king, not wanting to bring her child up as a royal. Then, when she’d decided to give love a chance, it was too late. The King had met Maria and Sophia had decided not to complicate his life.
Had she been right or wrong? Gabi didn’t know.
She remembered the words of Sophia’s letter, every syllable etched on her brain.
Gabriella,
I want you to know that I did love your father, but I do believe he was better without me.
Love complicated his life. I complicated his life—I won’t risk that again. Not now he has found a suitable wife who will, I hope, make him happy in a way I never could.
And Vincenzo had been happy; however much he had loved Sophia he hadn’t tried to track her down, had granted the divorce without any attempt to persuade her to change her mind. Why? Luca believed it had been pride. But perhaps Vincenzo had known that love and ruling could not go hand in hand. Perhaps he had believed Sophia would be happier without him. She’d never know and that brought sadness with it; this decision was hers alone to make. But perhaps she could learn from the past. Maria and Vincenzo had been happy; they had done right by each other and Casavalle. Perhaps she needed to do the same.
Here above their two countries, where she could almost see the dividing line that separated them, she knew she had to do all in her power to serve her country, to keep the beautiful island below them united and at peace. But doubts still crowded in...this was still her life. Hers and his. And she wouldn’t, couldn’t rush into a decision here and now.
She turned to face Cesar. ‘Love isn’t a necessary component in any arrangement we may come to. I am not yet ready to make a final decision, so this isn’t anywhere near a done deal, but I’m willing to go on to the next stage of negotiations.’
Relief touched his face as his shoulders relaxed and then he smiled. ‘That sounds good to me. I believe we can build a happy marriage, based on attraction, trust, shared beliefs and a desire to do the right thing for our countries. It is now my job to persuade you of that.’
His job. Negotiations. It was now his remit to bring negotiations to a close and suddenly a sheen of sadness touched her thoughts, an idea that this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. But it was as it was. She wasn’t Gabi Ross book-store owner any more—she was a princess, soon to be Queen, and she had to think differently.
‘So we will continue to date,’ Cesar continued, ‘and I will continue to liaise with Miles over the publicity angles.’