The man who’d broken her heart, and her mum’s, four months ago, when he’d brought the news that Nathan had been killed in action. Antonio had delivered the news coldly and calmly: a stoic man in a military uniform who didn’t even blink as he told them that Nathan’s vehicle had hit a land mine on his last mission and he’d been killed instantly. Tia had been too shocked to say anything, but her mother had collapsed at the news that she’d lost her son the same way as she’d lost her husband, so Tia had had to damp down her own grief to support her mother.
Prince Antonio had clearly cared so little about Nathan that he hadn’t even stuck around to comfort Grace Phillips or check that she was all right. He’d left almost as soon as he’d delivered the news. He hadn’t even stayed for a cup of tea, let alone turned up at the funeral; and, apart from a formal embossed condolence card which he’d scrawled his name across, he hadn’t been in contact with them since.
OK, sure, the man was a prince and he had important official duties as well as being in the army. Tia wasn’t stupid. She understood that. But would it have hurt him to spend a few minutes with Grace after delivering the news, just to share some memories of her beloved son with her? Or show his face at Nathan’s funeral? Or later, perhaps, he could’ve sent Grace a photograph or a private note via the Palace press office. It wasn’t as if her mother was going to rush to the media and try to get money for it, or sell it online. All Grace had needed was a little gesture to let her know that Nathan had mattered.
But there had been nothing from Prince Antonio but silence.
Prince Charming? More like Prince Cold and Uncaring, Tia thought, curling her lip. How on earth had her brother been close friends with someone who was so cold and starchy?
And he was probably only here at the gala because he was attending in an official capacity; a man like him certainly wasn’t warm enough to care about the work of the charity, or about the children who’d lost their parents or siblings in war. He certainly wouldn’t be there rattling a collecting bucket along with the rest of the volunteer fundraisers or schmoozing people into buying tombola tickets.
She put him resolutely out of her mind and continued stacking glasses on a tray ready to carry through to the kitchens.
* * *
Tia Phillips looked absolutely exhausted.
Guilt balled in a hard lump in Antonio’s throat.
He’d been there when his second-in-command’s vehicle, the one in the convoy in front of his, had been blown up by a land mine. Mercifully, death had been instant, so he knew Nathan hadn’t suffered; but Antonio had been shattered by the loss. During his years in the army, his team had become like a family to him. Nathan had been his best friend as well as his second-in-command.
But Antonio had been brought up not to show any emotion in public; as a prince of Casavalle, he was expected to be cool and calm in every situation. He and his elder brother Luca had been brought up knowing their duty always came first. And you never, ever said or did anything that made you look as if you’d lost control of your emotions. That had been reinforced by his military training, so Antonio knew he’d been calm and reserved when he broke the news to Nathan’s family.
Too calm and reserved, perhaps, in their eyes.
Antonio knew how much Nathan had loved his family. He knew that Grace Phillips was poorly and that Nathan and his little sister Tia had spent their childhood as her carers rather than having the freedom to be children; and he’d promised Nathan silently by the side of his coffin that he’d keep an eye on Grace and Tia.
But he’d been called away almost immediately on another mission, so he hadn’t even been able to attend Nathan’s memorial service. He’d written a personal note and asked Miles to post it for him—but he knew that a note wasn’t the same as actually being there. It had felt horribly like a weak excuse.
And then the fallout from his own father’s death had kept him on special leave from the army. For the last four months, Antonio Valenti had been kept busy supporting Luca as his brother took over the reins of ruling Casavalle. He’d also been helping with the preparations for both the coronation and Luca’s upcoming wedding to Princess Meribel, the oldest daughter of King Jorge of the house of Asturias in the neighbouring kingdom of Aguilarez. He’d barely had a minute to himself since returning to Casavalle, so he’d let his unspoken promise to Nathan slide.