Page 68 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 5-8

Ana sat up a little straighter. That was the charity she supported in Halrovia because of Gabriel... Still, Aston’s knowledge of it was unexpected. When she’d first met him at a trade delegation, they’d talked, but she didn’t recall having mentioned it.

‘How did you know?’

Then there was her new charity too, one close to her heart after her accident. Realising that, whilst she’d had the opportunity for reconstructive surgery, so many children didn’t. Ana wanted that to be her new focus, something tangible she could do to help.

‘I’d have thought it obvious,’ Aston said, in a tone that suggested her question came as a surprise. ‘You interest me. When people talked about you, I listened.’

The words seemed almost dispassionate, yet his gaze, the clear-crystal blue of his eyes, his focus, was all on her. She had no doubt that the interest meant something more. Somethingfarmore.

‘We should also discuss your needs ahead of our engagement,’ he said, catching her off-guard. He’d given her what she really needed, an escape. She wasn’t sure what else he was talking about.

‘Potentialengagement,’ she corrected him. ‘And my needs are simple—safety, as I’ve said before. Freedom to carry on my charity work. Doing some good for the world...’

‘Your desires, then.’

No way would she prise open that hornets’ nest, especially when some days she hardly knew herself. People tended to give her what they thought she wanted, especially if they wanted something in return.

She clasped her hands on her lap. ‘This might all be temporary.’

‘I understand. I’d also prefer to set us up for success, rather than presume failure in the beginning.’

‘I don’t want to feel obligated when I can’t repay you.’ Or to feel any more bought than she already did.

One of his staff approached, asking if they would like anything. She declined. Aston asked for a coffee.

‘Let’s presume you had a wish list,’ he said. ‘Things you wanted to set up a new life. What would you ask for?’

A new life... Was that what she was doing? It was so tempting to think so. Maybe she could try to move forward rather than staying constrained by her recent past.

There were some things that concerned her. When Cilla had left for Isolobello, the employment of her staff had been terminated. Her lady-in-waiting—the palace ‘fairy godmother’, as everyone called her—had followed Cilla. The rest had been let go. Ana feared for the people who’d worked in her small office if she were to leave. They relied on her for their incomes. She’d taken a personal approach in employing them—they were those in need, who might not ordinarily have been offered jobs by the palace. She loved the team she’d worked with. Ana didn’t want to see them suffer because of what had happened in recent days.

‘I have staff—my lady-in-waiting, my secretary... I’m not sure they’d have roles in the palace without me. I want to ensure they’re taken care of.’

The staff member returned and gave Aston his coffee. He took a long draw from the cup. ‘Give some thought to any others. If you live outside of the palace, you’ll need to set up your own office. It’s sensible to keep staff you’re familiar with. Who work well with you. You had other interests, organisations you supported. If supporting any in Halrovia isn’t open to you, perhaps you can find the others.’

He clearly didn’t recognise the Cygnet Centre as her new endeavour, but that was no surprise, since the charity was still a fledgling one. Ana’s head spun at the pace this was taking, how matter of fact he was about her having an office of her own, even with all the uncertainties between them. Her own parents had never really concerned themselves with what interested her. So long as it didn’t disgrace the family’s name, that was all they cared about. Yet Aston sat there as if keen for her to establish her own life with his help.

‘I’ll give it some thought,’ she said.

A problem remained, a large and insurmountable one. She had no real money of her own. It was customary for her family to make a settlement to their daughters on marriage, but that wouldn’t come till the day she had a wedding ring on her finger. She had a small inheritance from her grandmother, but nothing that would support the number of staff she needed. Her heart sank. People often expected that, because she was royal, she had riches, when her allowance had all come from her parents. She had nothing to call her own.

‘Put together a list of those you’d like to work with. I’ll hand it to my team and they can make the first approach, unless you’d like to do that personally?’

‘I... I...’

‘Something wrong?’ he asked.

‘To pay for staff I need money and I have...none.’

The intensity of him seemed to soften.

‘Chère.’He shook his head. ‘I have companies who can employ them on your behalf. I’ve told you—ask and it will be done.’

‘There’s always a catch. What do you want?’

‘Eventually?’ His gaze dropped to her hands. ‘My ring on your finger.’

Yet the look in his eyes spoke of so much more—heat, desire. His nostrils flared, his pupils dark in the ocean blue of his gaze. She couldn’t help her reaction; her nipples tightened in her bra. The whole of her sparked with a delicious heat of her own, an ache deep inside that she craved him to fill. This man was a danger to her equilibrium.

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