Page 61 of Return of the Nutcracker Prince

“You can have all my dances, my love.”

As they swept over the dance floor, she gazed up at her husband.“Are you sure you want another wedding, Klaus?Most men wouldn’t want to put up with the fuss.”

“My dearest Clara, I am not a man.And if it makes things easier with your family, of course, we’ll have another wedding.”

“Few women get to marry their husband twice,” she snickered.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Baron von Galen and Papa in conversation.The Baron called Berengar over, and then Klaus spun her around.

“Don’t pay attention to that swine, darling.He’s nothing now.”

“You realize the only reason my parents agreed is because of your title?”

Klaus shrugged.“It might as well be useful.Even if no one else knows.”He pressed her tighter into his chest.“What would you have done if they’d said no?”

“Run away with you anyway and apologized for eloping.”She giggled at the thought of her Mama getting a note that her quiet, bookish daughter had done something so rebellious.“At least we won’t have to pretend for long.”

“Yes, I’ll need to discuss the ruse with my parents.I assume they’re expected as well?”

“Of course...oh dear.Godfather Drosselmeyer will need to make a lot of those pocket watches.”

Klaus only smiled at her.“I doubt he’ll mind.”

Adelia and Francesca arrived at the last minute, finding her in Klaus’s arms.Her friends latched onto her hands and dragged her off the dance floor.“Excuse us, sir.”He just chuckled and followed behind them at a stroll.They pulled her into a huddle next to one of the stone pillars.

“Clara!Who isthat?”Francesca whispered furiously.

She suppressed a giggle.“Can you both keep a secret?”

“Of course!”Adelia looked back over her shoulder at Klaus, who was now in conversation with their husbands.

Clara leaned close and whispered to her friends.“That’s my husband.”

Squeals erupted, but Clara hushed them quickly.“Mama and Papa don’t know we’re already wed.”

“Clara, how scandalous!”

“To think you, of all people, wouldelope!”

She placed a finger to her lips.“Not a word out of either of you.We’re having a proper wedding, but you can’t tell anyone.”

“You look so happy, my friend.”

“You’re positively glowing!”

“So then, the rumors were false?”

Clara looked between her two dear friends.“What rumors?”

Adelia bit her lip.She and Francesca glanced at each other, then at Clara.“The servants were saying something about you being engaged to Berengar.We thought perhaps you’d run away.”

“And we wouldn’t blame you for a minute.”Francesca shuddered.

“Heidi!”Clara palmed her face.“Heavens, she shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Wait.It’s true?”

She gave her friends a small shrug.“Not anymore.”

---