The
Princess Dilemma
By Heather Hiestand
Genre: Historical Romance
England, 1837:
In the game of kings, there can be only one winner, but a second chance
at love is worth more than any throne…
As a British
army colonel, Edward FitzPrince deals with dangerous secrets every day. When
his mother dies and he learns he may have a claim to the British throne, he
quickly finds himself out of his depths. The Scottish-born soldier discovers
life in London and political maneuvering foreign indeed.
One woman can
help him, German Princess Charlotte von Scharnburg, with whom he had a secret
romance more than a decade before, his long-lost wife. As the best friend and
lady-in-waiting to his half-sister, Queen Victoria, who has just ascended the
throne of England, Charlotte is now his natural enemy.
Edward is determined to have his birthright. Charlotte must ensure her family’s survival. They will be each other’s greatest ally, or tear each other apart.
Edward is determined to have his birthright. Charlotte must ensure her family’s survival. They will be each other’s greatest ally, or tear each other apart.
“Colonel?”
Edward glanced
over the balustrade to see a woman of such natural beauty as to put the King’s
Staircase to shame. All the magnificence of the palace seemed to dim around
her. Her shining gold hair contained more than a hint of auburn and her eyes
were very dark under reddish brows. Surely lips were not so naturally red past
childhood, and he suspected this woman was in her mid-twenties. Still, she had
a splendid figure, and was tall for a woman. She would rest her head right
against his shoulder if she leaned against him. Who was she?
He nodded his
head at her and came slowly down the stairs, conscious of the kingly effect of
his gleaming white trousers and shined boots against the black stairs and gold
walls. He could see her breasts rise and fall. She was breathing rapidly, as if
she had run down a long corridor to reach him.
A woman so
beautiful must have wed right out of the schoolroom, though she wore no ring on
her plump little fingers. Strange to see such hands on such a tall lady.
She stared at
him a little strangely, as if he should know her. “I am lady-in-waiting to the
queen,” she said. When he didn’t respond, she continued. “Baroness Lehzen sent
for me in early spring, when it became obvious the princess would need a larger
household soon.”
Her beauty must
have made his mouth go dry. He worked his tongue against his teeth before he
spoke. “You must be a cousin on the German side, and not related to me.”
She blinked then
inclined her head, indicating she knew his relationship to her mistress. “I am
a second cousin through Her Majesty’s mother, the Duchess of Kent.”
“I see,” he
murmured. That explained the faint Continental accent. “I am very happy to see
my sister, Princess Victoria, but my appointment is with Princess Sophia. I
will, of course, be happy to pay my respects.” In fact, he could hardly contain
his glee at reaching his sister so easily.
“The princess is
in the queen’s apartments at present,” the lady said, arching one of her brows
as she emphasized his sister’s assumed title. “Will you follow me?”
He had been told
many a time that he never smiled, but he could feel the corners of his lips
tilting up as he trailed the woman. While her wide skirt hid the curves of her
hips, he could see she had a pleasingly tiny waist. Being in mourning for the
king, she was dressed all in black, but her sash accented those curves with
great proficiency. The wide, ruffled sleeves on her arms were pure silliness,
however, a waste of money that could get caught in doors, catch fire, and rip
on anything protruding. Women’s fashion had never made sense to him.
Sometimes he wondered
what a woman would look like in men’s clothing. He wanted to see this
lady-in-waiting in tight buff trousers, all the better to see her backside. A
trim linen shirt might display her bosom well. It was hidden from view by a
fichu, though the bodice of her dress itself was low-cut enough to display her
charms if she dared.
Heather Hiestand was
born in Illinois, but her family migrated west before she started school. Since
then she has claimed Washington State as home, except for a few years in
California. She wrote her first story at age seven and went on to major in
creative writing at the University of Washington. Her first published fiction
was a mystery short story, but since then it has been all about the many
flavors of romance. Heather’s first published romance short story was set in
the Victorian period, and she continues to return to historical fiction as well
as other subgenres. The author of many novels, novellas, and short stories, she
has achieved best-seller status at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. With her
husband and son, she makes her home in a small town and supposedly works out of
her tiny office, though she mostly writes in her easy chair in the living room.
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