Worlds Apart
Chapter 13
King Gustav of Cerneland smiled broadly as the beautiful young woman in his arms batted her eyelashes and pressed closer. He chuckled as he waltzed her capably about the ballroom of the Vienna State Opera House. At seventy years of age he was still young enough to appreciate her efforts, but too old to do anything about it. Well, certainly not too old, he reminded himself, but just not interested…at the moment.
Broad-shouldered with a full beard and a regal mane of white snow-hair that touched his collar, Gustav was a jovial man who'd enjoyed a rewarding life in service to the people of his small kingdom that bordered Switzerland and Genovia. Most European royals were connected to each other by way of blood or marriage, and Gustav was no exception. Until recently, his nearest kin also wearing the robes of state was his second cousin Rupert. He had missed Rupert greatly during the past years. They'd shared interests in hunting and, in their younger days, polo. Gustav had come to the throne of Cerneland three years before Rupert's father had died and they had stayed close.
Rupert had made a fine king, even if he couldn't swing a mallet worth a franc. And like himself, Rupert had made an excellent match in his marriage. Clarisse Gerard was not only beautiful, but intelligent and had an inner strength to rival any man on the continent. That she was carrying on as sovereign of Genovia after the death of her husband and son was testament to the fact. Gustav was enormously fond of Clarisse and enjoyed the rare times they were together. He wished his own dear wife was still alive; she and Clarisse had been very much alike.
Rupert's passing was a surprise, but the death of Philippe had been a shock. The young man had hesitated over taking the crown, but Gustav knew him to be intelligent and capable and he was pleased when Clarisse informed him of Philippe's decision to accept. She had also confided her relief at being able to give up the crown and retire. Gustav laughed aloud, causing the young woman to give him a worried look; he gave her a reassuring squeeze.
Her concern for the people was in her blood; Clarisse could no more retire than he could fit into his old army uniform. Across the crowded floor of the Vienna Opera House, he saw Clarisse talking to an Austrian cabinet member, her bodyguard a step behind her, to her left. He would bet the Cerneland crown jewels there were more agents to be found nearby. Joseph Coraza was thorough in his work.
During the week he spent in Genovia after Rupert's death, he'd noticed how Coraza watched over Clarisse during Rupert's funeral, and later Philippe's, like a hawk, more than once stepping in to keep Clarisse free from unnecessary intrusions and stress. At the time, he'd thought little of it other than the man was going beyond the usual security duties, but even that was understandable given the circumstances of the king's death. Since then, he'd noticed Coraza's attention to Clarisse's well-being had not wavered and it had recently occurred to Gustav that Coraza just might have more than simply a professional interest in the queen.
The thought did not bother Gustav in the least- he both liked and admired Joseph Coraza. Last spring, he'd had the opportunity to spend a pleasant hour and a half drive with the ex-British officer and they'd had a long and very interesting chat about all manner of things…but not Morely Addington, the Duke of Thornfield.
Morely Addington had been a prickle in Gustav's side for decades. The duke's title carried enough weight for the man to get away with what others could not…or would not try. He and Rupert had barely stopped Addington's clear-cutting of forests on land Addington owned in their respective countries before the devil had begun altering the flow of water through his properties. The headache of Addington's taxes was a legal mess tied up incourt and would likely stay there for years. He'd heard that other countries were also filing suit against the duke for various legal and financial reasons.
If it were up to him, he would have kicked the duke out of Cerneland years ago and confiscated every square centimeter of the man's property and every coin in his purse. Unfortunately, the sovereign's powers no longer included the authority to behead or banish at will. It was a pity, really. Such an entitlement would make things much easier.
Being a king still had its advantages, though, and one was a working knowledge of skeletons kept in the finest closets of the land. Every family had them, but some tended to rattle more loudly than others. The duke had his own secrets to keep and Gustav knew quite a number of them, including the fact that Joseph Coraza was Morely Addington's son.
In different circumstances, King Gustav would not have hesitated for a second in using such knowledge against Addington to gain an end. In this case, however, it would affect the life of someone who did not deserve to have his world turned upside down and be the object of scorn because of who his father was. He was sure thatonly a few others -Addington's own family- knew this fact, but after getting to know Coraza, Gustav was even more firm in his resolve to never betray that secret. Coraza had made excellent life for himself and he did not need to know that Morely Addington was his sire and have that dark cloud hanging over his head.
Despite how desperately the organizers of the Christmas Gala hoped Addington did not accept the invitation to the yearly ball, they were bound by tradition and his title to send it. Thus, among the bejeweled ladies in gowns and men in tails, there was always the disagreeable chance that an outcast like Morely Addington would show up.
And he had. Off to the side, at a table, sat the duke.
Gustav abruptly stopped in mid-pivot and watched as the duke downed a glass of amber liquid and unsteadily came to his feet. After hanging on to the table for a moment, Addington got his balance and headed through the crowd. Hoping the duke was aiming for the exit, Gustav apologized profusely to the curvaceous young woman for his apparent clumsiness and gave her his interest as he guided her into a series of twirls.
As they waltzed past the Kaiser Loge area of the room, he saw Joseph and Clarisse standing together, their heads nearly touching, smiling and talking with her hand on his arm. One of the king's eyebrows rose as he swung by and he slowed his steps to get a better look. As he circled the floor, he kept an eye on them and when Clarisse lifted her gaze to Joseph, her eyes alight with laughter, and Joseph placed his arm behind Clarisse, both bushy white eyebrows rose at the sight. Gustav grinned. Well, well- this was certainly an interesting development!
The grin suddenly disappeared as the Duke of Thornfield staggered into view and stopped in front of Clarisse and Joseph. The three seemed to carry on a conversation, a possibility Gustav found very odd, and in his bones, Gustav knew the discussion was not a friendly one. Hurriedly thanking the young woman for the dance before the music had even ended, Gustav pushed his way across the parquet floor, mumbling apologies to annoyed couples he collided with.
What trouble was Morely Addington causing now?
Surrounded by five levels of balconies hung with garlands of fir entwined with ribbons of gold and burgundy, and towering trees lit with twinkling gold and white lights, Clarisse felt as if she needed a breath of fresh air. The Vienna Opera House was beautiful, but the crush of people on the lower level was more than she was accustomed to. Most balls and receptions she attended were smaller affairs; this gala boasted a guest list of over two thousand.
She felt a bit uncomfortable being here in a large crowd without Rupert, even after his being gone nearly three years. It was only recently that she had begun attending balls and other non-political events and this was by far not only the largest, but the most elaborate. She'd thought that the sheer number of attendees would keep her from being so conscious of the fact that she was alone, but it had only made her more aware.
Tempted to leave early, Clarisse had put aside her uneasiness and promised herself she would stay for at least two hours. Since there was no lack of acquaintances to talk with, the time was passing quickly; Gustav was in attendance as was King Stefan and Queen Helene of Ravenstein. To her surprise, Clarisse had noticed that some of the unattached men, as well as a few attached, were showing more than just polite interest in her. It was a trifle unsettling.
In the years since Rupert's death, Clarisse had given little thought to dating or becoming romantically involved with anyone. She had her duties and responsibilities and her days were predictably and satisfyingly filled with meetings and correspondence. Mia visited during school holidays and they used the time to get to know one another better and travel. During each visit, Clarisse was careful to set apart time to acquaint Mia with what would be expected of her in her future role as queen. Overall, she was very pleased. Even so, she already had plans for the next school holiday; there was more work to be done.
Never bored, Clarisse felt no need for a man in her life and had no intention of allowing one.
It wasn't as if she were alone. Her dear friends Gustav, Stefan, and Helene had proven to be a great source of comfort and advice. Gustav had stayed in Genovia after the funeral and visited periodically. When she had begun accepting invitations again, he'd escorted her to several receptions and balls, unwittingly giving rise to a flood of speculation about their romantic interests in each other. While she was not at all amused, a delighted Gustav pronounced the gossip as the most entertaining occurrence of the year and confided that it was a boost to his self-esteem.
When he realized the stories truly upset her, Gustav declared he would make the ultimate sacrifice, as he called it, and set out to be seen with as many young women as he possibly could in order to counteract the talk. Despite her pointing out to him several times during the year that the talk had died down, Gustav continued to sport lovely young ladies on his arm saying he did not want a relapse of gossip to occur. Clarisse, however, thought Gustav's line of reasoning to be just an excuse to squire girls half his age around Europe.
The whole incident had made her aware of how easily gossip could start, so she generally refused anyone's offer to escort her to functions. She arrived alone and whatever needs arose during the evening Joseph, or his staff, was more than capable of handling them. After a while, she found the arrangement was more than satisfactory and that being on her own agreed with her.
Although her days were busy enough, she had to admit there were times when she missed having casual chats about nothing in particular or earnest discussions on what was laying heavy on her heart. Charlotte was a sensible young woman and, on occasion, Clarisse asked her advice about matters of diplomacy or lesser issues. There was also her family, but Clarisse did not want to burden them.They did not truly understand her responsibilities. Few people did.
Although the moments of loneliness were far and few between, she found that taking time for herself helped. Three times a week, sometimes more often when the weather allowed, she would make time to walk in the garden in the evenings and Joseph would join her. Their discussions ranged from how to treat the aphids that had attacked her roses to restructuring the tax system. He had a dry sense of humor that showed itself when she least expected it and she thoroughly enjoyed his company during those quiet moments at the end of the day.
Although she thought her rose garden to be fairly safe and an agent not needed during her strolls, she was thankful Joseph took it upon himself to provide her protection rather than assign the job to one of his men. Perhaps he knew she would feel more comfortable with someone her own age, or perhaps he thought another guard might not be as sensitive to the times she preferred to simply walk in silence. There were moments when she was certain Joseph enjoyed the walks just as much as she did.
While he was never out of bounds in his behavior, Joseph did, at times, puzzle her. He had asked her to dance again at the Independence Day Ball in San Francisco. She'd been extremely surprised since there were others around, but after the close call with Amelia she was pleased allow him. It was truly a night of celebration for everyone. Escorting her from the ballroom later, he had taken her hand in his, kissing it after dismissing the guards, then shown her to a sitting room that opened onto the embassy's garden. The vacant room, which she used to receive guests during the consulate's business hours, was at the far end of the building and closed off for the evening. Somehow, Joseph always knew when she needed to get away.
They'd stood in companionable silence in the shadows of the porch, looking out over the fairy lights and the splashing fountain, his arm resting lightly on the small of her back. She'd thanked him again for finding Mia and for all he'd done- Joseph had literally saved the crown and country. He'd taken her hands and faced her, gazing at her openly until he'd finally whispered, "Always remember that I am yours to command, my queen."
The meaning of his words had confused her. Never, by word or deed, had Clarisse given Joseph reason to think that he was anything less than a loyal and devoted member of staff. Sometimes, she wondered if…
There were shouts of laughter from a nearby large group of people. It took only a glance over her shoulder and Joseph was by her side.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked, leaning close so that she would not have to raise her voice to be heard over the music and noise.
"I was thinking of going some place quieter," she replied. "This is all a bit…overwhelming."
"Would you care to walk along the loggia or would you rather retire to your box for while?" he asked. "It is a bit chilly, but if you wish, I will have one of the men retrieve your cape so that you might walk in the courtyard."
"Sitting down with something cool to drink would be wonderful," she decided, laying her hand on his arm. "Let's make use of the box and simply watch the crowd for a while." She dropped her voice and moved closer. "And lock the door so no one can disturb us!"
Joseph pretended to be shocked. "Your Majesty, we would have everyone talking."
"I don't care- just as long as I can slip my shoes off for a while!" Laughing, her eyes meeting his and saw the corners of his mouth twitch in amusement. He smiled and Clarisse found herself wishing he would more often. He was a very handsome man.
"Leave it to me, my queen," he whispered in her ear, placing a hand on her back, nearly around her waist. Clarisse thought it a pleasant, comforting gesture. They turned toward the stairs leading to her reserved box on the second level, but before they'd taken two steps, a figure blocked their path.
"Queen Clarisse, you should be more strict with your servants," Morely Addington called out, his voice carrying. "I should not have to tell you that allowing an employee, a mere guard, at that, to touch you and fawn over you is not proper at all. People will get the wrong impression unless…" He let the implication hang in the air.
Clarisse started to respond, but Joseph increased the pressure of his hand on her back, and she remained quiet, trusting him. Keeping himself between her and Addington, Joseph made to go around the duke.
"And you! What are you doing dressed like that?" Addington continued, his speech slurring slightly. Around them, conversation ceased. "Are you planning to…to dance with her- a queen?" The duke burst out laughing, his face reddening. Joseph spoke one word into his mike as he turned to stare at the duke.
"I'm surprised you haven't observed that all security personnel are dressed to blend in," Joseph replied mildly, just loud enough for the three of them to hear, his hand still on Clarisse's back. "Then again, you were always good at noticing only that which suited you."
His laughter dying, Addington's face grew redder and more people turned to see what was going on.
"Such insolence!" He stumbled back a step. "Such rudeness-and to me, your superior, your better! Have you no manners?"
"Please lower your voice," Joseph asked calmly. "Excuse us," he added moving to the right. The duke stepped in front of him again, his hands balled into fists. She heard Joseph sigh in frustration and disgust.
Out of the corner of her eye, Clarisse saw Shades and Anton moving closer; behind them, hurrying through the crowd, were several large, somber men. She glanced at Joseph. He was eyeing the duke warily, his patience wearing thin.
The duke stuck his arm out, pointing his finger at Joseph, and shook it.
"I demand you remove yourself from this hall since it is obvious you cannot conduct yourself as a common servant should!" Addington thundered. The music had stopped and couples leaving the dance floor were pausing to gawk what was happening, whispering amongst themselves.
"You may not make demands on my staff, sir!" Queen Clarisse answered angrily before Joseph could speak. Anton took a position immediately to her right and Shades came to stand on Joseph's left.
"Then I would advise you to see to your hired help and ensure they conduct themselves properly," the duke snapped. "It is appalling how you allow your inferiors to behave."
Joseph spoke quietly to Shades then bowed to the queen, turned, and left. Disappointment clouding her expression, Clarisse watched Joseph's back as he disappeared into the crowd, forcing herself to stay calm, nearly calling him back.
"Don't ever again presume to advise me or address my staff," she retorted just loud enough to be heard, rounding on the duke. She drew herself up and gazed at him distastefully. "I find your presence offensive."
Anton moved just forward of her, his hands crossed in front of him as he looked down on the duke while Shades stared at the duke from behind his ever-present sunglasses. The presence of the two men was not nearly as comforting as simply having Joseph at her side, Clarisse found. She wished he had not left.
From her right, where he'd witness most of what had occurred, King Gustav, shadowed by his own guard, casually moved into the small circle and flicked a glance at the surrounding spectators. The crowd quickly began to disperse and the murmur of voices increased as conversations resumed.
"Addington, you are a drunk and a fool." The king cocked his head to the side and regarded the duke, not bothering to hide his loathing for the man. "I strongly suggest you apologize to Her Majesty…then leave."
Morely Addington seemed to mull over the suggestion for a moment before giving Clarisse a wobbly, exaggerated bow.
"My most sincere apology, Your Majesty." Smirking, the duke signaled a passing waiter for a drink and sauntered away.
"Are you all right, my dear?" Gustav asked as soon as Addington was out of earshot. The three guards stepped back to give them privacy. The other men moved away.
"That man! He makes me so angry- insulting Joseph!"
"Coraza will be fine," Gustav assured her. His eyes began to twinkle. "You are worried about Joseph? You must think very highly of him."
"Yes, I do!" Clarisse declared, her cheeks pinkening and her eyes flashing.
"Joseph's behavior is above reproach and we are extremely fortunate to have him!"
Gustav nodded. When fired up, Clarisse was even lovelier than usual. "Oh, yes, I certainly agree, and I would have to say that he is fortunate in having a queen who would come to his defense so vigorously." He could not help but smile at the thought of a man such as Joseph Coraza being protected by the elegant woman before him.
"Morely Addington has no right to embarrass my staff…and to do so in public!" She huffed indignantly. "How dare he?"
"Morely Addington dares to do quite a number of things," the king observed, growing somber. He looked down at the intricate patterned flooring and continued thoughtfully, more to himself than to Clarisse. "A pity, really."
"A pity?" She frowned, unable to believe what she'd just heard. "Don't tell me you feel sorry for him, Gustav!"
"No, not at all. It's just that through his own choosing, Addington has missed out on what many would give a king's ransom for," he replied quietly, thinking of his and his late wife's inability to have children, though they'd wanted them with all their hearts.
Morely Addington had thrown away a son.
She looked at him, confused and he took her hand.
"My dear Clarisse, it has been far too long since I had the unrivaled pleasure of dancing with you." He leaned closer and whispered loudly. "And I must admit I have missed our being at the center of gossip!" He released her hand and offered an arm. "May I have the honor?"
"Of course. I'd love to, Gustav. And thank you for your assistance," she answered gratefully.
Composing her features into a smile, she tried to ignore the shoes that pinched her feet as Gustav led her to the dance floor. She looked toward where Joseph had disappeared and her smile faded. She had half a mind to request that Joseph return, and then make a point of dancing with him. But, that might cause him further embarrassment, she decided, and reluctantly dismissed the idea.
Gustav saw her brow wrinkle and debated whether he should point out that Joseph had left to prevent Addington from creating more of a scene. Surely, she knew that. As the music started, he bowed and took her in his arms, recalling how Clarisse had looked at Joseph with a smile of affection and with laughter in her eyes. Gustav grinned and twirled Clarisse quickly through a series of turns while wondering when Genovia's queen would realize she was in love with Joseph Coraza.
From the Opera House porch, Joseph could see Hans moving away from a group of drivers and security personnel waiting by the cars. When he hit the bottom step, Hans was at his side.
"Sir, is everything OK?" the younger man asked worriedly. It was near freezing- his words were puffs of mist.
Slowing his stride, Joseph nodded and took a deep breath, the cold stinging deep in his chest. "Yes, everything's fine. A guest had too much to drink and there was a slight scene, that's all."
He opened the front door of the limo and reached under the seat for a bottle of water. Far too many people had been watching and listening and the duke was liable to say or do anything, causing further embarrass for Clarisse. He took a long swallow of water then another. His pride was certainly not worth Clarisse's distress, so he'd simply left.
"Relieve Anton in thirty minutes," Joseph instructed, looking around the plaza that fronted the imposing, columned building. Traffic through the area had been rerouted to allow for the long line of limousines that stretched to the far end of the street. Two cars, one bearing the Austrian flag and the other adorned with flags of Cerneland, were in front of Genovia's. Behind them were cars flying the flags of over two dozen nations.
After several more swallows of water, he tossed the bottle onto the car seat and shrugged his overcoat on against the chill. He spotted a familiar figure walking toward him on the street side of the cars and Joseph rounded the limo.
"Good evening, Colonel!" the short, stocky man called, extending his hand.
"Nice to see you again, Inspector," Joseph answered, taking it. He'd heard of Chesterson's retirement from Interpol and his being named as security advisor to his queen. "Enjoying the quiet life of guarding the royal family?"
"Damn kids are running me crazy!" Chesterson snorted. "One prince barely gets out of trouble before the other one's in it."
Joseph smiled. "Ah, for the good old days of straightforward bombings and gun-running."
"Well, maybe the work is a bit easier…and the pay's better, no doubt about that," he grudgingly admitted. He squinted, peering at Joseph. "Run into the worst sort of people at times, I must say."
"You heard?"
"Couldn't help but," Chesterson replied, propping a foot up on a low barricade. He fished around in his pocket. "Every agent in the there was ready to take out that lunatic. The man's got a reputation for trouble."
"Apparently," Joseph answered dryly. "Thanks, by the way. I saw your man."
"You're welcome. Why'd he go after you?" Chesterson asked around a fat cigar. He puffed steadily to get it going and watched Coraza, wondering if there was more to the story. Morely Addington, from what Chesterson had heard, usually confined his provocations to lesser personages than royalty and never to an armed guard.
Joseph shrugged vaguely. "Alcohol set him off, I suppose."
After a moment, Chesterson gave a noncommittal grunt. "Could be." He rested his arm on his knee. "Anything I can do?"
Just as he himself did, Joseph knew Chesterson still had many contacts across Europe. "No. Just an unfortunate incident."
"All right, but if you need anything…" He knew Coraza well and could see the unease just beneath the surface of cool control. Chesterson let the subject drop. The cigar tip glowed and a cloud of smoke drifted away with the breeze. "By the way, did you hear about the mess Toke and Madman got themselves into over in Venice? You won't believe this one- they were undercover as nuns and…"
Unable to keep from laughing at the picture that came to mind, Joseph shook his head and they fell to discussing news of mutual acquaintances as the minutes flew by.
His attention on the portly man across the room, Gustav nodded absently at Stefan's comment about the banking situation and the Swiss diplomat's reply. He thought the duke had left, but it seemed Addington had instead spent the past half hour drinking at a corner table with Viscount Mabrey.
Addington's behavior tonight infuriated the king, but for Clarisse's sake he'd held his tongue and tried to make light of the incident. The disregard of laws, the flaunting of proprieties, and now the embarrassing comments to Clarisse and to Coraza- Gustav had had enough.
He watched as Addington rose from the table, obviously inebriated, and stumbled toward a nearby door. Stefan and the diplomat were engrossed in arguing a fine point of finance and Gustav glanced at the ladies seated behind him. Clarisse would be occupied for at least a few more minutes discussing an upcoming garden event with Queen Helene and the ambassador's wife. No one would miss him. He nodded to his guard and slipped away to follow the duke and a minute later stepped quietly into the anteroom Addington had entered.
Just over forty-five minutes had passed since he'd come outside and Shades was reporting everything going well in the ballroom. Although he did not intend to resume his post at her side, Joseph wanted to see for himself. Crowds caused him concern, particularly those who could come and go at will from the building. Laying his coat on the car seat, he informed Anton he was going in.
Joseph ascended the broad front steps and entered the foyer by the door on the far right, which was reserved for security personnel and those with access cards. He would take a vantage point along the lower balcony where he could discreetly observe the activity below, he decided. Wishing to avoid the crowd of guests, he walked the short distance down the hallway and pushed open a pair of heavy, carved doors. He knew that a service stairway led from the anteroom to the floor above. With stacks of chairs along the wall to his left, the room was empty but for himself and a lone figure that was unsteadily negotiating a path across the ornate rug.
Joseph stopped just inside the doorway and turned off his mike.
"You! What are you still doing here?" the duke spluttered, stopping so suddenly he nearly lost his balance. "I told you to leave!"
A retort came to mind, but Joseph decided not to bother; he wanted to see Clarisse. Without speaking, he continued across the room, Addington watching him. When he silently neared the duke, the man jerkily swung an arm out toward him.
"Who do you think you are?" the disheveled duke growled. "You will not ignore me!"
Joseph's steps slowed then stopped. He turned to face Addington. "As you ignored me, Father?"
As if struck, the duke staggered backwards. "How dare you call me that!" he spat. "You will never call me that again!"
Joseph looked at his father with open contempt and under his intense stare, the duke shrank away.
In an attempt to recover his poise, Addington tried to draw himself up straight. Suddenly, a satisfied grin twisted his features. "I have information that would bring shame to the House of Renaldi- very embarrassing to the memory of old Rupert should it get out."
Unhurriedly, Joseph came to stand directly in front of the duke, hands in his pockets as if the duke posed no physical threat in the least.
"Listen carefully," Joseph said quietly. "You will do nothing to cause embarrassment to the Genovian throne."
"It would soil Rupert's reputation and-"
"You will never interfere in my sister's lives again by word or deed," he continued firmly, staring directly into his father's bloodshot eyes. "Never."
"What right do you dictate to me?" Addington bellowed.
"Or," Joseph continued, "I promise that everyone on the European continent will know you raped a sixteen year old girl and ignored your own child."
Addington's face reddened and for a moment Joseph wondered if the man was going to collapse right there on the carpeting. The moment passed and Joseph found he did not care- whatever happened to his father, the duke had brought it on himself. He watched dispassionately as the duke's mouth moved soundlessly.
"You wouldn't dare!" the duke finally managed.
"Yes," Joseph replied matter-of-factly, "I would."
"Leave!" Fists clenched, Addington lurched toward him. Joseph took his hands from his pocket, but did not move and Addington stumbled to a haltYou…bastard!"
Joseph nearly laughed at the ludicrousness of the statement coming from his own father. The duke backed away, glaring at his son.
"Never forget," Joseph warned, "because I won't, I assure you."
Cursing, the duke pushed past Joseph and staggered on toward the lobby. Joseph's expression remained blank as he watched his father leave; he felt nothing at all for Morely Addington. He wanted the Duke of Thornfield out of his life for good. He was not his father's son.
Swiftly, Joseph crossed to the staircase, mounting the steps two at a time.
In the shadowed alcove by the door, Gustav gestured toward the door leading back into the ballroom and quietly instructed his guard to never repeat what had just transpired.
Clarisse simply could not stand it any longer. It had been nearly an hour. Was Joseph all right? What was he doing? She excused herself from the ladies and walked to where the closer of her guards stood.
"Tell me, have you heard from Joseph?" she asked. Shades' expression did not seem to change, but it was hard to tell with him wearing those sunglasses. Clarisse had once considering asking him to remove them, but since Joseph allowed it, she figured there must be a reason. Was there something wrong with the poor man's eyes? Surely not- he carried a gun!
"Yes, ma'am. Mr. Coraza returned to the building a short while ago."
"He's here?" She looked around, eyes widening. "Where?"
"The second tier balcony, Your Majesty, behind you."
Clarisse turned then lifted her gaze…and caught her breath. Just above her, in an empty area of seats, Joseph leaned against a pillar, watching her, his arms crossed over his chest. She was used to his attentive gaze, but this was different. His expression was dark and forceful…almost dangerous in its intensity.
She'd thought him handsome before, but a new awareness overwhelmed her and across the distance Clarisse could easily feel the raw masculine power of the man. It was if she were on the edge of a terrifying, yet exhilarating sensation. Unable to look away, she stared openly, everything around her fading into the background as she imagined Joseph at her side, his strong arms encircling her, pulling her tight against him, his breath warm on her throat and his body hard as they…
"…all right, Clarisse, dear?"
She blinked. Helene was looking at her worriedly, as was Stefan. Gustav, a glass of champagne in his hand, glanced up to where Joseph was standing, now half shadowed, and covered a laugh behind his hand with a cough. A corner of Shade's mouth was turned up in the very slightest of smiles. Nearby, Hans was studying his feet.
"Clarisse?" Helene repeated, touching her gloved arm.
"Yes, yes I'm fine, thank you." She took a deep breath as the sights and sounds of the ball rushed over her. "I'm fine, I just…"
"My dear, you looked as if you were in another world," Helene said, unconvinced her friend wasn't about to faint. "Do sit down- Stefan, get Clarisse a damp cloth."
Taken aback, Stefan looked around for where he could find such a thing in the middle of a grand ballroom then reached across the table for Gustav's nearly empty water glass. He plucked the silk handkerchief from his lapel pocket and stuffed it into the goblet.
"No, really, that's not necessary," Clarisse protested as Stefan held out the sopping hankie. "I'm fine, just tired. It's been a lovely evening, but I think I will retire."
Plans were reconfirmed for lunch at the hotel, goodbyes kisses were exchanged, and Clarisse gratefully followed Hans to the doors. Behind her, she heard Shades speaking softly and realized he was informing the other agents. Glancing up to the balcony, she saw Joseph fade into the depths of the shadows and Clarisse experienced that same bewildering feeling she had earlier and suddenly recalled just how having a man around could be gratifying.
She hurried on, welcoming the mind-clearing cold night air.
Terribly sorry that it's been so long since I updated this. My New Year's resolution is that I will finish it (and my other stories) next year-! I have too many other Clarisse/Joseph stories waiting!
I hope you all have a merry and very blessed Christmas!