Clarisse came down the stairs feeling all eyes on her with the exception of the one she wanted to look at her. Finally after she was announced, he glanced in her direction and then back to Rosa. There was plenty of time she thought. She had just started greeting her guests when she heard the song. Not just a song…their song. Clarisse turned to glance in his direction and he had his eyes fixated on her. But the hand he reached for was that of another. Rosa entered his arms and he pulled her close. She stood there ignoring her guests, amazed that he had the audacity to dance with her to their song.
It had to be you….I wandered around and finally found the somebody who could make me be true…..
She could feel the tears stinging her eyes because she refused to let them fall. Joe said something to Rosa and she began to giggle. She touched her finger to the tip of his nose and he smiled at her. The sickened feeling intensified. All at once she was moving toward them. All she could see was her rage and their song. When Clarisse got near them, Joseph broke the dance and bowed slightly to her.
"Your Majesty. You look beau-" He didn't get a chance to finish. She intended only to smack him but she hadn't realized how tightly her hand was clenched. The punch came fast and hard. Joe was sent sprawling into Rosa. When he turned back to look at her his lip was bleeding profusely but he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Suddenly feeling the intensity of the pain in her hand, Clarisse stormed out of the ballroom with only dead silence to follow her.
"Are you all right?" Rosa asked nervously.
"I really outta be mad at her, but that punch was so beautifully executed that I can only be proud of her." He said washing his lip in the servant's kitchen.
"What are you going to do?"
"Go through with the wedding. Clarisse won't make a scene. After tonight I won't be surprised if she plans a vacation to the States."
"How can you be so calm about this?"
"I have loved Clarisse Renaldi since I was 17 years old. In that time she's never shown an ounce of fight when it came to me. I was starting to think that her heart had turned cold. Believe me if I never have any more than this night to remember her by it will be all I need. You and I will continue with our plans and the rest will fall into place when it has to." He pulled Rosa into his arms and held her tight.
Clarisse flinched as the alcohol touched her wounded flesh. She had torn a gash in her hand, certain that it had been Joseph's teeth. The gash was nasty but the bruise that would follow the next morning would be much worse. This was not the bruise of her flesh but of her heart.
A knock sounded at the door. Could it really be him? She was relieved but disappointed when she saw Lee LaGrange standing at her door. He was devilishly handsome and very good to her, which was why she'd asked him to be her date. Now she just wanted him to leave her.
"Are you all right? That was some hit!"
"My apologies Lee. It's been a rough night."
"I could see that. Listen I don't know if you know it or not but you are the Queen of our fair country. I've seen you face down dictators, change the minds of a room full of men and get the toughest laws passed through parliament. I have never seen you walk away from a fight. You stand strong and don't you hide for a minute. Now have your ladies maids get you some bandages, we are going back down to that ballroom. No arguments will make me change my mind. She nodded in defeated consent.
When they reentered the ballroom, Sebastian was in front of the room. No one seemed to notice Clarisse. She could see Rosa and Joseph at the front.
"The wedding for these two lovebirds will be held at St. Vincent's Cathedral next weekend. My future brother-in-law has accepted a job in the Bahamas. After protecting his country for so long, he needs an island with a bunch of kids. Rosa, my darling sister, be happy."
When Lee turned around, Clarisse was gone.