The Royal Wager: Persuading the Playboy King / Unmasking the Maverick Prince / Daring the Dynamic Sheikh. KRISTI GOLD

Marc’s champion had called him a practiced deceiver in front of Kate, a woman whose respect he greatly desired. “Are you saying I am prone to telling falsehoods?”

      “I am saying you’ve always been more clever and not as easy to read.”

      “Of course. And Philippe was destined for sainthood.” Marc could not keep the sarcasm and bitterness from his tone even though he, too, had admired his brother. But he had also lived in his shadow. He was still living in it.

      His mother’s expression softened. “My dear Marcel, we barely saw you over the past ten years, let alone knew with whom you were involved aside from what we read in the papers.”

      “And you knew of Philippe’s comings and goings all the time, Mother? Might I remind you that no one knew where he was going or where he had been the night he died.”

      “I am deeply wounded by your suggestion that your brother was carrying on with someone I knew nothing about, much less had a child with that someone without my knowledge.”

      Kate watched the verbal volley as she continued to hold the baby on her hip, feeling totally like an outsider. The tension in the room was as thick as buttermilk and although she had no business getting involved, she had to do something. “There are ways to prove parentage,” she offered.

      Both Marc and his mother unlocked their gazes from each other and turned them to her.

      “Perhaps a birthmark?” the queen mother asked in a hopeful voice. “Marc does have a very unusual one on his—”

      “Mother, I believe Dr. Milner is referring to something more scientific.”

      Kate was, but she had to admit she was curious about Marc’s royal birthmark and where it might be residing. “I’m referring to DNA, which is complicated if the testing can’t be done here.” Not to mention they would have to obtain some from the deceased brother, a fact she didn’t dare bring up now.

      Marc streaked a hand over his nape. “We are not up to speed with that yet. We would have to involve Paris.”

      “We cannot do that,” the queen mother said, looking alarmed. “We must keep this concealed until we decide how to handle such a sensitive issue. The media would tear Marcel to shreds if they even suspected he had fathered a child out of wedlock. He would lose all respect in the eyes of our people.”

      Kate could understand that, and she was more than a bit concerned herself. “I could draw and type her blood but without knowing the mother’s type, it might not tell us anything.”

      “My blood type is rare,” Marc said. “Would that make a difference?”

      “It could if she has it. That could prove she’s a member of the family, but it still might not rule anyone out.” She didn’t want to ask, but she had to. “What about Philippe’s type?”

      “His was the same as Marc’s,” Mary said. “The night he died…” Mary’s voice trailed off along with her gaze.

      Marc released a gruff sigh. “My mother was about to say that the night he died, I was in Germany on a diplomatic mission. He suffered severe internal injuries in the car crash. He lost too much blood and I didn’t arrive in time to give him some of my own.”

      Kate’s heart went out to Marc in that moment. She couldn’t think of anything to say to ease his guilt, so she said nothing.

      “Dr. Martine can provide all the medical records since he’s the royal physician,” Mary said. “We can trust him to be discreet.” She paused before adding, “And I assume we can trust you as well, Dr. Milner?”

      Marc moved closer to Kate, a purely defensive gesture. “Mother, Kate is a physician. She is accustomed to confidentiality.”

      Mary arched a thin brow. “Kate? How well do you know each other?”

      Oh, heavens. If she didn’t set the record straight, the queen mother might assume she was Marc’s lover. Worse, she might believe Kate had parental ties to the child considering the timing. “Actually—”

      “Kate, forgive my mother. She might be descended from genteel British aristocracy, but she has the bluntness of a barrister pleading a monumental case.”

      The queen mother patted his cheek, a true display of fondness that took Kate by surprise in light of their recent confrontation. “And so do you, mon fiston.”

      “In case you haven’t noticed, Mother, I am no longer your little boy.”

      “Yes, you are a man now and clearly responsible for your actions.”

      “Kate and I knew each other at the university,” Marc continued, obviously not willing to react to the innuendo, much to Kate’s relief. “I assure you that we have not seen each other in years.”

      “We were college lab partners,” Kate interjected. “Only friends.”

      Finally, Marc smiled. “And she’s come to Doriana to join our hospital staff.”

      The baby wriggled and gave a whine of protest. Kate wanted to do the same since she hadn’t exactly agreed to take the job. “I think we should wait until morning to do the tests. She’s been through enough today.” And so have I, Kate thought.

      The queen mother patted her neat silver chignon, her features mellowing when she smiled at Kate. “Welcome, my dear. We are very pleased to have you.”

      Kate considered insisting that she hadn’t made her final decision, but with the queen mother and king looking at her expectantly, she felt as if she had no choice.

      She would agree to take the position—for the time being. If it got too hot in the castle kitchen, if it turned out the baby was Marc’s and he’d left some woman high and dry, alone and pregnant, she would have to reconsider. She couldn’t respect a man who would do that, even if she did crave his company.

      “Thank you. I’m very glad to be here.”

      For now.

      Marc spent the remainder of the afternoon making numerous queries, only to learn that no one seemed to know who had delivered the baby at the gates. He called Louis Martine and explained the situation, then arranged to meet him early in the morning at the hospital for Kate to run the tests. Louis had assured him that he would practice prudence when it came to gathering records and assisting in trying to determine the baby’s parentage. Marc had no choice but to trust him. He could not say the same for the rest of the hospital staff, Renault particularly, so they would have to proceed with caution.

      Frustrated and exhausted, Marc set off to locate his mother and Kate, who had insisted on staying to care for the baby. Beatrice directed him up the stairs to what was once his and Philippe’s nursery, but which had long ago been transformed into a guestroom. He entered to find Kate sitting in a rocker, holding the sleeping child against her shoulder. She put a fingertip to her lips as she rose and laid the little girl in the nearby crib. The baby stirred a bit and Kate remained there for a while, patting the child’s back and cooing like a dove. After a time, she turned away and signaled him to join her in the hall.

      Once there, she shut the door behind them and sighed. “I think she’s finally down for the count. It took a while. Apparently she’s used to someone rocking her to sleep.”

      Marc rubbed his neck, trying to work away the tension coiled there, to no avail. “I suspect her mother had that duty, whoever she might be.”

      “I’m sure you’re right. And obviously Cecile’s been well cared for. She looks very healthy. I’ll do a full exam tomorrow, just to be sure.”

      Marc glanced at the closed door. “I’m surprised at how quickly you’ve made the room into a nursery again.”

      Kate shrugged. “I didn’t do anything but play with Cecile while the staff moved in the furniture.”

      “My mother must have called in all her favors to have a crib delivered so quickly.”