The Mills & Boon Ultimate Christmas Collection. Kate Hardy

in full flow. ‘All siblings argue. I might be making something out of nothing but, in Dominic’s eyes, you’ve humiliated him. He is not a man to mess with.’

      ‘And neither am I. Trust me, if your brother attempts anything against me or my business interests, he will regret it.’

      The curtains closed for the end of the first act and applause echoed through the theatre.

      Spotting an opportunity, Nathaniel drained the last of his Scotch and got to his feet. ‘Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?’

      ‘You’re leaving?’

      ‘I told you, I despise opera.’ That was only the partial truth. The full truth was that their private box was shrinking by the second, Catalina’s scent seeping into all the crevices, filling his senses.

      A flash of colour heightened her cheeks. ‘We’re getting married next week. Shouldn’t we talk about that and what our marriage will entail?’

      ‘Our marriage will entail nothing more than getting you and the baby safely through the pregnancy. I will ensure your every need is met. Now, can I offer you a lift home? Or do you want to stay and watch the rest?’

      ‘Thank you for your generous offer,’ she said, irony heavily lacing her voice, ‘but I’ll stay.’

      ‘As you wish.’ He bowed his head. ‘I thank you for sharing your concerns with me—I know loyalty and duty to the House of Fernandez are things you believe strongly in. It can’t be easy to speak of your brother like this.’

      It must have taken a lot of courage for her to speak out against him. That the Prince was a bully was indisputable. How many times had he turned that nasty tongue on her? Catalina being pregnant with Nathaniel’s child would surely only make his viciousness worse.

      While Nathaniel didn’t relish giving up his freedom, at least having Catalina under his own roof rather than in the palace would give her space away from her brother’s malevolence.

      And at least when she remarried she’d be far from his influence then too, and so would their child. The contract he and the King had drawn up had given Nathaniel very specific rights to his child. If the King tried to renege on it, he knew hellfire would rain down on him and his country.

      She turned her head, those chocolate-brown eyes that fixed on him void of emotion. ‘I know you’re only marrying me because you’ve been blackmailed into it, but you’re the father of my child and that means I owe some loyalty to you too, for our baby’s sake.’

      ‘So your personal feelings towards me...?’ He deliberately let his words tail off so she could fill the silence.

      Was the attraction she had held for him still there or had their night together quelled it? With any other woman he would be able to make a good judgement call, but Catalina was a princess, trained from birth to hide her emotions. Outwardly, she did not give anything away.

      What would she do if he were to trace his fingers up her spine then move his hand around to cup one of those heavenly breasts? Such was the privacy the box gave them, he could lay her down and make love to her without anyone seeing...

      He fully understood now why she’d been given three chaperones. She really was the most naturally sensual of women. And he needed to get out of this theatre before he did something stupid. Like seduce her all over again.

      ‘Are non-existent.’ Her mouth snapped shut and she turned her gaze back to the empty stage. ‘Have a safe drive home.’

      Catalina didn’t breathe again until she heard the door to the box close. Only then did her lungs expand enough for her to gulp in some air.

      Nathaniel couldn’t have made it clearer that he considered marriage to her akin to sleeping in a tank of snakes.

      Whatever secret dreams she’d had she would keep to herself. If there was one thing she had learnt throughout her life it was to keep her emotions in check. She wasn’t in love with him but she wasn’t going to lie to herself and pretend she didn’t have feelings for him. How could she pretend when his departure made the generous box feel so empty and she could still smell his musky, citrus-like scent?

      Whatever happened, she would not allow these feelings to develop further. She’d seen for herself the misery and heartbreak of denied love and had known since she was eighteen that she would never allow that for herself.

      She would do as her brother ordered and treat this marriage as a business arrangement.

       CHAPTER FOUR

      OVERNIGHT, THE BALMY weather of the past few weeks turned into torrential rain. Even Monte Cleure, famed for its year-round sun, had to deal with winter in some form or other.

      The weather hadn’t been enough to deter the well-wishers however. Peering through binoculars from her bedroom window, Catalina could see them lining the palace perimeter, huddled under umbrellas.

      The people of Monte Cleure clearly hadn’t taken the palace’s statement that today’s wedding would be a ‘small, private affair’ to heart.

      It touched her to see them there and it warmed her too.

      This was what she was doing it for. These people without whose good wishes and consent her family would have nothing. Her father ruled but, as with all monarchies in this day and age, his grip was not as firm as it had once been. If the people revolted, he could do nothing to turn the tide.

      In order for the House of Fernandez to endure, it had to bring peace and prosperity to its people. The House of Fernandez had to be loved. And it had to be above reproach. Dominic’s lusty antics were tolerated with ironic smiles; his public persona very much at odds with the private man behind closed doors. When he finally took the plunge and married, the whole country would unite as one to celebrate. Catalina hoped he put the day off for as long as possible. She couldn’t bear to think of how he would treat his wife.

      But now was not the time to worry about her hypothetical future sister-in-law. She had her own wedding to get through. In three hours she would marry Nathaniel. Tonight she would move into his apartment.

      The thought of living with him...it should terrify her. But the bubbles in her stomach didn’t feel like terror. They felt more like excitement. They would be a married couple. And that meant sharing a bed...

      She hated the excitement she felt at that. He’d made his disinterest abundantly clear during their night at the opera a week ago. Not only had he spelt it out in so many words, he’d then compounded it by leaving her in the first interval. She hadn’t seen anything of him since. He hadn’t taken her out or asked to see her or even called.

      There was a knock on her bedroom door. Marion, naturally hanging around like a bad smell, went to open it.

      Expecting to see her other companions, ready to start preparations to beautify Catalina for the main event, she was surprised to find her father’s private secretary, Lauren, standing there. Behind her stood four of her father’s more junior assistants.

      ‘Excuse me for disturbing you, Your Highness,’ Lauren said, ‘but we need to do an inventory of your jewellery.’

      ‘What for?’

      ‘Your father has requested a full list of all the jewellery in your possession.’

      ‘What for?’ she repeated, wishing that Marion weren’t there watching her act like such a simpleton.

      ‘I’m not privy to his reasons. I assume it has something to do with your move.’ There was no mistaking the pity in Lauren’s eyes, but it didn’t detract from her matter-of-fact tone. ‘Your father is in his rooms if you wish to discuss it with him, but I have my orders and I need to report back in two hours. I will also need to take an inventory of your clothes.’

      ‘I’m getting married in three hours.’

      ‘It