Read The Goddess for Free Online Page A

her, “even
     if she could bait a hook faster than any boy I’d known.”
    “So you were the one who got away.” As her grin softened, she glanced at the royal
     portrait and thought of broken hearts. “Your parents must have been very much in love.”
     Hers had been, too. When he didn’t comment, she prodded. “You said your mother died
     of a broken heart.”
    “I meant that was how her death was reported. A good story for the press, I suppose.
     Actually, she’d had an aneurism from birth. It was simply her time.”
    She studied the portrait again. Everyone looked so happy.
    “My mother was a princess from the Middle-East,” Darius went on. “When she and my
     father met at a state dinner, he knew they were well-suited. A marriage was arranged.
     Even before she became queen, she stole the hearts of the people. She was refined
     and gentle and kind.”
    “And your father?”
    “He was a strong leader. Duty always came first.”
    From a child’s or wife’s point of view, Helene wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
    “Will you marry out of obligation, too?”
    Sometimes she wondered whether that right someone for her was really out there. One
     thing she did know, though—she would never marry unless she was convinced they would
     be happy together for the rest of their lives.
    Darius’s reply was good humored. “You don’t need to concern yourself with my love
     life, Helene.”
    “I only meant that arranging to marry someone you don’t love would be hard.”
    “Not as hard as putting your country’s peace at risk.”
    “You’re talking about that rebellion all those years ago?”
    “In history’s eyes, not that long ago. The king had married a woman who was rumored
     to be carrying another man’s child. No images of her remain, but she was reputed to
     be extremely beautiful as well as shy or perhaps haughty. She rarely went out in public.
     After the child was born, unrest bubbled over. The palace was attacked. People died.”
    “Still—a hundred years…”
    “My uncle made a similar mistake. The woman he fell for had been married before.”
    Helene deadpanned. “How shocking.”
    He shrugged. “There were protests. My uncle abdicated and my father, the younger brother,
     was forced to step up.”
    But this was a different time. She was about to point out that even kings could marry
     whomever they liked nowadays, but Darius changed the subject.
    “You mentioned you finished a degree.” He slid his glass away. “What university?”
    After she’d supplied the name of the institution and spoke a little about her experience
     there, he pushed to his feet.
    “I need some sleep,” he said. “You’ll find suitable quarters down that hall.” He gestured
     to a separate hallway and said goodnight.
    Then, without a word about tomorrow, he disappeared again, and she was left alone
     in the soft yellow light with the people in that portrait peering down at her like
     a band of ghosts.
    …
    Arriving back from his morning walk, Darius found Helene in the kitchen beating eggs.
     Oil, crushed walnuts, milk, sugar, and half a dozen other ingredients lined the counter.
     When she glanced up, he hid a grin at the pat of flour on her cheek.
    “You’re back.” She glanced down at the simple white shirt she wore that, given her
     height, served more as a dress. “Hope you don’t mind. I borrowed this from the wardrobe.”
    He preferred her in a bikini and sarong, but he wouldn’t tell her that.
    “That room’s usually used by domestic help,” he said, strolling over. “You’d have
     found something different hanging in the closet if you’d stayed in my sister’s room.
     She’s a fan of jeans, the rattier the better.”
    “We’d get along then.” She reached for a sifter. “I wasn’t sure when you organized
     for my lift back. I wanted to repay you for last night’s late supper.”
    When he’d put together a quick breakfast this morning before heading out, he’d noticed
     the