Afterthought by M J Marlow (red white royal blue .txt) 📖

from him. He had used this drug on her at the beginning to insure that she would obey him. It made her so happy she had no problems doing exactly what she was told. Fortunately for her, she was given only minimal doses when she was proving ‘reluctant’ to behave. Since Edward and Elaine had been taken they had been placed on a steady dosage. Their minds and bodies were completely chained to the drug. “You know better than that, Angela mia,” Pietro chuckled. He opened the door and beckoned to her. Come now, little angela. Come to your Pietro.” Evangeline knew better than to fight. She got off the ledge and crawled to him slowly, tears flowing down her face. He sat down on the top step and she put her head down in his lap. He stroked her hair until he felt her shivering stop and looked down to see her eyes closed. Then he took a pouch out of his pocket and took out one small purple pill. He tapped on her chin and she opened her mouth for him. He stroked her throat as she swallowed and heard her sigh. “There’s my good little angela,” Pietro smiled as her eyes began to glow with happiness. “Happy, little one?” Evangeline nodded helplessly. “You will perform beautifully for those precious little ones, won’t you?” Evangeline was sleeping when the carnival opened up again, so the wings were not on her. Pietro had started leaving them off when she slept since they had arrived here and she was quite happy about that. She came awake and her head shot up as she heard a familiar voice. She saw her father and his entourage coming in to meet the performers. She was on her feet, reaching out to him through the bars. “Father!” she sobbed as he came towards her. “Please take me home.” She backed away from Pietro as the man turned to glare at her. “You can’t keep me now! My Father is here to rescue me.” Stefano watched as she reached up to her eyes and gold became the familiar emerald green. His daughter! Stefano felt his heart nearly breaking with relief. He watched the carnival owner unlock the cage and take off his own cape to put it around the girl. Evangeline stood there shaking, and uncertain. She was terrified that he was going to leave here here, Stefano realized. How could she believe that? But then he remembered that her mother had abandoned her repeatedly when the girl was growing up. How could she not believe it? “Emilio,” he turned to the man behind him, frowning. “We’ve found her.” The man came forward and his eyes smoldered with anger as he realized where the girl they’d been searching for the past four months had been. Stefano turned to the carnival owner. “You have no other information about her what the man who sold her to you said?” “I assure you, Your Highness,” Pietro lied to the man easily; “I was told she was never going to remember who she was.” “Is this true, child?” Stefano asked his daughter. “No, Father,” Evangeline replied honestly. She stepped away from the man so he could not hurt her. “Edward Landry brought me here to him. I told the man he was involving himself in a kidnapping but he said I belonged to him now and it didn’t matter how I got into his hands.” “She is my daughter, sir,” Stefano’s voice was deadly calm as he looked at Pietro. “Evangeline was abducted from her uncle’s home over four months ago by a lunatic who meant to use her as a bargaining chip.” He looked quite angry with himself. “When I did not do as he asked, he escaped from prison and vanished with her.” He reached out to touch Evangeline’s cheek and she looked up at him in confusion. “If you have any idea where the man is now it would go a long way towards excusing you from your part in her ordeal.” Pietro knew he should tell him, but he was suddenly quite desirous to whip a certain dancing bear. “Some of my men took exception with his card playing and slit his throat on the voyage here, Your Highness. I’m afraid you will find her kidnapper at the bottom of the English Channel.” He beckoned to one of the women. “Take the little one and remove her angel’s guise.” The woman took Evangeline to the women’s wagon and washed away the gold and glitter. When she returned, Evangeline was dressed in a simple blue cotton dress. Her feet were wearing ballet flats. She ran to her father and he held her as she sobbed in relief. He was so happy to have her back that he let Pietro off. The man had done her a great service by ridding the world of Edward Landry. Evangeline stayed glued to his side as they left the auditorium, as if she were afraid someone else was going to come and take her away from him. Stefano gave her something to calm her down and she fell asleep. He held her close to his side, unwilling to be far from her as well. When she woke up, she was in a plane. She sat up and looked around in confusion and concern. But then she saw her father and brother and their men and knew everything was all right. A limousine was waiting for them on the tarmac when they disembarked. Evangeline looked at the official vehicle with its diplomatic flags flying and knew this was part of the secret he had not yet shared with her. Several large men in black suits stood at attention. Stefano nodded to them and saw her seated. He said nothing to her as they drove off and she was annoyed at him. Did he think she had not noticed the deference being given to him? He was someone of great importance and he had been keeping the extent of that importance from her. They drove on and she saw the lights of Paris as they approached. “You will like Paris,” Stefano smiled as he saw the delight in her eyes. “While we are here, I have asked some very dear friends of mine; the Count and Countess Grimaldi and their children, to be your guides.” “We’re not staying in the city?” Evangeline asked as the car moved north and headed into the countryside. It was lovely here. The sun was just beginning to set and the colors were exquisite. But she felt the old chill along her spine and knew danger had followed them. Even the sight of the castle with its high walls and iron gates did not reassure her. They drove in and the limousine paused in front of the small castle built of a lovely gray stone veined with deeper black, grays and creams. She wasn’t certain until she touched it. “It’s made of marble!” “Most of it is, yes,” Stefano smiled and escorted her inside. “The area of Italy that the Roza family comes from is known for its marble quarries.” He saw the line of household staff waiting. “Let me introduce you to the staff.” He nodded to a tall officious looking man holding a long staff in his hand. The staff boomed on the marble flooring and echoed through the hall, and the staff went to attention. “All attend,” he said in a deep voice that brought everyone to attention. “Prince Roza and his daughter, Princess Evangeline, are now in residence.” Evangeline was struck dumb by this introduction. Her father was a prince? She barely registered names and faces as she was introduced to the staff. She recognized Madame Clermont and her assistants and some of the shock wore off. The seriousness of her position was brought home as the last introductions were made to a trio of tall, very pretty women: Yvette, Yvaine, and Ynez Santos, who she was told were Emilio’s older daughters. “The sisters will be your companions, daughter,” Stefano told her. “They will act as your personal secretaries, your ladies in waiting, and your bodyguard.” “Have I a need for such?” Evangeline asked softly. “Father…” “See our daughter to her apartment now,” Stefano broke in. “She is tired from our flight and should rest.” He laid his hand against her cheek and smiled at her gently. “Tomorrow, Evangeline. You will have all of your questions answered tomorrow.” He turned on his heel and Emilio and two other men followed him. “My lady?” Evangeline toyed with the idea of following him. He had dropped this on her as if it were something easily accepted. How did one accept the fact that the father who had remained out of their life was nobility? And not just some minor lord or duke like her uncles. No, her father was a prince! She turned towards the three women and Yvette, the eldest, indicated she should precede them. She went up the immense marble stairs and was shown to the left. Immense doors of what she assumed were mahogany were guarded by two of the dark suited men. They bowed their heads to her and opened the doors for her to reveal a large sitting room. Her bedroom back in Sterling Manor would have been a closet for this one room. Her companions’ rooms were set along one side; her personal room was along the other. “We understand this is all new to you, Princess,” Yvette said kindly as she and her sisters laid out a nightgown and robe for her. “It is for you to tell us how much or how little assistance you require.” “I have been raised to tend to my own needs,” Evangeline told her as she entered the immense bathroom with their choice of nightclothes; “but I would appreciate your input as to what I should wear. I have never paid much attention to fashion.” The décor was cream and gold with touches of rose and violet. It was beautiful and Evangeline was quite impressed. “I am not used to being treated like I am important,” she continued as she ran her hand along the porcelain of the claw-footed tub in the corner. “This is all real, isn’t it?” she asked as she turned back to her companions. “I’m not going to wake up and be back in my room at Sterling Manor?” “This is all real, Princess,” Yvaine nodded and smiled. “Tomorrow there shall be a ball to celebrate your safe return to your father. Several very important dignitaries and nobles shall be presented to you.” She saw Evangeline frown. “It is only what is due a Roza princess!” “We shall leave you to your bath, Princess,” Ynez, the youngest daughter smiled and nodded to her sisters. “We remain within the sound of your voice in case you need us.” Evangeline nodded absently and turned on the water. The women left her alone, as they had said and she relaxed. She saw the bath salts and smiled as she saw that they were scents that she enjoyed. She poured a little vanilla and honeysuckle into the water as it flowed into the tub that was large enough for three people and put her hair up. As she sank into the warm water, she sighed in relief. Here at least she was alone to think over everything that had happened to her since her father and brother had come back into her life. They certainly did not act like royalty. It had been far more important to them to be men of worth; doctors. The fact that they were royalty was secondary to being useful. She would follow that example gladly. “I thought I’d come say good night,” Sebastian smiled as she came out of the bathroom combing out her long wavy hair. He had been standing at the windows. He beckoned her over. “Come see the view, Eva. From your rooms,