Love and Triumph: The Coltrane Saga, Book 8 by Patricia Hagan Read Free Book Online Page A

ambitious, and, most of all, seemed genuinely fond of Marilee. “So far, you have my endorsement,” he said, then quickly pointed out, “but I don’t want to get involved in Marilee’s personal life to the point of persuading her to do something she’s unsure about.”
    “All I’m asking is that you use your influence to get her to accept my invitation to visit my family in Zurich. That will take her mind off her father and give me time to make her see she does love me.”
    “Well, I think I can agree that’s a good idea, but, as you’re probably well aware, she’s somewhat of a loner, and the only person she was ever close to was my mother. But I’ll see what I can do, and I’ll let her know you have my blessings.”
    Relieved, Rudolf grabbed Colt’s hand and shook it with exaggerated gratitude. “Thank you, sir. I’m sure she respects you and your opinion. And I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
    Colt, likewise, felt relief. Maybe, he mused guiltily, he shouldn’t be so eager to see Marilee married off, but the truth was, grim though the thought might be, if something did happen to him, she would just be another responsibility for Jade to cope with after he was gone.
    They smoked their cigars, sipped their brandy, and made small talk, and then Jade and Marilee arrived.
    After exchanged greetings, Jade said, “Colt, we need to get in line with Travis and Valerie to receive the guests. They’re starting to arrive now.” To Rudolf, she said, “You’ll have to excuse Marilee for a little while, but I did ask Kit to seat you next to her at dinner.”
    Everyone moved to the door—except Rudolf.
    He had politely stood when the ladies entered the room, but his eyes had locked upon Marilee, and he stood frozen, unable to tear away his gaze.
    The object of his fixation was not her gown, a stunning gold lamé that made her look more glamorous and beautiful than he’d ever seen her before.
    It was the pendant.
    Hanging on a gold chain, the gold and garnet and ruby pendant at her throat mesmerized him.
    “Rudolf?” She laughed a bit nervously, for she’d never seen him behave so strangely. “What is it?”
    He swallowed hard, licked his dry lips, struggled for composure, then managed to ask, “Where did you get that stunning piece?”
    “I gave it to her,” Jade told him. “It was a present to me on my wedding day from Czar Nicholas.”
    “You knew the Czar personally, madame?”
    Marilee was quick to proudly inform him, “Of course. They’re related to each other, and he named her a princess the night before she married my uncle. Didn’t you know? My aunt is a Romanov !”
    Rudolf’s eyes narrowed, ever so slightly, but no one noticed, and he was barely able to conceal the excited tremor that was going through him at this stunning news.

Chapter Seven
    The wedding dinner was lovely, and everyone was in a mellow mood. Rudolf continued to charm and captivate the Coltranes, but all the while his brain was whirling with the exciting revelation and what it could mean.
    He could not believe his good fortune at being seated on the other side of Jade. During the course of the evening, he managed to delicately ask questions about her Romanov heritage, careful to appear only respectfully in awe of such elite company.
    At first she was reluctant to talk about it, then eventually divulged that her mother was Russian and a cousin of Czar Alexander II, while her father was Irish. When she became orphaned at an early age, she was unofficially adopted by Marie Pavlovna, sister-in-law of the new Czar, Alexander III, and subsequently raised in the Imperial Court.
    Jade then launched into an enthusiastic recount of her career as a prima, ballerina with the Imperial Ballet, and as she talked, Irish eyes shining with pride and fond remembrance, it was only with great effort that Rudolf was able to appear properly impressed, nodding at appropriate moments, smiling now and then. He was having difficulty swallowing