Read Online When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Alexander
Tags: Historical
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passion. She had remembered him during the long, lonely hours of the night in the years that had passed since then and joined with him again in the freedom of her dreams. And she had remembered him each and every time she'd so much as considered sharing another man's bed, which really did rather muck things up.
"I daresay I have always found Venice to be rather amusing," Aunt Millicent said with a flirtatious smile of her own.
"Venice is much more than amusing." He released Aunt Millicent's hand and paused for a moment as if recalling the delights of Venice to mind.
The prince had given her an evening so truly wonderful, Pamela had never wished to spoil it with anyone else. It—or rather he—had quite dashed her plans to become a woman of the world.
Venice is unique on this earth. There is nowhere else like it. It is a place of dreams." An enigmatic smile lifted his lips. "La Serenissima."
La Serenissima? Pamela sucked in a sharp breath, tried to catch herself, and choked. Then coughed and choked again or perhaps coughed again. Regardless, the odd, strangled sounds emanated from her with a total disregard for her desire to remain as unnoticed as possible at this moment and instead ensured the attention of everyone in the room.
Aunt Millicent stared at her with concern. "Pamela, my dear, are you all right?"
"Quite," Pamela gasped, struggling to catch her breath. Of all the times she had dreamed of meeting the prince— Alexei—again this was not at all as she'd imagined. She had rather thought she'd be elegant and collected and not sputtering and gasping like a dying fish.
The butler, obviously far better trained than he had appeared thus far, hurried to her side with a glass of water, and she accepted it gratefully. She sipped the water and glanced discreetly at Alexei. He studied her with an expression that mixed concern and amusement and carried no hint of recognition whatsoever. Excellent. She had no desire for so much as a slight breath of scandal, and his recalling their night together might well be the first step toward a scandal of immense proportions. After all, it was one thing to lose one's innocence in the misguided belief that one was in love and quite another to seduce a prince as the launching of a life of experience.
"Pamela?" Clarissa stepped up beside her and peered into her face. "Are you certain you're all right?"
"I am quite recovered, thank you." Pamela flashed a polite smile at the gathering, and tried and failed to avoid Alexei's clear brown eyes. They held a touch of ordinary curiosity but nothing beyond that. She brushed aside the tiniest bit of what might well have been disappointment.
"Your Highness, do allow me to present my nieces." Aunt Millicent gestured at the younger women.
"Clarissa, Lady Overton—"
Clarissa murmured a polite greeting.
"And Miss Pamela Effington." Aunt Millicent nodded at Pamela. "I fear she's rather outspoken these days."
Alexei chuckled. "I am well aware of that."
"We've never met," Pamela said quickly.
"Indeed we have not. I would most certainly remember such a meeting." Alexei studied her. "I was simply referring to your confrontation with Graham and Count Stefanovich."
"Of course," she murmured, and prayed her cheeks did not appear nearly as hot as they felt.
"It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, dear ladies. I am Alexei Pruzinsky." He nodded a bow. "And I am at your service."
Count Stefanovich frowned. "Your Highness, your title, your position—"
"Is as moot a point as others that have come up today." Alexei met the other man's gaze. "We are embarking upon a new life, Roman. It is time to leave the trappings of the old one behind." The trappings of the old? Pamela stared, then realized exactly what he was speaking of. She had read that his country had been annexed by Russia, and he had relinquished all right to the throne. He was indeed embarking upon a new life. One he could never have imagined.
"You will always be a prince, Your
"I daresay I have always found Venice to be rather amusing," Aunt Millicent said with a flirtatious smile of her own.
"Venice is much more than amusing." He released Aunt Millicent's hand and paused for a moment as if recalling the delights of Venice to mind.
The prince had given her an evening so truly wonderful, Pamela had never wished to spoil it with anyone else. It—or rather he—had quite dashed her plans to become a woman of the world.
Venice is unique on this earth. There is nowhere else like it. It is a place of dreams." An enigmatic smile lifted his lips. "La Serenissima."
La Serenissima? Pamela sucked in a sharp breath, tried to catch herself, and choked. Then coughed and choked again or perhaps coughed again. Regardless, the odd, strangled sounds emanated from her with a total disregard for her desire to remain as unnoticed as possible at this moment and instead ensured the attention of everyone in the room.
Aunt Millicent stared at her with concern. "Pamela, my dear, are you all right?"
"Quite," Pamela gasped, struggling to catch her breath. Of all the times she had dreamed of meeting the prince— Alexei—again this was not at all as she'd imagined. She had rather thought she'd be elegant and collected and not sputtering and gasping like a dying fish.
The butler, obviously far better trained than he had appeared thus far, hurried to her side with a glass of water, and she accepted it gratefully. She sipped the water and glanced discreetly at Alexei. He studied her with an expression that mixed concern and amusement and carried no hint of recognition whatsoever. Excellent. She had no desire for so much as a slight breath of scandal, and his recalling their night together might well be the first step toward a scandal of immense proportions. After all, it was one thing to lose one's innocence in the misguided belief that one was in love and quite another to seduce a prince as the launching of a life of experience.
"Pamela?" Clarissa stepped up beside her and peered into her face. "Are you certain you're all right?"
"I am quite recovered, thank you." Pamela flashed a polite smile at the gathering, and tried and failed to avoid Alexei's clear brown eyes. They held a touch of ordinary curiosity but nothing beyond that. She brushed aside the tiniest bit of what might well have been disappointment.
"Your Highness, do allow me to present my nieces." Aunt Millicent gestured at the younger women.
"Clarissa, Lady Overton—"
Clarissa murmured a polite greeting.
"And Miss Pamela Effington." Aunt Millicent nodded at Pamela. "I fear she's rather outspoken these days."
Alexei chuckled. "I am well aware of that."
"We've never met," Pamela said quickly.
"Indeed we have not. I would most certainly remember such a meeting." Alexei studied her. "I was simply referring to your confrontation with Graham and Count Stefanovich."
"Of course," she murmured, and prayed her cheeks did not appear nearly as hot as they felt.
"It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, dear ladies. I am Alexei Pruzinsky." He nodded a bow. "And I am at your service."
Count Stefanovich frowned. "Your Highness, your title, your position—"
"Is as moot a point as others that have come up today." Alexei met the other man's gaze. "We are embarking upon a new life, Roman. It is time to leave the trappings of the old one behind." The trappings of the old? Pamela stared, then realized exactly what he was speaking of. She had read that his country had been annexed by Russia, and he had relinquished all right to the throne. He was indeed embarking upon a new life. One he could never have imagined.
"You will always be a prince, Your
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