54. AMANDA

“We’re getting slaughtered.”

Maria’s voice is stoic, but her eyes are another story. For the first time ever, I can see the shimmer of tears in them.

Beside me, Carlo’s shoulders stoop in a way I’ve never seen before. It’s like someone has cut the strings off a marionette and it’s trying to stand on its own. On my other side, Dad’s eyes are boiling. He’s keeping his mouth shut, but I can feel the anger emanating from him in waves. His big fists clench and unclench, over and over.

Every question from Ricci is carefully designed to make Dante look like a fool, or a womanizer, or an asshole. It’s like the old joke about journalists asking the politician if he’s stopped beating his wife: if he says no, he’s still beating his wife. If he says yes, he’s admitting he beat his wife.

And, like the joke, this debate isn’t funny. It’s frustrating and infuriating. Worst of all, it’s heartbreaking.

I can practically see Dante’s fear of losing the children on his face as each question hits him like a boxer’s blow. I feel each one with him.

“I don’t know if there’s any coming back from this,” Maria says quietly.

“There is if I can get those two bastards alone in the alley,” Dad growls.

“Gentlemen,” Ricci says, holding up a hand. “We’ve come to the end of the question portion of this morning’s debate. I and the Morovan people thank you for your answers.”

Dante’s still keeping his cool, but I can see the emotion in his eyes. I can’t imagine what’s going through his head right now. Dad’s line about taking Ricci and Huber into the alley is right on the money – this wasn’t a fair fight.

“We will now wrap up the proceedings with a final statement from each of our participants,” Ricci says with a smug grin. “Chancellor Huber, you have the floor.”

Huber turns to face the camera directly. He looks like a school principal about to lecture a group of rowdy students.

“People of Morova,” he says. “The choice you must make today is clear. You all saw the photographs. You’ve read the scandals. You know the solution.”

He leaves his podium and walks towards the camera.

“The question before you is, I believe, simple: do you believe that the royal marriage is real? Or is it a lie created to block this council’s duty to remove a monarch for not fulfilling his duties?

“I believe it’s the height of arrogance for the prince to believe that we, the people, are foolish enough to believe that he could have fallen in love in the space of a few weeks. With an American commoner, no less.”

I feel Dad tense up beside me.

“We’ve already seen that money has changed hands. Are we expected to believe that Dante, a noble with centuries of royal breeding, and access to one of the world’s most vast fortunes, would marry such a woman?”

I put a pre-emptive hand on Dad’s arm to keep him from moving. Huber will never know it, but I just saved his life. I see similar flashes of anger on Maria and Carlo’s faces as well.

Then I hear Dante’s voice come across the sound system.

“Such a woman,” he says quietly.

Ricci frowns. “Your highness will refrain from speaking during the chancellor’s closing remarks.”

“Shut up, Lorenzo,” Dante says mildly. “You’re not talking to your wife. Or your mistress in Sorrento.”

Ricci’s face turns ghostly white as Dante ambles over to stand beside Huber. He obviously struck a nerve with everyone’s favorite host.

My heart is racing. What’s Dante doing? Whatever it is, Huber is sputtering like crazy.

“Such a woman,” Dante says again. “It’s funny that you say that, Julian, since you’ve never actually spoken to her face-to-face. You’ve made all sorts of accusations and innuendoes against her, but you don’t actually know her.”

All eyes are on Dante now. You could hear a pin drop.

“All the debate we just went through was smoke and mirrors. Sure, I could go on and on about how you’re trying to get your hands on the Trentini fortune, and that Emilio is just a puppet for your government. But that’s not what this is about. Not really.

“This is about Amanda Sparks. It’s about a prince who had the audacity to fall in love with an American cowgirl whose father spent his wife’s life insurance to send his daughter to community college instead of Oxford. A woman who grew up taking care of cattle with her own two hands and riding horses in barrel races, instead of hosting garden parties and betting on thoroughbreds at Royal Ascot.”

Dante finds me in the audience and locks his gaze on mine.

“A woman who had the nerve to invite common people to her wedding reception so they could share in our joy. Who welcomed my beloved Oriana and Vito into her heart with a generosity I’ve never seen in all my years in the royal court. Who showed me what it means to be honest and loyal and real.”

Tears spill onto my cheeks as all the doubt that’s been eating at me for so long finally fades. I don’t even care that we’re surrounded by strangers.

“So fire everything you’ve got at me, Julian,” he says, turning to face the chancellor with a look that could freeze lava. “I’m the one on trial here. But when you feel like talking about the woman I love, I advise you to shut your fat, arrogant mouth before I drive my fist into it.”

The foyer seems to hold its breath for a stunned moment. Then my father’s voice rings out.

“You tell that fucker, kid!” he bellows.

The outburst is met with shocked looks from the council members gathered to watch the debate. A few look like they might be on the edge of a coronary.

But all I can think about is how proud I am. How much I love Dante. I don’t care what happens from here on – this moment is everything I could have wanted.

Huber finally seems to come out of his coma and takes to his own microphone.

“That behavior right there!” he shouts, waving a chubby finger at Dad. “Threatening violence! Profanity from the prince’s own father-in-law! Do we really want the worst of America in the highest office of our land?”

That’s it. I’ve had just about enough. I save Huber’s life one more time by grabbing Dad’s arm before he can move.

“This one’s mine,” I say, stalking towards the stage.