‘Thank you, Your Highness.’ She bobbed a curtsey and then was gone. Rachel walked slowly towards him, grimacing a little.
‘I’m tottering. I know it. I’m not used to heels.’
‘All you’ll have to do is step through those doors and stand still.’
She shot a worried look towards the gauze-covered windows. ‘How many people are out there?’
Mateo knew there was no point in dissembling. ‘Quite a few.’
Rachel nodded and ran her hands down the sides of her dress. ‘Okay.’ She threw back her shoulders and lifted her chin, as she’d done before when she was gathering her courage. He loved to see it.
‘I don’t look ridiculous, do I?’ she asked in a low voice. ‘You know, silk purse, sow’s ear...’
‘Rachel.’ Mateo stared at her incredulously. ‘You look amazing. Gorgeous, vibrant, full of life, sexy.’ The words spilled from him with conviction; they had to be said.
She stared at him for a moment, her lips parting, her eyes widening. Belatedly Mateo realised how intent he’d sounded, how involved. He cleared his throat, but before he could say anything more the press officer stepped forward.
‘If we could go over the schedule, Your Highness?’
‘Yes, in a moment.’ He waved the man aside before drawing the small black velvet box out of his jacket pocket. ‘You need one more thing to complete your outfit.’ Her eyes had widened at the sight of the box, and she didn’t speak. Mateo opened it to reveal a blue diamond encircled with smaller white diamonds, set on a ring of white gold. ‘This is the Kallyrian Blue. It has been in the royal family for six hundred years.’
‘Oh, my goodness...’ She looked up at him with genuine panic. ‘Can I please wear a fake? I cannot be responsible for a jewel that size.’
‘It is heavily insured, don’t worry. And it belongs to you now. It has always been the Queen’s engagement ring.’
‘Your mother...’
‘Was more than happy to pass it on.’
Rachel let out a shaky breath. ‘Whoo, boy.’ She held out her hand, and Mateo slipped the ring onto her finger.
‘There. Perfect.’
‘It’s so heavy.’ She let out a breathy, incredulous laugh. ‘I feel like I’m doing finger weights, or something.’
‘You’ll get used to it.’ Mateo gestured to the press officer, and he stepped forward. ‘Now, the schedule?’
The next ten minutes passed quickly as they rehearsed their brief performance—step out on the balcony, smile and wave, and then Mateo would introduce Rachel as his queen, with their wedding and joint coronation on Saturday to be celebrated as a national holiday.
‘That’s insane,’ Rachel murmured, and the press officer gave her an odd look.
‘It’s quite normal for royal weddings,’ Mateo remarked calmly.
‘Your Highness, it’s time!’
Mateo glanced at Rachel, who had suddenly morphed into the proverbial deer snared by headlights. She threw him a panicked look.
‘I can’t...’
‘You can.’ His voice was low and sure as he reached for her hand. ‘All you have to do is take a single step, smile and wave.’
She nodded rather frantically. ‘Smile and wave. Smile and wave.’
‘That’s it.’
Two attendants threw open the French windows that led out to the balcony, the massed crowd visible below in a colourful blur.
‘Oh, my heavens,’ Rachel whispered. ‘There are thousands of people down there.’