S ophia had informed him they'd be leaving for her homeland in a fortnight, but the first order of business was the grand, themed ball that the smitten Prince Regent was giving in her honor at the castle in three days' time as a charitable fund-raiser for the people of Kavros.

Four hundred of London's richest and most powerful citizens from the highest echelons of Society and government were expected to attend.

From Gabriel's perspective, it was going to be a colossal headache coordinating security for the gala affair in so little time. The castle would be overflowing with important dignitaries, amba.s.sadors, and a.s.sorted aristocrats arriving with their retainers, to say nothing of the Regent's own troop of Royal Household Guards.

Gabriel's main priority in all this, of course, was Sophia. She was to be the guest of honor, and clearly, he would have his work cut out for him.

By the very next day, he had signed his new commission papers, receiving a large and unexpected promotion to the rank of colonel. Amused, he could hardly wait to lord it over Derek, but by midday, he was already wading knee-deep into his new duties.

He got right to work studying the layout of the castle and consulting with the captain of the garrison stationed there on how they intended to monitor all the hundreds of guests coming through the gates, as well as inspecting the army of extra kitchen workers and groundskeepers who would soon be arriving to help prepare for the fete.

As he joined the other military men in shoring up their plans for security around the grand event, he was gradually satisfied that their captain seemed to have matters well in hand. Everything appeared to be in order.

When their work was done, the practical, hardheaded officers shared a private chuckle over the "Ancient Greece" theme of the coming ball.

"Are all those n.o.bs going to show up here dressed in togas like a lot of garden statues?" the captain asked.

"Don't know, but I sincerely hope not." Gabriel flashed a smile and clapped the captain on the back. "Gentlemen."

"Sir." They saluted him as he took leave of them.

But returning from the gatehouse to the castle, Gabriel finally had a few moments to reflect on his new situation. With all that was in motion, there wasn't much time to handle his own affairs. Last night, after being a.s.signed to his new quarters, a spartan yet oddly cozy stone-walled room in one of the turrets, he had hurried to tie up loose ends, dashing off several letters to settle accounts with Mrs. Moss, signing off the lease of the farm, reminding her not to forget the kittens in the hayloft, and asking Derek to remove and store his belongings, and to forward his clothes and weapons as quickly as possible.

In a final note to his father and sister in London, he let his family know about his mission.

It reminded him of all the times in India that his regiment had been called up for action with very little notice in advance. He and his brother had both learned how to put their affairs in order with bracing efficiency.

For Gabriel, this was the kind of life he knew and understood. He had to admit it felt good to be back in a position of command, and facing danger.

He was still a bit in shock to find that his "Gypsy girl" was a royal princess. For heaven's sake, the chit had dusted his furniture! He had known she was not being quite honest with him at the farm, but that was the last possibility he would have guessed.

Though he was ever so glad she had come back into his life, it was also a bitter disappointment to him privately to learn she was so far above his station. He was leery about their ability to keep their hands off each other, but there was no way in h.e.l.l he could have walked away from her when she needed him. By G.o.d, if he had refused and something happened to her...

Well, it b.l.o.o.d.y well wouldn't now. Whoever was after her was going to have to get through him first. The thought of anyone trying to hurt Sophia affected him with dark force. Violence rumbled in his veins like distant thunder.

Maybe the lovely royal could never be his, but at least he could protect her.

He really could not explain what it was about her that turned him inside out. She made him feel like no one ever had before. He had existed in a state of fairly unshakable equilibrium for thirty-four years on this earth and then nearly left it, but only now had he begun to taste what it meant to feel truly alive.

Yesterday in the Map Room when she had held him so hard, her sorrow, her need, had torn at his long-numbed heart; in that moment, sheltering her in his arms, he had felt as though he had been born for her. Born to protect her and to see this through, even if in the end, destiny demanded that he give his life for her.

He knew that he would, without hesitation. That was what any bodyguard gave his oath to do, if it came down to it. Besides, by escorting Sophia safely to her homeland so she could take power, he would be indirectly helping to improve the lives of many thousands of her subjects.

That had to count for something against the blood of all the men he had slain in battle.

Marching back into the castle, his next task was a meeting with her retinue of Greek bodyguards.

He knew they would be less than thrilled to find themselves placed under the command of an outsider, but they'd soon learn to like it, he thought in grim determination. Or else.

He wanted to hear from their own mouths exactly what had happened on the night of the attack. No matter what sort of heroes Sophia insisted her Greek guards were, successful penetration by the enemy clearly indicated problems of some sort. Gabriel meant to identify any flaws in their procedures and establish changes accordingly.

Considering he had three days to get his team in shape before the night of the ball, there was no time for making pretty speeches. He was sorry they had lost their captain-this Leon chap had obviously meant a great deal to them-but Gabriel did not intend to go easy on them.

First off, they needed to know who was in charge.

With Sophia's life at stake, he wanted them more afraid of him than they were of the enemy. It always worked on his troops back in India. His men would've charged into the mouth of h.e.l.l for him. They never dared break ranks or retreat, knowing they'd have him to deal with.

They didn't call him the Iron Major for nothing, but his skill as a leader had kept large numbers of his men alive to fight another day. No, her royal bodyguards were not going to like him one bit.

He did not give a d.a.m.n.

Before long, they were a.s.sembled in the Armory Hall for his inspection. He walked down the line of men standing at attention, scrutinizing each with a dissecting stare.

"I know you lost your leader and that you don't particularly trust me," he said as he sauntered by them. "But our lives now depend on each other, and more important, Her Highness's safety rests on our ability to function as a team. Understood?"

A surly mumble of a.s.sent was all the response the insolent bleeders would begrudge him.

"Pardon?" Gabriel quirked an eyebrow, pa.s.sing a cool glance down the line of wary faces. "I did not hear you," he said mildly.

Some of the men responded with a proper "Yes, sir," but a few of the holdouts just looked at him.

Gabriel laughed softly and walked up to the largest man, who just stood there glaring at him. He looked him straight in the eyes. "Problem with your hearing? Perhaps that would explain why you were all apparently so taken off guard the night of the attack!"

Anger flared in the big fellow's face, but Gabriel held his stare. As the man read the dormant ferocity in the depths of Gabriel's eyes, he reconsidered his defiance, dropping his gaze.

"Palace guards," he mused aloud in a philosophical tone as he resumed his stroll past their ranks. "Have any of you ever even seen a battlefield?"

One man down the row lifted his hand. "I have."

"Yes. What is your name?"

"Demetrius, sir."

"Where did you see action?"

"I fought under Leon in the mountains of Greece for a while against Ali Pasha's troops."

"Good." He nodded and stifled a sigh. Well, it was better than nothing.

He proceeded to question them about the details of the ambush, studying each man closely. As they described the sequence of events during the attack, Gabriel listened, stunned to hear how Sophia had defended herself in the coach. She had shot one attacker and stabbed another.

No wonder she had pulled a weapon on him first thing in the morning when he'd found her in his barn.

"What about the enemy? Were any of them captured?"

"No, sir."

He looked at his list. "You are Markos?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go on."

"They took their dead with them when they finally retreated."

"It was like they just disappeared into the night without a trace," the one called Yannis added.

"Without a trace, eh?" Gabriel murmured skeptically. "These were not phantoms, they were men-a fact Her Highness proved when she made them bleed. Surely you gave chase? Which direction did they go?"

"They split up, east and south, sir."

"How far did you pursue them? How many miles?" he persisted.

They fell silent.

"Ah. Not miles, then. I see. Furlongs? Yards?" He growled when none of them supplied a solid answer. "You," he said sharply, pointing to a burly man with olive-toned skin and a thick mustache. "What is your name?"

"Timo."

"How long have you served the princess?"

"Eight years, sir."

"All right." He nodded. "Tell me what happened when the enemy went into retreat."

"Well, Colonel," he started uneasily, "when they split up, the truth of it is, we...had a bit of confusion."

"Confusion."

"Yes, sir. Leon was. .h.i.t. Her Highness had cleared the area. The enemies were on the run, breaking every which way. Our biggest concern was to stop them from following her, which we did. But when they broke, there were not enough of us to follow them in each direction that they ran. We argued if we should flock to the princess or chase down the enemy or what," he admitted with a look of chagrin.

"I see. So, in the moment of crisis, you fell to pieces."

They started to protest.

"Silence!" He swept them with an icy glare. "Gentlemen, this is not an acceptable performance." He counted off their failures on his fingers. "First, you were taken off guard; then, overwhelmed by superior numbers, you were unable to repulse the foes before your ranks were penetrated; lastly, when your captain was cut down, you fell into disarray. What of your chain of command?" he barked. "What of your b.l.o.o.d.y discipline? I don't want to hear any excuses. It's a miracle any of you are alive-to say nothing of Her Highness! Or maybe she should be the one protecting you!"

Gabriel took a good long look at their contrite faces, and finally snorted. "I shall want a thorough write-up of all current security measures and protocols now in place. Get that to me by dawn. After I have had a chance to review and revise these measures as I see fit, prepare to spend the next few days in drills. Oh, and gentlemen, in closing, let me just make one thing very clear."

They looked at him again in heedful caution.

"What Princess Sophia must face in the coming months is going to be a trial for us all. But I will promise you one thing. If she is harmed, if she is touched-" He stared gravely at each man in turn as he spoke. "If she so much as breaks her little fingernail, I will personally pulverize any man who has not carried out his duty to perfection. Are we clear?" he bellowed in sudden fury.

Several jumped; others blanched.

"Yes, sir!"

"Good," he finished. "Carry on, then."

As the men scattered to their orders, Gabriel tugged his sleeves down neatly about his wrists, pleased that he had made his point.

With that, he strode off to find the jewel he must safeguard and soon discovered her in the morning room in the private wing of the palace.

Sophia was curled on a satin couch, answering her correspondence, a little white poodle sleeping on her lap.

Caught up as Sophia was in answering her letters, her brow furrowed with determined concentration, her blond companion noticed Gabriel's arrival first.

The girl's gaze flicked over him from head to foot. At once, she tossed her shiny golden tresses behind her shoulders as he approached, but Gabriel ignored the familiar feminine signal, sparing the curvy young blonde naught but a polite nod, and keeping his cynicism to himself. He'd been getting that look from women all of his life, but had long since bored of idle, ornamental females.

By contrast, there was Sophia, full of fire and youthful intensity, caught up in her hundred projects, and pa.s.sionate about every one. Her silk lavender gown looked so pretty on her that Gabriel could barely take his eyes off her. Striding toward the ladies, he was captivated by the soft stray curl that had escaped her loose coif and hung down to frame her face.

He longed to brush it back gently for her, but of course he could not touch her. He was not a prince.

Perhaps she felt his stare, for she looked over and a beaming smile burst across her face when she saw him.

She quickly beckoned him over, trying not to disturb the little dog's nap. "Major, good day! Sorry-I mean Colonel," she corrected herself in a jaunty tone as Gabriel joined her and offered a bow.

"Your Highness." Warmly glad to see her, he held her gaze a moment longer than he ought before abruptly recalling the purpose of his visit. "Your Highness, we shall need to take a walk-through of the palace in preparation for the ball. Would this be an inconvenient time?"

"Not at all."

"Shall we?" He offered her his hand to a.s.sist her from her seat.

The blonde cleared her throat with a delicate little cough, but again Sophia did not see fit to introduce them. Blithely ignoring the hint, she gave the little dog a cuddle, then handed it off to her friend, who sputtered in surprise. Accepting Gabriel's offered hand, the princess rose from her seat and joined him.

"What have you been doing today?" she asked with a playful sideward glance as they walked out of the morning room together.

"A thousand things. Er, Sophia," he said in a low tone as she took his arm, tucking her hand through the angle of his elbow. "Are you quite sure it's wise for you to do that?"

"Don't you like escorting me?"

"People will talk," he murmured.

"Off with their heads!" she answered lightly.

He gave her a sardonic look; she laughed.

But then she surprised him, releasing his arm with an obedient little pat. She gave him a meaningful look.

"As you wish," she whispered.

This degree of cooperation took him off guard.

Gabriel furrowed his brow. But Sophia merely clasped her hands behind her back and strolled along by his side like the model of demure propriety that he knew she most certainly was not.

She was trying.