Shouts and booing erupted from the crowd, while Edward waited patiently for them to quiet.
“My work here at the old Kawell Castle is work of restoration, not demolition. This castle has been in my family for generations, and I intend to honor it as such. Once the work is done, we will open the castle up, free of charge, to visitors as a historical landmark.” He had no explanation as to why his family had let it sit for a hundred years without much upkeep, but the protestors had to at least see that he was doing something about it now, even if he wasn’t working as fast as they’d like. He was doing his best. They could protest his philosophy all they wanted, but couldn’t they leave him alone for one day?
Again, the people stirred and talked among themselves.
“We just don’t like the way you see things,” one woman shouted. “You place all of your focus on the future and have no respect for the importance of history.”
“Not true,” Edward said. “This castle restoration is something you’ll all surely get behind. It aligns with your vision, does it not?”
But the crowd ignored him and continued with shouts of Save Sovalon’s Past!
“I’m going to have to ask you all to leave so that we can continue our work here without disturbance,” Edward told them, his voice stern. “You’re trespassing, and it’s illegal. I don’t want to call authorities, but I will if need be.”
People began to disperse, but the man with the sign spoke again. “You better not trash this castle, Mr. Big Shot Prince,” he grouched. “We’re watching you.”
Edward ignored the guy and made his way into the sea of people toward the woman whose eyes were glued onto him.
“I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised to see you here, considering your fondness for old things,” he said and immediately regretted his words. Not the smoothest introduction. “I’m Prince Edward.” He held out his hand for a formal introduction to the woman who’d haunted his thoughts since he’d last laid eyes on her.
“Clementine Wicke, of Wicke Salvage,” she replied and accepted his hand.
“Wicke Salvage?” he asked, taking the liberty to slide his thumb across her warm fingers.
“It’s my family’s restoration company,” she explained, her tone a bit breathless.
That would explain the woman’s obsession with artifacts of old. “Will you have lunch with me, Clementine Wicke? I’d like to hear your take on why ancient relics should be salvaged.”
Her face lit up as she accepted his invitation, and a dense longing stirred within Edward at the sight of her smile. This woman did something to him.
He knew that with her political views, she would surely be a thorn in his side, but he couldn’t resist the urge to be near her. With a firm grip on her hand, he ignored the warning sound in his head and led her into the castle.
As Clem let the prince lead her into the castle, she wanted to kick herself. She thought back to two nights before, to their tête à tête outside of the schoolhouse.
Big biceps—a product of his job as a construction worker.
What a dummy she’d been!
Well, she wouldn’t be a dummy any longer. This was her chance to sit down and talk with the leadership of Sovalon, to affect change. She would put the memory of his hot lips out of her mind. There would be no swooning over his cute freckles or hard body, although she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked in business casual wear. A step up from the other night. And, his hair fell perfectly across his forehead. And his eyes—
Enough.
Clem followed Prince Edward into a sitting room. He pulled her chair out for her to have a seat at a table by a window overlooking the grounds.
“I never imagined I’d see you today,” he said and grinned. It was the same boyish grin that had captured her before.
“I was just as surprised as you were,” she admitted. “I thought you were a construction worker.” She waved her hand around the room at the grandeur of the castle. “I was a little off.”
Edward laughed at her remark and leaned forward onto his elbows. A servant came to take their lunch order, and Clem watched him speak. She noticed the fullness of his lips and wanted to run her fingers along their edges. She felt her mouth beginning to gape with hunger for more than whatever Edward had ordered for their lunch. She checked herself and sat up straight.
“So, tell me about your business,” Edward said, turning his full attention to her. “Wicke Salvage?”
“It’s been in the family for years,” she said and took a sip of her iced tea. The cool liquid soothed the tightness in her throat and woke her up. “My grandfather started it when he was young. My father and his brother have managed to keep it up, and I practically grew up there. I started working there full time once I finished school.” She avoided his eyes before she spoke her next words. “My job is basically to acquire things of value for the business.”
“By pilfering.”
She was about to defend herself but decided against it when she recognized the flirtatious tone. He was teasing her. God knew she’d love nothing more than to play his game, but she couldn’t. This was her opportunity to speak her mind to someone who was actually in a position to help her cause.
“By saving items like the old school bell, Wicke Salvage is working hard to keep Sovalon’s rich history alive.” She took another swallow of iced tea, while Edward’s gaze became serious.
“You’re quite passionate about history,” he said. She felt his knees touch hers beneath the table but resisted the urge to react.
“Well, Prince Edward, with all due respect—”
“Please just call me Edward,” he interrupted.
“Fine, Edward then,” she said and poised herself to speak respectfully but firmly. “You don’t seem passionate enough about history.”
“What do you mean by that?” he asked.
“Well, for one, the progress on this castle seems stalled,” she said and resolved to give it to him straight. “Your interests seem elsewhere, and it’s starting to seem like finishing this project will never be a priority for you. Your people aren’t satisfied by your claims to care about the project at all, especially when you’ve been busy bulldozing historic sites all over the kingdom in the name of progress.”
“Progress is important,” Edward argued. “If we don’t start thinking forward, we’ll be left in the dust on the world’s stage. We need to focus on things like environmentally friendly energy solutions, and urban development. I won’t allow Sovalon to become calcified in history in the name of preserving history.”
“But there needs to be a balance,” Clem said as a servant arrived with a tray of sandwiches. “Every time a new development goes up on the site of a historic building that has been torn down, it erases years of rich culture from our kingdom. Don’t you want your children to have the chance to experience Sovalon’s authentic beauty and architecture someday instead of an endless row of soulless, minimalist condos on the river’s edge?”
Edward leaned back in his chair and eyed her smugly. “Do you really want balance, Clementine Wicke, or are you just interested in stopping the development of condo communities?”