The Duke's Runaway Princess (Love By Accident) Read Online Free Page A

laughter.
    “Your Highness,” she replied once she had her amusement under control. “You flatter me with your confidence.”
    Zarah wasn’t sure what she ate that day, or any of the next seven meals while the men her brother had lined up for her regaled her with stories of their business prowess, their power, their affluence. One even bragged that he would only have to assassinate eleven of his brothers so that he could inherit his father’s throne. She couldn’t believe that man was so brazen about the deaths of his brothers, but since he was a short, skinny, irritating man who probably had very little power, she ignored his bragging and ended the lunch meeting as quickly as possible. As she left the restaurant after that one, she sent her brother a message that said only, “Are you kidding me?!”
    By Friday afternoon, two weeks after her dinner with Rashid, she knocked on Suzanne’s apartment door and flounced onto the couch as soon as her friend answered the knock. “Tell me about Willingham,” she said with a fear that she was doing something monumentally stupid, but also a determination to avoid every last one of the men she’d met so far. None were even remotely interesting and several were outright demeaning of her in particular and women in general.
    Suzanne’s apartment looked exactly like hers; filled with boxes as they both worked to pack up their possessions in anticipation of moving on to the next phase of their lives.
    Suzanne’s surprise that Zarah was considering tossing it all aside was quickly overcome by her excitement in having her friend come along for an adventure. She plopped down on the worn out sofa next to Zarah and enthusiastically clapped her hands. “Well, it’s a very small village outside of Reading so we’re just over an hour east of London. We could get an apartment together if you’d like? There are several available that I’ve looked at but there’s a two bedroom overlooking the main streets of the town so it would be right in the center of everything.” She looked at her friend cautiously, “But understand that being in the center of the action is dramatically different than what you might be used to. It’s a small village inhabited by sleepy residents who like their way of life slow and friendly.”
    Zarah smiled enthusiastically and nodded in understanding. “It sounds perfect. I can’t imagine a better place to hang out for a year while I figure out what to do about Rashid’s need to marry me off and get him to reconsider. Maybe if I show him that I’m serious about finding another path for myself, he’ll let me choose my own husband in my own time.”
    Zarah had considered her options carefully, but was still nervous about following this plan of action. Could she really follow through with what she desperately wanted to do? The risks were terrifying, but the possibility of marrying one of the men she’d met so far was equally bad. She still had three more candidates to meet, but she didn’t want to waste any more of her time if the previous seven were any indication of her brother’s selection criteria. She was dumbfounded that her brother would think any of the candidates so far were even remotely attractive.
    Taking a deep breath, she continued on with her planning. “What would I do for a job?”
    Suzanne shrugged her shoulders. “You could work in one of the little shops. I know my mother’s friend Mary is looking to hire someone at her dress shop. Her last assistant just flew the coup but Mary really is a wonderful person. She’s not the most organized though so beware.” Suzanne looked at her cautiously. “Some might even label Mary as chaotic so be warned. She’s also the only place to get a nice dress or outfit in all of Willingham so she pretty much has the market cornered. Women have to drive at least a half hour to get to the next mall.”
    If she’d thought about it, Zarah would have laughed at the idea of spending six years in school