‘You’ll be the second of Ruby’s foster sons to get leg-shackled,’ Blake said as he walked with his foster brother to the firm’s car-park. He and Blake had gone through a lot together. They’d come from similar dysfunctional backgrounds, ending up under Ruby’s care. They’d both been ambitious, and they’d made it through law school together. Nick had started work with this firm first, and Blake had followed the year after. They were about as close as brothers could be, which gave Blake the right to say what he liked. Which he intended to do right now.

‘You’re not looking happy,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘Bridal jitters getting to you?’

‘You know this isn’t a real wedding,’ Nick growled, unnerved, but Blake smiled and shrugged.

‘You make the vows. It’s all the wedding the likes of us can do. What have you told Ruby?’

‘That I’ve agreed to be married for a month in order for Rose to ascend the throne. That it’s business only. That she needn’t worry about anything, and I’ll come over and pay her a visit when it’s all over.

‘And she said?’ Blake said cautiously.

‘She…um…sounded a little irate. I thought she might have phoned you.’

‘When did you tell her?’

‘This morning.’

‘You have to be kidding.’ He and Blake were pushing their way through a crowd of photographers on the pavement. The press had arrived seemingly out of nowhere. Someone must have told them what was happening, and they were now documenting every step. ‘She’ll probably have tried to phone me twenty times already.’

‘Just assure her it’s business,’ Nick said. ‘She shouldn’t worry about it. It’s nothing.’

‘Nothing.’ Blake stopped dead, his face a picture of incredulity. ‘You want me to explain to Ruby you’re marrying a princess but it’s nothing? I’d be lucky to get off with burst eardrums.’