Chapter 4: The Help

Clyde looked up at Andrés for a second.

Then he touched his hat brim.

"Clyde Bennett. This is my place."

"Of course it is." Andrés smiled at the cameras, not at him. "Charming."

He held out his hand to me.

I was still on the mare. To get down, I had to take it.

I swung down on my own instead, on the far side, with Clyde at the mare's head.

Andrés's smile didn't move. His eyes did.

"Majesty," Elena said brightly, for the microphones. "Señor Montenegro was so worried when you weren't at the airport. He drove straight here."

"How did you know where I was?"

"Your captain's car has a tracker," she said. "All the Crown's cars do."

My captain stood very still beside the SUV.

He hadn't known either.

The reporters pressed in at the cattle guard. Somebody had a boom microphone on a pole.

Loretta came out on the porch with her arms folded.

The dog finally woke up and barked at everybody.

Andrés took his navy jacket off.

He held it out to Clyde without looking at him.

"Hold this. It's dusty out here."

Clyde looked at the jacket.

He looked at me.

Then he took it, folded it once over his arm, and stood there holding it.

He did it the way he'd stood in front of that horse. Calm.

I knew it cost him something. His ears were red again.

Andrés reached into his pocket and took out a ring box.

He didn't kneel. He just opened it.

The diamond was the size of a fingernail, on a platinum band.

"Isabella," he said, warm and clear for the boom mic. "I've loved this country all my life. I'd be honored to serve it beside you."