The Prince marriage to the Gold Digger

chapter 16 feeling Jealous

When the doorbell rang, Ursula went very still William put his hand on her waist and squeezed gently, then that hand urged her inexorably toward

the door. Involuntarily she resisted the pressure and he looked down at her, his hard mouth curving into a

dry smile.

"Don't be such a little coward," he mocked. "I won't let the beasts eat you, so why not relax and enjoy it?"

Speechless, she shook her head. In the few days that she had known Prince William Hilton had taken her life and turned it upside down, totally altered it. This morning he had given his secretary a list of people to call and invite to his penthouse that night, and naturally everyone had accepted. Who

turned down Prince William ? At four o'clock that afternoon William had called Ursula and told her to dress for the evening, he would pick her up in two

hours. She had assumed that they would be dining out again, and though she hadn't looked forward to it, she had realized the futility of resisting William. It

wasn't until he had her at his penthouse that he had told her of his plans.

She was angry and resentful that he had done all of this without consulting her, and she had scarcely spoken to him since her arrival, which seemed to

bother him not at all. But underneath her anger she was anxious and miserable. Though well aware that, with William backing her, no one would dare be

openly cold or hostile, she was sensitive enough that it didn't really matter if their dislike was hidden or out in the open. She knew it was there, and she

suffered.

It didn't help that William's secretary,

Andros, was there, his contempt carefully hidden from William but sneeringly revealed to her whenever Williams wasn't looking. It had developed that Andros was a second cousin to William, so perhaps

he felt he was secure in his position.

"You're too pale," observed William critically, pausing with his hand on the handle to open the door. He bent and kissed her, hard, deliberately

letting her feel his tongue, then straightened away from her and opened the door before she could react

in any way other than the delicate flush that rose to her cheeks.

She wanted to kick him, and she promised herself that she would have his hide for his arrogant action,

but for now she steeled herself to greet the small Clusters of people who were arriving. Stealing a glance at William she saw that his hard masculine lips wore a light coat of her lipstick and she blushed

a new, especially when several of the sharp-eyed Women noted it also, then darted their glances to her Own lipstick as if matching the shades. Then he

Stretched out one strong hand and pulled her closer his side, introducing her as his "dear friend and business partner, Ursula Stanton." The dear friend

description brought Know expressions to many faces, and Ursula thought

to furiously that he might as well have said "chere amie," for that was how everyone was taking it. Of course, that was William's intention, but she did not plan to fall meekly in with his desires. When the second half of his introduction

sank in, everyone Immediately became very where for a moment she had sensed a direct snub.

Chère amie was one thing, but business partner was another. He had made it obvious, with only a few well-chosen words, that he Would take any insult to

Ursula as an insult to himself.

To her surprise and discomfiture, William introduced one tall, smartly dressed blonde as a columnists, and by the pressure of his fingers she knew that

this was the gossip columnist who had written that vicious little bit about her for the Sunday paper. She greeted Amanda Waring with a calm manner that

revealed nothing, though it took all of her self-control to manage it. Miss Waring glared at her for a fraction of a second before assuming a false smile

and mouthing all of the conventional things.

Her attention was jerked back to William by the spectacle of a stunning redhead sliding a silken arm about his muscular neck and stretching up against

him to kiss him slowly on the mouth. It wasn't a long kiss, nor a deep one, but nevertheles it fairly shouted of intimacy. Ursula went rigid as an unexpected and unwelcome flame of jealousy seared her.

How dare that woman touch him! She quivered and darely restrained herself from jerking the woman away from him, but if William himself hadn't released the woman's arm from his neck and stepped back from her, she might still have created a scene.

The glance William gave her was as apologetic as one could expect from him, but the effect was ruined by the gleam of amusement in the midnight depths ofhis eyes.

Deliberately William drew his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the redhead's coral-beige lip-

stick from his mouth, something he hadn't done when he had kissed Ursula, Then he took Ursula's hand and said, "Darling, l'd like you to meet an old

friend, Diana Murray. Diana, Ursula Stanton.

Lovely dark blue eyes turned on Ursula , but the expression in them was savage. Then the soft lips parted in a smile. "Ah, yes, I do believe I've heard

of you," Diana purred.

Beside her, Ursula felt William turn as still as a waiting panther. She tightened her fingers on his hand and responded evenly, "Have you? How interesting, and turned to be introduced to Diana's

escort, who had been watching with a guarded expression on his face, as if he didn't want to become

involved

Despite William 's bombshell, or perhaps because of it, the room was fairly humming with conversation. Andros was moving from group to group,

quietly taking over some of the duties of the host, thereby freeing William for the most part.

For a while William steered Ursula about from one small knot of people to another, talking easily, bringing her into the conversations and making it obvious by his possessive hand on her arm or the small of her back that she was his, and had his support. Then, callously, she felt, he left her on her own and went off

to talk business.

For a moment she was panic-stricken and she looked about, hunting for a corner seat. Then she met Andros's cold, smiling look and knew that he expected her to make a fool of herself. She took a

firm grip on her wavering nerves and forced herself to approach a Small group of women who laughing and discussing a current comedy play. It wasn't until she had joined the group that she saw it

Contained Amanda Waring. Immediately a little silence fell over the women as they looked at her assessing her position and wondering just how far

good manners went.

She lifted her chin and said in a calm voice.

"Isn't the lead role played by that actress Penelope Something-or-other who was such a smastt in America last year?

"Penelope Durwin," supplied a plumpish, middle aged woman after a moment. "Yes, she was nominated for their best-actress award, but she seems to

like live theater better than films."

"Aren't you an American?" asked Amanda Waring in a velvet little voice, watching Jessica with her icy eyes.

"I was born in America, yes," said Ursula . Was this to become an interview?

"Do you have any plans to return to America to live?

Ursula stifled a sigh. "Not at this time; I like England and Il'm content here."

Conversation ceased for a stiff moment, then Amanda broke the silence again, "Have you known Prince Williams long?" Whatever Amanda's personal feelings, she was first and foremost a colum

nist, and Ursula was good copy. More was fantastic copy! Aside from her own notorious reputation, she was apparently the current mistress of world's most powerful men, an elusive and sexy Greek billionaire Prince. Every word that Ursula said was newsworthy.

"No, not for long," Ursula said neutrally, and then a different voice broke into the circle.

"with a man like Prince William, it doesn't take long does it, mrs Stanton?" purred a soft, openly hostile voice. Ursula quiveverd when she heard it and turned to look at Diana, meeting the woman's impossibly lovely blue eyes.