The Heir

He sighs. “Yeah, it’s one of the worst things about living in the palace. Staff every-fucking-where you look.”

I shrug. “The staff thing doesn’t bother me, but the way people treat you is different than I expected.”

“In what way?”

“Captain Anderson, for instance. His attitude towards you back in Rome was that of a pilot addressing his employer, but once we landed here, I noticed he was much more subservient to you.”

He shrugs. “It didn’t really occur to me, but I suppose it’s because they refuse to accept that I have given up the title of Crown Prince.”

I let my finger slide down his throat. “You gave up being a Prince to become a playboy in Rome?”

“Not exactly. I guess I was rebelling. I wanted to get away from all of it.”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Can we talk about this later? It’s almost time for dinner and dinner is always formal so we’ll have to get dressed.”

“I brought something formal.”

“Good. There are a couple of other things I need to tell you.”

“Like what?”

“Dinner time protocol.”

“You mean I won’t be able to eat my peas with my knife?”

He grins. “I would have loved to have seen that, but since peas are never served except as a cream soup …”

I nod. “And even I know better than to eat my soup with a knife.”

“You will be meeting my parents over aperitifs. I will introduce you to my stepmother first. Give her a small curtsy, she likes that, but don’t make it theatrical. Cassandra calls her Linny, but do not use that nickname, unless she asks you to. Address her as Her Majesty.”

“What’s your stepmother like?”

He doesn’t have to think. “Cold. She’s a very cold woman.”

“Oh.” I look at him surprised. “You don’t like her?”

“I don’t know her. Less than a year after my father married her, I was sent off to live with my uncle.”

“Why were you sent to live with your uncle?”

“Because my father didn’t want the trouble. When he married Linnea she was already pregnant with Linnus and I guess he just wanted a new start. He didn’t want reminders of his old life and I was a big reminder. I have her eyes and hair color.”

“How old were you then?”

“Seven.” There is no sadness, no expression at all in his face, but in my mind’s eyes I can see him as a small child. How confusing it must have been for him to lose his mother and then be abandoned by his father. All the wealth and splendor must have seemed like a mockery.

“I see,” I say thoughtfully. Looks like there may be undercurrents of resentment running deep in this family.

“When you are first introduced to my father,” Dante continues, “just bow from the neck. I’m not sure if he will or not, but he may shake your hand. At any rate let them make the first move.”

“I can do that.”

“You’ll also meet my brother, Linnus, who is about your age. No need for formalities there. He’s not a stickler for tradition and will probably shake hands. You’ve already met Cassandra.”

I nod. “I liked her.”

“After this a servant will escort you to your chair and seat you. Thank him with a nod, nothing more.”

“Sounds simple, so far.”

“Usually, there is little conversation during the meal. However, my parents may ask you a few questions. Answer them directly and simply. Once the final plate has been cleared we will head to the drawing room where coffee will be served. There could be some lively discussions, often led, as you probably guess, by Cassandra.”

“All right.”

“Anything you want to ask?”

“Nope, I will most probably keep my head down and say little.”

“If you forget to do some of the things I told you it’s no big deal, okay?”

“Okay.”

There is a knock on the door and Dante sighs. “God, I remember now how much I hate palace life. There is simply no privacy at all.”

“Yes?” I say.

“It’s Elsa. I came to help you dress for dinner … if that’s satisfactory.”

“Someone is going to help me to dress?” I whisper.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you undress,” he says with a wicked smile.

I scramble out of his lap. “Er … of course, Elsa. Come on in.”

She opens the door and enters holding aloft my freshly pressed clothes. She curtsys and bows her head respectfully when she spots Dante. “I’ll just hang these clothes up.” Head bent she makes for the closet.

Dante unfurls himself from the sofa. “I’ll come by a few minutes before 8 p.m. to escort you to the dining room.”

“Okay, see you then.”

He gives me a kiss on the cheek and walks to the door. “Everything will be fine. You’ll see.”

“May I ask you something, Elsa?” I say when she comes back into the room.

“Of course, Miss Winchester.”

“How on earth do you plan to help a twenty-six-year old adult dress?”

Elsa giggles then covers her mouth in mortification at her own lack of decorum. “I’m sorry.”

“Elsa. I’m not a Princess. Please can you relax and just be normal around me.”

“My job is to fetch things and help you with your hair,” she says primly.

I sigh. I’m not going to get through to her.

“Which dress would you like to wear tonight?” she asks.

“The blue one.”

“It is the nicest one,” she says softly.

I smile at her. “Thank you. I spent a long time choosing it, and I love it.”

Certainly, I have never bought something so expensive. It is even more expensive than the ball gown since I didn’t know how much use I would get out of that, but I knew I’d use this one many times. I so blew two months of salary on it. The floor-length, sleeveless, structured Alexander McQueen has a slit in the back, which means the velvet dress could follow the shape of my body from neck to toe.

Elsa carefully removes the dress from the wooden hanger and helps me pull it over my head. She straightens it here and there before sliding up the hidden zipper in the back.

“You look very beautiful in it,” she says sincerely.

I turn and look at my side profile in the mirror and decide I am happy with what I see. Elsa helps me put my hair up. Then I paint my face and don a pair of dark blue velvet heels. Once Elsa leaves, I realize I still have half-an-hour to kill before Dante comes to take me down to dinner. Instead of sitting around stewing I call Star.

“Guess what?” she cries excitedly.

“What?”

“We’ll be flying into Switzerland tomorrow. Nikolai has a business meeting. I’ll just be across the border from you. Shall we meet up on Sunday?”

“Yes, absolutely. I’d love to see you again.”

“Great. I’ll talk to Nikolai and find out what his schedule is like. Even if he can’t join us we can still meet up. I am dying to hear everything that is happening with you. Besides, I want to see how much your belly has grown.”

I laugh. “You’ll be very disappointed. It has not grown at all.”

“No?”

“Sorry. Although, wearing the dress I am in tonight I am glad it hasn’t.”

“Oh, are you in your Alexander McQueen?”

“Just about. It is a bit tight around the belly, but if I don’t eat too much and suck it in all night it’ll be all right.”

She laughs. “Oh, Rosa. I just can’t wait to see your baby.”

“You’ll laugh, but I’ve started to really want it too. I mean like really want it. The other day I even thought of taking a year off and just enjoying being a mother.”

“Well, quite frankly. You can be an editor anytime, but that first year in a baby’s life is so precious. If you miss something it will be gone forever.”

“Let’s se

e what happens. I won’t decide anything right now.”

“Hang on, someone is calling me.”

“Listen just go, because I have to call Cindy, or she has sworn never to speak to me again.”

I ring off and FaceTime Cindy. It’s her day off so she kicks off her shoes, and orders me to tell her everything, which I gladly do. The time flies while I regale her with all my news. Before I know it, Dante is knocking lightly on the door. “Got to go. I’ll call you when I get back to Rome. Mwaaaah.”

“Bye baby. Have a wonderful time,” she sings before I ring off.

Chapter 28

Rosa

So it’s time to meet the parents. The butterflies take residence once more in my tummy. “Come in,” I call.

Dante opens the door, then stops in his tracks. My mouth dries at the sight of him. If Dante is not the most beautiful man on earth, I don’t know who is. In a dark suit he is enigmatic and mysterious.

“Jesus, Rosa. You expect me to sit through dinner while you look like that?”

“What are you talking about? I am totally covered.”

“Oh fuck! You have no idea. That dress just screams fuck me.”

“Stop being such a pervert. This dress does not scream fuck me.”

“Everything you wear screams fuck me.”

I lick my lips. “Well, if you come around after dinner I could do something about your affliction.”

“You could?”

“I’m sure I could prescribe something that could take away the pain.”

His smile is very wicked. “Thank you, Doctor Winchester.”

“You’re welcome, Your Royal Highness.”

He holds his arm out. “Ready?”

I slip my arm through his.

Rather than turning left as we come out the door and retracing the steps we’d taken to reach my room, Dante leads me to the right, down a hallway with carpeting so thick I feel like I’m sinking into it. It’s a dark blue while the walls are more the color of a morning sky. Various official-looking portraits hang on the walls, all beautifully painted and displayed in elaborately carved and gilded frames.

Dante turns to look at me. “Nervous?”

“A little, well, a lot.”