The Heir

I turn toward Dante. “It’s simply breathtaking.”

“Yes, Avanti is a very beautiful country. We’ll see some of it tomorrow.”

“I’d love that.”

I search his face in the dim light. Ever since dinner he has been preoccupied. “Dante, can’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

“No, Rosa. I won’t drag you into this mess. We will have our life which will be separate from my family. We will only visit if we have to. Perhaps the next time we come it will be for my father’s funeral.”

I freeze. “Is your father really ill?”

He gazes far into the horizon. “I don’t know, but he didn’t look well, did he?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. My father and I are almost strangers. My best memories of him are while my mother was alive. He was a different man then. After he married Linnea he changed drastically.” He scowls. “Let’s not talk about them. Let me take you back to your room. You must be tired.”

“I’m all right. I slept during the flight,” I say, but he is already turning away and leading the way down. We walk next to each other in silence, passing corridors and grand rooms.

“Well, here we are,” he says finally. “Your room.”

I stare up at him, trying to gauge his mood. “Thank you. It was a very nice evening.”

“I can make it even nicer,” he says with a crooked smile.

“Oh?”

“You have no idea what kind of thoughts have been running through my head while following that slit in your dress up the tower stairs.”

I feel heat spread through my body. “But you can’t. It’s verboteni.”

His eyes widen. “You learned the word for taboo in Avantian?”

I bite my bottom lip. “And a few others too. Do you want to hear them?”

He opens my door, sweeps me into his arms, and carries me to my Princess bed. It is while he is making love to me that I realize: I’m head over heels in love with my Prince.

Chapter 29

Rosa

I get up alone in my Princess bed. I stretch and look at the phone clock. Dante said be ready by eight, but it is only 6.30 a.m. I left the shutters open last night and I can see that it is already light outside. The queasy feeling starts, but I see that Dante has left my biscuits on the ornate top of the bedside cabinet. Opening the packet, I sit up and nibble at the biscuits slowly until the feeling passes.

Right. Time to try out the Jacuzzi.

I lie back in sweet smelling suds and close my eyes. My mind starts replaying everything that happened last night. Part of me still can’t believe that Dante and I are getting married. What had happened at the dinner table was weird. Maybe Dante is right. I shouldn’t get involved. Last night was the best sex we’ve ever had. Perhaps because I realized I’m in love with him. Whatever the reason, it was amazing.

Eventually, when my fingers go all pruney, I get out and dry myself off with a big fluffy towel. I tie the quilted dressing gown I find hanging from a hook inside the bathroom door and walk into my closet. A girl could get used to this.

I glance at the few pieces of clothing hanging in the closet. I can’t go far wrong if I team my lightweight trouser suit with my cream blouse with ruffles down the front. Cindy, who must have been working the night shift at the Casino, sends me a little video of a cute husky saying I love you. I send back the pictures I took of Avanti. I’m dressed and ready when I hear his knock at the door.

“Who is it?” I pretend to ask.

“Who do you think?” Dante replies.

I run across the room and throw open the door. The sight of Dante makes my heart sing with joy. Dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a knit shirt, and with his hair still wet from a shower, he makes me feel all gooey inside. He runs his gaze down my body quickly then juts his face forwards and taps his cheek with his fingers. With a shy smile, I stand on my tiptoes and kiss the cheek he tapped.

He catches me as I lean back. “Where do you think you’re going young lady? Lips. Always end with the lips.”

The kiss makes my toes curl. By the time he raises his head I feel breathless and giddy with excitement.

“Good morning,” he says huskily.

“Good morning to you too,” I whisper shakily.

His sensuous lips curl upwards. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did, thanks.” I still can’t stop staring at his gorgeous face.

“You look very fresh,” I murmur.

He grins. “I was out horseback riding. It always puts me in a fine mood.”

“I would have loved to have watched you ride.”

He touches my nose. “I wanted you to sleep. Maybe after the baby is born?”

I nod shyly. “Okay.”

“Want to have breakfast with me?”

I shake my head. “I had my magic biscuits.”

He laughs. “We’re on our own for breakfast so you can just drink a cup of coffee while I eat.”

“Perfect.”

We take the same route downstairs, except now we turn left at the bottom and enter a much smaller room than the one we were in last night. Sunlight bursts through the many windows and strikes the juice glasses on the table. It’s going to be a beautiful day.

A servant holds a chair out for me, and another moves to seat Dante.

“Good morning,” Dante says.

The servant bows. “Good morning, Your Highness.” He glances my way and again bows. “Good morning, Miss Winchester.”

Dante orders eggs, bacon, and toast. How he can possibly be hungry after last night’s massive meal is beyond me.

“I’d like to take you to one of my favorite places in Avanti. The caves,” he says.

“Caves?”

“The kind where we can leave everyone else outside and go in and spend some time alone.”

“And what would we do when we’re there?” I tease.

He laughs wickedly. “I’ll show you when we get there, wench.”

I beam at him. My heart feels as if it will burst with love. “Tell me about these wonderful caves.”

“Actually, you’ll find them extremely interesting. They have prehistoric paintings guaranteed to take your breath away. Afterwards, I thought we might stop and have a quick bite before I bring you back here so you can catch a nap. If you plan it well you can sneak another nap in between your shopping trip and the ball. That way you won’t get too tired.”

I stare at him. Maybe he really does care for me, after all. “I think you are full of great ideas today.”

A servant approaches with a metal covered platter and he rubs his hands together. “Mmmm … bacon.”

I’m reminded of a trip our family took to Switzerland once. I was only little and my father was still alive then. He always had a great sense of adventure. I think I inherited that trait from him. He rented a car and drove my mother and me

out of town. Aimlessly we travelled, enjoying the view and seeing the sights. Every time we came to a crossroads he would simply ask my mother or me which way we preferred. That trip is one of my happiest childhood memories. Less than two years later he was gone forever, and my mother and I never went abroad together again.

This ride seems almost the same, the lie of the land, the faces of the people, the animals in their greener than green pastures, the neat little houses. Avanti has to be one of the most beautiful countries on earth.

“It’s so peaceful here,” I say to Dante. “Almost like we’re in a different world. One where there are no cares and no problems.”

He turns toward me. “That’s a surprising thing to say from a girl that relishes the rat race.”

“I don’t relish it.”

“Admit it. You thought of taking the baby to work.”

“I did not,” I deny. “In fact, I’ve been thinking I might take a year off. Spend it with the baby.”

He stares at me in astonishment.

“Can you keep your eyes on the road, please?” I holler in a panic.

He turns back to the road and does not say anything else. I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m actually not ready to discuss the way I feel about him or the baby yet.

We go down one country road after another, most of them narrow trails under canopies of green leaves. Eventually, we come to an area with a chain-link fence beyond which stands a stone building the size of a small cottage.

“Here we are,” Dante says as he pulls up to a gate and presses a button. Soon, a young man wearing a guard’s uniform comes hurrying toward us. As soon as he spots Dante his face lights up.

“Your Highness,” he says. “Welcome, welcome. What a wonderful surprise. You’re here to explore the caves.”

“Well, ‘explore’ might no longer be the right word since I’ve been here so many times.” He smiles at the young man.

“Ah, then, let’s say you’re here to visit the caves again.”

“Yes, and to show them to my fiancée.”

The man gawks at me in astonishment before opening the gate. We drive through and park off to the side.

“Just a short walk,” Dante says as we start down a brick-lined path.