“Possibly,” he murmured, wishing he hadn’t used that word, either.
“Please go on and explain the details. I like the sound of it if it means we can do whatever we want and open the door of our cage to unknown possibilities.”
He took a long time to finish drinking his coffee. “Not all the time. When there are public duties, we’ll have to do them together.”
“Naturally, but you’re the one my father is going to lean on, not me,” she emphasized. “He doesn’t believe a woman should rule. I’m afraid you’ve gotten the brunt.”
Stefano rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. “There’ll be times when I’ll have to be gone for long periods.”
“You mean that you’ll leave to do your engineering work and come back each time to rule when you’ve finished your business. In that case, when you’re away I’ll be able to indulge myself without anyone telling me I can’t. This could work.”
He frowned. “You do understand what I’m saying. For the time being we’ll be living in separate bedrooms.”
“Of course. I took that for granted the moment I read your missive a year ago about not having a wedding night. In fact, I assumed as much before I told my parents I would accept your proposal. How long do you see our separate bedrooms lasting?”
If she only knew he didn’t want separate bedrooms. He already desired her. “Shall we say until we’ve become comfortable with each other?”
“That sounds reasonable. I’ll admit that marrying you has already given me the freedom I didn’t think I’d ever have.”
“What are you insinuating?”
“Alberto and I were trapped and understood our duty.” Stefano was stunned. Had she honestly felt that way when she’d been engaged to his brother? “But marriage to you under the rules you’ve set out means we’ll both be able to do whatever we desire to a greater degree, right?”
He didn’t like what she was saying. Not at all. “At some juncture we’ll have to talk about having children.”
She sat back. “That’s true. As you said, we need time to become comfortable with each other.”
“Alberto’s death changed many things for me. I find I’m looking forward to having children with you.”
“Even though you gave up the royal life at eighteen?”
Stefano cocked his head. “But I took it back again to marry you. Sometimes people and circumstances change.”
She eyed him over her coffee cup. “If we do this thing right, it will let us off the hook in more ways than one, if you know what I mean.”
“I’m not sure I do,” he said.
“While you’re off doing gold-mining business around the world, I can be busy carrying out my charity works, which are considerable.”
“Alone?”
She stared at him. “What are you implying?”
“You know what I’m asking. Has there been another important man in your life? It would be understandable, of course. I just want to be clear about where we stand.”
“Only Alberto.” Hearing that admission didn’t help Stefano’s understanding. “I’m afraid I’m one of a dying breed. Your parents and mine made sure I’m pure as the proverbial snow burying us alive as we speak.
“Alberto was my betrothed for a year. And, according to him, you were never bound to one woman. In case you only suspected it, Stefano, he adored you. The only time he truly showed passion was when he talked about you.”
Her mention of Alberto had again reached a private region of his soul. Before he could say another word, she got up from the table. After taking her dishes to the counter in the kitchen, she returned to the dining room.
“I need to be excused for a few minutes, but I’ll be back. Maybe now would be a good time for you to open your wedding present. When you see what’s inside, you’ll understand why it really should belong to you. During the twelve months we were engaged, it’s the only thing Alberto ever sent to me.”
Surprised that Alberto had anything to do with Lanza’s wedding present to him, Stefano was more bewildered than ever. Worse, he hated that his eyes lingered on her womanly figure as she disappeared to the other part of the chalet.
He’d never spent a more uncomfortable hour with a woman in his life, and she was his wife! The fact that she had an allure that appealed to him only compounded his frustration.
Unable to concentrate on anything, he got up from the table and cleared the rest of the dishes. After he’d cleaned up the kitchen, he walked back to the dining