He ushered her through massive, ornate floor-to-ceiling doors into his large, sumptuous office, where the king had worked until he’d become incapacitated. A framed picture of Enrico’s father hung on the wall.
A stand placed in one corner held the flag of Vallefiore and the individual flags of each province. There was also a grouping of leather couches and chairs around an octagonal coffee table with a fabulous Moorish pot overflowing with flowers.
Enrico pulled out his swivel armchair for her to be seated at his desk. He perched his hard-muscled body on a corner of the massive oak desk and buzzed one of the secretaries in the outer office. He asked that another matching chair, desk and lamp be brought in by the end of the day.
With that accomplished, he flashed his devastating smile that sent her heartbeat skyrocketing. “Your Highness? Behold your kingdom. All that I have is yours.”
Overcome by his generous heart, she felt her eyes prickle with salty tears. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Aren’t you?”
He often answered a question with another one. This question gave her pause. As she was growing up, she’d always wanted to be queen by right of succession. At least that was what she’d told herself. But in time she could see that it had been nothing more than a child’s pipe dream.
For Enrico to walk in here today and install her as a fait accompli in front of his subjects who answered to a king and no one else was an entirely different proposition.
For one thing, Enrico hadn’t been crowned king officially yet. If his mother continued to feel so negatively over his choice of wife, maybe it wouldn’t happen for several more years.
Donetta wasn’t Enrico’s queen in the legal sense that he could set her on the throne beside him. No matter what he’d promised her, for the time being she was Princess Donetta, wife of the crown prince. But she’d promised to help him and she would do everything in her power because she adored him.
“I’m ready to learn.”
“I’m glad, because there’s no time to waste. The first thing to do is get on the computer and we’ll go over my daily routine. Later on, we’ll take a look at my weekly and monthly agenda.”
Finally she could see the world he’d been immersed in since college. He carried a huge load.
“In a minute I’ll show you the list of our legislators, the cabinet and staff overseeing the military, housing and education, with names, phone numbers and job descriptions. However, the names of your bodyguards and mine won’t be on any computer.”
Of course not. Her father had security, but she couldn’t remember him ever having to deal with a personal death threat.
“Another file will show you the entire floor plan and layout of the palace, plus the palace staff. We also run many businesses and some hospitals and organizations in the city and throughout the country. I’ll show you how to access that list as well.”
Donetta knew she’d be looking at it a lot until she had everything memorized.
“Giovanni is the head of security and that includes the country’s police and fire departments. He also runs our Sanfratellano Horse Federation and will familiarize you with everything when you’re ready. My sisters oversee many charities and will be available to you. Soon I’ll discuss our treaties and immigration policies with you.”
By midafternoon Donetta’s head was too full of new information to learn any more and Enrico knew it. “We’ve done enough for today, bellissima. Let’s eat lunch in our apartment, and then I have a surprise for you.”
“You do too much for me.”
“I’ll never be able to do enough.”
As they started to leave, Giovanni knocked before coming in. “Excuse me, Donetta. Can I talk to your husband for a minute?”
“You can,” Donetta said with a smile. “I’ll see you at the apartment,
Enrico. Shall I call down to the kitchen?”
He nodded. “All you have to do is pick up the phone and give the order.”
She walked down the hallway lined with glassed-in offices. Many curious eyes followed her progress. Not all looked that friendly and she understood why, but maybe she was letting her paranoia take over again. Donetta couldn’t afford for that to happen.
* * *
Giovanni closed the door so no one could see or hear them. “When you introduced Donetta to everyone this morning, the part about her having the same power as you didn’t go over well with anyone, especially you know who.”
Enrico nodded. “Leopold. The man can’t be trusted, but father appointed him to the cabinet and he’s a good friend of Mamma’s.”
“Not to mention a titled member of the aristocracy. I saw him get on the phone immediately.”