“Do you really have to ask me that?” she cried.
“Just tell me.”
“Because I loved you from the moment we met years ago. When you told me you were planning to get married, too, and then admitted that I was the woman, I almost died from happiness.”
“So it didn’t have anything to do with my telling you that I would make you queen in your own right after we were married?”
What? “Of course it didn’t! I wanted to be your wife, period! That’s the only reason I flew here the next day! Why would you say such a thing?”
“Because a friend of Giovanni’s, who happens to be friend of your sister Fausta’s, told him that you never intended to marry. He said it was because you wanted to be queen of Domodossola one day and didn’t want a husband.”
Donetta let out a cry. “It wouldn’t have been Mia Giancarlo, would it?”
“She’s the one. After I saw you in Madrid, I told my cousin I was in love with you and wanted to marry you. He told me I was out of luck. He said that the only reason you were still single was because you wanted to be queen in your own right. You didn’t want a husband. When I heard that, I loved you so much I didn’t let that stop me and I vowed to find a way to get you to marry me.”
Right now Donetta’s heart was pounding so hard it actually hurt. “That’s why you told me you would make me queen?”
“The only reason! But when I invited you to Vallefiore and you said you were going to marry Arnaud, I was devastated. Still, I refused to give up. When you were getting on the jet to fly home, I gave it one last stab, hoping you would be persuaded to marry me and not leave.”
“I almost didn’t!” she cried.
“After you flew off, I never dreamed you’d change your mind. I’m surprised I didn’t go into cardiac arrest when Giovanni phoned and told me you’d returned to Vallefiore.”
“Oh, Enrico—” Now she understood why he’d talked about what a great leader she would make. Fausta had been right. Enrico had been saying everything he could to show her he loved her!
“Tell me the truth, amata. Are you hurt because I can’t make you a queen after all?”
They’d reached the camp. Donetta jumped off her horse and tied it to a tree before wheeling around. She looked at Enrico, who’d started to dismount.
“I gave up the dream of being a queen a long time ago. It was a foolish, stupid, unrealistic idea I developed as a girl that could never have happened. When you told me I could reign equally with you, I had trouble believing it. But I was so thrilled you wanted to marry me that I was happy to do anything I could to help you, if that’s what you wanted.”
Enrico let out a groan and hurried over to her, wrapping her in his arms. “This whole misunderstanding is my fault for believing the gossip about you, Donetta.”
She shook her head. “If anyone is to blame, it’s I. Fausta grew up with me and knew my feelings when I was young. She didn’t mean to tell Mia. I’m the one who should never have said anything so foolish.
“But Mia has a brother who had a crush on me and knew I’d never give him the time of day. I know that’s why she told her brother about my vow so he’d stop hoping for a chance with me.”
“Donetta—” The revelations were flying fast and furious. “This news changes everything.” He kissed her every feature. “Do you hear me, my love?”
“Yes. Oh, yes! But, darling, your mother needs to know that I’ve never tried to manipulate you. The only thing I plan to do is love you and our babies, if we’re so lucky to have them. If she’ll let me, I’ll love her, too.”
“You’ll win her over, Donetta. I know you will.”
“When I tell my parents that you tried to make my childhood dream come true, they’ll love you all the more. But no one could love you the way I do. It’s not possible.”
Once again he picked her up in his arms and carried her inside the tent. For the next two hours they tried without success to assuage their desire, renewing their vows in the most elemental way.
He pulled her on top of him. “Promise me you’ll never leave me again.”
“I promise.”
“Much as I want to have another long honeymoon with you, we need to get back to the palace. Mamma needs to know we have a solid marriage and nothing will hurt us.”
“I love you so much, Enrico, and need to let her know how I feel.”
Two hours later they were back in their apartment at the palace where she could shower and change into her pink suit. She wanted to look her best for Queen Teodora.
Enrico had arranged for them and Giovanni to eat an early dinner in the small dining room. He felt that the element of surprise when the three of them showed up would work in their favor.