“I knew it when I saw the two of you at the concorso. Neither of you were aware anyone else existed.”
“You’re right about that.” She was the love of his life.
“Are you really getting married?” she cried for joy.
“Yes.”
“I knew you’d never marry Valentina.”
“I couldn’t.”
“It’s going to hurt Mamma, but this isn’t the Middle Ages and you deserve to marry the woman you love.”
His eyes closed tightly for a moment. “Amen. Right now I need your help.”
“You’ve got it.”
“Donetta needs a wedding dress. We’ll be getting married in the palace chapel tomorrow. Find her the right outfit in keeping with a ceremony taking place in secret. If you hurry, you can get to the shops before they close. She’s staying at the Lake Front
Hotel in the palm suite on the second floor. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“This is going to be so much fun, fratello caro. The princess is gorgeous.”
His sister didn’t know the half of it. “I can always count on you, Lia. But remember, not a word to Mamma.”
“And start a war when we know a marriage between Donetta’s country and ours is forbidden?” she cried. “Eventually Mamma will find out and have to live with it, but it will be after the fact and I couldn’t be happier.”
“Love you, Lia. Grazie.”
“Ciao.”
He hung up and turned to Donetta, who looked so divine he couldn’t believe she was going to be his wife. “Lia will be here in a couple of hours.”
“That’s so kind of her. She must be shocked.”
“She’s thrilled I’m getting married to the woman I want to rule with me. You should have heard the joy in her voice.”
“Fausta is excited for me, too.”
Enrico wanted to envelop her in his arms, but he would show her how he really felt after they got married and went away. There was a knock on the door. “That’ll be room service.”
“I’ll get it,” Donetta volunteered. “I’m sure the staff knows you and your security are here, but you should still keep out of sight.”
“You’re right.” He disappeared in the bedroom and shut the door.
Another minute and she said, “You can come out now, Enrico.”
A tray of food had been set on the small round table in the sitting room. He sat on the chair opposite her. “I can’t believe we’re together at last, for good. Our past is behind us.”
Suddenly he was starving and ate two of the hotel’s signature club sandwiches before swallowing his coffee. “After the ceremony, we’ll come back here while you change. Once we talk to your parents, we’ll have brunch with my parents.”
“It’s going to be hard facing them.”
“Maybe not as bad as you think. Except for the feud, they have no reason to dislike either of us once we all get acquainted.”
Donetta laughed gently. “I agree, but our secret marriage will come as a blow.”
“While they try to recover, we’ll be on our honeymoon.”