Reclaiming the Prince's Heart

by Rebecca Winters

  “I don’t know yet. We haven’t discussed his future, but he feels a terrible responsibility even if he doesn’t remember.”

  Pesco nodded. “Understood. I’ll prepare everything and have it faxed to His Highness.”

  Rini turned to her. “One last thing. Thank him and all the men here at the mine for carrying on. I’d like him to send me any issues that haven’t been resolved yet. The men of this mine have been the mainstay of the country and the monarchy. I’m here for them.”

  Struggling not to break down, she translated what Rini had said. After she’d finished, heads lowered and she heard sniffing. Pesco got to his feet and eyed her husband. “Tell him we’re behind him all the way and welcome him back. This visit has renewed our faith.”

  Luna relayed this last message to him before they walked out of the mine to the car. Rini remained quiet. When she couldn’t stand the silence any longer, she said, “You may not remember your past, but what you said and did today has won the hearts of those hardworking men.

  “They’ll never forget that the Crown Prince is a man just like they are. They know he’s fair-minded and kind, that he’s watching out for them and their families. You couldn’t have sent a more important message. I’m so proud of you, I could burst.”

  “Please don’t.” His teasing voice brought laughter and tears. “What was it Pesco said to you at the beginning?”

  “He thanked me for honoring the families of the miners who were killed.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I met each family with flowers, and had the palace send them financial compensation for their loss.”

  His dark eyes pierced hers. “I’m the proud one that you would do that.”

  “I learned from you.”

  He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “You did exactly the right thing for them. Do you know you’re the perfect wife?” In an unexpected move he leaned over to press an urgent kiss to her mouth. She never wanted him to stop.

  In a minute he pulled away and put on his sunglasses. They were off, but she reflected on what he’d said. Luna didn’t like being described as perfect, but knew it was meant as a compliment.

  Before long the cluster of villages Rini had once described to her came into view on the horizon. Rezana was the first town located over the border, the one she’d seen from the air before the helicopter landed. By some miracle Rini had made his way out of the mine and had walked this far, looking for help.

  What a shock it must have been to have fallen on the highway, let alone be taken to a hospital. He hadn’t been able to communicate. The thought of it knotted her stomach.

  They drove into the small town. She looked at the buildings until she saw police headquarters and the word policija. “There it is, Rini.”

  “I see it. Reminds me of polizia in Romansh.”

  “It’s the same in Italian.”

  “I’ve got a lot to learn, don’t I?”

  “You’ve made remarkable progress already.”

  He pulled up in front.

  “Does the front look familiar?”

  “No. Neither did the mine. I had prepared a speech to say to the miners, but when the men ran over to hug me, I forgot everything.”

  “That was a sight I’ll never forget.”

  Rini reached for her hand one more time and kissed it. “Thank you for being my savior.” Again, she understood what he was trying to say, but she’d rather be thought of simply as his wife. “Shall we go in and hope to find Zigo?”

  She got out before he could help her. Rini opened the cargo space to pull out his valise and the sack of croissants. Together they entered the police station. Luna rejoiced to see Zigo in the front office. He was alone. This was going to be fun!

  “Ciao, Zigo,” Rini called out to him, setting his valise on the floor.

  The man looked up and got to his feet. His gaze swerved to Luna. “It’s you!”

  She nodded. “My marito has come to thank you for saving him.”

  Rini took off his sunglasses and approached Zigo, whose eyes almost popped out to see the change in him. “Impossibile!”

  Her husband smiled and put the sack of croissants on the desk. “Per te.”

  “For you, Zigo,” she said. “You were his salvation. He has another present for you out in front. Come with us.”

  Zigo appeared to be in a daze as he followed them out the front doors. Already a group of teenagers stood nearby, rhapsodizing over the car. In the distance she could hear the sound of rotors. Carlo would be landing any minute.

  Luna smiled. “This is your car now.”

  Rini handed him the remote with the key. “Grazie mille.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You helped my marito. He wants to thank you.”

  Zigo shook his head. “You give me this car?”

  “Sì.” Rini nodded.

  “Aie-yai-yai!” Zigo’s reaction was priceless. He held up his hands with his palms facing Rini. It was his way of saying he couldn’t believe what was happening.

  Thank goodness the helicopter landed at the side of the station and Carlo emerged to join them. “I’m so glad you’re here, Carlo. Rini is giving this car to Zigo for his help, but he doesn’t think this is real. Will you explain to him in Slovene?”

  She walked over to her husband while they waited for Carlo to talk to Zigo. In a minute the light dawned, and the officer hurried over to Rini. Carlo translated as the words came pouring out of Zigo.

  “I never had anything given to me so wonderful. I don’t deserve it.”

  Rini nodded. “Tell him when he helped my wife, he gave me my life back. I want to repay him with something I hope he will love. It’s easy to drive and there’s a booklet in the car.”

  Luna translated so Carlo could convey the message. Zigo’s eyes filled with tears before he gave Rini a huge hug and broke down. She watched her husband hug him back.

  “Carlo,” Luna murmured. “Rini has the title and will sign it over to him with you as witness. We’ll do it inside.”

  After the officer had recovered, the four of them entered the office. Rini pulled the title out of the valise and signed it over to Zigo, who also signed and dated it. Then Carlo explained about the sack.

  Zigo kept staring at Rini with tears in his eyes. Her husband’s dramatic transformation had shocked him. Bit by bit her husband was acting more himself even though he remembered nothing.

  But what if he never did recover his memory? She’d tried not to think about it, but that eventuality had to be faced.

  Before they left, Luna had a last message for Zigo that Carlo translated. “You helped me when I thought all hope was gone. Bless you for your goodness.”

  Zigo smiled at her and told Carlo, who said, “Your eyes spoke to my soul when you talked about your husband. I wanted to help.”

  Luna reached out to hug Zigo. Rini followed with a strong handshake and picked up his valise. The three of them walked outside to the helicopter. Zigo accompanied them. While Rini helped her on board, Carlo chatted with Zigo for a few minutes, then came on board.

  Luna could tell by the gleam in those gray eyes that her husband was pleased. She knew the second part of today’s mission had now been accomplished.

  For the short flight back to San Vitano, Rini kept his fingers tangled with hers, never letting go. There was only one problem. She wanted to feel more than his hand holding hers. Luna experienced pain that she couldn’t appease her hunger for him.

  She craved the physical closeness they’d once shared. She wanted to tell him about the baby, but that raised another disturbing question. Would he want to start a family now? So much had to be going on inside him. It was another point she needed to discuss with Dr. Tullia.

  Today’s visit to the mine where Rini had been caught in the quake had to have filled him with ter
rifying memories, yet he hadn’t indicated he was disturbed. The visit with Zigo seemed to have made him happy.

  Luna stared out the window at the velvety green landscape below. If only she could get inside his brain to know what was really going on.

  * * *

  His wife was being particularly quiet. Once again, Luna had asked nothing for herself and did whatever he wanted with a smile. His needs had reduced her to a caregiver who waited on him around the clock, and his guilt hung heavy. This evening he wanted to do something to thank her but would wait to talk to her about it until they returned to San Vitano.

  The helicopter landed at the rear of the palace. After parting company with Carlo, a limo drove him and Luna to the palazzo. He noticed their bodyguards following them. It was something he would have to get used to.

  Their driver wove around to the rear. Rini helped her out, relishing the excuse to hold her arm. Anything to be close to her. When they reached the palazzo back entrance, he paused.

  “What do you think if we go in and get dressed up?” He’d seen a summer suit in his closet that would do. “I’d like to take you to dinner where we can eat and dance. I’m sure you know such a place, so I’ll leave the choice up to you. Would you like to do that, or are you too tired?”

  Her expression lit up. “You’ve been reading my mind.”

  “Bene,” he murmured with satisfaction. On impulse he lowered his head to kiss that enticing mouth. The second they connected, she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. Her action brought her body close to him and he deepened their kiss. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”

  “Amore mio...” she murmured, kissing him again with an ardor that set him on fire. At least this time he understood the words she spoke. That was progress.

  “Oh!” a cry resounded. Viola had opened the doors. “Scusa!”

  Luna broke away from him with a flushed face and said something to the housekeeper who nodded, then scurried off. In the next breath Luna turned to Rini. “I told her we’re going out for dinner.”

  Much as he’d rather stay here and make love to her until morning, he’d promised her an evening out. “Let’s go upstairs and get ready.”

  “While you shower, I’ll phone to reserve a special table at Gilberto’s.”

  He got the message and followed her up the stairs to their suite. “How special?”

  “The one you arranged for us the night before we were married.”

  “Why is it so unique?”

  “You’ll find out.” She flashed him an impish smile before heading into his study.

  Rini rushed to shower and shave, excited at the thought of holding her in his arms while they danced. He pulled the pale blue suit from his closet and chose a darker blue shirt. As he was fastening it, Luna came into the bedroom.

  “The bathroom is free, mi biscottina.”

  She chuckled. “So now you’re calling me a cookie?”

  “Didn’t I before?”

  “No. Your Italian vocabulary has increased. Bravo.”

  “Are we set for tonight?”

  “We are.”

  He spun around. “Do I need a tie?”

  “Not if you don’t want to wear one.”

  “I don’t.”

  “You look perfect to me.” She disappeared into the bathroom.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  LUNA’S COMPLIMENT CAME so easily, but did she say that to him when in reality he probably should wear one? Because Rini was royal, was there a different standard of dress for him? Every time when things seemed to be going so well, he found himself second-guessing her responses. He needed Dr. Tullia’s help. Tomorrow he’d ask Luna to phone the hospital and get Rini in to see him before the day was out.

  He went into the study to put his valise away and work on his Italian to give her privacy. Before long he’d be able to call Dr. Tullia on his own and talk. That day couldn’t come soon enough for him.

  “Rini?”

  He looked up and almost fell out of the chair. Tonight she wore a stunning black dress with spaghetti straps. The black high heels made her taller. She’d put on small diamond earrings that sparkled through her gilt hair.

  “Incantevole—” He blurted another new word.

  Her smile filled his universe. “What do you mean you don’t speak Italian? For my husband to call me ravishing has made my day. I’m ready to go.”

  “We will in a minute. I can see I’m going to need a tie after all.” He raced past her to get a silver striped tie out of the drawer and put it on. She waited for him at the top of the stairs. “Have you called for a limo?”

  “No. We’ll take our other car. It’s the dark green sedan you saw parked in back next to Mateo’s car. Here are the keys.” She handed them to him, and they went down to the foyer.

  Viola wished them good-night and they went out the back entrance to the car. Rini helped her into the car, loving the strawberry fragrance he now associated with her. Her skin looked like porcelain in the night light. It felt like velvet as he ran his hand down her arm before letting go, unable to stop himself.

  Once ensconced in the elegant interior, Rini turned on the GPS to guide them to Gilberto’s. Once they reached the street, he opened up and they took off.

  She put a hand on his arm. “Just remember your bodyguards aren’t race car drivers like you. Give them a little slack.”

  “Was I such a terror?”

  “Yes.”

  “Finally, an honest answer!”

  A delicate frown marred her brow. “What do you mean?”

  Too late Rini realized his slip. “Forget what I said.”

  “I can’t.”

  He took a deep breath. “Luna—you’re always so wonderful to me and make me feel so good, I—”

  “But you don’t think I’m telling you the truth?” she broke in on him.

  His wife sounded hurt. He groaned. “Yes, I do, but I know I couldn’t have been a paragon to live with. Just now your comment seemed—”

  “Real?” she cried out. “Does that mean you believe I’ve been lying to you from the beginning?”

  “No. Of course not. It’s just that I’ve had a hard time understanding how I married such a fantastic woman I couldn’t possibly be worthy of.”

  “Worthy—Don’t you think I have those same worries about you? At the hospital you woke up to find out you were married to a woman who means literally nothing to you. I’ve been shocked you wanted to come home with me. You could have asked Chispar to help you settle somewhere else.”

  “You’re the only person I want to be with,” he insisted.

  “I’m thankful for that because I love you so much. But if the time comes and you want to move on and figure out your life without me, all you have to do is say so. I would never blame you if you wanted a divorce. You’d be free to do whatever you wanted.”

  He pulled onto a side street. Her words kept pouring out, crushing him.

  “Rini? I’ve tried to imagine how ghastly it would be to wake up with amnesia and discover I was trapped in a marriage I didn’t remember, with a stranger no less. Today you proved you can handle everything on your own.”

  He found a parking space and hit the brakes. “Except I need you, Luna!” A soft gasp escaped her lips. She stared at him with eyes full of tears. “I may have lost my memory, but I’m a man. Even before you told me you were my wife, I knew I needed the beautiful woman helping me with every fiber of my being.”

  She broke down sobbing quietly.

  “Now is the time for total honesty, Luna. Do you want a divorce? Tell me the truth. We’ve got to have that, or we don’t have anything.”

  Luna smoothed the hair out of her eyes. She cleared her throat. “Here’s my truth. I want my life back with you, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

  Rini reached out t
o squeeze her shoulder. “You took the words out of my mouth. I’m going to work on our marriage, and I have an idea. Let’s pretend that we just met and want to get to know each other. On the flight home from Rezana earlier, I thought about how you’ve been waiting on me. I wanted to do something for you tonight to show you what you mean to me.”

  “Oh, Rini.” She leaned over to kiss his jaw. “I love it. A new beginning for both of us.”

  “Amen.” He’d married an angel.

  After kissing her mouth, Rini sat back and started the engine. He made a U-turn to get back on the autostrada and they took off until they came to Lago Diamanti. In the distance he saw a castle on the shoreline.

  “You’ll love this place,” Luna murmured. “Part of the dining room extends out over the water.”

  His eyes took in the pines studding the landscape. “You’re right. It looks like something right out of a storybook.”

  Incredible that he remembered none of this. Tonight he got the sick feeling that he’d never recover his memory. The blow to his head had wiped out that part of his brain. It appeared he’d spend the rest of his life working on a new life.

  As for being a royal, he might have been born to royalty, but he wanted no part of it. Tonight he didn’t want to think about it. Not when his exciting wife filled his vision.

  “When you brought us here, I almost died it was so enchanting, Rini. The ripples on the water catch the light the way a diamond does. Long ago someone called it Diamond Lake and it stuck. The diamonds I’m wearing tonight are the ones you gave me that night for a wedding present.”

  “I’m starting to like myself better and better.”

  Her giggle made him smile.

  A number of luxury cars filled the parking area. Rini found a space and shut off the engine. In the distance he heard dance music. The castle had been lit up like a Christmas tree. He helped Luna from the car, keeping his arm around her waist as they entered what looked like a thirteenth-century castle.

  “Your Highness!” The host came running and greeted them, beaming from ear to ear. “It’s an honor.” He put his hand over his heart. “Come right this way.”