She climbed out of the pool and retraced her steps to the other wing of the palace. After a quick shower, she unbraided her hair and swept it back with an amber comb. Once she’d applied her makeup, she donned a small leopard-print wrap dress with ruched elbow-length sleeves. The tiny amber stones of her chandelier earrings matched the ones in her small gold chain necklace. On her feet she wore designer wedges in brown and amber.
The law firm in Arancia where she worked demanded their attorneys wear designer clothes since they dealt with an upper-class clientele. Abby had worked there with her until her fifth month of pregnancy when she’d been forced to quit. After being employed there twenty months and paid a generous salary, Carolena had accumulated a wonderful wardrobe and didn’t need to worry she wouldn’t have something appropriate to wear to this evening’s dinner.
A knock at the door meant a maid was ready to take her to the dining room. But when she opened it, she received another shock to discover the prince at the threshold wearing a silky charcoal-brown sport shirt and beige trousers.
He must not have trusted her to come on her own. She didn’t know whether to be flattered or worried she’d made some kind of faux pas when she’d declined his invitation at first. Their eyes traveled over each other. A shower had gotten rid of the black marks. He smelled wonderful, no doubt from the soap he used. Her heart did a tiny thump before she got hold of herself.
“Your Highness— This is the second time you’ve surprised me this evening.”
He flashed her a white smile. “Unexpected surprises make life more interesting, don’t you think?”
“I do actually, depending on the kind.”
“This was the kind I couldn’t resist.”
Obviously she had irritated him. Still, she couldn’t believe he’d come to fetch her. “I’m honored to be personally escorted by none other than the prince himself.”
“That wasn’t so hard to say, was it?” His question brought a smile to her lips. “Since I’m hungry, I thought I’d accompany you to the dining room myself to hurry things up, and I must admit I’m glad you’re ready.”
“Then let’s not waste any more time.”
“Vincenzo and Abby are already there, but they didn’t even notice me when I passed by the doors. I’ve heard of a honeymoon lasting a week or two, even longer. But eight months?”
Carolena chuckled. “I know what you mean. While we were flying out, they were so caught up in each other, I don’t think they said more than two words to me.”
“Love should be like that, but it’s rare.”
“I know,” she murmured. Vincenzo and Michelina hadn’t enjoyed a marriage like that. It was no news to Carolena or Valentino, so they left the subject alone.
She followed him down several corridors lined with tapestries and paintings to a set of doors guarded by a staff member. They opened onto the grounds. “We’ll cut across here past the gardens to the other wing of the palace. It’s faster.”
There was nothing stiff or arrogant about Prince Valentino. He had the rare gift of being able to put her at ease and make her feel comfortable.
She looked around her. “The gardens are glorious. You have grown a fabulous collection of palms and exotic plants. Everything thrives here. And I’ve never seen baroque architecture this flamboyant.”
He nodded. “My brother, Vito, and I have always called it the Putti Palace because of all the winged boy cherubs supporting the dozens of balconies. To my mother’s chagrin, we used to draw mustaches on them. For our penance, we had to wash them off.”
Laughter rippled out of her. “I’m afraid to tell Abby what you said for fear she’ll have nightmares over Max getting into mischief.”
“Except that won’t be for a while yet.” His dark blue eyes danced. No doubt this prince had been a handful to his parents. Somehow the thought made him even more approachable.
“With all these wrought-iron balustrades and rustication, the palace really is beautiful.”
“Along with the two-toned lava masonry, the place is definitely unique,” he commented before ushering her through another pair of doors, where a staff member was on duty. Their arms brushed in the process, sending little trickles of delight through her body. Her reaction was ridiculous. It had to be because she’d never been this close to a prince before. Except for Vincenzo, of course, but he didn’t count. Not in the same way.
They walked down one more hall to the entrance of the dining room where Abby and Vincenzo sat at the candlelit table with their heads together talking quietly and kissing. Gilt-framed rococo mirrors made the room seem larger, projecting their image.
Valentino cleared his throat. “Should we come back?” He’d already helped Carolena to be seated. The teasing sound in his voice amused her, but his question caused the other two to break apart. While Abby’s face flushed, Vincenzo got to his feet and came around to give Valentino a hug.
“It’s good to see you.”
“Likewise. I’m sorry I took so long. It’s my fault for leaving work late today, but it couldn’t be helped.”
“No one understands that better than I do. We took the liberty of bringing Carolena with us. Allow me to introduce you.”
Valentino shot her a penetrating glance. “We already met at the swimming pool.”
Carolena felt feverish as she and Abby exchanged a silent glance before he walked around to hug her friend. Then he took his place next to Carolena, who still hadn’t recovered from her initial reaction to his masculine appeal.
In a moment, dinner was served, starting with deep-fried risotto croquettes stuffed with pistachio pesto called arancini because they were the shape and size of an orange. Pasta with clams followed called spaghetti alle vongole. Then came the main course of crab and an aubergine side dish. Valentino told them the white wine came from their own palace vineyard.
“The food is out of this world, but I’ll have to pass on the cannoli dessert,” Carolena exclaimed a little while later. “If I lived here very long I’d look like one of those fat Sicilian rock partridges unable to move around.”
Both men burst into laughter before Valentino devoured his dessert.
Carolena looked at Abby. “What did I say?”
Vincenzo grinned. “You and my wife have the same thought processes. She was afraid pregnancy would make her look like a beached whale.”
“We women have our fears,” Abby defended.
“We certainly do!”
Valentino darted Carolena another glance. “In that purple swimsuit you were wearing earlier, I can guarantee you’ll never have that problem.”
She’d walked into that one and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. That suit was a frivolous purchase she wouldn’t have worn around other people, but since she’d been alone... Or so she’d thought. “I hope you’re right, Your Highness.”
His eyes smiled. “Call me Val.”
Val? Who in the world called him that?
He must have been able to read her mind because his next comment answered her question. “My brother and I didn’t like our long names, so we gave ourselves nicknames. He’s Vito and I’m Val.”
“V and V,” she said playfully. “I’m surprised you didn’t have to wash your initials off some of those putti.”
Another burst of rich laughter escaped his throat. When it subsided, he explained their little joke to Vincenzo and Abby.
Carolena smiled at Abby. “I’d caution you never to tell that story to Max, or when he’s more grown up he might take it into his head to copy his uncles.”
“Fortunately we don’t have putti,” Vincenzo quipped.
“True,” Abby chimed in, “but we do have busts that can be knocked over by a soccer ball.”
Amidst the laughter, a maid appeared in the doorway. “Forgive the intrusion, Your Highness, but the queen s
ays it seems the young prince has started to cry and is running a temperature.”
In an instant both parents jumped to their feet bringing an end to the frivolity.
Wanting to say something to assure them, Carolena said, “He’s probably caught a little cold.”
Abby nodded. “I’m sure you’re right, but he’s still not as used to the queen yet and is in a strange place. I’ll go to him.” She put a hand on Vincenzo’s arm. “You stay here and enjoy your visit, darling.”
At this point, Valentino stood up. “We’ll have all day tomorrow. Right now your boy needs both of you.”
“Thank you,” they murmured. Abby came around to give Carolena a hug. “See you in the morning.”
“Of course. If you need me for anything, just phone me.”
“I will.”
When they disappeared out the doors, Carolena got to her feet. “I’ll say good-night, too. Thank you for a wonderful dinner, Your Highness.”
He frowned. “The name’s Val. I want to hear you say it.”
She took a deep breath. “Thank you...Val.”
“That’s better.” His gaze swept over her. “Where’s the fire?”
“I’m tired.” Carolena said the first thing that came into her head. “I was up early to finish some work at the firm before the limo arrived to drive me to the airport. Bed sounds good to me.”
“Then I’ll walk you back.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
He cocked his dark blond head. “Do I frighten you?”
Your appeal frightens me. “If anything, I’m afraid of disturbing your routine.”
“I don’t have one tonight. Forget I’m the prince.”
It wasn’t the prince part that worried her. He’d made her aware of him as a man. This hadn’t happened since she’d fallen in love with Berto and it was very disturbing to her.
“To be honest, when you showed up at the swimming pool earlier, you looked tired after a hard day’s work. Since it’s late, I’m sure you’d like a good sleep before you spend the day with Vincenzo tomorrow.”
“I’m not too tired to see you back to your room safely.”
“Your Highness?” The same maid came to the entrance once more. “The queen would like to see you in her apartment.”
“I’ll go to her. Thank you.”
He cupped Carolena’s elbow to walk her out of the dining room. She didn’t want him touching her. The contact made her senses come alive. When they passed the guard and reached the grounds, she eased away from him.
“After getting to know Vincenzo, I realize how busy you are and the huge amount of calls on your time. Your mother is waiting for you.”
“I always say good-night to my mother before retiring. If our dinner had lasted a longer time, she would have had a longer wait.”
There was no talking him out of letting her get back to her room by herself. “What kind of work were you doing today?” She had to admit to a deep curiosity.
He grinned. “I always come home looking dirty and need to wash off the grime.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. Volcanoes are a dirty business.”
Carolena came to a standstill before lifting her head to look at him. “You were up on Mount Etna?”
“That’s right.”
His answer perplexed her. “Why?”
“I’m a volcanologist with the National Center of Geophysics and Volcanology lab in Catania.”
“You’re kidding—” After that movie she’d watched on the plane, she couldn’t believe what he’d just told her.
One corner of his compelling mouth lifted. “Even a prince can’t afford to be an empty suit. Etna has been my backyard since I was born. From the first moment I saw it smoking, I knew I had to go up there and get a good look. Once that happened, I was hooked.”
With his adventurous spirit, she wasn’t surprised but knew there was a lot more to his decision than that. “I confess it would be fantastic to see it up close the way you do. Have you been to other volcanoes?”
“Many of them.”
“You lucky man! On the way down here I watched a Hollywood movie with Louis Jourdan about a volcano erupting in Polynesia.”
“You must mean Bird of Paradise.”
“Yes. It was really something. Your line of work has to be very dangerous.”
For a second she thought she saw a flicker of some emotion in his eyes, but it passed. “Not so much nowadays. The main goal is to learn how to predict trouble so that timely warnings can be issued for cautioning and evacuating people in the area. We’ve devised many safe ways to spy on active volcanoes over the decades.”
“How did your parents feel about you becoming a volcanologist?”
A smile broke the corner of his mouth, as if her question had amused him. “When I explained the reasons for my interest, they approved.”
That was too pat an answer. He sounded as if he wanted to get off the subject, but she couldn’t let it go. “What argument did you give them?”
His brows lifted. “Did you think I needed one?”
She took a quick breath. “If they were anything like my grandmother, who was the soul of caution, then yes!”
He stopped outside the entrance to her wing of the palace. Moonlight bathed his striking male features, making them stand out like those of the Roman-god statues supporting the fountain in the distance. His sudden serious demeanor gave her more insight into his complex personality.
“A king’s first allegiance is to the welfare of his people. I explained to my parents that when Etna erupts again, and she will, I don’t want to see a repeat of what happened in l669.”
Carolena was transfixed. “What did happen?”
“That eruption turned into a disaster that killed over twenty-nine thousand people.”
She shuddered, remembering the film. “I can’t even imagine it.”
He wore a grim expression. “Though it couldn’t happen today, considering the sophisticated warning systems in place, people still need to be educated about the necessity of listening and heeding those warnings of evacuation.”
“In the film, there’d been no warning.”
“Certainly not a hundred years ago. That’s been my greatest concern. Gemelli has a population of two hundred thousand, so it can’t absorb everyone fleeing the mainland around Catania, but I want us to be prepared as much as possible.”
“How do you get your people prepared?”
“I’ve been working with our government to do mock drills to accommodate refugees from the mainland, should a disaster occur. Every ship, boat, barge, fishing boat would have to be available, not to mention housing and food and airlifts to other islands.”
“That would be an enormous undertaking.”
“You’re right. For protection against volcanic ash and toxic gas, I’ve ordered every family outfitted with lightweight, disposable, filtering face-piece mask/respirators. This year’s sightings have convinced me I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s needed to be done to feel at all ready.”
“Your country is very fortunate to have you for the watchman.”
“The watchman? That makes me sound like an old sage.”
“You’re hardly old yet,” she quipped.
“I’m glad you noticed.” His remark caused her heart to thud for no good reason.
“I’m very impressed over what you do.”
“It’s only part of what I do.”
“Oh, I know what a prince does.” She half laughed. “Abby once read me Vincenzo’s itinerary for the day and I almost passed out. But she never told me about your scientific background.”
“It isn’t something I talk about.”
“
Well, I think it’s fascinating! You’re like an astronaut or a test pilot, but the general population doesn’t know what you go through or how you put your life on the line.”
“That’s a big exaggeration.”
“Not at all,” she argued. “It’s almost as if you’re leading a double life. What a mystery you are!”
She wouldn’t have put it past Abby to have chosen that particular film because she knew about Valentino’s profession and figured Carolena would get a kick out of it once she learned about his secret profession.
After a low chuckle, he opened the doors so they could walk down the hallway and around the corner to her room. She opened her door. Though she was dying to ask him a lot more questions about his work in volcanology, she didn’t want him to think she expected his company any longer. She was also aware the queen was waiting for him.
“It’s been a lovely evening. Thank you for everything.”
His eyes gleamed in the semidarkness. “What else do you do besides give unsuspecting males a heart attack while you’re diving?”
Heat scorched her cheeks. “I thought I was alone.”
“Because I was late getting back, I cut through that part of the grounds and happened to see you. It looks like I’m going to have to do it more often.”
He was a huge flirt. The tabloids hadn’t been wrong about him. “I won’t be here long enough to get caught again. I have a law practice waiting for me back in Arancia.”
He studied her for a moment. “I heard you’re in the same firm with Abby.”
“We were until her marriage. Now she’s a full-time mother to your nephew.”
A heart-stopping smile appeared. “It must be tough on your male colleagues working around so much beauty and brains.”
“They’re all married.”
“That makes it so much worse.”
She laughed. “You’re outrageous.”
“Then we understand each other. Tomorrow we’ll be eating breakfast on the terrace off the morning room. I’ll send a maid for you at eight-thirty. Buona notte, Carolena.”
Becoming the Prince's Wife (Princes of Europe) Page 2
