“To get back to the earlier question,” Gabriel said when the laughter died down. “Yes, we shall have a party. Your mother and I have already discussed it. We’ll have a family-only lunch and a larger ball. If there’s anyone you’d like to invite, let your mother know.”
“My parents,” Rebecca said as Alex rested his hand on her thigh. Marcello noticed that Alex always seemed to be touching her when they were near each other, as though he couldn’t help it. Marcello, who was missing Grace with a terrible yearning, could relate.
“They’re already on the list, my dear,” Genevieve said with a genuine smile, as she very much enjoyed the company of Rebecca’s parents. “Of course, we may just spend most of the night doing more wedding planning.”
“Not without Rebecca you won’t,” Alex said, reminding his mother whose wedding it really was. “And, since I intend to keep her dancing in my arms all night, wedding planning will be difficult.”
“We’ll just be talking, not deciding, Alex,” Genevieve said, waving away the comment.
“Are you concerned how a ball may look to everyone?” Arianna asked. “To the citizens, I mean? We’ve already got the Harvest Ball and the Christmas Ball coming up. Won’t it look excessive?”
“This will not be a lavish ball,” Gabriel said. “Certainly nothing like the others you mentioned. And since you don’t find yourself married for forty years very often, we will make do. I imagine our citizens won’t mind it too much either, when we give them an extra day off.”
“A bank holiday, Papa?” Alex asked. “They’ll love it.”
“Have you run it by Nate, Papa?” Lorenzo asked. “He’s going to want to lecture you on the economic loss we could incur.”
“I have not yet discussed it with him,” Gabriel said. “However, I strongly feel that an extra day in citizen happiness will outweigh any economic loss.”
Marcello tried to remember the last time he’d had a full day away from work. Since joining the military, he had worked pretty much seven days a week for too many years. He hadn’t minded the work, and had, in fact, taken on extra duties when he was afforded a day off. Even at Grace’s house, he had worked to plan the mission.
He imagined what he could do with Grace with an entire day to themselves. He shifted slightly in his seat as his thoughts took a more lascivious direction. He would never get the image of her pale body streaming with rain, her pert nipples begging for his lips, and the tight, hot feel of her out of his mind. God, he missed her.
“What do you think, Marcello?” Carolina asked.
“Sorry, I was distracted. What did you ask?”
Everyone took a moment to glance at each other, and he felt the air become more somber. They probably thought he’d been thinking about the mission. He would never admit what he’d been really thinking about.
“It’s not important,” Genevieve said as she stood up, and all the men at the table automatically stood up as well. “Let’s have some coffee and dessert in the other room.”
Marcello glanced at the antique clock hanging on the wall. “I’ll skip it if you don’t mind, Mama. I’d better head out.”
“Well, oh, all right then,” she said, then walked around the table. “Be safe, Marcello,” she said as she hugged him tight.
Marcello was a grown man who had faced war and battlefields, but one hug from his mother had his eyes tearing up. He hugged her back fiercely and dropped a kiss on each of her cheeks. “I’ll be back soon.”
“You’d better be,” she said and moved aside for Gabriel.
“Take care, my son,” he said as he pulled Marcello into his arms for a hug. “Remember the plan,” Gabriel whispered gruffly before he pulled back and gave Marcello a kiss on each cheek. Marcello gave his father a stiff nod.
“The rest of us will walk you out,” Alex said as their siblings and Rebecca made their way from the dining room, through the family wing, and through a secret passage that led out to the courtyard, where Marcello’s car awaited.
After another round of farewells, Marcello pulled out his phone. He sent a simple message to Grace - I miss you, fair Grace. I love you. See you soon. - before he handed his phone to Alex. At least Grace knew he loved her; if nothing else, loving her and admitting that to her was something he would never regret.
“You’re not taking it with you?” Alex asked. The rest of the group was standing several feet away and couldn’t hear.
Marcello shook his head. “I don’t want it falling into the wrong hands if something happens.”
“Did you just text Grace? You should at least wait for her reply.”
“I might end up waiting forever,” he said and Alex quirked an eyebrow. “This way, I’ll either have something nice to look forward to, or something that won’t distract me until after I come back.”
Alex nodded and drew Marcello into his arms for a hug. “You don’t need to be a fucking hero, remember that,” Alex whispered. “Do the mission, and get out.”
“I will, Alex. Trust me.”
“It’s not you I don’t trust.” Alex pulled back to give Marcello a kiss on each cheek before stepping away.
“You’ll keep an eye on Cat and Grace’s situation?” Marcello asked, one hand on the car door.
“I already am. You didn’t even need to ask.”
“I didn’t need to, but I had to,” Marcello said. “Take care of her for me.”
“I will,” Alex said, knowing he was speaking about Grace.
Marcello waved good-bye to everyone as he slipped into the back seat of the car. Marcello had loaded his gear in earlier himself, and it had been watched over by one of his most trusted agents. As the car drove away, Marcello didn’t turn back to watch his family waving him good-bye.
He would rather wait to see them welcome him home in a few days instead. Grace had said she would be at the palace waiting for him. He hoped she would be true to her word, and that she remained safe while he was gone.
***
Grace felt her heart swell when she read Marcello’s message. She only wished the message hadn’t sounded so final. She knew he was leaving on his mission tonight, and wished she could repeat the words back to him. If she couldn’t repeat them all, she would repeat the few she could.
I miss you, too. I’ll be in Valleria before you know it. Stay safe.
She waited for his reply for several minutes, then fretted for several minutes more when she didn’t receive one. He must have left for his mission, then.
Grace tried to go about her daily routine as best she could while being locked up in the house. Lord Picford’s escape and Marcello’s silence kept both her and Cat on edge. Grace tried her best to entertain Cat, but was afraid she was failing miserably as a hostess.
Both of them started keeping their phones nearby at all times, just in case. Cat, at least, had the added benefit of other siblings to keep her apprised of updates. Grace continually started asking Cat if she’d heard anything. After what must have been the fortieth time Grace asked, Cat snapped.
“I haven’t heard anything. Stop asking,” Cat said in a voice ripe with frustration.
Grace took an unconscious step back, which did not go unnoticed by Cat.
Cat sighed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a beast about it. I know you’re just as worried as I am.”
“No, I’m sorry. It’s my fault that you’re cooped up in the house. You should have just gone back with Marcello,” Grace said as she walked to the parlor window, which overlooked the back of the house. Grace could see the path that eventually led to the Temple of Emma, where she and Marcello had shared so much.
“You may hate me for this, but I did want to go back.” Grace turned to find Cat a few feet away, resting on the arm of a chair.
“Of course I don’t hate you. He’s your brother. Of course you wanted to spend time with him.”
“He asked me to stay.”
“He did?”
“To keep you company. To help keep you safe.” Cat smiled softly.
“He also wanted me to spend countless hours telling you how wonderful he is.”
Grace chuckled. That sounded exactly like him. He was so caring, so considerate, so loving.
Grace walked over and gave Cat a hug, the kind of hug she imagined sisters gave each other. “Thank you for staying,” Grace said when she pulled back.
“Thank you for what you’ve done for my brother,” Cat said. “I’ve never seen him so happy before, despite everything else that’s going on.”
“Ugh,” Grace said as they both sat down on the couch. “Don’t remind me. I hope they catch Lord Picford soon.”
“Lord Prickford will be caught in no time, I’m sure of it.”
Grace chuckled just as the butler came in. “Miss Grace, the detective is here to see you.”
“Thank you. Send him in, please.”
A few moments later, the portly Police Constable Hale came in and gave a small bow to them both. “Lady Raynott-Nithercott, Your Highness, I bring good news.”
“Has Lord Pr-, I mean Picford been caught?” Cat said, correcting herself from saying ‘Prickford’ in the nick of time.
“Not yet, but we have received confirmation he was spotted in the next town. I’m removing several of the officers here to assist us in the search.”
“But aren’t those officers here specifically to protect the Princess? Certainly, you’re not taking those.”
“I have received authorization to do so,” he said. “We will leave a small contingent here to monitor the grounds.”
Cat stood up slowly, emphasizing her full regality in the process. “That’s completely unacceptable,” she said, every inch the royal princess. “Would like your princes so casually secured when there is a credible threat?”
“Your Highness, that is a different situation.”
“How is it different?” she said, inching towards the man who seemed to be inching back at the same time.
“Your Highness, I apologize but there is nothing I can do at this time.”
“You mean there is nothing that you will do. Well, I will not forget this. I am contacting the appropriate people now, to ensure that you are reprimanded or worse if something happens to either of us or any of the staff here.”
“Catharine,” Grace said as she placed a gentle hand on her friend’s arm. Though she was envious of Cat’s confidence, it wouldn’t do to upset the Constable right now. Cat gave Grace a quick glance and her demeanor relaxed slightly, along with the tension in the room.
The Constable cleared his throat. “As I said, he is moving further away from the area. We do not believe, based on his recent actions, that he will attempt a visit here.” He bowed again before he said, “Good day, Lady Raynott-Nithercott. Good day, Your Highness.”
After he had gone, Cat sat down on a huff and crossed her arms over her chest. “How could he leave us like that? I’m asking Alex for help.” Cat whipped out her phone and began to type furiously.
“He wouldn’t be able to do anything from Valleria, though, could he?”
“You’d be surprised what Alex can do,” she said.
A few hours later, Grace realized Cat had been right. More officers had been stationed outside the house again, though it was still much less than the previous patrol. Grace, meanwhile, had been listening for any news about the escape and potential capture she could find.
“Anything new?” Cat asked as she walked into the dining room, where they were going to attempt lunch; neither of them had much of an appetite.
“No. Oh, wait,” Grace said suddenly as an alert came to her phone. “Unconfirmed reports that he’s been captured.”
“I hope that’s true. It would be one less thing to worry about.”
“Cat, I know you said Marcello wanted you to stay, but I’ll be all right on my own. You needn’t worry about me if you’d like to be with your family right now.”
“Don’t give it another thought. I mean it. If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be, simple as that.”
Grace smiled and reached for Cat’s hand. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you for putting up with me,” Cat said as she squeezed her hand back then let go as lunch was placed in front of them.
After lunch, there were still no confirmed reports of Lord Picford’s capture, but Cat had heard from Alex about Marcello.
“We know his plane landed safely and that he’s now gone radio silent while they go to wherever it is they’re supposed to go,” Cat said as they sat in the parlor again.
“You’re not sure where?” The map Grace had seen by accident flashed in her mind, but she still couldn’t figure out where it was.
Cat shook her head. “I’m sure Alex and Papa know, but neither are saying anything.”
“Is it hard for you and Alex to keep secrets?”
“Usually. I mean, I know there are all sorts of things about running the country that he and Papa won’t tell me unless it becomes necessary, and I understand that completely. It’s when the secret involves one of our family that it’s harder to keep silent.”
“Marcello’s gone away before though. At least, he mentioned to me that he had.”
“Oh, sure. He’s been on deployments, just like our youngest brother, Ethan, is at the moment. There was always some duty that kept him from the palace for long periods at a time.”
“Until he became Minister of Security of Defense, you mean.”
Cat nodded. “It was a natural progression for him to ascend to that position. The Royal Council had to approve the appointment, and they understood his experience was better than anyone else for that role.”
Grace suddenly wondered if a man who had spent years in an exciting, adrenaline pumping world could be happy with a woman like her. He loves you, she reminded herself. He knows you and accepts you.
Feeling suddenly lonesome for the man who now meant so much to her, she decided to go where she could feel closest to him.
“I’m going to take a walk.”
“Now?” Cat asked with worried brows. “Your terrible neighbor might still be out there.”
“I won’t go far,” she said and made her way through the house. After putting on a trench coat, Grace exited through a little-used side door, and walked around the house and down the path.
She was not naïve anymore, at least she hoped she wasn’t, so she took her phone with her in case she spotted the elusive Lord on her walk. She probably should have asked one of the guards to accompany her, but they were better left protecting her staff and Catharine.
As she followed the path over the stone bridge, it was as though she could feel Marcello’s hand grasped within hers. Come with me, she whispered into the air, wishing he was here or she were there. Come back to me.
She approached the Temple of Emma and a wash of memories flooded her. That they were happy ones overwhelmed her; she’d had little to be happy about for a very long time.
As she stepped inside, she could almost feel his lips against hers. First, gentle and soft, then hard and demanding. She remembered them together on the couch, locked in each other’s arms. Her breathing came in soft gasps just picturing his naked form, and the way his face twisted in agony and pleasure while he was buried within her.
Feeling warm and flushed, she walked through the room and out the back door. She was assaulted by more memories of them, naked, wet, and trembling, with their bodies joined as one. It had been the most exciting and arousing experience of her life.
She sat down on the outdoor bench, and she could have sworn his scent lingered in the air. She closed her eyes and breathed it in. Only the sound of something in the woods nearby broke the spell.
When she opened her eyes, the blush that had stained her cheeks while thinking of Marcello now paled to an almost translucent white.
A few feet away, dressed in a soiled suit, was Lord Picford. After a few moments where they both simply stared at each other, he began to run directly at her with bared teeth and manic eyes.
She jumped up and
began to run.
Chapter 15
Marcello trekked his way through the dark. Dressed in the deepest black with a backpack to match, the only thing that stood out was his dark blond hair and the comparative lightness of his skin.
The forest was dense and the ground was already hard and setting in for the long winter ahead. As they walked, their breath held in the air for a split second before dissipating, and it was just cold enough to keep their hike a comfortable one. His boots, chosen for exactly this purpose, easily navigated the terrain.
Marcello & Grace (Royals of Valleria #2) Page 18
