Buch lesen: «Becoming The Prince's Wife»

CHAPTER ONE

AS CAROLENA BARETTI stepped out of the limousine, she could see her best friend, Abby, climbing the stairs of the royal jet. At the top she turned. “Oh, good! You’re here!” she called to her, but was struggling to keep her baby from squirming out of her arms.

At eight months of age, little black-haired Prince Maximilliano, the image of his father, Crown Prince Vincenzo Di Laurentis of Arancia, was becoming big Max, fascinated by sights and sounds. Since he was teething, Carolena had brought him various colored toys in the shape of donuts to bite on. She’d give them to him after they’d boarded the jet for the flight to Gemelli.

The steward brought Carolena’s suitcase on board while she entered the creamy interior of the jet. The baby’s carryall was strapped to one of the luxury leather chairs along the side. Max fought at leaving his mother’s arms, but she finally prevailed in getting him fastened down.

Carolena pulled a blue donut from the sack in her large straw purse. “Maybe this will help.” She leaned over the baby and handed it to him. “What do you think, sweetheart?”

Max grabbed for it immediately and put it in his mouth to test it, causing both women to laugh. Abby gave her a hug. “Thank you for the gift. Any distraction is a blessing! The only time he doesn’t move is when he’s asleep.”

Carolena chuckled.

“So you won’t get too bored, I brought a movie for you to watch while we fly down. Remember I told you how much I loved the French actor Louis Jourdan when I was growing up?”

“He was in Gigi, right?”

“Yes, well, I found a movie of his in my mother’s collection. You know me and my love for old films. This one is called Bird of Paradise. Since we’ll be passing Mount Etna, I think you’ll love it.”

“I’ve never heard of that movie, but thank you for being so thoughtful. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.”

“Carolena—I know this is a hard time for you, but I’m so glad you decided to come. Vincenzo and Valentino need to discuss business on this short trip. It will give you and me some time to do whatever we want while Queen Bianca dotes on her grandson.”

“When Max smiles, I see traces of Michelina. That must delight her.”

“I know it does. These days it’s hard to believe Bianca was ever upset over the pregnancy. She’s much warmer to me now.”

“Thank heaven for that, Abby.”

“You’ll never know.”

No, Carolena supposed she wouldn’t. Not really. Abby Loretto had offered to be a surrogate mother to carry Their Highnesses’ baby, but they’d both been through a trial by fire when Michelina was suddenly killed.

Carolena was thrilled for the two of them who, since that time, had fallen deeply in love and weathered the storm before marrying. Now they had a beautiful baby boy to raise and she was glad to have been invited to join them for their brief holiday.

Today was June fourth, a date she’d dreaded every June for the past seven years. It marked the death of her fiancé, Berto, and brought back horrendous guilt. She and Berto had shared a great love, but it had come to a tragic end too soon. All because of Carolena.

She’d been too adventurous for her own good, as her own wonderful, deceased grandmother had always told her. You go where angels fear to tread without thinking of anyone but yourself. It’s probably because you lost your parents too soon and I’ve failed you. One day there’ll be a price to pay for being so headstrong.

Tears stung her eyelids. How true were those words.

Berto’s death had brought about a permanent change in Carolena. Outside of her professional work as an attorney, she never wanted to be responsible for another human life again. Though she’d dated a lot of men, her relationships were of short duration and superficial. After seven years, her pattern of noncommitment had become her way of life. No one depended on her. Her actions could affect no one or hurt anyone. That was the way she liked it.

Dear sweet Abby had known the date was coming up. Out of the goodness of her heart she’d insisted Carolena come with them on this trip so she wouldn’t brood. Carolena loved her blonde friend for so many reasons, especially her thoughtfulness because she knew this time was always difficult for her.

As she strapped herself in, several bodyguards entered the body of the jet followed by black-haired Vincenzo. He stopped to give his wife and son a kiss before hugging Carolena. “It’s good to see you. Gemelli is a beautiful country. You’re going to love it.”

“I’m sure I will. Thank you for inviting me, Vincenzo.”

“Our pleasure, believe me. If you’re ready, then we’ll take off. I told Valentino we’d be there midafternoon.”

Once he’d fastened himself in and turned to Abby with an eagerness Carolena could see and feel, the jet taxied to the runway. When it took off into a blue sky, it left the Principality of Arancia behind, a country nestled along the Riviera between France and Italy.

Before heading south, she could see the coastal waters of the Mediterranean receding, but it was obvious Abby and Vincenzo only had eyes for each other. Theirs was a true love story. Watching them was painful. There were moments like now when twenty-seven-year-old Carolena felt old before her time.

Thank goodness she had a movie to watch that she hadn’t seen before. The minute it started she blinked at the sight of how young Louis Jourdan was. The story turned out to be about a Frenchman who traveled to Polynesia and fell in love with a native girl.

Carolena found herself riveted when the volcano erupts on the island and the native girl has to be sacrificed to appease the gods by jumping into it. The credits said the film had been made on location in Hawaii and used the Kilauea volcano for the scenes.

As the royal jet started to make its descent to Gemelli, she saw smoke coming out of Mount Etna, one of Italy’s volcanoes. After watching this film, the thought of it erupting made her shiver.

* * *

The helicopter flew away from the new hot fumarole in the western pit of the Bocca Nuova of Mount Etna. The fumarole was a hole that let out gas and steam. After the scientific team had observed an increased bluish degassing from a vent in the saddle, they sent back video and seismic records before heading to the National Center of Geophysics and Volcanology lab in Catania on the eastern coast of Sicily.

En route to the lab the three men heard deep-seated explosions coming from inside the northeast crater, but there was no cause for public alarm in terms of evacuation alerts.

Once the center’s helicopter touched ground, Crown Prince Valentino waved off his two colleagues and hurried to the royal helicopter for the short flight to Gemelli in the Ionian Sea. Their team had gotten back late, but they’d needed to do an in-depth study before transmitting vital data and photos.

Valentino’s brother-in-law, Crown Prince Vincenzo Di Laurentis, along with his new wife, Abby, and son, Max, would already have been at the palace several hours. They’d come for a visit from Arancia and would be staying a few days. Valentino was eager to see them.

He and Vincenzo, distant cousins, had done shipping business together for many years but had grown closer with Vincenzo’s first marriage to Michelina, who’d been Valentino’s only sister. Her death February before last had left a hole in his heart. He’d always been very attached to his sibling and they’d confided in each other.

With his younger brother Vitale, nicknamed Vito, away in the military, Valentino had needed an outlet since her death. Lately, after a long day’s work, he’d spent time quietly partying with a few good friends and his most recent girlfriend, while his mother, Bianca, the ruling Queen of Gemelli, occupied herself with their country’s business.

As for tonight, he was looking forward to seeing Vincenzo as his helicopter ferried him to the grounds, where it landed at the rear of the sixteenth-century baroque palace. He jumped out and hurried past the gardens and tennis courts, taking a shortcut near the swimming pool to reach his apartment in the east wing.

But suddenly he saw something out of the corner of his eye that stopped him dead in his tracks. Standing on the end of the diving board ready to dive was a gorgeous, voluptuous woman in a knockout, fashionable one-piece purple swimsuit with a plunging neckline.

It was just a moment before she disappeared under the water, but long enough for him to forget the fiery fumarole on Mount Etna and follow those long legs to the end of the pool. When she emerged at the deep end with a sable-colored braid over one shoulder, he hunkered down to meet her. With eyes as sparkling green as lime zest, and a mouth with a passionate flare, she was even more breathtaking up close.

“Oh— Your Highness! I didn’t think anyone was here!”

He couldn’t have met her before or he would have remembered, because she would be impossible to forget. There was no ring on her finger. “You have me at a disadvantage, signorina.”

She hugged her body close to the edge of the tiled pool. He got the impression she was trying to prevent him from getting the full view of her. That small show of modesty intrigued him.

“I’m Carolena Baretti, Abby Loretto’s friend.”

This woman was Abby’s best friend? He’d heard Abby mention her, but Vincenzo had never said anything. Valentino knew his brother-in-law wasn’t blind... Though they hadn’t told him they were bringing someone else with them, he didn’t mind. Not at all.

“How long have you been here?”

“We flew in at two o’clock. Right now the queen is playing with Max while Abby and Valentino take a nap.” A nap, was it? He smiled inwardly. “So I decided to come out here for a swim. The air is like velvet.”

He agreed. “My work took longer than I thought, making it impossible for me to be here when you arrived. I’ve planned a supper for us in the private dining room tonight. Shall we say half an hour? One of the staff will show you the way.”

“That’s very gracious of you, but I don’t want to intrude on your time with them. I had a light meal before I came out to swim and I’ll just go on enjoying myself here.”

He got the sense she meant it. The fact that she wasn’t being coy like so many females he’d met in his life aroused his interest. “You’re their friend, so it goes without saying you’re invited.” His lips broke into a smile. “And even if you weren’t with them, I like an intrusion as pleasant as this one. I insist you join us.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly, but he had an idea she was debating whether or not to accept his invitation, mystifying him further. “Before you go, may I say how sorry I am about the loss of Princess Michelina. I can see the resemblance to your sister in you and the baby. I know it’s been devastating for your family, especially the queen. But if anyone can instill some joy into all of you, it’s your adorable nephew, Max.”

The surprises just kept coming. Valentino was taken aback. The fact that she’d been in Abby’s confidence for a number of years had lent a sincere ring to this woman’s remarks, already putting them on a more intimate footing. “I’ve been eager to see him again. He’s probably grown a foot since last time.”

An engaging smile appeared. “Maybe not quite another foot yet, but considering he’s Prince Vincenzo’s son, I would imagine he’ll be tall one day.”

“That wouldn’t surprise me. A presto, Signorina Baretti.”

* * *

Carolena watched his tall physique stride to the patio and disappear inside a set of glass doors. Long after he’d left, she was still trying to catch her breath. When she’d broken the surface of the water at the other end of the rectangular pool, she’d recognized the striking thirty-two-year-old crown prince right away.

Her knowledge of him came from newspapers and television that covered the funeral of his sister, Princess Michelina. He’d ridden in the black-and-gold carriage with his brother and their mother, Queen Bianca, the three of them grave and in deep grief.

In a recent poll he’d been touted the world’s most sought-after royal bachelor. Most of the tabloids revealed he went through women like water. She could believe it. Just now his eyes had mirrored his masculine admiration of her. Everywhere they roved, she’d felt heat trail over her skin. By that invisible process called osmosis, his charm and sophistication had managed to seep into her body.

But even up close no camera could catch the startling midnight blue of his dark-lashed eyes. The dying rays of the evening sun gilded the tips of his medium cut dark blond hair and brought out his hard-boned facial features, reminiscent of his Sicilian ancestry. He was a fabulous-looking man.

Right then he’d been wearing jeans that molded his powerful thighs, and a white shirt with the sleeves shoved up to the elbows to reveal hard-muscled forearms. No sign of a uniform this evening.

Whatever kind of work he did, he’d gotten dirty. She wondered where he’d been. There were black marks on his clothes and arms, even on his face, bronzed from being outdoors. If anything, the signs of the working man intensified his potent male charisma. He wasn’t just a handsome prince without substance.

Carolena was stunned by her reaction to him. There’d been many different types of men who’d come into her life because of her work as an attorney; businessmen, manufacturers, technology wizards, mining engineers, entrepreneurs. But she had to admit she’d never had this kind of visceral response to a man on a first meeting, not even with Berto, who’d been her childhood friend before they’d fallen in love.

The prince had said half an hour. Carolena hadn’t intended to join the three of them this evening, but since he’d used the word insist, she decided she’d better go so as not to offend him. Unfortunately it was growing late. She needed to hurry inside and get ready, but she wouldn’t have time to wash her hair.

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 says 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.”