“What did she say?”
“She made sure I bought some bathing suits when we went shopping. Did you pack one?”
“I’m sure mine is in my case somewhere.”
“Do you think Hawaii or the Caribbean? I’ve never been to either destination.”
“I have.” He released her hand long enough to pull the note from his pocket. “According to this, it’s someplace where neither of us has been before.”
“That’s right. I forgot.”
“Our parents probably collaborated. It ought to be interesting.”
“I agree. From what Elena has told me, you’ve been all over the world.”
He smiled. “Let’s put it this way. I’ve traveled over many countries without ever landing.”
Christina returned his smile. She’d taken many helicopter trips with Marusha into the more inaccessible areas of Kenya’s forested interior, so she was no stranger to the sensation of liftoff or landing. Before she knew it, they’d arrived on the outskirts of the village where their helicopter was waiting.
Antonio helped her out of the limo into one of the rear seats of the helicopter. He climbed in next to her while Guido placed their cases inside, then got in the copilot’s seat for the short flight to Genoa. Passing over the Tuscan countryside was a constant delight.
Once they boarded the royal jet with its insignia in huge gold lettering, Christina was introduced to the pilot and copilot before being given a tour. She was struck by the staggering opulence inside and out. To her mind, the platinum curving couches, mirrored ceilings and ornate bathroom were out-of-this-world outrageous.
With an office, a gourmet kitchen and two bedrooms, all extravagant to the point of being ridiculous, she imagined the plane that contained a cockpit meant for the emperor of the universe must have cost in the region of millions upon millions of dollars.
Antonio must have been watching her, because he said in a quiet voice, “Is there any question in your mind why our country is outraged by the unnecessary spending of my own parents? Papa bought this off an oil-rich sheik. When I’m king, I have every intention of selling it to the highest bidder and using the money to bolster Halencia’s economy and put more funds in your charity foundation.”
When she thought of the relief that money could bring to the Kikuyu people, she wanted to throw her arms around his neck in joy, but she didn’t dare with Guido and the steward in hearing distance.
After they sat down on one of the couches, Guido made a surprising announcement. “This is where I leave you, Your Highnesses. When you reach your destination, you’ll be met and taken to your vacation paradise. After the plane lands, you’ll be flown in a helicopter to your own private paradise. There’ll be no phone, television or internet service there.”
What?
While she sat there stunned, she could tell by the lines around his mouth that Antonio wasn’t amused either. “Guido? You’ve gotten us this far, but I refuse to travel any farther until you tell me where we’re going.”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt to say that you’ll be arriving on the other side of the world in approximately twenty-one hours from now.”
“That’s not much help,” Antonio said in a clipped voice.
“I’m only following the king’s orders. Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?”
Antonio turned to her. “How about you, Christina?”
She had compassion for Guido, who was loyal to his king first. “I don’t need anything. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy your honeymoon.” He bowed to Antonio before leaving the plane.
In a few minutes the engines screamed to life and the fasten-seat-belts sign flashed on. Before long the jet headed into the sun. Once they’d achieved cruising speed, they got up from the couch and moved to sit in the lavish dining area where the steward served them a fabulous lunch.
“Don’t be upset with Guido. It’s obvious your parents’ big surprise is important to him and to them.”
One eyebrow lifted. “Twenty-one hours one way takes a lot of fuel. Round-trip means thousands more dollars being paid out from the public coffers. It isn’t right.”
She sat back while she sipped her coffee. “I agree, and I admire your desire to change the dynamics of the L’Accardi family’s spending habits. But for now, why don’t we decide to be Jack and Jill, two normal people who got married on a whim, and have just been given a windfall from their oil-rich uncle in Texas who wants to make us happy.”
“Oil?”
“Why not? When we return to civilization, that’s the time to start trimming the budget.”
When she didn’t think it was possible, he chuckled. “Jack and Jill, eh?”
She nodded. “One of the American girls from Texas at the boarding school had the name Jill, and her brother’s name was Jack.”
By now his eyes were smiling. “I’ll go along with that idea. What do you say we go to one of the bedrooms and watch a movie where we can be comfortable?”
Each bedroom had a built-in theater. She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I’ll find my suitcase and change my clothes.”
He reached across the table and grasped her hand. “I’m sorry you’re not able to show off that lovely white outfit in Paris.”
A warm smile broke out on her face. “Don’t be.” She wouldn’t forget the way he’d stared at her when he walked out on the terrace earlier that morning. Christina had seen a glint of genuine male appreciation in his eyes that brought her great pleasure. “We’ll do Paris one of these days.”
Feeling his gaze on her retreating back, she walked through the compartment and found the bedroom where both their cases had been placed. She took hers and crossed the hall into the other bedroom.
After putting it on the queen-size bed, she found a pair of lightweight pants in dusky blue and a filmy long-sleeved shirt with a floral pattern of light and dark blues combined with pink. It draped beautifully against her body to the hips.
The white suit went in the closet before she slipped into her casual clothes and put on bone-colored leather sandals. After removing the pearl tipped sticks from her hair, she exchanged the pearl studs for gold earrings mounted with star-shaped blue sapphire stones. As she was applying a fresh coat of lipstick, she heard a knock on the door.
“Antonio?”
He opened it but didn’t enter. “Come on over to the other bedroom when you’re ready.”
Her heart started to thud. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
* * *
Antonio had changed into jeans and a sport shirt. Normally he would have put
