eyes glittered with anger. “If you want to do one thing to restore the name Rose in people’s estimation, you’ll leave Antonio for the good of the monarchy.”
“I thought you wanted a king for a son-in-law.”
He stared at her. “Not when his queen dishonored him by being with another man during the engagement. The people will forgive him, but they’ll never forgive you.”
She lifted her chin. “I didn’t dishonor him. Is that all you came to say?”
His lips thinned. “Use the one shred of decency left in you to allow Antonio to rule with the right queen at his side. He may stand by you now, but in time doubts will creep in, and doubt can ruin a marriage faster than anything else. Let him marry Princess Gemma.”
“Antonio didn’t want her the first time around. He chose me.”
Her father’s cheeks grew ruddy. “The archbishop will sanction a divorce since the marriage was fraudulent and your behavior during the engagement has painted you an immoral woman. You have one more opportunity in your life to right a tremendous wrong. Then public sentiment will end up being kind to you.”
“So if I do that and bow out of his life, will you forgive me for being born a woman instead of a man and be kind to me?”
“The one has nothing to do with the other.”
Her breath caught. “You mean that no matter what I do, there can be no forgiveness from you in this life?”
“You always were a difficult child.”
She stiffened and fought her tears. “I’m your daughter. Yours and Mother’s. I wanted your love. I wanted your acceptance. I tried everything under the sun to be the child you could love.”
“We gave you everything, didn’t we?” He turned to leave.
“Papa—”
Halfway out the door he said, “Has he told you he loves you? Because if he hasn’t, then you need to do the right thing. If you don’t know what is in Antonio’s heart, why take the risk?”
Beyond tears, she walked out to the terrace, clutching her arms to her waist. The warning phone call from her aunt Sofia hadn’t helped. She’d been thrown into a black void. Antonio had never said he loved her. She hadn’t expected him to love her, but that was before they’d gone to Tahiti together and she’d found rapture with him.
If she truly didn’t know what was in Antonio’s heart, then was it a risk to stay in the marriage as her father said?
After standing there for a while, she went back to the bedroom and called the palace switchboard. “Would you connect me with the palace press secretary please?”
“Si.”
In a minute a male voice came on the line.
“This is Princess Christina. I have a statement to come out on the evening news. I’ll have it sent to your office by messenger. If you value your job, you’ll tell no one. I mean, not a single soul.”
“Capisco, Princess.”
She hung up and went into the den, where she wrote out what she wanted to say. It didn’t take long. After putting the note in an envelope and sealing it, she phoned the charity foundation in Voti. Arianna, the manager, answered the phone. Thank heaven she was still there.
“Christina? I can’t believe you’re calling. I thought you were on your honeymoon.”
“We’re back. I need a favor from you. A big one. Can you stop what you’re doing right now and drive to the west gate of the palace?”
“Well, yes.”
“I’ll be waiting. This is an emergency.”
“I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“Bless you.”
She hung up and started throwing the things she’d need for overnight in her large tote bag. There was always money in her bank account and she had her passport. Without stopping to think, she left the apartment and hurried down the long hall of the west wing to the staircase.
When she reached the main doors, she stopped to talk to one of the guards. “Would you see that the palace press secretary receives this immediately?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
Then she passed through the doors to the outside where another guard was on duty. “If the prince wonders where I am, tell him that an emergency came up at the charity foundation in town. One of my head people is picking me up so we can deal with it. I’ll phone the prince later, but he’s in meetings right now and can’t be disturbed.”
“Capisco.”
So far, so good. She rushed outside and waited under the portico until she saw Arianna’s red Fiat. Christiana hurried around the passenger side and got in. “You are an angel, Arianna, and I’ll give you a giant bonus.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Back to the foundation.” She put on her sunglasses. It only took a few minutes to reach the building. “Why don’t you go on home? I’ll be working late and will lock up again.”
“All right.”
“This is for your trouble.” She handed her a hundred Eurodollars and got out of the car. When her friend drove off smiling, Christina hailed a taxi and asked to be driven to the ferry terminal. There were ferries leaving on the hour for Genoa during the summer.
She paid the driver, then hurried inside and bought a ticket. Within twenty minutes she walked onto the ferry and sat on a bench as it made its way to the port in Genoa. From there she transferred to the train station and caught the next train going to Monte Calanetti via Siena. So far no one had recognized her because pictures of her wedding to Antonio hadn’t been given to the press.
When it pulled in to the station, she phoned Louisa.
“Dear friend?” she said when Louisa answered.
“Christina?”
“Yes. I’m in Monte Calanetti. Do you have room for a visitor?”
“Did I just hear you correctly?”
“Yes.”
“Of course I have room!” No doubt Louisa figured correctly that there’d been trouble since their flight back from Tahiti. “You can stay in the bridal suite for as long as you want.”
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll be there soon and tell you everything.”
As the taxi drove her to the Palazzo di Comparino, she turned off her phone. No one knew where she’d gone and that was the way she wanted things to stay.
* * *
Antonio
