“We have yet to lie together in our bed,” she purred.
Dante groaned inwardly. “Then I shall have to pleasure my lady upon my bed this coming night.”
Boldly, she claimed his lips, leaving him shocked and gasping for air.
“Tonight, then,” she whispered.
“Sì.” He cleared his gruff reply from his throat. The promise of her lying naked in his arms heated his body like hot coals. The inferno threatened his resolve.
A meek knock at the door broke the charged moment. Dante was grateful for the interruption. Agata entered at his bidding, her eyes downcast. Unintentionally, he had set the fear of his wrath in her, yet again. She was not the strong woman Alessandra was.
“Captain Lemont is awaiting you in the great hall, signore.”
A wave of his hand dismissed her. He swept the letter from the desk into a drawer. “I will be gone for a short spell. Do not leave the castle grounds.” He pointedly met her curious gaze. “I must accompany the French captain.”
“To translate?”
He half-expected to see her mocking smile. Instead, she puffed up her lips into an enticing pout, and Dante was hard-pressed to hold onto his composure. “Sì, to translate. I shall return late this evening.”
She was adept at being coy. “As you did last eve?”
“Bedamned, woman. You are not my nursemaid, so do not smother me with your concern.”
She tilted her head, and her tenacious nature went unchecked. “Am I not behaving as a good wife should? I am merely thinking about your welfare.”
Her cunning remark sank deep into his chest. “Be careful where you tread, Alessandra. Goading me will not serve you well.”
“I shall heed your warning if you indulge my sudden curiosity.”
Sudden? He stopped himself from laughing out loud. “Go on.”
“In what way did I goad you?”
“You seek to know more about me than I am able to share.” He spoke the truth. “And you try my patience. Does my answer satisfy you, madam?”
Her fingers twisted the hem of her sleeve. He recognized the sly gesture, playing the innocent to extract more from him. At length, she replied. “For the moment. Yet I fail to understand into what I goad you.”
He swept her up into his arms and squelched her squeal of delight with a kiss borne out of frustration. He reminded himself once again how wrong it was to desire Alessandra as strongly as he did. The distraction might jeopardize his focus, and he’d be damned if the French failed to retain Naples for King Rene because of his weakness for his wife. But as before, his oft-spoken vow came up against his wayward senses and overruled his once iron-clad will. He could not ignore the passion ravaging his blood.
Their lips remained melded until he laid her upon the bed and disengaged her arms from his neck. He stepped away, safely removing himself from temptation. His gaze raked her supine body selfishly. “I know what you are about, bella mia. You have tasted the pleasures of the flesh and now you cannot get enough. But know you this. I will return before nightfall, and you will not lament waiting for what you faithfully crave.”
****
After Dante rode away with the French captain, Alessa pulled herself together and changed into a plain moss green tunic and sturdier shoes. She rushed down the stairs and found her maidservant spreading fresh rushes across the great hall. The strong lavender scent hung heavy in the air and choked her.
Agata looked up from her chore, worried. “Are you ill, signora?”
“On the contrary. But I must ask a favor of you.”
“When last you asked a favor of me, Signor Santangelo was terribly displeased. I’ll not incur his wrath again.”
The woman shuddered, but her well-merited fright didn’t deter Alessa. “He’ll not harm you, especially when he learns you were doing my biding. Are you not here to see to my needs?” She reminded the young maid of a duty not at all true. Her needs did not include slipping away from Dante’s castle.
“Sì, signora, but I am also at the mercy of the signore. I fear his reprisal more than your complaint to him should I decline your request.”
Alessa frowned with impatience. “Then I shall go alone.”
Agata caught her arm to stop her. “Go where alone?”
“I have decided to stroll the bay. The day is warm and I would treasure the sun on my face.”
“There is a stone bench among the trees near the stable.”
Alessa ignored Agata’s sound suggestion. “I much prefer the lapping sound of water over the shore. It is invigorating, do you not think? Besides, it nourishes my imagination.”
“I fear everything nourishes your imagination.”
She cast a hopeful look at Agata. The maidservant’s adamant refusal to grant her wish slowly unraveled. “Come, I will help you lay these rushes before we leave.”
“My lady, I cannot—”
“No harm will come to us in the light of day and with all the people milling about the docks.”
“It is the sort of people I fear.”
“I am truthful when I say I will go alone. But would it not be a telling adventure and far safer with the two of us?”
At last the young maid relented. Alessa hugged her with exuberance before grabbing a handful of dried herbs to toss about the floor.
****
The shell of the bay flourished with merchants loading and unloading goods. The familiar sight made Alessa a bit melancholy for home. The only difference was, Naples was a major port compared to the less traveled route by Venice’s canals. She inhaled the sea air, relishing the freedom it represented.
“Come,” she said and reached for Agata’s hand, which was cold and damp. Alessa smiled reassuringly. “I’ll not do anything foolish to cause us harm.”
“I fear we have already been foolish.” The girl’s fearful gaze darted about.
“Look, there are other women here.” Harlots, no doubt. “Over there, see that ship. Is it not magnificent?”
“It frightens me.”
Alessa tugged Agata behind her as she started across the bay. Sand kicked up from her shoes and pelted her calves beneath her tunic. “Does it not remind you of a warrior standing watch?”
“It reeks of danger.”
Alessa frowned. Perhaps she should have gone to the bay alone. “Do you not have a sense of adventure?”
“I was not born with one.”
Pity the poor girl her sheltered life. “Then I shall have to teach you how to find adventure.”
They left behind the west side of the bay where Castel dell’ Ovo stood sentinel over the port high above the cliffs. At first Alessa planned only to walk the length of the bay and take advantage of the nice weather. But as she approached the far side, where she had followed Dante and the French captain many nights past, she mulled over the activity she’d seen.
When they came upon the lesser used side of the port, she noticed footpaths leading from the shore to the cliff. Still clutching Agata’s hand, Alessa pursued one near the same area where shipman had worked at night. The imprints over the trail flanked by brush was faint in some spots, as if someone tried to cover the tracks.
Agata pulled back. “We are leaving the main area of the port. Mayhap we should turn back.”
“See you these footprints? Do you not wonder where they lead?”
Her maidservant shook her head vigorously.
“Just a little farther. I promise. Then we shall return to the castle.”
Searching for something out of place, Alessa found an odd plant of sorts. It resembled a stack of intertwining twigs and leaves leaning up against the tallest of the jagged cliffs. She would have missed it if she hadn’t remembered a question she had asked her father about plants growing in spurts from what appeared as dried earth. Some plants, he had explained, did not require much water to survive.
Alessa glanced up to the top of the cliffs, realizing Dante and the captain had not seen this area from where they had observed the unloading of a
ship. The slight overhang hid this area well.
“Where are you going?” Wrought with worry, Agata twisted her fingers.
“Stop your fearful whining, else I will send you back to my husband’s castle without me.”
A new fear slipped into the woman’s eyes. “I-I cannot, not on my own. Even if I reached the castle unmolested, what if Signor Santangelo is awaiting me?”
She understood Agata’s grave concerns, but she simply refused to turn back now. “Just a little more time is all I ask. Then I promise we will leave.” She raised her eyebrows in expectation of the maid’s refusal. “Well, what say you?”
Agata made a quick sign of the cross and nodded.
Touching the wattle gingerly, Alessa discovered it was thin and moveable. Hidden behind was an opening a hand shy of her full height. With caution, she poked her head around the rock and earth formation, unable to see much. She felt Agata tug on her tunic.
“What now?” Alessa snapped.
“It is too dangerous, my lady. Please do not go in.”
“Stop fretting.” Alessa had never met another woman who shared her excitement for adventure, as most were governed strictly by a father or husband. She was fortunate to have a father who understood her curiosity and need to explore. Truthfully, she couldn’t fault Agata for her trepidation. Clearly the girl had no freedom in her life. “Follow me closely and you will be safe.”
With Agata tight on her heels, Alessa slipped into the cave and fixed the wattle to its original position. Daylight seeped through the cracks of the make-shift door, creating uneven rows of stripes on the ground. Vigilant, she walked several paces in, to the end of the natural but muted light. Without a candle to guide them, Alessa strained to see the numerous passages leading away from the main entrance.
“We must leave now,” Agata muttered.
Alessa’s patience waned. But chastising the long-suffering woman would serve no purpose other than to frighten her even more, so she ignored her.
A chill overtook her body. The trapped air was much cooler here. A sparkle caught her eye. She carefully stepped across the mud-packed floor and soon became frustrated when her vision was slow to adjust to the changing light. But when it did, her jaw dropped open in stunned silence.
A chest filled with gold coins lay open. Upon closer inspection, she saw gems and gold goblets mixed with coins. Glancing about, she found a bounty of chests, each overflowing with more gold that could fetch a large sum of money. So this was the stash of which her cousins had spoken.
A pair of voices at the cave’s entrance made Alessa’s blood run cold. Her heart pounded like a blacksmith’s hammer against her ribs. She grabbed Agata’s hand and yanked her down one of the passages, moving in as far as she could without losing sight of the path they took. The interior illuminated from the flame of a single candle. The faces of the men were not clear, but she knew well the degradation in one particular voice.
“It is all here,” Benito said. “Alfonso’s ship will arrive by week’s end to collect what we have amassed. See that every last chest gets on that ship. If you think to keep one for yourself, you’ll not live to reap its rewards.”
“I am trustworthy,” the other man said, his voice the same as the one she had heard in Fabroni’s shop.
“Once Alfonso gathers his army and bares down on Naples, we shall set our plan in motion.”
“You’ll not heed your father’s warning?”
Benito made a disgruntled sound. “My father is spineless,” he sneered.
“He simply fears a revolt from the people of Naples who do not share our enthusiasm for Alfonso.”
In the silence, Alessa swore she could hear Benito’s ragged breaths and knew he was seething at the man’s insolence. “That is why we will not kill Queen Isabelle until Alfonso is at the gates.”
Alessa covered her mouth to smother a gasp and glanced at Agata.
“Think you imprisoning her might better serve Alfonso? If we take her life—”
“Silenzio!” Benito raged. “If you are not man enough to serve Alfonso, speak so now.”
“I will help you dispose of the queen.”
“Good. See that the many chambers of this cave are emptied. You will have to go deep. We cannot chance some unfortunate soul discovering our bounty and stealing from us.”
Light faded as they walked toward the wattle. “What of your meddling cousin and her husband?”
Benito snickered darkly. “They will perish with the queen.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
In the safety of her bedchamber, Alessa fought to calm her fluttering nerves. Agata brought up mulled wine, but her stomach was too queasy to drink. Even a warm bath did naught to help. She couldn’t stop thinking about how close she and Agata came to Benito discovering them in the cave.
She looked down at her fingers closed around the two gold coins she had stolen. They were proof of her cousins’ treachery. Now she must decide if she should confide in Dante or tell someone other than her husband, perhaps Father Damiani. The queen’s life, as well as hers and Dante’s, rested in her hands.
The chamber door opened. She hid her fist behind the folds of her tunic. Relief washed over her when Agata entered.
“Shall I empty the bath water and remove the tub?” Agata cast her gaze aside. Since returning to the castle, the maidservant hadn’t once met Alessa’s gaze.
“Mayhap later. For now, I prefer to be alone.”
Agata nodded and backed out into the hall. Her scream startled Alessa. She hurried forward and trapped a scream of her own in her throat. Dante’s eyes tunneled with marked annoyance.
“Now what the devil did I do?”
Alessa brushed her hand up and down Agata’s arm to still her trembling. “You surprised her, that is all.”
He slanted a skeptical look down at the woman, who was on the verge of tears.
Worried Agata might spill their secret, Alessa promptly dismissed her and swept back into the chamber, careful to disguise her nervous edge.
“That woman behaves as if I will beat her.” His annoyance lingered.
“She is young and fearful of her master.”
“You are young,” he pointed out.
“And lacking fear, as you have told me. Agata, it seems, has an abundance of it.”
Near the hearth, Alessa kept her hand hidden from Dante’s view. The clicking of his boot heels echoed ominously as he approached. She had to rid herself of the coins before he discovered them.
She smiled and was somewhat relieved when he stopped at the tub. “The water is still warm,” she said.
He dipped in two fingers, testing it for himself. “I shall take advantage of it then.” His gaze changed from irritation to animalistic hunger.
Alessa shivered from the familiarity of his hooded look. Both guilt and excitement pushed the blood through her veins with incredible force. And if she didn’t slow her breathing, she might very well faint.
Dante noticed her distress and rushed over to steady her. “Have you taken ill?” His voice rose with concern.
“I am merely lightheaded. I have not eaten a morsel of food since this morn.”
He marched to the door and yanked it open. In his haste, he made the heavy wood seem as light as a feather pillow. From the landing, he shouted down. “Agata! Bring food up for my wife!”
His voice boomed throughout the castle, and Alessa believed it could rattle the sturdy stone walls. He reentered the chamber and pulled off his clothes. A sigh settled in her chest. She wished never to tire of watching him undress, of perusing his enticing body.
“You should sit before you faint,” he told her.
She did not understand his vexation. “I will be fine. Mayhap removing my shoes will help.”
He didn’t press for an explanation, for which she was grateful. She had none. He stepped into the uncommonly small iron tub and attempted to recline. His knees protruded above the surface, and his shoulders pressed between the sides. Why did he not ha
ve a larger tub to accommodate his body?
“Is there anything I should know?” His eyes closed as the warm water coddled him.
Alessa paled. “I think not.”
He popped open one eye. “You are certain?”
“Very certain,” she replied without a nervous hitch in her voice. When he settled back and lowered that single eyelid, she backed up to the bed. She slipped out of her shoes and stooped to place one coin in each. As she pushed them beneath the bed, a thought occurred. “Which side of the bed is mine?”
He replied without looking at her. “The left.”
“When I am facing the bed or standing with my back to it?”
His head came forward, his brows raised. “When you are lying on it, which I would ask you to do very soon.” He rested his head back on the edge of the tub. “Without your clothes.”
A salacious shiver cascaded down her back. She left her shoes under her bedside and removed her stockings before she climbed up onto the mattress. As she studied her husband in repose, tiny flutters in her heart caused her to sigh once again.
There was a light tap on the door. “Enter,” Alessa said since Dante wasn’t about to.
Agata took no more than three steps into the chamber when she noticed him in the tub. She snapped her head to the side, and her neck cracked loudly.
“Your pardon, signore.”
“Have you brought up food?”
“Sì, signore.” A nervous trill claimed her voice.
Alessa came to the poor girl’s rescue. “Please set it on the table.”
Dante moved to sit up then, and water lapped up the sides of the tub. Agata’s lips moved rapidly as she mumbled prayers.
“That will be all.” Alessa dismissed her before she collapsed into tears because Dante had no modesty.
“What is ailing her?” he asked.
“She wants only to please you, I think.”
He slid the cloth over his chest and under his arms. As he stood, her gaze drifted to his manhood, relaxed, innocuous. Had she not lain with Dante, she’d still believe kissing a man was the only true pleasure. The truth was far more intriguing and palatable. No amount of talk from her mother could have prepared her for the reality of lying with a man.
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