The Princess Bride

by Rebecca Winters

  His comment made her realize that some if not all of those pictures in the laptop were of Donata. It verified beyond any doubt that Jim had betrayed Ally. Now it meant Gino was party to her secret and her humiliation. Since he knew the truth, there was nothing to hide. She could be frank with him.

  “That’s what I ask myself about Donata every time I look into the face of her precious daughter. She’s so blessed to have you to look after her and love her.”

  “Ally—” Gino whispered huskily before they both heard footsteps and saw Bianca hurrying toward them. Ally pulled her hands away from him in a self-conscious gesture.

  The housekeeper ran up to him and said something in rapid Italian.

  Though the spiel was unintelligible, Ally heard the name Merlina.

  After Bianca went back to the farmhouse Gino said, “It appears I have a visitor.”

  “I recognized the name.” The same woman had come by the day before.

  Not wanting Gino to know how upset she was, Ally started for the back of the truck to get her violin.

  In a few strides he’d joined her.

  “How do you know about her?”

  “Sofia told me she’s your girlfriend.”

  “Was,” his voice grated. “I ended it with her before Donata’s disappearance.”

  His personal life was his own affair, yet the news set her pulse racing.

  He reached in the truck bed for her instrument case and the other purchases.

  “Let’s go inside. While I talk to her in the study, you and Sofia can get started in the living room.”

  “I’ll need to freshen up first.” She ran ahead of him, but once again he caught up to her and held the front door open for her.

  She dashed inside the foyer and up the stairs. On the way she caught sight of a lovely redheaded woman who’d come out into the hall.

  Though Ally believed Gino when he said his relationship with this Merlina was over, she wished she hadn’t seen her.

  The presence of a former girlfriend in his house served as a wake-up call to remind Ally he preferred his single status. He could have any woman he wanted. It hardly made sense that he would be seriously interested in a twenty-eight-year-old widow who hadn’t been able to keep her husband from straying.

  Only one reason would bring the striking Italian woman here two days in a row. She’d come to pay her respects because she loved Gino and couldn’t bear to think their relationship had ended.

  It made Ally realize how futile it would be to fall in love with him.

  If Ally’s mother knew she’d agreed to stay with him until July, she would say her daughter was an even greater fool than before. Ally would never hear the end of it.

  “It’s been all over the news for the last two days,” Merlina exclaimed the minute Gino ushered her back into his study. “The police are saying that the accident that killed Donata and that American man might not have been an accident. According to them the brakes might have been tampered with and you’ve been named their prime suspect.”

  Thanks to Carlo who’d phoned him night before last, Gino already knew the worst of the lies.

  “It’s the usual malicious propaganda put out to sell papers, Merlina. You’ve wasted a trip to come and tell me something I’ve been dealing with for a score of years now. The media will say or do anything to create a story out of nothing. It’s the way they work. If they couldn’t print distortions, there would be no news anyone would want to read.”

  “But Gino—this time it’s different because Donata was killed! Don’t forget she wasn’t just a local. She was the Duchess Di Montefalco.”

  Gino heard the envy in Merlina’s voice.

  “I know you could never have hurt her or anyone else. It isn’t in you. But in this case you have to take this seriously.”

  His jaw hardened. “I don’t have to do anything, Merlina.”

  “Please don’t get angry with me. You know how I feel about you, how I’ve always felt. I love you, and I’m afraid for you.”

  “There’s no need to be. This is a nine day wonder that’ll pass just like all the other scandalous lies made up to try to ruin my family’s happiness.”

  “It’s so unfair to you.” She pushed her hair behind her ear. “I don’t have to be back in Gubbio before tomorrow. Why don’t we go someplace and I’ll help you get your mind off things.”

  He folded his arms, resting his body against the closed door. There was only one woman who could accomplish that miracle. She was living beneath his roof.

  “I’m gratified by your faith in me, Merlina. Your concern means a great deal. But to take up where we left off isn’t possible. Whatever we had was over a long time ago. To pretend otherwise wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

  Her face closed up. “What happened to your feelings for me, Gino?”

  He pursed his lips. “We’ve been over this ground before. We shared some good times, but that’s all they were.”

  Her eyes grew suspiciously bright. “I was hoping if I stayed away for a while, you’d be excited to see me again.”

  He hated to be cruel, but she was asking for it. “I’m only sorry you made this trip for nothing.”

  “There’s someone else, isn’t there.”

  The salvo shot straight to his gut.

  “Whatever is going on in my life is my business, Merlina. If you don’t mind, I have a busy day ahead of me so I’ll see you out.”

  “Who’s that blond woman who came in with you a few minutes ago?”

  Gino was stunned by her aggressiveness.

  “You saw the violin cases. She’s a teacher who has come to help Sofia focus on something constructive.”

  Merlina shook her head, causing her red hair to swish. “I saw her go up the stairs. I’ve never heard of you allowing another woman to live in your house.”

  “These aren’t ordinary circumstances. Sofia just buried her mother. She’s grieving.”

  “And you actually expect me to believe this woman has nowhere else to live while she instructs your niece? Can she actually play?”

  Even as she asked the mocking question, they both heard the sounds of the Tchaikovsky. Sofia must have begged Ally to play for Marcello, and she’d chosen the first movement.

  Ally didn’t need the Stradivari to make her violin sing. She had the touch of an angel.

  Merlina looked shocked. “Who is she?”

  Time to get rid of her before she learned Ally’s identity.

  “Someone helping Sofia find a reason to go on living.”

  He unfolded his arms and opened the door. “After you, Merlina.”

  For a minute he thought she was going to create a scene. Finally she said, “I’m leaving.”

  Thank God.

  He walked her to the front door and watched her drive out of the courtyard.

  The difference between the women he’d known and Ally was so great, the normal comparisons didn’t apply.

  He moved to the doorway of the living room to listen.

  Roberto and Bianca were understandably awestruck. But it was Marcello who sat in the recliner, his whole body in an attitude of being spellbound. Normally nothing going on around him fazed him.

  This was different. Just by the way Marcello’s hands gripped the arm rests, Gino could tell how happy it made him.

  The Montefalco family had been concertgoers for years. Having heard great music before, his brother’s soul recognized it.

  As for Sofia, she sat on the couch, entranced.

  Thankful for Ally who’d managed to captivate his entire family, Gino decided this was the best time to get a little farming business done. The sooner he got things out of the way, the sooner he’d be home to spend the evening with Ally.

  One of the hardest things he had to do was tear himself away when all he wanted was to get her to himself so they could concentrate on each other. His gut instinct told him that besides her affection for Sofia, Ally didn’t dislike him, even if she’d only recently buried her husband
. What he needed was time to prove there was an attraction between them, even if she was fighting it. Tonight couldn’t come soon enough.

  Ally learned that in most Italian households, the family didn’t eat supper until eight or later.

  At 6:20 Gino still hadn’t come home. Ally had an idea it wasn’t all farm business that detained him. Even if he’d ended it with Merlina months ago, the other woman lived in denial. Ally knew all about that dangerous state of mind and was living proof of her own weakness where that was concerned.

  Evidently Merlina still had the same lesson to learn and had come by Gino’s house to try to stir up the old spark. Ally felt a stab of pain to think maybe it hadn’t been that difficult to entice Gino after all.

  Thankfully Ally had a job to do teaching Sofia about the violin. There was a lot to learn first about the various parts, how to string it and tune it.

  Once immersed in showing her the proper technique of using the bow, Ally was able to separate her thoughts about Gino long enough to concentrate on her delightful student.

  The girl was eager to learn. Because she’d taken piano lessons, Sofia was able to read notes which was a big help. If she could maintain this enthusiasm, she would see great results.

  Before Ally knew it, the day had gone. Sofia didn’t want to stop. Ally chuckled and gave her a hug.

  “We’ve done enough for one day, but I bet your father would love to see the progress you’ve made.”

  With that suggestion, the girl ran from the room with her violin and bow.

  Ally took a little walk outside to stretch her muscles.

  Gino’s truck was parked in the courtyard, but there was no sign of him or Merlina’s car.

  Deciding she wasn’t about to hang around waiting for him to return from wherever, she went back in the farmhouse to find the housekeeper. Bianca was in the kitchen preparing food.

  “I need to go into Remo, so I won’t be eating dinner. Gino said I could use one of the trucks.”

  The other woman nodded. “Take his. The keys are in the ignition.”

  “He won’t mind?”

  “No, no. Before he left he said you should use it if you needed to.”

  Gino thought of everything.

  “Thank you, Bianca. If Sofia should ask, tell her I had some errands to run.”

  The housekeeper smiled her assent. “She’s a good student, yes?”

  “Very good. In another week she’ll be able to play tunes for her father.”

  She left the house and hurried out to the truck. Glad it wasn’t dark yet, Ally started it up and headed away from the farmhouse. It gave her a secret thrill to put her hands on the steering wheel where his hands had been earlier today. Everything about him thrilled her. That was the problem. She didn’t want to be like Merlina who couldn’t stay away from him.

  Ally pressed on the accelerator. She had no particular destination in mind. All she knew was that he wouldn’t find her watching breathlessly for him when he decided to come home.

  With her mind made up to be gone for a few hours, she found her way into the small town of Remo. En route she memorized certain signposts so she wouldn’t have any trouble driving back home later in the dark.

  When she’d been in town with Gino, he’d pointed out various landmarks and items of interest, among them a movie theater.

  It was playing an Arnold Schwarzenegger film. Ally had seen a few of them and decided it would be fascinating to watch one in Italian.

  After parking the truck along the side of the street like everyone else did, she went inside and bought a ticket.

  Distracted by the amount of goodies in the concession stand, she decided to try some Italian chocolate. With her choice made, she walked inside the theater. The film couldn’t have been going more than ten minutes.

  She found a seat in the middle of the back row where no one was sitting, then sat down to watch the screen.

  There was something about the Austrian born actor trying to teach the kids in his classroom that made Ally chuckle. When he spoke in Italian, it was even funnier. She found herself laughing out loud, something she hadn’t done in ages.

  “Scusi, signora.” An attractive guy, beautifully dressed, who looked to be about her age, sat down next to her, bumping her arm.

  He’d done it on purpose of course. In fact he could have had his pick of seats in the semifull room, but he’d claimed one next to her.

  He said something else to her in Italian.

  She said, “Scusi, signore. No Italian.”

  If he didn’t move in about one second, she would.

  Naturally he refused to budge. “You are from America. Si?” What an incredibly bad idea it had been to sit alone.

  “You dance with me after?”

  Ally started to get up when another man sat down on her other side. She panicked when he put his arm around her shoulders.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he spoke into her ear.

  She jerked her head around, assailed by the familiar scent clinging to his skin.

  “Gino—”

  She’d never been so happy to see anyone in her life.

  “I’ve missed you, too, bellissima,” he whispered against her lips before capturing her mouth.

  He drew her close like a lover who’d been anticipating this moment and could no longer hold back.

  Ally had been so caught off guard, her mouth opened to the urgent pressure of his and she found herself kissing him back in a slow, languorous giving and taking she’d never experienced in her life.

  The background laughter of the crowd faded. All Ally was cognizant of was the throbbing of her heart against his solid male chest. The armrest between them might as well have been nonexistent.

  Incredulous when she realized the moaning sounds she heard were coming from her own throat, she finally tore her lips from his and sat back in her seat, completely breathless and ashamed she’d gotten so carried away.

  “That other man has gone. Thank you for the convincing performance,” she blurted when she could find her voice again. “It got me out of a difficult predicament.”

  “A word of warning,” Gino said in a masterful tone. “Don’t ever come to a place like this alone. I want your promise.”

  “You have it.”

  “Sitting back here by yourself is an open invitation.”

  “I know. I simply wasn’t thinking.” She swallowed hard. “How did you know I was here?”

  “When I got home, Bianca told me you’d gone out in the truck. So I asked Paolo to drive me around until I spotted it in front of the theater. You’re a fan of this film?”

  “Yes.”

  “So am I. Let’s enjoy the rest of the film, shall we?”

  It was so exciting to be sitting here with him like this, she could only nod.

  “How about some of that chocolate? Your mouth tasted so delicious, I’ve got to have more.”

  She thought he wanted some of her candy, but he leaned over and started kissing her again.

  “No, Gino.” She pushed at his shoulder with her free hand. “There’s no one around me now.”

  “I hadn’t noticed,” he murmured, giving her another thorough kiss before letting her go.

  Without asking her permission, he popped a piece of chocolate into his mouth.

  Then he clasped her hand possessively, and sat back to enjoy the movie.

  She knew what he was doing. No other man in the theater would dare approach her now. She had her own personal bodyguard to protect her.

  She never watched the rest of the film. She was much too conscious of the gorgeous man sitting too close to her. He kept caressing her palm with his thumb, filling her body with desire.

  Every touch made it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

  At the end of the movie, the lights went on. Gino slid his hand up her back to her neck and walked her out of the theater to the truck. He asked for the keys.

  She fumbled in her purse for them. “Here.”

  After help
ing her in the passenger side, he went around to the driver’s seat and started the engine.

  “Do you often conduct business into the evening?”

  Once they merged with the traffic, he darted her a piercing glance. “Only if I want to get everything out of the way so I have all of tomorrow off to spend with my family.”

  Ally bowed her head, relieved he hadn’t been with Merlina for any reason.

  “Sofia will be delighted.”

  “What about you? How does another picnic by the river sound? This time we’ll take Leonora with us so the girls can get acquainted.”

  “I think it’s an excellent idea. Sofia needs more interaction with girls her own age.”

  “Agreed. If you’ll give her a morning violin lesson, we can leave afterward and enjoy the rest of the day.”

  His fingers played with the curls near her nape. His touch sent a yielding feeling of delight through her body. She was still trembling from the kisses they’d shared in the theater.

  Terrified Gino would think this widow was falling in far too easily with his plans, especially after the kisses they’d just shared she decided to bring up the subject she’d been putting off.

  “Gino—-I wonder if you would do me a favor.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ve been waiting for you to give my husband’s laptop back to me.”

  She heard his sharp intake of breath. “If you were hoping to see the pictures, they’ve been deleted.”

  She recrossed her legs. “You had no right to do that.”

  “You didn’t want to see them. Trust me.”

  Ally swallowed hard. “Were they all of Donata?”

  “Yes, if that’s any consolation.”

  “It isn’t.”

  A sound broke from his throat. “I swear I didn’t look at anything else. While you were in jail, I was so determined you were up to no good, I didn’t take the time to look at the e-mails or anything else your husband might have stored in there.”

  “I believe you.” She’d found out for herself that Gino was a man of uncommon integrity.

  After a pregnant pause he said, “If you didn’t know what was in the laptop, why did you bring it to Europe?”