The Princess Bride

by Rebecca Winters

  But should the unspeakable occur and he had to go to prison, she could understand how desperate he was to get his affairs in order first.

  In return for becoming his wife, she would be getting something entirely different: financial security, his name and protection, a home and the chance to be a mother to a girl who needed one, the opportunity to be a caregiver to a cherished brother.

  Should she marry him and he was arrested, she would have the kind of money Jim once dreamed about.

  With it she could hire the manpower necessary to find the real killer and free Gino.

  She sat there for a long time deep in thought.

  It was well after midnight when she finally left the terrace and went up to her room.

  After preparing for bed, she got under the covers, tossing and turning as her thoughts drifted back to Jim and the way they’d met.

  When she’d literally run into him while they were both skiing at Mount Hood, there’d been an attraction that had led to serious dating and marriage. But after the first few months following their honeymoon, the passion didn’t seem as intense. He started doing more ski shows in other parts of the country like Tahoe and Vail. The shows coincided with her concerts so they were spending more time apart. But it was the show in Las Vegas that brought about a major change in their marriage.

  Jim met a Swiss promoter who offered to let him sell Slippery Slopes skiwear in St. Moritz on a trial basis. It meant being out of the country for big blocks of time.

  Of course Ally had wanted him to be successful so he could realize his dream to be the owner of the company one day. But as she’d learned on her honeymoon, he’d had bigger dreams than that. Ones in which her input didn’t matter to him. She’d only been a stepping stone on his way to bigger and better things.

  How different in every way it was from her experience with Gino who knew his place in life and was steady as the sun coming up every morning. A man who put everyone’s comfort ahead of his own and found joy being with the family he loved.

  There was nothing shallow or selfish about him. Dear God how she loved him!

  No one at home, not her family or friends would understand if she married Gino only four months after burying her husband.

  What they didn’t realize was that she’d been out of love with Jim longer than she’d been in love. But it had taken a remarkable man like Gino to remove the blinkers so she could see how empty her life had been with Jim, how barren.

  Just being with Gino filled all those desolate places inside her. He was like a hot fire she rushed to embrace after coming in out of the freezing cold.

  She knew that neither she nor any woman would have been his choice if the circumstances had been different.

  The fact that he wasn’t married yet proved it. But the precarious situation in which he found himself forced him to reach out to her because he knew he could trust her.

  After her experience with Jim, she realized trust was the key element in a solid marriage if it was going to work…trust and the incredible passion she already felt for Gino.

  Only time would tell if he could ever come to love her, let alone with that same intensity. But how could she compete when there’d been real beauties in his life like Merlina?

  Still—Gino had turned to Ally in his darkest hour. Though he hadn’t mentioned them having a child of their own, it was something she wanted with every fiber of her being. If he wanted a child, too, that would be a sign that he expected to sleep with her and make her his wife in every way.

  Just thinking about lying in his arms made her breathless. She wanted to give him his answer now, but it was only four in the morning.

  He expected to talk to her before breakfast. Since Bianca served it at seven-thirty, that wasn’t too far off. She set her watch alarm for seven before catching a few hours sleep.

  When she heard the little tinkle of the bell three hours later, she slid out of bed to shower. Normally she would be exhausted, but with Gino waiting for her, her adrenaline was working overtime.

  Once dressed, with her curls brushed and fresh makeup, she hurried downstairs. The housekeeper was already up and busy in the kitchen.

  “Good morning, Bianca. Have you seen Gino yet?”

  “Si. He’s outside changing a tire on the truck.”

  “Thank you.”

  Ally left the kitchen through the side door to find him. Her heart was skipping all over the place.

  A flash of pink caught Gino’s attention. The sight of Ally moving toward him in a T-shirt and jeans her body filled out to perfection caused him to pause in his task of tightening the lug nuts.

  If he didn’t miss his guess, she hadn’t been able to sleep, either. She walked with purpose, a sign that he feared didn’t bode well for the desired outcome. But he was prepared for any hurdle she was determined to put in his way.

  “Buon giorno, Ally.”

  “Good morning. I didn’t realize we’d driven home on a flat tire the other night.”

  “It felt low, so I decided to change it, just to be on the safe side.”

  He put the wrench back in his toolbox, then dusted off his hands.

  The sun had just come up over the lavender fields. Standing there in the early morning rays that gilded her hair and brought out the startling green of her eyes staring through to his soul, she looked like a piece of chocolate he would give anything to devour. But it wasn’t the right time or place. Not yet…

  If she was hoping he would help her find an opening, then she would have a long wait.

  “After learning that someone caused that accident, I’m afraid I got very little sleep last night. I don’t care how much circumstantial evidence the prosecutor says he has, I can’t believe the case against either of us will go to trial. But on the outside chance that I’m wrong, I—I’ll marry you provided we stay married until Sofia’s eighteen.”

  Gino fought not to reveal his elation. He’d feared she would turn him down flat for several reasons he could think of, like the fact that she wasn’t in love with him.

  As for her ultimatum, there were ways around it. He’d worry about that later. All that mattered right now was her capitulation. “If some monstrous miscarriage of justice puts you in prison, Sofia will need constancy from at least one parent.”

  “Agreed,” he murmured, still holding his breath.

  “However if the person who caused that accident is caught, it would be criminal for us to suddenly dissolve the marriage, and for me to go back to the States. Sofia would grieve all over again for another loss.”

  Gino could scarcely control his joy. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  By the way her chest rose and fell, she still had more to say. He waited eagerly for the rest.

  “To this point in time you’ve avoided marriage.”

  “I wouldn’t have if the right woman had come along. I’ve been waiting…”

  “Yes, well I thought the right man had come along, but it turned out I was wrong. After the fiasco of my first marriage, I’m nervous about entering into another one.”

  “Then we’ll both be nervous together.”

  “Don’t tease about this, Gino. This is much too serious for that.”

  He took a step closer. What he wanted to do was crush her in his arms, but at this early stage it might frighten her off.

  “I didn’t know I was doing that. I’m only trying to say that since I’ve never been a husband before, I want to do it right.”

  “So do I,” she whispered. “I want your happiness more than anything.”

  “You think I don’t want the same for you?” he challenged.

  “What you’ve offered me has already made me very happy,” her voice throbbed. “I always wanted a family of my own. My father left when I was two. I grew up in a home without him, or siblings or cousins.

  “It was hard because my mother was too immersed in her own pain to realize how lonely I felt. Don’t get me wrong. She’s a wonderful person in every way, but she had a
warped vision of men that was hard for me to throw off. My grandparents were the bright spot in my life, but they died early.

  “Mom warned me not to marry Jim. She said he was too good-looking just like my father, that he’d never stay faithful.

  “I refused to listen to her. I thought—well, it doesn’t matter what I thought. The truth is, I married a selfish man, so my dream of a happy home with babies didn’t come to fruition.

  “I’m almost twenty-nine, Gino. When I found out he’d died, I felt like I was beyond that part of life where anything and everything is possible. Mother kept saying, ‘You have your music, honey. It’s enough.’

  “But when I met Sofia, I knew it wasn’t enough. I saw myself in her. Because of you, I can have that family I always wanted. Sofia is a joy.”

  “She is that,” he concurred. “As long as we’re sharing let me say that any hope I had of finding the right woman and settling down pretty much died when Marcello married Donata and I saw the grief she brought to his life. Her amoral behavior was a huge turnoff. Once Marcello was afflicted with Alzheimer’s, I gave up the idea of asking someone to be my wife and take on my niece and her father. It wouldn’t be fair to a woman with expectations of starting out the marriage with no responsibilities except to each other.

  “As you and I have discovered to our horror, your husband and Donata tried to hide their liaison from everyone, but they came to a surprise ending that caused their secrets to become public knowledge. For that reason, I have no intention of marrying anyone unless it’s you. Sofia needs to believe in me, in us, Ally. She needs to know that what we have is real and worth imitating when she’s old enough to be married. Her parents were never friends. That’s what she’ll see with us. Therefore there’ll be no divorce when she turns eighteen. That’s my condition.”

  She lowered her head, not saying anything.

  “Ally?” he prodded. “Did you even have friendship with Jim?”

  It took a long time before she said, “No.”

  He could always count on her honesty.

  “Then we have more going for us than either of us has had up to now because my relationships with women to this point haven’t had the depth needed to survive over a lifetime.”

  Slowly she raised her head. “What reason will we give Sofia why we’re sleeping in separate bedrooms?”

  He’d wondered how long it would take her to get around to that question. There was a nerve throbbing frantically in her throat. It intrigued him no end. Obviously she wasn’t quite ready for the big step of going to bed with him yet. He’d give her a little more time to get used to the idea.

  “We won’t have to tell her anything. By day we’ll interact like a happily married couple. At night there’s an anteroom off my bedroom. What goes on behind closed doors is our business, no one else’s.”

  There were all kinds of side roads leading home. If necessary Gino would travel down every one of them to reach it.

  “Gino?” she whispered tentatively.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m afraid.”

  “That makes two of us. But having seen the courageous Ally Parker in action, I’m willing to leap into the fire with you.”

  He could see her swallowing hard. “I—I’m terrified you might really have to go to prison for something you didn’t do.”

  Deeply moved by her concern he said, “If I have my way, neither of us will be found guilty. In the meantime we have the power to make one special girl happy.”

  Her green eyes glistened. “If you’re sure…”

  His chest tightened. “I suppose everything in life is a gamble, but this time I like the odds. Shall we go inside and tell Sofia?”

  She bit her lip, drawing his attention to the succulent mouth he’d wanted to taste over and over again the other night. Once he’d coaxed her lips apart, some divine chemistry had been responsible for the rest. Her passionate response had almost caused him to lose control. In a movie theater no less. It had to be a first for him.

  Right now it looked like she needed a little help in the confidence department.

  He reached for her left hand which was trembling. He stared pointedly at her bare ring finger.

  “Where’s the wedding ring you once wore?”

  “Buried with my husband.”

  Her stunning answer pleased him in ways he didn’t have the time to examine right now.

  He felt in his pocket for a certain item. If she didn’t fight him on this, then there’d be no going back.

  “My mother gave me this before she died. It was her engagement ring. It’s unpretentious, just the way she was. The way you are.

  “She knew I loved nature and encouraged me to be a farmer if that was my choice.”

  One thing he did know beyond everything else. Ally Parker didn’t have an avaricious bone in her gorgeous body, either.

  He trapped her gaze with his. “I need you to be very sure before I slide it home on your finger. Is there anything else you want to ask me?”

  She moistened her lips nervously. “I can think of a thousand things.”

  “But?” he prodded.

  “But every time I think of what would happen to your family if you were arrested, I get so sick, I can’t think.”

  “Then you agree to become a farmer’s wife under the worst of circumstances? I can’t promise the ‘for better’ part yet.”

  A little smile came and went as he slid the gold circle home on her finger. It happened so fast he almost missed it before she looked into his eyes with a haunted expression.

  “Surely you once had dreams.”

  He nodded. “You’ve made them come true by filling this old farmhouse with heavenly music. The kind the Montefalco family has always loved. Every husband should be so lucky.”

  As they walked in the house, Gino had no idea Ally’s heart was breaking. She’d been waiting to hear him say he wanted to fill his house with children. Their children.

  But those words hadn’t left his lips.

  To her chagrin their entrance in the kitchen coincided with the rest of the family’s arrival, forcing her to put on a pleasant face when she was dying inside.

  While Luigi helped Marcello, Sofia ran around to hug Ally, then Gino.

  He swept her up in his arms with an exultant laugh.

  Sofia’s intelligent eyes studied him. “You look different this morning, Uncle Gino.”

  “That’s because I feel different.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m happy, sweetheart.”

  Ally’s heart plummeted to see what a brilliant performance he was putting on in front of his niece. By now everyone had settled at the table. Gino took his place across from Ally. Once Bianca served them, Gino said, “I have an announcement to make.”

  Ally felt close to fainting. “Is it that surprise you told me about a few days ago?” Sofia asked.

  “As a matter of fact it is. I’m taking the family on a trip.”

  Her eyes brightened. “Where?”

  “To the island of Ischia.”

  “I’ve never been there.”

  “You’ll love it.”

  “How soon are we going to go?”

  “On Monday.”

  “Why not today?”

  “Because I need the next few days to get ready.”

  Sofia eyed Ally who was already squirming in her chair, then she looked at her uncle again. “What about my violin lessons?”

  “After we get back, you can resume them.”

  Sofia sent Ally another troubled glance. “What will you do while we’re gone?”

  “Why don’t you ask Ally to come with us,” Gino suggested suavely.

  “Would you come with us, Ally? Please say yes,” she begged.

  Ally wasn’t immune to the pleading in her voice.

  “I’d love to.”

  In the next instant Sofia’s face lit up like a roomful of sunshine. “Have you ever been to Ischia?”

  “No, but just the idea that it’s
an island intrigues me.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I have something else very important to tell all of you,” Gino broke in. “This includes Luigi, Roberto, Bianca and Paolo.”

  He shot Ally a piercing black glance that defied her to say or do anything to upset Sofia now.

  “On second thought,” he added in a silky tone, “maybe I should let Ally be the one to explain since she’s equally involved in this decision.”

  “What is it, Ally?” Sofia asked softly.

  Ally’s heart palpitated wildly because she realized he’d just thrown her in at the deep end. She had no choice but to swim.

  “Y-your uncle Gino has asked me to marry him,” she stammered. “How do you feel about that?”

  Ally didn’t have to wait long to find out. His niece bolted from her chair and came around to hug Ally’s neck.

  “Last night I told Papa that I hoped Uncle Gino would marry you. Papa always said Uncle Gino was waiting for the perfect woman to come along.”

  Gino nodded. “My brother always understood me better than anyone else.”

  Ally avoided looking at Gino right then. “You actually told your father that?”

  “I swear it.” Sofia crossed herself. “You told Uncle Gino yes, didn’t you?”

  Ally was in over her head now. She held out her hand for Sofia to see the gold band.

  “Grandma’s ring!”

  “Yes,” Ally whispered, but everyone in the room heard her.

  Bianca clapped her hands and offered her sincere congratulations. Luigi made a little speech welcoming her to the family. If the staff was surprised by the announcement, they hid it beautifully.

  “We’re going to be married on Sunday at the church in Remo by Father Angelini,” Gino informed them. “After the service we’ll drive to Ischia and stay until we feel like coming home again.”

  Unless the police summoned Gino to Rome, Ally’s heart cried.

  Sofia kept her arm around Ally’s shoulders. “Is your mama going to come for the wedding?”

  “She would like to,” Ally lied, “but my aunt can’t travel that far with her new hip. I’m sure they’ll fly over later in the year when she’s better.”

  No way could Ally tell her mother about this yet. That would have to come later. Much later…