“You’re overthinking this. They still believe it was only an accident.” He tapped a finger against his chin, his confidence never wavering. He would gain the power he was entitled to, and he was prepared to destroy anyone who dared deny him. “Did Prince Stefano’s medical record show who ran the blood tests?”
“I believe so.” He flipped through the file he held. “Name was Belinda Parnelli. Why would that matter?”
“Because if she ran the tests, she knows who received the information.”
Awareness filled his eyes. “Perhaps I should have a talk with her.”
“I agree. I’m sure we will both feel a lot better if we can gain a more complete understanding of the current situation.” He nodded, evil shining from his eyes. “And of course, we don’t want to take the chance that she might be starting any unfortunate rumors we aren’t prepared to handle.”
Chapter 15
Janessa felt the stares the moment she walked into the chapel. She automatically reached for Garrett’s hand in search of comfort.
Over the past several months, she had grown accustomed to the curious looks when she and Garrett entered a room. She hadn’t expected those looks today though, now that she was among her family and friends.
Self-consciously, she followed her brother Jake down the aisle and sat on the same pew her family had been sharing for years, the fourth one from the back. When the time came for Lindsay’s blessing, Janessa watched all of the men in her family stand and walk up to the front of the chapel where the baby would be blessed, leaving only Garrett behind. Since Garrett was a new convert to the Church, he hadn’t yet received the Melchizedek priesthood, which would have allowed him to participate in the blessing.
Even if Garrett had been able to participate, the moment he exercised his priesthood in public, he would be acknowledging that he had joined the Church.
As her brother-in-law began the blessing, Janessa tried to focus on his encouraging words about Lindsay’s future rather than the sinking feeling in her stomach as she realized that such precious moments would never be simple for her in Meridia.
* * *
Alora parked her car in her assigned spot at the far end of the twelve-car garage. Most of the spaces were occupied, the structure deep enough to accommodate two stretch limousines on the side farthest from her.
“Can we go for a walk now, Mama?” Dante asked, tugging at his clip-on tie. “We were good in church.”
“You were good in church,” she agreed with a smile. “Let me hang up my keys, and then we can go explore a bit.”
“Yes!” Giancarlo grinned.
Alora couldn’t help but smile at her son’s enthusiasm. They all climbed out of the car and crossed to the cabinet where she had been instructed to leave her keys. Martino had explained that the chateau drivers preferred to have the ability to move cars if it was necessary. She didn’t see why anyone would want to bother with her car, since it was tucked away in the last space, but she didn’t see a reason to argue the point either.
“Can we go down to the beach again?” Giancarlo asked as he trotted along behind her.
“We’ll see,” Alora said in the tone that made her sons know that if they were good they would get what they wanted.
She hung up her keys in the appropriate spot then turned toward the door. Stepping to the side, she waited for Giancarlo to pull the door open for her. She stepped through the doorway and smiled down at her older son. “Thank you, Giancarlo. You are such a gentleman.”
A deep voice sounded behind her. “I see you are training them early.”
Alora whirled around and lifted a hand to her rapidly beating heart. Remembering herself, she dipped into a curtsy. “Prince Stefano, you startled me.”
“I do apologize.” He was dressed casually, at least she guessed he would think of the camel colored slacks and white button-down shirt as casual. He looked down at the two boys as they followed their mother outside, and Alora could have sworn he was fighting back a grin when both boys bowed to him. He greeted them both by name before turning his attention back to Alora. “I gather you found your church building okay?”
“We did. Thank you for giving me such good directions.”
“It was no trouble.” He motioned toward the path leading to the chateau and then fell into step beside her as the boys scrambled along ahead of them. “I forgot to mention at breakfast this morning that my brother asked a favor of us.”
“Oh?” Alora’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “What favor is that?”
Stefano explained Prince Garrett’s request, surprising Alora with the fact that she too would be provided with office space outside her private quarters.
“I would love to help,” Alora agreed eagerly.
Prince Stefano motioned to the chateau. “Shall we go look at what needs to be done?”
Alora hesitated, glancing down at her boys before lifting her eyes to look at him once more. How could she explain to a prince, one who had allowed her to move into his home, that she didn’t work on Sundays?
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m sorry, but I try to reserve Sundays to spend with my children.” She looked at him apologetically. “We always go for a walk after church.”
“Of course,” Prince Stefano said, his tone more formal than Alora had expected.
“Would you mind terribly if we started first thing tomorrow morning?”
He nodded to her and stepped back stiffly. “Tomorrow morning, then.”
She hesitated for a moment before giving in to her instincts. “If you feel up to it, we would love for you to join us for our walk.”
Surprise and something else flashed in his eyes and then was quickly gone. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“You wouldn’t be intruding,” Alora said. The boys began speaking over one another as they echoed their mother’s invitation.
“Please?” Dante crossed to the prince to grab his hand excitedly.
Prince Stefano stared down at him for a moment, and Alora watched with amazement as he smiled down at her son and his formal air melted away. “Well, Master Dante, how could I refuse such an enthusiastic invitation?”
Dante grinned excitedly. “So you’ll come with us?”
“Yes, I would be happy to accompany you.” Prince Stefano glanced up at Alora and offered her a smile. “And where are we walking to on this fine day?”
“The boys mentioned walking down to the beach, but we’re open to suggestions.”
“You can never go wrong with a walk on the beach,” he agreed easily, motioning toward the path that led through the garden, past the swimming pool, and then to the stairs leading down to the sand. “Shall we?”
“Yes!” Giancarlo didn’t have to be told twice, and he dashed toward the gardens. Dante abandoned Prince Stefano and raced to catch up with his brother.
“Stay where I can see you!” Alora called after them as they continued down the path.
“I think they’re a little excited about the beach.”
“Yes, very much so.” Alora nodded, her eyes shining with humor. “I walked with them down to the beach the afternoon we arrived. They loved every second of it.”
Prince Stefano smiled as they followed behind the boys. “My brother and I always loved it here when we were children.”
Alora noticed a bodyguard stationed by the seawall a short distance away. “What was your life like growing up, if you don’t mind my asking?” She nodded toward the guard. “I imagine it wasn’t easy having guards following you around everywhere.”
“The guards have always been there. I guess I’m used to them, and they don’t really follow me around unless I’m away from home.” He looked at her as though he sensed her unasked questions. “You want to know what it was like to be both a child and a prince?”
“I’m curious, but I don’t want to pry.” She pointed at her boys who were impatiently waiting for them to catch up. “I look at my sons and see how hard it is for them to stay within the
safety net I try to give them. I can’t imagine how restrictive your childhood must have been.”
“It wasn’t as bad as you might think,” Prince Stefano told her. “Security was always tight enough here and at the palace for us to feel like we had our freedom even if it was more illusion than reality. More than once the guards gave us enough rope to hang ourselves.”
Her eyebrows lifted, and humor lit her eyes. “Oh really?”
He chuckled. “You have two sons. I don’t have to explain to you what kind of mischief little boys are capable of.”
“No.” Alora shook her head, and laughter escaped. “No, you don’t.”
They continued to the top of the stairs, where the boys were waiting anxiously.
“Go ahead,” Alora told them. “But don’t go near the water.”
“Okay!” Both boys shouted in unison before scrambling down the dozen steps to reach the sand.
Alora caught the scent of his aftershave when Prince Stefano moved closer and took her arm to escort her down the stairs. Nerves fluttered in her stomach as his fingers touched her arm.
He didn’t speak until they reached the sand. Then he released her arm and asked, “What about you? What was your childhood like?”
“I grew up on a little farm outside of Zena, Italy. It was as close to a perfect childhood as anyone could ask for,” Alora said a little wistfully as she thought of her family. She caught herself before she let her memories go beyond her childhood. Instead, she motioned to her children who had stopped to stare out at a sailboat in the distance. “Now I’m doing my best to give my sons what my parents gave me.”
“I’m certainly no expert on children, but from what I’ve seen, you are doing an excellent job.”
Alora smiled fully. “Thank you.”
Chapter 16
Stefano walked into Janessa’s new offices and surveyed what needed to be done. The windowless reception area was painted stark white, a single painting of a stormy sea hanging on the wall. With a shake of his head, Stefano continued into the inner office. He couldn’t say that he had ever had much interest in interior decorating, but he liked to think he had a good eye for what worked and what didn’t. Although he would never admit it to his uncle, the dark, hunter-green paint, the dark shelves, and matching shutters definitely did not work.
He pulled the shutters open now. The wide window overlooked the fountain in front of the chateau and the lush foliage beyond. If he had to guess, he imagined that his uncle had chosen to hide the view as part of his temper tantrum for not getting the ocean view he felt he deserved.
His lips curved when he thought of the contrast between his uncle and the two women who would now call these offices their own. Even though Janessa had been officially associated with the royal family for only a few short months, she was already well thought of by those who knew her. Stefano could admit that he already had a fondness for his future sister-in-law, especially for her lack of arrogance. In contrast, his uncle had turned arrogance into an art form.
Although he admittedly didn’t know Alora well, he expected that she too was more likely to look out the window and appreciate the view rather than complain about what wasn’t there.
When Stefano heard a familiar aloof tone, he turned to see Elam standing in the doorway. As always, Elam’s voice was tainted with disdain. “That will be all, Martino.”
“Very well, Your Highness.” Martino’s tone was respectful, but Stefano didn’t miss the way the chateau manager’s lips tightened as he bowed and then left them alone.
“Uncle Elam,” Stefano said in the way of greeting. “What brings you to Bellamo?”
“I came to make sure you were recovering well,” Elam told him. “I’m glad to see that you are up and moving around.”
“I’m getting there.” Stefano waved him into the office that Elam had once called his own. “Come sit down and tell me how things are with you.”
“Busy as always.” Elam lowered himself into a leather chair the color of deep burgundy. “I had hoped my schedule would open up a bit more after Philippe’s wedding, but that hasn’t been the case.”
“I understand you are still actively involved with the Meridian Church.”
Elam nodded. “My involvement there has become somewhat consuming. I try to limit my time in the office to once a month, but lately it seems I find myself in my office twice that often.”
Only years of training kept Stefano from pointing out that one or two days a month was hardly a full-time job. He managed to smile, and his voice was diplomatic. “I’m sure the archbishop appreciates all your efforts.”
“One would hope,” Elam agreed. He motioned to the bookcases lining the far wall. “Garrett mentioned you were preparing my old offices for his fiancée. I remembered I left some things here I have been missing for some time. I thought perhaps you would give me the opportunity to pack up a few of my personal items before you start your redecorating.”
“Of course. I have a few phone calls to make, so I will leave you to it.” Stefano stood and moved toward the door. “If you need any help, I’m sure Martino can send someone to assist.”
Elam simply nodded, apparently content to search his office alone.
* * *
“That didn’t take long.” Garrett tried to bank down his frustration as he stared at the front page of the local newspaper. A photograph of him and Janessa walking out of the LDS chapel was centered on the page, the caption stating simply, “Prince Garrett of Meridia attends Mormon Church with bride-to-be Janessa Rogers.”
“Someone at the airport must have tipped off the paparazzi that we were here in Iowa.” Janessa lowered herself onto the porch swing beside him and laid a hand on his arm. Her voice was gentle as she added, “We both knew it was only a matter of time before the press saw you attending church with me.”
“I know, but I had hoped it would take at least a few more weeks before this came to light.” Garrett skimmed the article, his stomach churning when he reached the second paragraph in which the reporter speculated whether the prince was considering joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He pointed down at it. “Look at this.”
Janessa took the time to read the article before looking up at him. “It will all die down,” she assured him. “You’ve said before that the press has the attention span of a two-year-old. Within a couple weeks, the idea of you going to church with me will be old news.”
“You’re probably right.” Garrett let out a sigh. “I guess as long as I don’t do anything to draw attention to the fact that I’m already a member, the attention will fade.”
She shifted to face him more fully. “What are you going to do when you’re asked to serve in a calling?”
Garrett’s eyebrows drew together. “I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
Janessa hesitated a moment as though gathering her courage. “It was hard for me yesterday to watch my niece being blessed and know that even if you could have been in the circle, you might have chosen not to because of what others might think.”
Garrett didn’t deny the truth of her statement. Hadn’t he considered himself lucky that the choice hadn’t been his to make? “It won’t always be like this.”
“When is it going to change? Garrett, how long is it going to take before you’re comfortable with people knowing you’re LDS?” Janessa pushed off the swing and walked across the porch. She turned back to face him, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the railing. “Are you planning on sneaking into the temple on our wedding day? What about when we have children? Are you going to be afraid to bless them in front of the congregation?”
“It wouldn’t be like that,” Garrett said gently. “I don’t know if we can keep it to ourselves until we get married, but I would like to try. It’s safer for both of us.”
“People will know you’re LDS the minute you walk into the temple.”
“The Mormons will know, but most people in Meridia don’t understand what is req
uired to enter the temple,” Garrett told her. “We’ll make it work.”
Janessa was silent for a moment. Then she took a deep breath, and her eyes met his. “The CIA knows you were baptized.”
“What?” Garrett’s eyes widened. “How did they find out?”
“Someone at your baptism was an employee at the embassy and mentioned it. Director Palmer believes the information is still contained, but the fact remains that at some point the news is bound to get out.”
Garrett dragged a hand through his dark hair. “I can’t believe this.”
Janessa let out a sigh. “Assuming by some miracle we’re able to get sealed in the temple without the press getting wind of your religion, then what?”
“We’ll have to issue a formal press release eventually, but I know my family is hoping we can put it off until after we get back from our honeymoon.” Garrett closed the distance between them. “Whenever we release the information, we’re just going to have to pray for the best. Hopefully the public will come to accept the fact that you are Mormon during our engagement, and it won’t be such a difficult transition to know that I am no longer a member of the Meridian Church.”
“I didn’t expect this to all be so complicated.” She stared out at the fields in the distance before turning her attention back to him. “Every time I think I finally understand what it’s like to be royal, I realize how wrong I am.”
“What do you mean?”
“Up until a few months ago, the public didn’t have any idea who I was, didn’t care to know. Now I’m faced with the fact that personal decisions we make can impact people we’ve never even met.”
Garrett shifted. “I know this is an adjustment, but you need to trust that I’ve prayed about this and that I’m trying my best to do what feels right. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
“I’m not trying to make any of this more difficult for you, but you have to understand that I don’t want the kind of happily ever after that people read about in storybooks. I want the one that ends with a happy, eternal marriage.”
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