Royal Secrets

by Abramson, Traci Hunter

  She didn’t have time to wonder at the lack of a security check. She was too enchanted by the vision in front of her. Three uniformed servants stood at the bottom of the wide marble steps that ascended to massive wooden doors. Towers speared to various heights, giving the palace a mystical look. Two guards held position on either side of the entrance, and more guards were visible at the far corners of the building, as though poised for an attack.

  The moment the car pulled to a stop, a servant opened the car door for them. Taking a deep breath, Alora stepped out and motioned for her children to follow. She slipped the strap of her briefcase over her shoulder and grabbed her sons by the hand to prevent them from running off the way they had when they’d first arrived at the chateau.

  Two of the servants moved to the back of the car to collect luggage, and the one who had opened the car door for her motioned to the front door. “This way, signora.”

  Her heartbeat pounded in anticipation. She tried to convince herself that it was because she was nervous about meeting the king and queen, but in the back of her mind, the thought took seed that she was more excited about seeing Stefano.

  She felt the history exuding from the walls the moment she stepped inside the massive front hall. An impressive chandelier hung above them, but her eyes were drawn to a marble statue of two doves perched atop a birdcage situated to her left. A suit of armor was displayed at the hallway opening. A wide archway to her right revealed an enormous room, a second archway running through the center. The subtle scent of lemon and fresh flowers hung in the air.

  “You must be Alora,” a woman’s voice called out.

  Alora turned to see an elegant, dark-haired woman approach through the doorway to her left. She was dressed in trim beige slacks and a cream-colored blouse, and Alora caught the subtle appraisal as she approached. It wasn’t until the woman smiled and her eyes warmed that Alora saw the resemblance to Stefano and realized she was the queen.

  “Yes, Your Majesty.” Alora curtsied, shifting her attention briefly to make sure her sons bowed as they had been instructed.

  “And who might these two young men be?”

  “These are my sons, Giancarlo and Dante.”

  “I am delighted to meet you,” Queen Marta said kindly. “I imagine you are both hungry after such a long trip.”

  Both boys nodded but didn’t speak.

  “Eduard and Stefano have a dinner appointment, but I thought perhaps you would like to join me for dinner on the terrace.”

  Alora recognized the queen’s tone, the same tone she had heard often when Stefano asked a question disguised as a command.

  “It would be our honor to dine with you.”

  “Excellent.” The queen turned her attention to the servant who had shown them inside. “Miguel, please let the kitchen know our guests have arrived and we are ready to eat.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  Marta motioned for them to follow her into the enormous room to their left. “This is our main salon, where we do most of our entertaining.”

  Alora’s eyes were drawn to the ornate ceiling twenty feet above her head. A look of amazement lit her face when she looked back at the queen. “It’s incredible.”

  “I’ve always loved this room. It gives me a feeling of permanence, maybe because it has changed so little over the centuries.” She motioned to the wall of windows interspersed with three sets of French doors that lined the far wall. “The terrace is right over here.”

  Alora released Giancarlo’s hand when they reached the door, and he moved to open one of the doors for them.

  The queen’s face lit up with a smile. “Why, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Giancarlo said, turning to give his mother a satisfied smile as the queen continued forward.

  Alora and the boys followed the queen outside onto the stone terrace. The view captured her attention immediately. From high on the cliffs, she could see the rambling village on the hillside below, red-tiled roofs contrasting against the greenery of the native foliage. The evening sun shimmered off the Mediterranean, catching on the waves and the cliffs below.

  “What a perfect view.” Alora stared for a moment until Dante started tugging her toward the table set up a few yards away. She glanced at the queen to see her smiling at her.

  “I’ve always thought so myself.” She settled onto a cushioned seat and motioned for Alora and the boys to join her. “Now tell me, boys, how do you like living at the chateau?”

  The simple question was all it took. Dante immediately launched into stories of his favorite horse to ride, and Giancarlo proudly informed the queen that he could now swim all the way across the pool by himself. As Alora watched Marta interact with her sons as if they were members of her own family, once again the reality crashed over her that her children would never know what it was like to have grandparents of their own.

  * * *

  Marta walked toward her husband’s office, considering what she had discovered over the course of the evening. Her curiosity had been piqued after learning that Stefano had escorted Alora to several events over the past few weeks. The photographs that had appeared after their visit to the museum exhibit together had provided little information other than the fact that she was attractive and poised even though she didn’t appear terribly comfortable in front of the camera.

  At dinner, Marta had discovered Alora to be polite and engaging. She also noted how skilled she was in sidestepping topics she didn’t want to address. Her children were surprisingly well mannered for their ages, although Marta hadn’t missed the gleam in their eyes when they had walked by the pool. Undoubtedly, they could be a handful if they wanted to be, especially the younger one.

  Stefano’s decision to have Alora hand-deliver the financial reports made her wonder if perhaps her son had developed more than a working relationship with the young widow. She knocked twice on her husband’s office door and then pushed it open without waiting for a response. As expected, her husband and their older son were deep in discussion.

  “Are you two about done with this for the night?” Marta asked as both men stood when she entered. “I thought now might be a good time to meet with Alora about her financial analysis.”

  “They’re here?” Stefano asked, relief tinting his voice.

  Marta nodded, her suspicions heightened. “If you can find a stopping place, I can have Miguel send for Alora.”

  Stefano shook his head and spoke hastily. “I can go get her.” He looked over at his father. “That is, if you don’t mind taking a short break. I’d like to say good night to the boys before they go to bed.”

  “Go ahead.” Eduard nodded. “We can finish this in the morning, and I’m anxious to hear what this Alora has found that everyone else seems to have missed.”

  The moment Stefano left them alone, Eduard looked at Marta, his eyebrows furrowed. “What was that all about?”

  “I think our son is smitten with Janessa’s new assistant.”

  Eduard shook his head. “He probably just wants to see for himself that she’s okay.”

  “Why wouldn’t she be?”

  “Two bombs went off today in Bellamo, one of them at the naval base and another at a remote cabin. Nine people were killed and thirty-four more were hospitalized.”

  “That’s awful.” She moved closer to lay a hand on his arm. “Do you know who did it?”

  “Not yet.” Eduard shook his head. “I hope I didn’t make a mistake by allowing the United States access to our waters.”

  “You can’t let an isolated incident undermine your decisions.”

  “I hope it was an isolated incident.” Eduard shook his head. “I feel like every time we turn around, everything is falling apart.”

  “Hold on a little longer. We’ll make it through this just like everything else we’ve faced.”

  He reached out and pulled her close. Marta linked her arms around his neck and prayed that their country would be able to weather this latest storm.


  Chapter 34

  Stefano knocked on the door to Alora’s guest quarters. He could hear muffled voices followed by rapid footsteps. Then the door flew open, and Dante launched himself into Stefano’s arms.

  “You’re here!”

  Relief shot through Stefano. He drew Dante close and breathed in the lingering scent of chlorine and kid shampoo. “I am here.” He caught a glimpse of Alora out of the corner of his eye, and his heartbeat quickened, but he kept his focus on Dante. “Are you being good for your mama?”

  “Uh huh.” Dante nodded rapidly. “We got to ride in a mimosine.”

  “A limousine,” Stefano corrected him gently as Giancarlo reached for his free arm and pulled him into the room.

  “Mama let me bring my Legos with me. Do you want to come play?”

  Stefano lowered Dante back down to the floor before speaking to Giancarlo. “I would love to play, but I’m afraid your mama and I have some work to do.”

  “Oh, okay. Maybe you can play tomorrow.”

  “We’ll see,” Stefano agreed, wishing his life could be so simple again. He looked up to see Alora staring at him with a carefully guarded expression. He fought the urge to cross to her and gather her close. “Are you ready to meet with us?”

  “Yes.” Alora picked her briefcase up off a chair and turned to Brenna, who was sitting on the couch. “Brenna, I’m not sure how long this will take. Could you please make sure the kids are in bed by eight if I’m not back by then?”

  “Yes, signora.”

  “Thank you.” Alora reached out and gave Dante a hug and then kissed Giancarlo’s forehead. “You boys be good for Brenna.”

  After exchanging good-byes with the boys, Stefano escorted Alora into the hall. He reached for her arm and felt her stiffen. Though he ached to draw her close, he forced himself to remain as he was. Her expression wasn’t readable, and he couldn’t tell if she had stiffened because she didn’t want to be near him or because she did. The silence between them grew heavier as he guided her down the hall. Stefano stopped a few yards from his father’s office and turned to face her. “Is something wrong?”

  She shook her head, but her eyes didn’t meet his. “No, nothing.”

  “Alora . . .” Stefano stared at her until reluctantly she looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Why should anything be wrong?” Alora asked. She waved a hand to encompass the palace, and her shoulders lifted. “I’m staying in a beautiful palace. My children got to ride in a limousine today and then have dinner with the queen of Meridia. Everything is great.”

  “And?”

  “You didn’t say good-bye.” She blurted out the words and then paled as though she didn’t mean to say them. She drew a breath, and when she spoke again her voice was calm, edging toward professional. “I thought we were . . . friends. I didn’t appreciate finding out secondhand that you had decided to leave the chateau.”

  “I see.” A glimmer of hope stirred inside him. “Then I should apologize.”

  “Yes, you should,” Alora agreed, a hint of anger still vibrating through her voice.

  “I am sorry I didn’t say good-bye. I didn’t know if you would want to see me before I left.”

  Alora’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes lowered for a moment.

  Stefano reached for her then, pulling her close to satisfy his need to hold her, to prove to himself that she was whole and alive. That she was his.

  He felt her arms come around his waist and cling for a moment before she shook her head. “Stefano, don’t.” She pulled free and motioned down the hall. “I thought your parents were waiting for us.”

  “They are.” His eyes were dark as he stared down at her. “Perhaps we can talk later.”

  Alora gave a slight nod and then followed him into his father’s office. Even though her posture didn’t change, he sensed her nerves when his father stood to greet them. She dipped into a curtsy. Gently, Stefano placed a hand on her back as he offered an introduction. “Father, this is Alora DeSanto.”

  Eduard extended his hand. “My son tells me you have some information to share with us.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Alora said as she shook his hand. She shifted her briefcase from her shoulder and then gave the king a wary look. “I’m afraid I do.”

  “Please sit down, and you can walk us through your findings.”

  Stefano pulled a chair out for her, and they all sat down at his father’s worktable. Alora slipped several sheets of paper from her briefcase. She looked apologetically at the queen as she slid a copy to Stefano and another to the king. “I’m sorry. I only brought two copies.”

  “What are we looking at here?” Eduard asked as Marta shifted closer so she could read the paper with him.

  “Stefano asked me to conduct an in-depth audit of your household accounts, specifically for the expenses of the gala event held at the chateau.” Alora tapped a finger on her own sheet. “The initial findings were that everything was in order, but when I began tracing the funds used to pay the expenses, I found several irregularities.”

  “Like?” Stefano prompted.

  “Your main expenses for the gala that were drawn out of your household accounts were security, catering, flowers, and music.” Alora pointed to the top sheet of her report. “A physical check was cut to the caterers for the exact amount of their contract, but for the other three categories, the payments were made via electronic fund transfers.”

  Alora’s eyes lifted to meet Stefano’s, and then she looked at the king. “All three of the accounts that received the payments were dummy accounts.”

  “What do you mean dummy accounts?”

  “The accounts were set up in the names of the various contractors you hired, but the authorized users on the accounts didn’t belong to anyone within those companies,” Alora told them. “The money was transferred into these dummy accounts, and then the amount that was actually billed by the various companies was paid to them. The difference remained in the dummy accounts, and a few weeks later, the money was siphoned off and transferred again, only this time the funds went to a numbered account in the Caymans.”

  “Why didn’t the other auditors catch this?”

  “There wasn’t any reason they would. The invoices on file all matched the amounts that were paid,” Alora said. “My guess is that the amounts on the original invoices were replaced before the payments were ever made. The auditors would have verified those invoices to the payment amounts and seen that the money went to bank accounts that they believed belonged to the contractors. They wouldn’t have had access to dig any deeper, nor would they have had any reason to believe they needed to.”

  “How much money are we talking about?”

  “At this one event, it was just over two hundred and forty-seven thousand euros.” Alora glanced at Stefano. “The bank only allowed me access to the past eighteen months of records, but I did find similar anomalies last year as well. It’s possible this has been going on for some time.”

  Stefano’s jaw clenched. “Do you have any idea who’s behind this?”

  Alora nodded. “I’m afraid I know exactly who’s behind this. I also have an idea of how we can prove it.”

  * * *

  Alora walked out of King Eduard’s office nearly an hour after she had presented her initial analysis. The royal family clearly had a lot to consider, and she didn’t envy them their task of deciding how to handle the fact that someone so close to their family had been stealing from them, most likely for years.

  The office door snapped closed, and she looked up to see Stefano standing next to her. “We need to talk. Privately.”

  Even though the commanding tone put her on edge, Alora didn’t argue. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she had been looking forward to this opportunity to be alone with Stefano, to somehow define what their relationship had become since she had seen him last.

  He took her arm and guided her toward a narrow staircase, the scent of potpourri mixing with traces of Stefano�
�s cologne. When they reached the single door at the end of the hall, Stefano pushed it open and led her outside onto a lit pathway that cut through the wide patch of grass. He nodded to the guard who stood just outside the door and continued toward the gazebo located in the center of the yard.

  The moonlight reflected on the structure that had been built of the same white stone as the palace. Thick columns supported the cupola top, and several stone benches were positioned inside. Stefano led her through the wide, arched entrance and then released her arm when he turned to face her.

  Shadows played over his face, and she couldn’t read his expression. Could it be that he had decided she was right when she told him they didn’t have a future together? Was that why he hadn’t said good-bye when he left? Questions burned on her tongue, but she couldn’t force herself to ask them. Instead, she looked up at him, braced for what was to come.

  He stared at her as though he too was searching for the right words. Several long seconds ticked by before he finally asked, “Why did it bother you that I didn’t say good-bye before I left?”

  Alora had pondered that same question herself the past few days, but she offered him the simplest truth she could put into words. “I thought we were friends.”

  “We are friends.” He stepped toward her, his hand linking with hers. “But I want more.”

  Alora looked down at their hands, hers narrow, the tan line from her wedding band no longer visible. A large sapphire ring adorned his right hand, identifying who and what he was. Impossibly, their lives had merged, and the thought of moving forward without him in her future sent a sense of panic skittering through her. Not prepared to analyze her own feelings, she turned the conversation back to him. “Why didn’t you say good-bye before you left?”

  “I hoped that if I gave you some time alone you might miss me.”