“Executed?”
“Yes. But now that I’m back to being His Royal Highness, I am required to have bodyguards with me even if I venture outside the citadel.”
“Why? Is it that unsafe?”
He shrugged. “Members of the royal family are always facing some threat or another. But just between you and me, I would sooner choose my sword over a small piece of paper.” He chuckled, peered out the window.
It felt like an awkward first date, although Marisa knew it wasn’t. Her hands fidgeted nervously as the carriage bumped along the unpaved road. The country scenery was breathtaking, but as if from the force of a magnet, her eyes were constantly being pulled back to Darian.
When the front wheel suddenly sank into a deep pothole, she lurched forward into his lap. His arms moved quickly to catch her, and shyly she moved back onto her seat.
“I’m so glad you came with me today, Marisa,” Darian said softly, his crystal eyes beaming at hers. “I hope you like where we are going.”
Ancient trees covered the road to form a tunnel of green as the road entered a dense, forested area. The carriage stopped in front of a rusting, wrought-iron gate that guarded the entrance of a gravel driveway. From the way the road had been completely overrun with weeds, Marisa could tell that it probably hadn’t been used in years.
“Remain here, please,” Darian said. He stepped out of the carriage and opened the gate with a small key. When the carriage had passed through, he closed it again and they continued up the long, tree-lined road.
The driveway came to an end as the carriage veered off to the right and made a broad arc around a circular driveway. The footman jumped down and opened the door for Marisa, lifting his hand to assist her. Her boots touched the grind driveway and she stared up in amazement.
The small castle reminded her of a photo she’d seen somewhere of a very old French chateau. It was built of alternating gray and red-colored stone, with several windows of stained glass. It had thirteen chimneys and there was a large fountain in the circle of the driveway that had been dry for some time. It was surrounded on three sides by towering trees that reminded her of the California sequoias in her backyard at home.
“Shall we?” Darian asked. They ascended the front steps to a heavy oaken door where he took out a set of keys and unlocked it. He slid the metal bolt aside and turned the heavy iron ring. It made a loud creaking noise as if the door hadn’t been opened in years.
“After you, milady,” he said, bowing.
They stepped into an octagonal-shaped hall with a sweeping staircase and hand-carved banisters winding gracefully up to the second floor. The floors were made of marble and a large crystal chandelier hung down from the lofty ceiling.
Marisa was speechless.
Silently he took her hand and led her through a door toward a sitting room with large windows facing the front of the house. Although the room was quite spacious, the furnishings had been arranged in such a way as to create a warm, cozy atmosphere.
“Shall we take a tour?”
Marisa nodded, still in awe. They toured all the rooms on the ground floor, and in each one she saw that all the furnishings had been covered with cloths. She gently lifted a sheet up off a couch and spied its beautiful golden upholstery underneath. There were various works of art adorning the walls as well as handcrafted clocks, books, crystal and porcelain dishes, and other decorative, eye-catching pieces.
As they entered the large formal dining room just off the living area, she gasped as she saw two crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There were several beveled glass doors opening out onto a large stone terrace, with extensive gardens beyond. When Darian saw her peeking outside, he unlocked a large set of doors and opened them.
She walked across the stone terrace and admired the beautifully landscaped gardens. There was a reflection pond with a large grassy area just beyond it and a rose garden on the left side with paths to admire the blooming flowers.
“This reminds me of a hotel where I stayed with my family in California,” she said. “It’s so beautiful!”
The footman approached them carrying a large wooden box.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Keep watching,” Darian said. He spread a blanket across the stone table and began to remove from the box small bundles of food wrapped in cloth. As he whisked out a bottle of wine and two crystal glasses, it reminded Marisa of a magician pulling objects from his hat.
“Here you are, milady. I hope you’re hungry.”
“Very hungry. I skipped breakfast.”
He raised his glass in the air. “Ap eirie!” he said.
“Cheers.”
“So, what do you think of the house?”
She took a bite of bread. “It’s incredible. Whose is it?”
Darian grinned. “Yours.”
CHAPTER 20
DOWRY
MARISA COUGHED, NEARLY CHOKED on her bread. She struggled to clear her throat and searched his face. “What did you say?” she demanded.
“You heard me. You can move in whenever you wish.”
She took a sip of wine. “You’re giving it to me?”
Darian nodded.
She shook her head in disbelief. “But I can’t accept this! It’s a castle for cryin’ out loud!”
“Did you happen to notice the coat of arms above the front door? This house is one of several belonging to the Fiore family. As such, it is my property, and I can give it to whomever I please.”
“Yeah, but no—Darian, I can’t accept this!”
“Why not?”
She made a face. “C’mon, get real. It’s just too much. You want to give me a book, okay, fine—that I can accept. But this...” She pointed to the mansion, exasperated.
“The house is empty. There’s no one living in it, and there hasn’t been for several years. To have someone managing and maintaining it would be extremely beneficial. In fact, we should pay you to stay here.”
“Uh, Your Royal Highness, I can’t just take a house belonging to the royal family.”
Darian stared at her. “Marisa, Castle Beauriél is a gift from me to you, from one friend to another. How do you say it in English? No strings attached. I beg you—please do not insult me by refusing my gift.”
Her eyes roamed the expansive gardens. It would be difficult to pass up such an incredible offer. The house was gorgeous and she could certainly imagine living there. But she wasn’t comfortable accepting a house from him. The whole thing was, as her father used to say, just not kosher.
“I don’t need such a humongous place,” she whined. “What am I supposed to do with twelve bedrooms? I’m gonna end up like Cinderella, having to clean the place twenty-four/seven—”
“How did you know that?” Darian asked.
“Know what?”
“That there are exactly twelve bedrooms.”
“I don’t know, lucky guess, I suppose,” she sighed. “Your Highness, I don’t think I can accept this gift.”
He turned to her as if he wanted to say something, but when he saw her determined face, he said nothing and quickly looked away.
Without a word, he lifted his glass off the table and walked down to the edge of the terrace. His back was turned to her as he stared into the garden in quiet contemplation.
Just then, it occurred to her that the house was meant as a peace offering. Located far enough outside the city, Beauriél would conveniently keep her out in the country and a considerable distance from the palace after Darian and Matilda were married. Obviously, it was what he wanted, and it would be best for everyone if she just accepted the house.
Marisa crossed the terrace to where he stood. “I can see that this is one battle I’m never gonna win, Your Highness. I am grateful to accept your extremely generous gift.”
Darian turned cautiously. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Wonderful! We’ll make sure you have enough servants, butlers, cooks, and maids to manage the est
ate. Please don’t worry about a thing.”
“Whoa, hold on there. I didn’t agree to an army of people living out here with me.”
“You didn’t think you could live here on your own, did you?”
“Well I haven’t had much time to think about it now, have I?”
He chuckled. “Consider it an early birthday present.”
“I sure as heck won’t be getting a car this year. I’ll just have to settle for a house then,” she said dryly.
Darian smiled and took a sip of wine. “Marisa, my family would like to hold a ball.”
“Sounds nice.”
“On your birthday.”
“My birthday?”
“Yes. People from all over the country will be there. Lady Matilda and Savino would be the guests of honor. If that’s acceptable to you, of course,” he added.
Her heart sank. He was looking for an opportunity to announce his engagement to Lady Matilda. After all he’d done for her, she couldn’t refuse him now. “Sure, I guess.”
“Great! I’ll have my staff start the planning right away.”
She quietly sipped her wine. She’d probably agree to almost anything Darian put in front of her right now just to keep him happy.
“You know, Marisa,” he began, “Savino will be expecting a response from you soon. Have you made your decision yet?”
She shrugged noncommittally. “If Savino is coming to the ball, I’ll talk to him then.”
“He doesn’t know you can actually speak.”
“True. But if I don’t marry him, he’ll never know.”
He gazed at her thoughtfully. “Marisa—I, uh…”
“What?”
“I know I told you back in Abbadon that this marriage proposal is your own choice to make, and it is…”
“But?”
He avoided her eyes. “As your friend, I feel I must warn you that you should be extremely careful with Savino. He does not accept things interfering with his plans, and he is quite notorious for his tempers. Promise me that you’ll warn me before you give him your answer?”
“Why? Are you assuming I’m gonna refuse him and then he’ll beat me up? I appreciate your concern, Your Highness, but I can take care of myself. You’ve got enough problems of your own.”
“Savino is my problem!”
Marisa frowned. She probably deserved that.
Darian clenched his jaw and dusted the crumbs off his hands. “Would you like to see the rest of the house?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said softly.
As he led her upstairs, Marisa felt as if a wedge had just been driven between them. Clearly, he was distancing himself from her. If the tables had been turned and she had been engaged to Savino, she would have been doing the same thing. They went from room to room as he pointed out the features in each of the various bedrooms.
Half an hour later, they came back down the large staircase, and he locked the wooden door behind them. Marisa hurried across the driveway and stepped into the carriage just as fat drops of water started to pelt the carriage windows.
She glanced over her shoulder at the house one last time. It was the perfect place for her to begin a new life out from under the royal shadow of the palace. She would push Darian to let her move out of the castle as soon as possible.
As they traveled through the open spaces of the colorful countryside, neither one spoke as both were each lost in their own thoughts. Observing the houses, farms, windmills and trees on their way back toward the city, she pondered his comment about being just friends. She hoped that they could still part that way.
Although Marisa knew she wouldn’t see Darian after he married Matilda, she was determined to stay civil to him until her birthday. Right then, she promised herself she would attend the ball for his sake. It was the least she could do for him after saving her life. The ball would be the perfect opportunity to announce the engagement and allow Marisa to bow out gracefully. Then, she could release him forever.
Marisa had been resting quietly in her room but was jolted by a brisk knock at the door. She opened it to find Cinzia and two other women.
“We are here to take the measurements for your ball gown, Lady Marisa,” the baroness explained. “By royal decree, it shall be a masquerade ball.”
Marisa motioned the ladies to enter and they began to strip all of her clothing right down to her underwear. An elegant woman in her mid-sixties stepped forward.
“Marisa, this is Leonora, and she is here to create the perfect gown for you to wear,” Cinzia said. Leonora simply nodded to her and got right down to business by taking her measurements.
Marisa fought to stifle her giggles as the woman measured every conceivable inch of her body. By the time the ladies were finished, it was already three o’clock.
Cinzia dismissed the other woman before beckoning Marisa to sit down between she and Leonora on the couch. She opened a large book filled with hundreds of colorful drawings of various dresses of all sizes and colors. Leonora opened the other book filled with numerous swatches of different fabrics.
“Choose one, my dear,” Cinzia said. “Leonora is the best dressmaker in all of Crocetta, and she can make you anything you wish.”
Marisa took the book in her lap and carefully flipped the pages. Never in her life had she seen so many beautiful dresses. After narrowing her choice down to three gowns, she tried to guess which dress her father would have liked.
In the end, she decided on a floor-length, dark purple dress with ivory and gold panels on the bodice and front of the skirt. It had a square neckline that flattered the shoulders, trimmed with pearls and sparkling gold embroidery.
Cinzia smiled. “Perfect.”
After Cinzia and Leonora had finally left, Marisa wondered which jewelry she should wear with the dress and she froze. She glanced down at her finger and remembered she’d taken her mother’s ring off in the night. She hurried over to the night stand.
Gone.
“Noooo!” she shrieked.
She searched frantically under the bed and all over the floor, but there was no sign of it anywhere. After combing the entire room for more than a half hour, she fell onto the bed, sobbing in despair. Both her father and Darian had warned her about losing it, and she knew she’d been careless.
Hearing Marisa’s sobs, Anna came rushing into the room, clutching the book she’d been reading. Through tears, Marisa pointed to her ring finger as if to ask if Anna had seen the ring, but she shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Anna honestly didn’t seem to know where it was.
There were at least three other women who’d been in her room that afternoon. It was possible that one of them had taken it when she wasn’t looking. But who?
Cinzia didn’t seem the type who would steal another woman’s ring, and clearly Leonora was wealthy enough to buy everything she wanted. Perhaps Leonora’s helper, the other woman had taken it. No matter what, her chances of finding the ring again were probably slim to none.
Frantically she hurried down the stairs and asked everyone in sight if they knew where Arrie was. When nobody was able to understand what she was asking, she became frustrated and ran outside into the courtyard. She climbed the rampart steps and collapsed against the stone wall as she sobbed in utter despair.
“Marisa, what are you doing out here?” Darian asked as he saw her tear-stained face. “The servants came to find me after you ran away upset.”
“My mom’s ring is gone,” she bawled. “Somebody stole it from my room. I took it off last night and laid it on my nightstand, but when I came back today, it wasn’t there.”
“Don’t worry, we shall find it. I will investigate this and post a reward. We’ll make sure your mother’s ring is returned to you. Please try to calm down.”
Arrie hurried over. “What’s wrong, Marisa? I heard a commotion among the staff, and they told me that you were out here.” He looked at Darian for an explanation.
“She cannot find her ring—it appears to be missing.
I was in a meeting of the Crimson Court when they called me out, but I must go back in. Arrie—will you stay with her for a while?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I shall check on you later,” Darian said to her.
She didn’t respond.
“Marisa, look at me!”
She looked at him slowly, and his eyes locked on hers. “I promise you, we shall find your ring. Do you hear me? I promise.”
She nodded sadly and Darian hurried back into the castle.
“Come on, let’s go have a warm cup of tea,” Arrie said. “That will cheer you up.”
He gently steered her across the courtyard and back inside where they found a cozy sitting room. He offered Marisa a handkerchief and asked the maid to bring them a pot of tea.
“I heard you went out to Castle Beauriél this afternoon. What did you think of it?” he asked.
“It was amazing,” she said. “But I can’t believe he just gave it to me. There’s got to be a catch somewhere.” She wiped her eyes, blew her nose, and sighed.
He shook his head. “Darian is an exceptionally generous man where his friends are concerned. He doesn’t hold back.”
“Arrie, just cut to the chase and tell me what’s going on.”
“What do you mean?”
He stared at her uncomfortably as the maid returned with a tray. As he poured the tea, the porcelain cup shook on its saucer.
“I mean the way Darian has been acting. The first thing he tells me—emphasizes to me—is how unavailable he is. The next thing I know he’s kissing me, acting like a jealous lover toward Savino, and then today he gives me a house. An entire house! All the while he’s keeping me at arm’s length.” She took a sip of the hot spiced tea. “Please tell me I’m not going crazy.”
“Marisa, there is much to ruling a country and Darian is under tremendous pressure at the moment. While I do not claim to understand all of the methodology behind his actions, I do know that he is struggling to walk the line between doing his duty and doing what is right for him.”
The Carnelian Legacy Page 18