by Holly Rayner
Ashley’s fingers darted to her lips as she took in this information. She knew that Matteo’s father had confessed to hiding David away, but it certainly was news that he did it at the behest of a trusted advisor—a man that Matteo had trusted with his own governance of the country as well.
“Oh, Matteo,” Ashley said. This time she did reach out and grab his hand, and he held onto her like a lifeline. His gaze searched hers.
“Please Ashley, you must know that I would never do anything to harm you or David. I spoke in anger. I wanted to prove to Silvio that he was wrong for what he did, that I have some control over my own life,” he said, his voice edgy with frustration.
Ashley held his hand as he continued.
“To have my son taken from me without my permission, without allowing me the knowledge or any kind of say in it. To do such a thing…what else could Silvio be hiding from me ‘for my own good?’” he asked, clearly tortured by the thought.
Ashley sighed.
“I don’t know, Matteo. I’ve never had to be responsible for a fraction of what you have. Politics always scared me, because I’ve always been frightened of what people choose to do to one another to serve their own interests. What I do know is that in the end, we’re all just human, hopefully doing the best we can in a flawed and unkind world. You have been dealt a beautiful hand in life, and even with that you face unfair truths and twisted lies. I wish I knew what the answer was. I truly do,” she said.
He was quiet for a moment as they held hands beneath a star-studded sky. The sound of gentle waves lapping against the shore could be heard in the distance, mingled with the muted sounds of the party still in full swing nearby. Matteo stared out at the horizon as he collected his thoughts, then turned his attention back to Ashley.
“Ashley, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all of this. For coming into your life, turning it upside down. You didn’t ask for any of it, and you’ve been nothing but understanding and supportive.”
Ashley scoffed.
“Hardly. I’ve stormed off in anger twice now, when I should have stood by and listened to what you had to say.”
“You care about David, and you want him to be safe. It is perfectly normal to have those protective emotions. You never expected your lives to be invaded by his birth parent.”
Ashley held Matteo’s hand a little tighter.
“I’m not sorry you came into our lives,” she said, her voice whisper soft.
“Oh, Ashley,” he said, leaning closer. “I could never, ever erase you from the picture. Even if I had the power with David, that would never cross my mind. The idea of going on without you—” he said.
The door slid open, and Mrs. Lioni poked her head out, her expression worried.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, but it’s David. He’s been sick, and he’s asking for his mother.”
Ashley and Matteo shot up and stepped back into the warm interior.
“What do you mean by sick?” Ashley asked, trying to glean as much information from Mrs. Lioni as possible. He had seemed so peaceful just moments ago. What happened?
Worry stabbed through her belly and coursed through her veins, sending her into high alert as she led the way toward David’s room, where she could hear him crying.
She rushed to his side and noticed the bowl Mrs. Lioni must have brought over in case he got sick again. When she placed a hand on David’s forehead, it was clammy and hot, his complexion pale.
“Oh, David. What’s going on, sweetie?”
She wiped tears from his cheeks as she cradled his face, which he buried into her as she held him close.
“My stomach hurt and then I got sick,” he cried.
She held him close and stroked his hair as he shivered in her arms.
“I’m cold, Mommy.”
“It’s okay, my love. I’m going to tuck you in and get you some medicine now, okay? We’ll make it all better. I promise.”
“Don’t go!” he cried.
“What if Matteo stays with you?” she asked.
“No! I want you!”
She glanced up at Matteo, who was doing his best to try and hide the hurt that little statement caused, though she could tell it was mingled with worry. He perched on the bed next to them.
“What can I do?” he asked.
“Children’s acetaminophen,” she replied. “It can bring down the fever. Do you have that kind of medicine handy?”
Matteo nodded.
“I’m sure we can get access to some immediately. One moment.”
He left the room, and Ashley crawled into the bed and cradled David with her body, not wanting him to be too warm, but not wanting him to feel cold, either. There was such an intense sense of helplessness that overwhelmed her when David was sick, but she pushed it back and put on her nurse hat. Together, they would get through this.
“I don’t like being sick,” David said.
“I know. No one does, honey,” Ashley said.
“Matteo was telling me a really good story, about a prince that was raised in a cottage by a really nice lady.”
Ashley stiffened, then forced herself to relax.
“Oh, yeah? Do you want to tell me?”
“No, I want you to tell me,” he said.
Ashley chuckled.
“Well I can’t very well tell you a story I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me how it goes, and then I’ll tell it back to you?”
“Fine, but pay attention because it’s good.”
“I’m all ears,” Ashley said, stroking his head. “Hold on.”
She got up and went into the bathroom, where she wet a washcloth with cold water, then returned to the bed. She gently placed the cloth on David’s forehead.
“Does that help?” she asked.
He nodded.
“I feel cold and then I feel hot. I don’t like it.”
“I know, sweetie,” Ashley said, running her hand along his arm to comfort him. “Why don’t you distract yourself with Matteo’s story? He should be back soon with some medicine.”
“Okay,” David said. “Once upon a time, there was a princeling…”
Ashley listened as David told her the story of a young prince stolen from his kingdom and placed in the care of a loving and wonderful wise woman. Her feelings were so jumbled up and mixed with worry and fear that she could hardly breathe as he finished the tale.
“And then the three of them lived happily ever after, because the king fell in love with the cottage lady, and she loved him too, and they were a family together,” David finished.
Oh, if only.
“That’s a lovely story, David,” Ashley said.
“Now you tell it to me.”
“Well, I will, but in my story, I should tell you that the cottage lady has a very large wart right on the tip of her nose.”
David giggled, and it soothed her soul to hear him sounding even a little joyful.
“She does not. She’s beautiful, just like you.”
“Aww, you sure know the way to girl’s heart. Keep it up, pal,” Ashley said.
Matteo came back into the room with a small bag. Ashley kissed David’s forehead and stood, taking the bag as Matteo stared morosely at the bed.
“Thank you. This is perfect,” she said, taking stock of the supplies he’d brought.
“We have some of the best doctors in the country at our disposal. Should I dispatch for one of them?” he asked.
“Let me see,” Ashley said.
Matteo had the presence of mind to get her the proper medicine as well as a thermometer to check his temperature, which would certainly help her gauge the severity of his condition. She walked back over to David as Matteo stayed in the doorway, his expression haunted.
“Okay, David. Let’s get you sitting up. This will help you feel better.”
David slowly sat up as Ashley poured a dose of medicine into a small measuring cup, then handed it to him. She placed the thermometer in his ear and held it there until it beeped, indicating t
hat his fever was low enough to be nonthreatening…for now.
David finished the medicine and leaned against Ashley.
“Are you tired? Do you think you could try to go back to sleep?” she asked.
He nodded, and she laid him back down, covering him with a lighter blanket so that he wouldn’t be too hot or too cold.
“Do you really think the cottage woman would have a big wart on her nose?” David asked.
Ashley laughed and stroked the boy’s head once more.
“If she does, I’m sure she’s a lovely person, so that really doesn’t matter.”
“Because what’s on the inside is the most beautiful,” David said.
“You got it,” Ashley said. “Try and get some sleep. We’ll be right outside the door if you need anything, and I’ll be back to check on you.”
“Okay. I love you,” David said.
“I love you to the moon and back,” Ashley replied.
She didn’t want to leave him, but she knew if she stayed, he wouldn’t go back to sleep. She joined Matteo in the doorway and gently led him into the living room, where they found Mrs. Lioni wringing her hands as she stared out the window.
“Thank you for alerting us to his condition,” Ashley said.
Mrs. Lioni turned.
“I’m so sorry, miss. I promised to take good care of him, and now he is ill.”
“That’s no fault of yours. We can take it from here. Please get some rest, and thank you again.”
Mrs. Lioni nodded and headed out the door, leaving Matteo and Ashley alone.
“You acted like a proper queen just then, gracious and decisive,” Matteo said.
“Ha. Yeah, right. The poor woman clearly needed a rest, and besides, we’ve got this covered.”
“You’ve got it covered,” Matteo said. “I could never be half the parent that you are.”
“Oh, come now. You simply haven’t had the opportunity to deal with fevers, runny noses, and vomiting. Welcome to the club,” she said, trying to make light of the situation. Now knowing that his fever wasn’t as bad as she feared and that he had medicine to help, she felt more relaxed, though not much.
“Seeing him in bed like that…it just reminded me of my father’s deathbed, and I froze. I didn’t know what to do,” Matteo said.
“Hey, you did everything he needed you to do,” Ashley said. “There’s nothing to worry about there. He’s going to be fine.”
She was saying it to herself as much as to him. Matteo gazed down at her, and she couldn’t ignore the admiration shining in his eyes.
“How are you this calm and capable? I’m absolutely terrified for him, and you’re just handling it like a trained professional.”
Ashley’s lip quirked as she considered that.
“I suppose I am a trained professional. Being a mom means being all kinds of other things—driver, teacher, chef, nurse. I’m trained in those things because I had to learn through experience how to get through them. Trust me, the first time David was sick, I was right in the emergency room, scared out of my wits. Turned out he had a small cold. The first time you see your child sick, you never know what to do, but you figure it out.”
“Kind of like figuring out how to run a kingdom, right?”
Ashley laughed.
“Something like that,” she said.
She stared up at Matteo, once again glad to have someone to be with as she navigated the ups and downs of David’s life. He opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted as Silvio entered the room without knocking.
Great. Everyone’s favorite advisor had arrived.
Chapter 20
Matteo
Silvio’s timing could not have been worse, and Matteo’s anger at the man had in no way diminished. In fact, it may have deepened.
“It’s all right,” Ashley whispered.
She rested a hand on his shoulder, which he then realized was nearly up to his neck, as though he were preparing to pounce on the man. He inhaled and shrugged, relaxing his posture.
A king should know how to address an adversary, right?
“Your Majesty,” Silvio said, maintaining some distance.
Smart man.
“Miss Bedford,” he said, addressing Ashley, then he looked back at Matteo. “It’s been reported that the child David is ill. Nothing too serious, I hope?”
“No,” Matteo said, his expression like stone. Wouldn’t that just be a boon for Silvio, if David were gravely ill? Perhaps the child could die and no longer be the burden Silvio made him out to be.
The thought was extremely upsetting.
“If I may,” Silvio said, taking another very small step back. “I’d like to clarify on some of the points I made earlier.”
Matteo glanced down at Ashley and saw worry in her eyes. She didn’t need to be privy to this kind of conversation. She was already worried enough about David and his condition.
“If you’ll excuse us? I’ll be back as soon as possible,” Matteo said. He very nearly reached out for her hand to beg forgiveness in an unspoken way but, seeing his advisor behind him, he didn’t want to give the man any fuel to turn against her as well. Ashley endured enough without becoming the next target of Silvio’s malice.
Ashley glanced between him and Silvio, then toward David’s room, then nodded.
“If you need anything, I’m happy to help,” she said.
He nodded. What more could she possibly give? Ashley had been the greatest gift the king could ever receive—a woman with a kind heart, a beautiful soul, and the love of his son. Wasn’t that all a man could truly desire?
How had it taken it this long for Matteo to realize that? Perhaps he would have had a much happier life up to this point, were he wiser.
There wasn’t time to dwell on such things. Silvio was shifting from one foot to the other as Matteo turned and walked past him without looking back. He opened the door and made a quick exit, heading toward his usual meeting chambers, where he knew they would not be heard or interrupted.
The palace residents did not need to know just how loud their king could get.
Matteo pressed open the door to the meeting room and was met with darkness, the silhouette of several plush chairs and a large table casting shadows from the light of the moon. He turned on a small lamp as Silvio closed the door behind him, then he glared at the old advisor, ready for war.
“Matteo, I’m sorry.”
That took the wind right out of his warship sails. Matteo stared at Silvio in silence, unable to come up with a retort to a simple apology.
“I know that the word means nothing, given what you have lost, but I thought that I might make my case, or at least clarify, before you make moves to seek my resignation,” Silvio said.
“So this is about saving your job,” Matteo said.
“It’s about earning your trust, like your father before you,” Silvio countered. “I do not do the things I do because I want to have a job, Matteo. I believe in this monarchy, and I believe in your family’s place in the history of this country. Did you know that I majored in Golinian History in college?”
Matteo didn’t even consider where Silvio was educated. He never really thought to ask. Maybe he should have.
“I did not,” he said.
Silvio nodded.
“I figured as much. If you studied your own family history, you’d understand why your father and I made the decision we did five years ago.”
“You mean the decision you facilitated,” Matteo clarified, in case Silvio tried to weasel out of the blame once again.
Silvio swallowed, but he didn’t deny it, which was a small point in his favor, at least.
“As I was saying,” Silvio soldiered on, determined to make his point—whatever it was. “You would know what Giovanni and I knew—that there have been two instances in your family history where an illegitimate son was presented to the people of Golina. The first was in the fifteen hundreds, when your ancestor, Lothair, presented a son born to him by a
noblewoman, highly regarded in the court, but alas, not his wife. The child and his mother were scorned and cast out, Matteo. No one knows what became of them.”
“The second happened a bit more recently, in the eighteen hundreds, when once again one of your ancestors presented a child he had fathered with a beautiful peasant woman—something that was seen as even worse in the eyes of the public. Like the first, that child was banished and denied access to Golina ever again. I believe he died of pneumonia at a young age, in the care of friends on the continent.”
At this point Matteo could hardly listen anymore to what Silvio was saying. All he could think about was David, being turned out in the cold, being ostracized and threatened, all because Matteo made a mistake.
Silvio’s gaze was steady, and he nodded.
“Yes, you are starting to understand. While the actions your father and I took may appear to you as unfeeling and cold, we were thinking of historical precedent. No illegitimate child that was made public by a king of Golina has fared well in the history of this country. We feared that if we let you know of the child’s existence, you would insist on making him the rightful heir to the throne, and immature as you were at the time, it was not something we thought you could handle.”
“You speak as though this was decades ago, as though I were a child when this happened. You mean to tell me that five years ago you had no faith in my ability to take on the throne?” Matteo said.
“Sir, with all due respect, I did not think that even two years ago I had faith in your ability to take on the duties and responsibilities of the throne.”
Matteo’s anger flared at such a comment, but he focused on his breath. He had to be willing to listen to things that he did not want to hear. Over the past two years, he had learned that was a very important part of being king. Counsel was important—no man could decide anything alone.
“I think you should clarify that point, Silvio,” Matteo said through clenched teeth.
Silvio’s cheeks were bright red as he continued, but, it appeared, he would have his voice heard.