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“That’s what I thought you’d say.”
She leaned forward and grasped his hand. “I’m sorry, Nico. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You’ve only spoken the truth, Fausta, and that’s what I want. In order to counteract my pain, both Basil and the prime minister have told me what a great man he was. But to do that to his wife... Far be it from me to judge any man, but—”
“But he was your father,” she broke in with heartfelt emotion. “You wanted to love who he was, whatever his faults. He was the man you’d idolized somewhere in your psyche without knowing anything about him.”
“Your understanding is a revelation to me, Fausta. It isn’t just my father I’d ascribed with numberless virtues. How could my own mother have brought herself to get involved with a married man?”
“Then you believe she knew he was the king?”
He nodded. “Liliane told me all about it. They’d been fighting because she wanted to adopt and he was adamant that he didn’t want to raise someone else’s child. During that difficult period, he left to make visits to several military cemeteries across the country and honor fallen heroes. It was in winter and he came down with the flu that caused him to collapse.”
“Oh, no.”
“My father was taken to the hospital in Mesecino and had to stay down for close to a week. A young nurse took care of him. As soon as she could, Liliane rushed to his side. But the moment she entered his hospital room, she knew something had happened. My father was more distant, and it became clear he and the nurse had become involved.”
“That story is too painful,” Fausta whispered.
Nico agreed. “Liliane said the clandestine affair lasted for about a year before he came to her and confessed to everything, including the fact that they’d had a baby son. By then full war had broken out.”
A moan came out of the woman seated across from him.
“He begged Liliane’s forgiveness for his weakness, insisting that he loved her and always would. He also promised he would never see my mother or the baby again and kept that promise, although he made provisions for them to be taken care of through Basil. My father did keep his promise to Liliane, but nothing was ever the same between them.”
“No. It couldn’t be. So what are you saying, Nico?”
He finished his wine. “Basil and the prime minister want me to take my place as the heir apparent to the throne and believe the parliament would be behind me. They insist the queen has no vote politically and couldn’t stop me. But I told them that if she can’t get past her pain—and I don’t see how she can—then there’s no way I would consider murdering her heart again. My father already did it once.”
“Nico—please don’t let what I said influence you in any way.”
“You didn’t. I was sickened the moment Liliane spoke frankly with me. I left La Valazzura with this proviso: unless I hear from Liliane herself before the thirty days are up, and she can see a path for me that wouldn’t destroy her, then I’d think about it. The palace is her home since she left her father’s palace in Slovenia years ago to be married. For the time being she’s a figurehead no matter who ascends the throne.”
“That poor woman. My heart aches for her.” Fausta’s head lifted. “My heart aches for you. I wish I could take away your pain.”
“You already have by just being you. I needed this day with you and am looking forward to getting back to work as long as you’re free at five o’clock every day and weekends for us to be together. Once you tell your parents the truth about me, they might even add me to the bottom rung of their short list of acceptables.”
Nico thought she would smile, but the opposite was true. “Do you mind if we go back to the hotel?”
“I didn’t mean to say the wrong thing.”
She refused to look at him. “You didn’t, but I’d rather continue the rest of this conversation when we don’t have an audience.”
Several people had probably recognized her. “Would you like dessert?”
“I couldn’t, but please order for yourself.”
“I’d rather be alone with you.” He paid the bill and they left the restaurant for the car.
When he pulled in next to her car in the hotel parking lot, he turned to her. “Why did my mentioning your parents bother you so much?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Fausta—you and I don’t have secrets from each other. I don’t want to start now.”
She suddenly looked at him. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. “I’ve spent my life wishing I weren’t royal so I could be like all my friends, able to make choices without worrying about the royal rules governing what my parents have outlined for me. I’ve said it before, the difference between the classes is indecent.”
“I’m aware of how you feel,” he whispered.
