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‘It’s beautiful. Like a winter wonderland.’ She frowned. ‘We can’t take the horses in, though.’
‘No need. I’ve arranged for someone to meet us here and take them back to the stables. We will be picked up later.’
‘You’ve thought of everything.’ And it made her heart flutter. Because she knew he would have had to speak to a lot of people to get this set up just for them.
‘I have tried. I want to show you that I am sorry for the unfortunate outcome of my deception. And I wanted you to see this.’
‘Do you have anything similar in Aguilarez?’
‘My country is more mountainous, craggier, less gentle; perhaps that reflects on our culture. But it is a magnificent country, a place that takes your breath away.’
‘I would like to explore it.’ Gabi could hear his love for his country in his voice, wondered then that he visited so infrequently. Of course his work kept him abroad but even so...
‘Perhaps you will allow me to be your guide.’
Before she could reply, the sound of a car intruded and within minutes the large four-by-four had parked and a group of people climbed out. A few unloaded the boot and set off into the maze, whilst two youths headed towards Gabi and Cesar. As they approached both Ferron and Arya whinnied in recognition. Gabi dismounted, chatted to the newcomers and then watched as they mounted the horses and trotted off.
Cesar gestured towards the illuminated maze. ‘Shall we? I do know the way but I am happy to wander round getting lost if you would prefer?’
Gabi sighed. ‘I know the way too. There was a photo shoot; a publicity thing with Luca and I bonding by finding our way through the maze together.’
But, even with their knowing the way, the maze with its twisty wending turns and alleys was still both fascinating and breathtaking. Tucked into corners were wooden sculptures to depict a Christmas theme, elves, reindeer, robins all elaborately carved and placed for maximum effect. The lights twinkled and shone and glinted off the greenery and Gabi loved it.
‘I love how Christmassy it all is. It sounds mad but I was so caught up with my presentation ball I’d almost forgotten how close Christmas is. Plus although the Casavalle palace is beautiful all the decorating is done by staff. I’m not complaining,’ she said, quickly, ‘but I’m used to decorating the book store myself.’
‘I suppose this is very different from your usual Christmases.’
‘Yes.’ Gabi was silent for a moment. ‘When I was a child Christmas was pretty quiet, but that was OK. Uncle Peter would get the tree and Aunt Bea and I always decorated it.’ The memory was precious—it had been something the two of them could do together, a time where she’d felt a tenuous but real bond. ‘We’d exchange a few gifts.’ Always necessary items for Gabi, a new pair of shoes for school, a pair of gloves because her old ones had worn out, because that was always what she had asked for, not wanting to impose, always aware of what the elderly couple had given up for her both financially and emotionally. Their savings and their dream. ‘After Christmas dinner, we’d go for a walk.’ There hadn’t been much conversation but the silences had been companionable; it had been a time when she’d felt closest to them both. Gabi had always sensed she was accepted rather than wanted; when she was eight she’d understood why. An overheard conversation between Bea and a friend.
‘She’s a pretty little thing,’ the friend had said and Gabi had beamed to herself. ‘Sweet as well, polite.’
Then her Aunt Bea: ‘I know she is and thank goodness for it. It was all a bit of a shock, really. Peter and I never wanted children and we had a plan for our retirement years. We were going to travel round Europe and end up in sunny Spain. Of course, we could never have done that once Sophia died. Gabriella is family and we would always do right by family. But sometimes I can’t help but imagine how different life would be.’
Though her aunt and uncle had never told her of their thwarted plans, the words had haunted her for years, still caused a guilt that would tug at her for ever. She’d done her best to make it up to them, vowed to herself that somehow she would save enough so that one day they would still be able to travel. But it wasn’t to be. Bea and Peter had passed away before that had been a possibility.
Gabi blinked herself back to the present, aware that Cesar was studying her expression, also aware of his words of the previous day—that royals should mask their feelings. And here she was, standing in a reverie of regret and guilt and haunted memories.
‘Sorry. I got a little lost in the past. I bet your Christmases must have been a lot noisier than mine, with five siblings.’
‘Noise wasn’t encouraged in the royal household. Aguilarez does not embrace Christmas with the same verve as Casavalle. Or at least my parents do not. Our palace has one huge tree in the gardens for the public to see but we did not decorate inside like you do. Nor do we have anything like this maze.’
‘So tell me about your Christmas Day.’
‘We went to church, then we would visit the estate and we would open state gifts. The family didn’t exchange gifts as we got so many from the public. We would send individual thank-you letters, of course—my parents believed it should be done by hand and done on Christmas Day.’
‘At least you got loads of gifts.’
‘We weren’t allowed to keep them.’
‘Why not?’
‘There were too many and so my parents decreed none could be kept. So we donated them to charity.’
‘That must have been really tough.’ She frow
ned. ‘But why didn’t you exchange gifts, in that case?’
‘Yes, we spotted that flaw.’ Cesar shrugged. ‘The general feeling was we were so lucky and privileged to be royal we didn’t need gifts, I suppose. Christmas was more seen as an opportunity to give to the people than to celebrate in private.’
