LITMIR.BIZ

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on sentry duty against a flawless azure sky.

      The Palace of Ferara was constructed around a sixth century Byzantine tower, and seemed from a distance to be balanced perilously on the very edge of a towering chalky-white cliff face. Rising out of the low cloud cover as they had approached by road, both palace and cliff had appeared to be suspended magically in the air. But as they’d drawn closer Emily had seen that the stone palace was both vast and set firm on towering foundations.

      No wonder a Princess of Ferara needed so many clothes, she mused as she retraced in her mind those parts of the palace she had already been shown. The sheer number of rooms was overwhelming.

      Tossing back the crisp, lavender-scented sheets, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and headed towards the glass-paned doors leading onto her balcony. Even in the early-morning sunshine the mellow stone already felt warm beneath her naked feet. Staring out across the city, she felt like an excited child, monitoring the progress of some promised treat…Except that she wasn’t a child any longer, Emily reminded herself, pulling back. She would have to be totally insensitive not to realise that the people of Ferara had high hopes for this marriage, and all she had to offer them was a sham.

      She dragged her thoughts from harsh reality and they turned inevitably to Alessandro, and how long his business would keep him from Ferara. The best she could expect was that he would turn up for their wedding. Then they would get on with their own lives—separately. She would stay on in Ferara, of course, and act out her part as promised. But what did Alessandro have planned? Would she see him at all?

      Shaking her head, as if to rid herself of pointless speculation, she reached for the telephone and dialled an internal line. After several rings she remembered that Miranda and her parents would probably have already left for their promised tour of Ferara.

      So, what did a ‘soon to be’ princess do in her spare time? Ring the office, she told herself, trying another number.

      ‘Force of habit,’ she explained to the uncharacteristically bewildered Clerk of Chambers who normally organised her working life with unfailing efficiency. ‘Yes, OK, Billy. See you at the wedding then.’

      She tried to hang on to the familiar voice in her mind, but when she replaced the receiver the room seemed to have grown larger and even emptier than before she placed the call.

      Shower, dress, and draw up a plan, she decided, trying to ignore the stab of tears behind her eyes as she headed purposefully towards the lavish marble bathroom. She would have to pull herself together and find a meaningful role for herself if the next couple of years weren’t going to be the longest of her life.

      She felt better when she came out of the bathroom, hair partly dried and hanging wild about her shoulders, and with a fluffy white towel secured loosely round her hips. She had waltzed herself halfway across the ballroom-sized bedroom, humming her own version of Strauss, before she realised she was not alone. As her hands flew to tug up the towel and cover her breasts she realised there wasn’t enough material to cover everything—

      ‘Calm down. I’ll turn my back,’ Alessandro murmured reassuringly.

      It wasn’t easy to stay calm when your heart was spinning in your chest!

      ‘Who let you in?’ she said, backing up towards the door of her dressing room.

      ‘I apologise for arriving unannounced.’

      He could try a little harder to sound contrite, Emily thought, conscious that her nipples had turned into bullets. ‘I thought you had business to conclude in London.’

      So did I, Alessandro mused wryly. But thanks to you, Emily, I couldn’t stay away. ‘Can I help you with that?’ he offered, moving towards her as she debated whether to simply brazen it out and turn to open the dressing room door, or try to manoeuvre the handle with her elbow whilst clinging on to the towel and preserving what little remained of her dignity.

      ‘That won’t be necessary,’ she said, choosing the latter option.

      ‘Oh, come now, Emily,’ Alessandro murmured, moving closer. ‘I have seen a woman’s body before…’

      That was all the encouragement she needed to try and bludgeon the handle into submission with an increasingly tender arm.

      ‘It’s not as if anything’s going to happen,’ he added sardonically, ‘remember that “no sex” clause?’

      ‘Yes, thank you, I do remember,’ Emily said, conscious that every tiny hair on her body was standing to attention.

      ‘See? I’m not even looking,’ he insisted, leaning across her to open the door. ‘Your modesty is utterly preserved, signorina.’

      Launching herself into the dressing room, Emily slammed the door shut and leaned heavily against it as she struggled to catch her breath.

      ‘Don’t be long,’ Alessandro warned from the other side. ‘I’ve got something to show you…something I think you might like.’

      Emily’s gaze tacked frantically around the room as she tried to decide what to do next. Dropping the towel, she sprinted naked to examine her daunting collection of new clothes.

      Everything was cloaked in protective covers and there were photographs of each outfit on labels attached to the hangers; labels that came complete with directions as to where matching accessories might be found. But her investigations were hampered by too much choice. And just what was the appropriate outfit for after you’d stepped out of the shower only to be discovered naked by possibly the most delicious male on the planet? A male, furthermore, with whom you could anticipate no hanky-panky whatsoever!

      Modest enough to prove you weren’t the least bit interested in him, she decided, and casual enough to put them both at their ease.

      Decision made, Emily dived into the bottom of the wardrobe and tugged out her trusty jeans and tee shirt.

      ‘I hope you slept well?’

      ‘Very well, thank you,’ she replied politely, giving Alessandro a wide berth on her way back across the room. ‘I had no idea you had arrived home.’ Reaching the massive fireplace, she intended to rest one trembling arm on the mantelpiece, but missed when she found she couldn’t reach. Acting nonchalant, she leaned against the wall instead, and levelled a bogus confident stare on Alessandro’s face.

      ‘Come over here,’ he said softly, indicating the cushion next to his own on the cream damask sofa.

      As one corner of his mouth tugged up in a smile Emily’s battered confidence took a further plunge into the depths, while her heart seemed capable of yet more crazy antics. ‘Why?’ she said suspiciously.

      ‘Because there’s something that I’d like you to see,’ he said patiently.

      Emily took care to measure each step, so as not to appear too keen.

      ‘Sit down,’ he invited, standing briefly until she was comfortably settled on the sofa.

      Maintaining space between them, Emily folded her hands out of harm’s way in her lap and waited.

      Reaching down to the floor at his feet, Alessandro brought up an ancient brown leather casket and set it down on the table in front of her. Releasing the brass catches, he lifted the lid. ‘For you,’ he said, tipping it up so that she could easily see the contents.

      Emily gasped, all play-acting forgotten as she peered into the midnight-blue interior, where a quantity of diamonds flashed fire as the early-morning sunlight danced across their facets.

      Reaching into the casket, Alessandro brought out a diamond tiara, together with earrings and a matching bracelet and necklace. ‘You will wear these with your wedding dress,’ he said, laying them out on the table in front of her.

      ‘Don’t you think that’s a bit much?’

      ‘To my knowledge, no Princess of Ferara has complained before,’ he said, sweeping up one ebony brow in an elegant show of surprise.

      ‘Well,

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