Читать книгу A Forever Family Collection - Коллектив авторов - Страница 17

BELLE LET OUT a laugh that filled the nursery. She stood in front of Leon with the baby’s head nestled against her neck. “Right away? As in…”

“Tomorrow.”

“I didn’t know it was possible,” she mocked.

“I have a friend in high places.”

“Naturally. So that’s the solution to all our problems? From the man who’s still grieving for his wife and never intends to marry again?”

Leon couldn’t help smiling. “It’s even stranger, considering that I’ve proposed to a woman who has declared marriage isn’t an option for her.”

Belle patted Concetta’s back. “All right. Now that you’ve gotten my attention, let’s hear what’s really on your mind.”

“You just heard it.”

“Be serious, Leon.”

He shifted his weight. “When you allow it to sink in, you’ll discover it makes perfect sense. Our marriage will make it unnecessary for the adoption to take place, because you’ll be my wife, mistress of our household, mother to my child.”

His words caused Belle to clutch his little girl tighter.

“Concetta’s tiny eyelids are fluttering, on the verge of sleep. That’s how comfortable she is with you. She needs a mother, Belle. I’ve been blind to that reality for a long time. But seeing her with you is so right. Just now I heard you tell her you loved her. That came from your heart, so don’t deny it.”

Belle could hardly swallow. “I’m not denying it.”

“If we marry, there’ll be two desired outcomes, both of them critical. First, our marriage will enable you to have the full relationship you deserve with your mother for the rest of your lives, without moving into the palazzo. We both know that’s Dante’s territory and should remain so.”

She hugged the baby closer.

“Secondly, it will prevent any more machinations on my father’s part to see me married to the titled woman he’s picked out for me. After all, who could be a more fitting bride than his wife’s daughter? The beauty of it is that I’ll be the one who takes care of you, not my father.”

In a furtive movement, Belle walked over to the crib and tried to put the baby down. But Concetta wasn’t having any of it and started crying again, so she picked her back up. “You need to go to sleep, little love.”

A satisfied smile curled Leon’s lips. “She doesn’t want to leave your arms. It convinces me my daughter has bonded with you in a way she hasn’t done with anyone else but me. You have to realize how important that is to me. She’s been my world since Benedetta died.”

“I’m very much aware of that.”

“When I told Father I would never marry again, I meant it at the time. How could I ever find a woman who would be the kind of mother to Concetta that my mother was to me and Dante? But your arrival in Rimini has changed all that.”

Belle buried her face in the baby’s neck to shield herself from his words.

“Tonight I watched my daughter reach for you. With the evidence before my eyes, I know that with you as my wife, she’ll have a mother who will always love her. I know how much you care for her already. I’ve seen the way you respond to her. It’s the same way Luciana responds. Like mother, like daughter.”

Belle kissed the little girl’s head. “As long as we’re having this absurd conversation, there’s one thing you haven’t mentioned.”

“You’re talking about love, of course. Since we both made a conscious decision not to marry, before we met, we won’t have that expectation. But there’s desire between us, as we found out yesterday. Which is vital for any marriage.

“Furthermore, we’ve become friends, who both love our families. Between us we can turn all the negatives into a positive, in order for you to be with your mother and calm Dante’s fears.” Leon moved closer. “Nothing has to change for you. Talia will continue to be Concetta’s nanny. If the bank backs a new TCCPI outlet in Rimini, you’ll be installed as the manager and can go on working.”

“I guess it doesn’t surprise me you could make that happen,” she muttered.

“Let me make myself clear. I’d do anything to give my daughter a life that includes a mother and a father.” Leon’s voice grated. “Your journey to Italy to find your mother has convinced me you’d do anything to be close to her. If a career you’ve carved out for yourself will keep you here, then you can be a mother, have your career and stay near Luciana. Won’t that be worth it to you?”

Belle shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. But for the sake of argument, what you’re suggesting is that we enter into an arranged marriage.”

He reached for Concetta and put her back in the crib. This time she didn’t cry, but she held on to his finger. “Yes, but one in which we haven’t been pressured by anyone. I realize I can’t compete with your roommates for the companionship you enjoy with them, but I’m not so bad. We had fun watching the dolphins, didn’t we?”

“That question doesn’t require a response. What you’re suggesting is ludicrous.”

“Now you have some idea of how my parents must have felt when they had to enter into an arranged marriage. At least with you and me, we’ve both felt the fire. How long it lasts is anyone’s guess. But if nothing I’ve said has made any difference in how you feel, then it appears the only alternative is for you to go back to your life in New York.”

What life was that?

Leon lifted his head to appraise her. “While I stay with Concetta until she’s asleep, why don’t you go down to the kitchen and have that coffee you wanted? I’ll join you shortly and you can give me your definitive answer.”

“You think it’s that simple?”

He grimaced. “No. I only know that we can’t change what has happened, and a decision has to be made one way or the other.”

“Like I said, I shouldn’t have come to Italy.”

“It’s too late for regrets, and we’ve already had this conversation. The only thing to do is move forward. Just be aware that whether you stay here or go back to the States, my father plans to adopt you. He’s been so eager to do it, only time will tell how that hurt has affected Dante. His relationship with our father and Luciana has been rocky at times.”

“I don’t want him hurt.”

“Neither do I.” Leon lifted his brows. “If you can think of a better way than marriage to prevent more pain from happening and still be close to your mother, I’ll be the first one to listen.”

“I’ll go to your father and beg him not to do anything.”

“It won’t do you any good, Belle. On certain issues, my father is adamant. Where your mother is concerned, this is the gift he wants to give her, and no amount of tears or cajoling will change his mind.”

“Not even for Dante’s sake?”

“I’m afraid not. You heard my father. Dante’s a grown man and should be able to handle it.”

Belle was frantic. “You can’t really mean what you’ve been saying…”

“Why do you think I married Benedetta in the dark of night?” he countered.

Belle’s head jerked back. “But it’s a feudal system!”

“I’ve been fighting it all my life.”

At this point she was pacing the floor. Finally she stopped and turned to him. “What would we tell our parents? We’ve known each other only a few days.”

“We’ll tell them it was love at first sight. They won’t be able to say anything. I happen to know Papà fell for Luciana the minute he met her. He’d never known a love like that with my mother.”

Belle pressed her lips together. “It’s so sad about your parents.”

“They managed, but it’s past history now. I can’t speak for Luciana, but she must have had strong feelings for my father in order to get married again so soon after losing the man she’d first loved.”

“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you.”

“Serious enough that I’ve been on the phone with our old family priest, who married everyone in our family. He stands ready with a special license to officiate at the church tomorrow morning. All you’ll need to provide is your passport. My staff will be our witnesses.”

Belle stared blindly into space. “I was supposed to go out for the day with Mom….”

“Call her and tell her there’s been a change in plans. Promise her I’ll drive you to the palazzo later in the morning. When we arrive with Concetta, hopefully Dante and Pia will be there, so we can make the announcement of our nuptials in front of everyone.”

“You don’t just get married like this—”

“Most normal people don’t. But we happened to be born to a mother and father with unique birthrights, who are married to each other, thus complicating your life and mine. With our marriage taking place, the idea of my father wanting to adopt you will fade, and take the sword out of Dante’s hand. It might even improve our relationship. Much more than that, I can’t promise. Only time will tell.”

Belle edged away from him. “This is all moving too fast.”

“The situation demands action. Father believes you’re going back to New York on Sunday. When he announced he was planning to adopt you, I knew it meant he’d already been in touch with his attorney. He’ll want your signature on the adoption papers before you leave. When he makes a decision, he acts on it before you can blink.”

“You’re a lot like him.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing?”

“Please don’t joke at a time like this, Leon.”

Concetta had finally fallen asleep. He walked across the room to Belle. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a ring. She stared at the plain gold band. “What are you doing?”

He took her left hand in his. “Your engagement ring. Tomorrow it will be the wedding ring of Signora Arabella Donatello Sloan di Malatesta.”

Belle pulled her hand away before he could put it on her. “I haven’t agreed to anything.”

He stared at her through shuttered eyes. “Then in the morning all you have to do is tell me you don’t want it, and we won’t talk of it again.”

“Leon—you can’t do this to me!”

“Do what? Offer to marry you so I can give you my name and protection? Help you to enjoy the mother you never knew? Give you the opportunity to be a mother to my daughter, who’s already welcomed you into her life?”

“You know what I mean!” Belle cried.

“Don’t you think I’d like to make up to you for the years of emotional deprivation? For the cruelty you received at your stepbrother’s hands?” he demanded. “Don’t you know your existence has changed destiny for all of us?”

His words scorched her. She wished to heaven she had someone to talk to. Ironically, now that she’d found her mother, she couldn’t go to her. Not about this. It was worse than getting caught in the maze she’d seen earlier on the palazzo grounds.

“What do you get out of this?”

“I thought you understood. The most remarkable mother in the world for my daughter, and a possible chance to win back my brother’s affection. When Benedetta became so ill, she begged me that one day I’d find happiness with someone else. At the time I didn’t want to hear it, but she was right. Life has to go on. Our marriage will be a start along that path. Until you flew into my world, I didn’t know where to begin.”

Belle couldn’t take any more. “I’m going to say good-night.” Without hesitation she bolted from the nursery and flew down the stairs to her bedroom.

For the rest of the night she tossed and turned, going over every argument in her mind. Could she really enter into a marriage when she knew Leon’s heart had died after losing his wife? Belle couldn’t hope to compete with her memory, but he wasn’t asking for love. He wanted her to be Concetta’s mother.

It was probably the only area in Belle’s life where she felt confident. If she had that little baby for her very own, she could pour out all the love she had to give. Belle could be the kind of mother to Concetta she’d dreamed of having herself.

Leon wanted her to be his baby’s mother.

That had to mean something, didn’t it?

He was the most marvelous man. To think he trusted her with his prized possession!

Even if she was a virgin who’d had no experience with men, she could do the mothering part right. Maybe their marriage would help heal the wound between Leon and his family.

Marriage to him would ensure a close relationship with Belle’s mother for the rest of their lives.

But what if Leon met another woman and fell in love?

Belle knew the answer to that: it would kill her. But would their union be so different from the many marriages where one of the partners strayed? It was a fact of life that millions of married men and women had affairs. There were no guarantees.

By the time morning came, she’d gone back and forth so many times she was physically and emotionally exhausted. But one thing stood out above all else. The thought of going back to her life in New York seemed like living death….

It was a beautiful, warm summer Saturday morning for a wedding in Rimini. In a veil and a white silk and lace wedding dress of her dreams, Belle stepped out of the bridal shop with Leon. They walked to his car where her bouquet lay on the backseat. He’d thought of everything. Belle heard the church bells of San Giovanni before they arrived. Though it was much more ornate than the church attached to the orphanage in Newburgh, Belle had the same sense of homecoming once Leon ushered her inside the doors.

Church had always been her one place of comfort, whether she’d been at the orphanage or the Petersons’. Except that this morning she was to be married to the dark prince of Rimini, as she’d first thought of him. Nothing seemed real.

He’d pinned a gardenia corsage to her linen suit before they’d left the villa. In the lapel of his midnight-blue silk suit, he wore a smaller gardenia. Belle could smell the fragrance she would always associate with being a bride, but she couldn’t seem to feel anything. It was as if she were standing outside her body.

Leon’s staff came in a separate car. They followed them down the aisle to the shrine in front, where the old priest was waiting in his colorful vestments. Talia carried the baby, who so far was being very good, and looked adorable in a white lace dress and white sandals with pink rosettes.

The priest clasped both of Belle’s hands and welcomed her with a broad smile. “Princess Arabella?” She almost fainted at being addressed that way. “You look like your mother did when I married her and the count,” he explained in heavily accented English. “Leonardo has advised that I perform this ceremony in English. Are you ready?”

“We are.” Leon answered for them in his deep voice.

“If the witnesses will stand on either side.”

Talia and Simona stood on Leon’s right. He kissed his daughter, who kept making sounds. Carla stood on Belle’s left.

“Arabella and Leonardo, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the church’s minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. In the presence of the church, I ask you to state your intentions. Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?”

Without reservation? Belle panicked, but she said yes after Leon’s affirmative response.

“Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?”

That wasn’t as difficult to answer. Belle did honor him. He was the one responsible for finding her mother. And there were many things about him she loved very much. The way he loved his daughter melted her heart.

“Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and His church?”

That was a question Belle hadn’t been expecting. But how could she say no when she’d just admitted to coming here freely to give herself in marriage? She said a faint yes, but didn’t know if the priest heard her.

“Take her hand, figlio mio.”

Leon’s grasp was warm against her cold fingers. He rubbed his thumb over her skin to get the circulation flowing. That she felt.

“Repeat after me. I, Leonardo Rovere di Malatesta, take you, Arabella Donatello Sloan, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

The next few moments were surreal for Belle, who could hear the words of the ceremony uttered by the priest, and their own responses. Concetta’s baby talk provided a background.

Blood pounded in Belle’s ears when he said, “You have declared your consent before the church. May the Lord in His goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with His blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. Leonardo? You have rings?”

Oh no. Belle didn’t have one for him.

“We do.”

“Lord, may these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love, through Christ our Lord. Leonardo?”

Belle watched him pull the gold band out of his pocket. “Put it on her finger and repeat after me. Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

It was really happening…

Leon reached in his pocket again and pulled out his signet ring to hand to her.

The priest said, “Arabella? Repeat after me. Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

After saying the words, she was all thumbs as she put it on the ring finger of Leon’s left hand. He’d removed his own wedding band. How hard that must have been, after the love he’d shared with Benedetta.

While she was still staring at his hand incredulously, Leon put a finger under her chin and tilted her head so he could kiss her.

“We’ve done it, Belle. You’re my wife now,” he whispered against her lips. “Thank you for this gift only you could have given, to help me raise Concetta. For that you will always have my undying devotion.”

When his mouth covered hers, it was different from a husband’s kiss. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it was more like a sweet, reverent benediction. Quickly recovering from her surprise, she whispered back, “Then we’re even, because you’ve given me the gift of my mother and your precious daughter.”

By now Concetta was making herself heard and getting wiggly. Belle saw Leon reach for her, and with a triumphant cry hug her in his strong arms.

The staff huddled around Belle with moist eyes to congratulate her. Their well-wishing was so genuine she was moved by their warm welcome as Leon’s new wife. Over their heads she looked at the baby. Leon caught her glance and brought Concetta over for Belle to hold. The child came to her with a sunny smile.

Belle’s eyes closed tightly as she drew her close. This precious little girl was her daughter now! It was unbelievable.

The priest stood by with a smile, patting Concetta’s head. “The bambina now has a beautiful new mamma.” He made the sign of the cross over both of them.

“Thank you, Father.”

They all moved out to the vestibule, where the priest asked them and the witnesses to sign the marriage document. With their signatures on it, everything was official. Leon took the baby from Belle, but as she leaned over the table to take her turn, two petals from her corsage fell on the paper. She looked around and discovered another petal still in Concetta’s hand.

“She has the same sleight of hand as her papà. She’ll need watching,” Belle murmured.

His eyes gleamed molten silver. No man should be so handsome. Her hand shook as she wrote her signature. When it was done, she noticed the others were gone except for Leon. He rolled up the marriage certificate and put it in his pocket.

“Talia carried the baby out to our car. Shall we go, Signora Malatesta?”

Belle wondered if she would ever get used to her new name. He walked her outside to the church parking area.

“I looked up the meaning of your name in the library the other day, Leon. I knew mal meant bad, but found out testa meant head.” They’d reached the sedan where Talia had put the baby in the car seat. She was standing by the rear fender.

“If it meant bad people headed your family, then it had to have been a long time ago, because I’ve known nothing but good from your hands and your father’s. I just wanted you to know that I’m proud to bear your name.”

Some emotion turned his eyes a darker gray. “I’ll cherish that compliment. Thank you.” He helped her into the backseat next to Concetta, who was biting a plastic doughnut. Rufo lay at her feet, guarding her. Before Leon stood up, he planted a swift kiss on Belle’s mouth, then shut the door. While he walked Talia to the car where the others were waiting, Belle ran a finger over her lips.

He was her husband. She needed to get used to this, but every time he touched her, she went up in flame.

In a minute he came back to the sedan. Once he was behind the wheel they drove away from the church. With the palazzo their next destination, Belle’s thoughts darted to his family and their reaction when they heard the news.

Her heart ached for Leon. Though they both hoped the announcement of their marriage would help the situation with Dante, she knew her husband had been in pain over him for years. He had to be anxious right now.

“Leon?” she called to him in a burst of inspiration.

He’d been glancing at her and the baby through the rearview mirror. “Are you all right? You look worried.”

“I am, because I have an idea, but I don’t know how you’ll feel about it.”

“I won’t know until you tell me.”

Uh-oh. He was on edge. She could feel it. “The other day Mom told me Dante and his wife have their own entrance into the palazzo.”

“That’s right. They live in the other wing.”

Her lungs constricted. “What would you think if we drove around to it first and dropped in on them, unannounced and unexpected? Under normal circumstances Dante would be the first person you’d run to with our news.

“Why don’t you treat him that way instead of going through your parents? The element of surprise will catch him off guard, and might even please him if he realizes your parents don’t know yet. It’s worth trying—that is, if they’re home.”

For a long time Leon didn’t say anything. “I don’t know what they do with their Saturdays,” he muttered.

Belle got excited when she heard that. “Then let’s find out. What’s the worst he can do? Slam the door in our faces while we’re standing there with Concetta? I finally faced Cliff and look what happened!”

In the mirror, Leon’s eyes flashed silver fire. “I believe you’ve got a warrior in you. If you’re willing, I think your idea is rather brilliant.”

“Grazie,” she said in lousy Italian.

“First thing we’re going to do is get you a tutor.”

She laughed out loud. Miraculously, he joined her. It was the release they needed. When they entered the estate, he kept driving past the courtyard and on around to the other end. Belle saw a red sports car parked outside the entrance.

Pia’s car was missing. That meant Dante was home alone. If Belle’s suggestion was going to work, then it was better Pia had gone somewhere.

Leon pulled to a stop. By the time he’d gotten out, Belle had already alighted from the car with the baby in her arms. There was no hesitation on her part. Rufo rubbed against Leon’s legs as they walked to the door.

When the boys were young, they had their own knock for each other. Rather than use the buzzer, Leon did what he used to do, then waited. Belle glanced at him. “Try it again.”

He would have, but suddenly the door opened. To say that a disheveled Dante, clad in sweats, was shocked to see him and his entourage was probably the understatement of all time.

“Sorry to burst in on you like this, but I wanted you to be the first to know.”

Dante squinted at him through eyes as dark a charcoal as their father’s. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

“Belle and I just got married. We’ve come straight from the church.”

“Be serious.”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”

A look of bewilderment crossed his face. “I thought you were still grieving over Benedetta.”

Leon nodded. “I’ll never forget her, but then something amazing happened when I met Belle. Papà is in for a shock when I tell him. You and I both know he has several women lined up, and expects me to marry one of them, but I could never do what he wants. I’ve never believed in titles.”

A full minute passed before his brother said, “He’ll tell you to annul your marriage.”

“Not when he learns we fell in love the moment we met and haven’t been separated since. I couldn’t let her go back to New York tomorrow.”

Dante took the scroll from him and unrolled it. After studying it he said, “But to marry Luciana’s daughter…” His eyes darted to Belle, who was entertaining the baby.

“We’ve never talked about it before, but I’m convinced the same thing happened to Papà when he met Luciana.”

Dante swallowed hard. “I figured that much out when I got a little older. Papà never loved Mamma that way,” he muttered.

“No,” Leon whispered, glad his brother had come to the same conclusion. “That’s why it hurt us so damn much when he got married that fast.”

“It did that, all right.”

Clearing his throat, Leon said, “There’s something I’ve been needing to say for a long time. I hurt you when I went to school in Rome. I shouldn’t have left you, but I was in so much pain, I thought only of myself. I’m hoping one day you’ll be able to forgive me.”

Dante eyed him with soulful eyes, an expression he hadn’t seen since they were teenagers, but he had no words for him. Fresh pain consumed Leon. As Belle had said, it was worth a try.

He took the certificate from him. “We’re going to go tell the parents now. It would be nice if you were there for a backup. You know how Papà feels when he sees either of us let our emotions overrule what he considers our duty. If he can’t handle this, then Belle and I will be moving to New York with the baby.”

An odd sound came out of Dante. “You’d go that far?”

“For my wife and daughter, yes.” He reached out and grasped his brother’s shoulder. “Thanks for answering the door. I purposely gave it our special knock to give you the chance to open it or not. Despite what you might think, you always were and always will be my best friend.”

He turned to Belle and took the baby from her. “Come on, my little bellissima. We’ll walk around to the other end of the palazzo and enjoy this wonderful day.”