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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.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“JUST A MINUTE, Leon. I need to grab her diaper bag.” When they were out of hearing range, Belle caught up to him. “No matter what happens, you spoke your piece and your brother knows you love him. It’s up to him now.”
Leon grasped her hand and squeezed her fingers. “That’s what has me worried. Don’t forget he’s a Malatesta.”
“Have you forgotten I’m proud to be married to one? Remember something else. He didn’t slam the door in your face, either. That has to count for something.”
Leon had married an angel. “Are you ready to face the parents?”
She nodded. “Be honest. You are a little worried about their reaction.”
“You’re wrong, Belle.”
“Then what’s the matter?”
His bride was highly perceptive, but he couldn’t tell her the truth yet. He knew the reasons she’d entered into this marriage, but she didn’t know all of them. When she found out, that was what he was worried about.
“Your life hasn’t been like anyone else’s. Not even your wedding day could be like anyone else’s. I—”
“There you are!” Luciana called to them, cutting off the rest of what he was going to say. “I saw your car pull around the drive, but you were so long I came to see what was going on.”
Belle ran to meet her mother and they hugged. “Leon wanted to talk to Dante for a minute.”
“That was an awfully long minute, when I’ve been waiting for you. Sullisto went to the bank this morning, but he’ll be home any second.” They both gravitated to the baby. “Look at that outfit she’s wearing! Where have you been?”
“To church,” Belle answered with her innate honesty. “We were there quite a while. She needs a diaper change and a bottle.”
Leon carried Concetta into the house, deciding it was the perfect segue for what was coming. He handed her over when Belle reached for her, and all three females disappeared into one of the guest rooms, while he wandered around the living room, looking at the many family pictures.
There was an eight-by-ten that he particularly loved—his mother on her knees in the garden. She wore a broad-rimmed hat and was planting a rosebush. Flowers were her passion. So were her two boys.
She’d poured out all her love on them. In the process she’d spoiled them, but Leon could never complain. His childhood had been idyllic. That’s what he wanted for Concetta. He knew Belle would love her forever.
He picked up the framed photo. “Mamma? I wish you were here today. You’d love Belle the same way you loved Benedetta.”
When he heard voices, he put it back and looked across the room at the stunning picture of the three women in his life. They sat down on one of the couches while Belle fed the baby.
“I know she’s so good, but I’m surprised you took her to Mass,” Luciana said.
Belle flashed him a signal. He took the chair closest to the couch and pulled it around. “Not Mass. We arranged a private meeting with Father Luc.”
“Why?”
“This morning your daughter did me the honor of becoming my wife.” He drew the certificate out of his pocket and handed it to Luciana. “Last night we talked everything over. I asked her to marry me, so she wouldn’t go back to New York and meet some other man. As you can see, Concetta is already crazy about her.”
With tear-filled eyes, Luciana looked at Belle. “I only want to know one thing. Do you love him? Because if you don’t, darling…”
Leon knew what Luciana was asking. She was married to a man who’d done his duty with Leon’s mother, but the personal fulfillment hadn’t been there. The mother in Luciana didn’t want that for Belle.
“It’s all right, Mom,” she said with a gentle laugh. “When I first met Leon, I thought of him as the dark prince of Rimini. He frightened me, but he also thrilled me.”
Her half lies thrilled him.
“I can understand that,” Luciana murmured. “He has a lot of his father in him.”
“I tried not to be attracted, but that flew out the window, because we’ve spent hours and hours together. Then I met Concetta. The three of us had such a wonderful time watching the dolphins we didn’t want it to end, did we?” She kissed his daughter’s forehead. “We saw a lot of daddies there, but none of them had your daddy’s way.”
“Leon has been a remarkable father.” Luciana’s comment made him feel more ashamed of his prior behavior toward her.
“But I guess I didn’t know how deeply I felt about him until he told me he wanted to marry me,” Belle went on. “The thought of turning him down and flying back to New York was too devastating to contemplate. I felt the same pain at the thought of leaving you, after having just found you.”
In the next breath Luciana jumped up from the couch. First she threw her arms around Belle and the baby, then Leon. “I’m so happy with this news, I can hardly contain it.”
Leon’s gaze fused with his wife’s. If Belle had any doubts about their marriage being the right thing to do, they were wiped away by her mother’s joy.
“Your father shouldn’t have left. Why isn’t he home yet?”
Leon had a hunch he’d been meeting with his attorney about the adoption. While he was thinking about that, they had a visitor. To his shock, his brother entered the living room, in jeans and a sport shirt, showered and shaved. “I just got off the phone with him.” Who called whom? “He’ll be here in a minute.” Dante eyed Leon. “Don’t worry. I didn’t spoil your surprise.”
He moved over to Belle and hunkered down in front of her. The baby had fallen asleep against her shoulder. “Belated congratulations. I would have invited you in earlier, but I wasn’t decent.”
“If you want to know the truth, when I’m at the apartment in New York, sweats are about all I wear.”
Dante grinned. “Do you run?”
“As often as I can, before work.”
That was news to Leon.
“We must be soul mates. Like you, I try to get in a run, but I usually do it after work.”
“Does your wife run with you?”
“Sometimes.”
“We’ll all have to do it together.”
“I’m afraid my brother swims.”
Belle nodded. “So I noticed. Like a fish, I might add. Maybe I can train him by getting him to push Concetta in her stroller at the same time.”
Dante roared with laughter.
“Where is Pia, by the way?”
“Visiting her mother, but I phoned her. She’ll be back soon.”
“Does her family live far from here?”
“No. Only a few kilometers.”
“How lucky for both of them.” Belle smiled at Luciana.
“They’ll never know, will they, darling.”
“No.”
Dante studied them. “I bet it shocked both of you when you first saw each other.”
Leon hadn’t seen his brother smile or act this animated in years. Belle had that effect on everyone.
“When I was at the orphanage, I used to dream about what she’d look like.”
Leon got up to take the baby from her. “Little did you know you saw her every time you looked in a mirror.” He kissed his little girl. “I’ll go put her down in the crib.” Luciana had provided one for her after she was born. Leon hadn’t brought her over often enough.
“I’ll go with you. We’ll be right back.”
“Sure you will,” Dante joked.
Belle followed Leon out of the living room and down the hall to the first bedroom. He put the baby on her back and covered her with a light blanket. Belle stood next to him at the side of the crib.
He reached for her hand, too full of emotion to speak.
“So far so good,” she whispered.
“A miracle has happened today. It’s all because of you.”
“I’m afraid it’s not over yet. We still have to tell your father.” She eased her hand away. “If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I need to freshen up, and will meet you back in the living room.”
Much as he wanted to be alone with her, this wasn’t the time. With another glance at his daughter, who was sleeping peacefully, he left the bedroom, and ran into his father in the hallway. The marriage certificate was in his hand. Leon had forgotten it had been left on the coffee table.
“It seems everyone in this house knows what you’ve done except me,” Sullisto exclaimed without preamble. “Your powers of persuasion are phenomenal, to get Belle to marry you when you don’t love her. You’ve even convinced Luciana.”
Love for his stepmother seeped into Leon.
“She’s only been here three days,” his father added. “What did you do? Slip something into her wine?”
Leon bristled. That was below the belt, even for the count. “No. The trick of our ancestors wouldn’t work on her. She doesn’t drink, smoke or indulge in drugs.”
“Belle’s not an ordinary woman.”
“Truer words were never spoken. She’s made in the image of her mother, a woman who would have married the man of her heart if he hadn’t been killed…. The woman you married after Mamma died because you wanted her at all cost.”
His cheeks went a ruddy color. “How dare you speak to me that way—”
“I didn’t say it to be offensive, Papà. I only meant to point out that true love makes us act with our hearts, not our heads.”
His father’s eyes glittered with emotion, but Leon had to finish what had been started years ago. “Mamma loved another man before she obeyed her parents and married you. I have no doubts my autocratic grandfather forced you into your first marriage.”
“Basta, Leonardo!”
“I’m almost through. I was about to say it’s possible you loved someone before you had to do your duty. I have no way of knowing, since you never shared that with me or Dante. But given a second chance, you married for the right reason. Every man and woman born should have that privilege. Concetta will grow up being able to choose.”
For once in his life, Leon’s father looked utterly flummoxed.
“Would you really condemn me to a loveless marriage with one of the titled women you’ve picked out for me, because it’s what Malatestas do?”
“You’re my firstborn son.”
“You were your father’s firstborn son, too. We’ll both always be the firstborn, but in the end, what does it matter? In the Middle Ages it was a system devised for the aggrandizement of wealth. Surely we’ve come further than that in the twenty-first century.”
“Leon is right.”
Dante had suddenly materialized, seemingly out of nowhere. Sullisto swung around. “Were you in on this, too?”
“On what?”
“This outrageous marriage of your brother’s.” He thrust the marriage certificate at him. “When I phoned, you said nothing.”
“Because I didn’t know anything. But I can tell you this. When he showed up at my door, he looked happy like I haven’t seen him since before Mamma died. Let’s hope Luciana didn’t hear you, or she might think you don’t approve of her daughter. I happen to know you do or you wouldn’t have invited her to come and live with you.”
“So you’re in his corner now?”
“This is his wedding day, Papà.”
“A wedding set up to thwart me!”
“I doubt you were on his mind when he asked Belle to marry him,” Dante interjected. “Just so you know, Luciana sent me to tell you lunch is ready on the terrace.”
“I couldn’t eat now.”
“It would hurt Luciana if you don’t come. In fact, it would be the height of bad manners.”
Their father scowled. “I don’t recall you having any the other day.”
“The other day I wasn’t myself.” Dante shot Leon a pleading glance. “Since then I’ve repented.”
“Why?”
“Since I’ve come to realize how much I love my brother.”
Bless you, Belle, for your inspiration.
Leon smiled at him. “That goes both ways, Dante. Why don’t you two go ahead? I’ll find out what’s keeping Belle. Maybe the baby woke up.”
Their father still looked angry as he eyed both of them before walking back down the hall toward the foyer.
Dante clapped Leon on the shoulder. “That went well,” he teased, sounding like the old Dante. “See you in a minute.” He rolled up the marriage certificate and handed it to him.
“I owe you.” Putting it in his pocket, Leon watched them go before he hurried into the bedroom. To his surprise, he found Belle standing at the side of the door. Rufo walked over to brush against his legs.
“I heard every word. I’m so happy you and your brother have reconciled. Between the two of you, I’m sure in time you’ll be able to win your father around. Your master plan worked brilliantly, Signor Malatesta. Come on. Lunch is waiting.” She slipped out the door, trailing the scent of gardenias, but she didn’t look at him.
His marriage was in trouble.
He knew how deep Belle’s insecurities ran. Leon had to hope his powers of persuasion were as phenomenal as his father claimed. Otherwise he was in for the kind of pain from which he sensed he’d never recover.
“Leon? How soon do you think you can arrange for TCCPI to set up a phone store here?”
Now that Concetta was awake, Belle had carried her out to the patio to play buckets with her.
He was standing by the railing, looking out at the sea. She feared he was brooding over his father. “I’ll lay the groundwork next week,” he told her.
“At first I couldn’t believe you were serious, but since then I’ve found out you never joke about anything. I like a challenge. It would be interesting to see if I could make a success of it.”
“What do you mean, if?”
Leon always complimented her. She decided it was in his nature, but she didn’t deserve it. “When Mac learns I’m not coming back to the store, he’ll be overjoyed, because he wants my job.”
“That’s probably the reason he won’t get it.”
She chuckled. “Spoken like a man who knows about business.”
“I’ve been thinking about that and other things. I’ll arrange to have your possessions sent from your apartment.”
“Except for books and a few more clothes, I brought everything else important with me. One good thing about me. I travel light.”
He didn’t smile. She couldn’t bring him out of his dark mood.
They’d just returned from the palazzo. Belle had forced herself to eat the fabulous meal Luciana had served them. For her mother’s sake she’d acted like a new bride, and had kissed Leon several times for family pictures, while Sullisto looked on with only a comment here and there.
Pia had arrived in the midst of the festivities. Whatever Dante told her must have resonated, because she was very friendly to Belle. The party atmosphere continued after Concetta awoke from her nap and entertained everyone.
With the announcement that they were leaving to get ready for a short honeymoon, Leon brought the car around to the front. Rufo jumped inside before Belle’s new husband helped her and the baby, after another hug for her mother. They left the estate and drove to the villa, where she changed into jeans and a knit top.
This was her home now, complete with the dearest, sweetest little girl on the planet and a husband to die for. There was only one thing wrong with this picture. Sullisto’s words still rang in her ears.
Your powers of persuasion are phenomenal, to get Belle to marry you when you don’t love her. You’ve even convinced Luciana.
She’s only been here three days. What did you do? Slip something into her wine?
No. Leon didn’t have to do any of those things. Belle had fallen instantly in love with him. He was the man she would have married no matter how long she had to wait. Of course he wasn’t in love with her, but he’d been right about their desire for each other.
With every kiss over the past few days, she sensed a growing hunger from him. After having been happily married to Benedetta, it was only natural he craved the same kind of fulfillment. A man could compartmentalize his needs from his emotions.
Belle couldn’t.
She loved him in all the ways possible. Today she’d made vows to be his wife. That was exactly what she would be to him. If not his love, he’d given her everything else, including a baby. There were trade-offs.
Belle could always be near her mother now. He and Dante were friends again. Sullisto was at war with himself, but it spoke volumes about how much he loved Leon, because he hadn’t disowned him yet.
“Where are we going on our honeymoon?” That brought his dark head around. If she wasn’t mistaken, her question had caught him off guard. “Mom offered to look after Concetta.”
Leon’s hand went to the back of his neck. She noticed he did that when he was weighing his thoughts carefully. “Where would you like to go?”
“Anywhere on the water. How about you? Or did you do that with Benedetta…?”
“No. We honeymooned in Switzerland, but I don’t want to talk about her.”
“I’m sorry. Would you rather we postponed a trip right now? Believe me, I’d understand.”
“Understand what?” he blurted. “My father hurt you today. Do you think I’m going to forget that?”
“I didn’t take it personally, not after his warm welcome the first night we met. He needs time. You’re trying to change someone who was raised under a different set of rules.”
Leon’s eyes narrowed on her face. “How do you know so much about people?”
“Probably because I wasn’t one of the participants of life. As I’ve told you before, most of the time I spent it observing other people. You learn a lot that way.” She cocked her head. “Does your family own a yacht?”
“Yes. Shall we take it across the water to Croatia? There are some wonderful ruins in Dubrovnik and Split to explore.”
“That sounds thrilling, but this is your honeymoon, too. Since you’ve probably done everything, what would be your very favorite thing to do?”
His lips twitched for the first time. “That’s a loaded question to ask a new husband.”
“Humor me. I’m a new wife.”
“Has anyone ever told you you live dangerously?”
Belle laughed. “I’m still waiting for your answer.”
“Find a deserted island in the cruiser and do whatever appeals.”
Her heart ran away with her. “An island? I’m glad you said that. I’ll phone Mom and ask her to come over while we’re gone. Concetta will be happier in her own surroundings, with the dog and familiar staff.”
Belle picked up the baby, who’d become bored with the buckets. “Can we leave soon? It will give us more daylight to find the right island.” That suggestion seemed to galvanize him into action. “I can see by your eyes you already have one in mind.”
He actually grinned. When he did that, she was reduced to mush. “There’s not much I can hide from you.”
Yes, he could. He did! But being a Malatesta gave him special powers that rendered him inscrutable at times. Such as when he was pretending to be in love with her.
“I’ll call Mom.”
“While you do that, I’ll pack the cruiser.”
They pulled away from the dock at four, loaded with everything Leon could think of to make this trip one they’d never forget. Belle had been humoring him, to the point he could almost believe her gratitude to him for uniting her with Luciana wasn’t all she was feeling.
He hoped like hell her physical response to him so far wasn’t a total act. If a woman as genuine as Belle could be playing a part for his benefit, then he no longer trusted his own judgment.
