I get up alone in my Princess bed. I stretch and look at the phone clock. Dante said be ready by eight, but it is only 6.30 a.m. I left the shutters open last night and I can see that it is already light outside. The queasy feeling starts, but I see that Dante has left my biscuits on the ornate top of the bedside cabinet. Opening the packet, I sit up and nibble at the biscuits slowly until the feeling passes.

Right. Time to try out the Jacuzzi.

I lie back in sweet smelling suds and close my eyes. My mind starts replaying everything that happened last night. Part of me still can’t believe that Dante and I are getting married. What had happened at the dinner table was weird. Maybe Dante is right. I shouldn’t get involved. Last night was the best sex we’ve ever had. Perhaps because I realized I’m in love with him. Whatever the reason, it was amazing.

Eventually, when my fingers go all pruney, I get out and dry myself off with a big fluffy towel. I tie the quilted dressing gown I find hanging from a hook inside the bathroom door and walk into my closet. A girl could get used to this.

I glance at the few pieces of clothing hanging in the closet. I can’t go far wrong if I team my lightweight trouser suit with my cream blouse with ruffles down the front. Cindy, who must have been working the night shift at the Casino, sends me a little video of a cute husky saying I love you. I send back the pictures I took of Avanti. I’m dressed and ready when I hear his knock at the door.

“Who is it?” I pretend to ask.

“Who do you think?” Dante replies.

I run across the room and throw open the door. The sight of Dante makes my heart sing with joy. Dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a knit shirt, and with his hair still wet from a shower, he makes me feel all gooey inside. He runs his gaze down my body quickly then juts his face forwards and taps his cheek with his fingers. With a shy smile, I stand on my tiptoes and kiss the cheek he tapped.

He catches me as I lean back. “Where do you think you’re going young lady? Lips. Always end with the lips.”

The kiss makes my toes curl. By the time he raises his head I feel breathless and giddy with excitement.

“Good morning,” he says huskily.

“Good morning to you too,” I whisper shakily.

His sensuous lips curl upwards. “Did you sleep well?”

“I did, thanks.” I still can’t stop staring at his gorgeous face.

“You look very fresh,” I murmur.

He grins. “I was out horseback riding. It always puts me in a fine mood.”

“I would have loved to have watched you ride.”

He touches my nose. “I wanted you to sleep. Maybe after the baby is born?”

I nod shyly. “Okay.”

“Want to have breakfast with me?”

I shake my head. “I had my magic biscuits.”

He laughs. “We’re on our own for breakfast so you can just drink a cup of coffee while I eat.”

“Perfect.”

We take the same route downstairs, except now we turn left at the bottom and enter a much smaller room than the one we were in last night. Sunlight bursts through the many windows and strikes the juice glasses on the table. It’s going to be a beautiful day.

A servant holds a chair out for me, and another moves to seat Dante.

“Good morning,” Dante says.

The servant bows. “Good morning, Your Highness.” He glances my way and again bows. “Good morning, Miss Winchester.”

Dante orders eggs, bacon, and toast. How he can possibly be hungry after last night’s massive meal is beyond me.

“I’d like to take you to one of my favorite places in Avanti. The caves,” he says.

“Caves?”

“The kind where we can leave everyone else outside and go in and spend some time alone.”

“And what would we do when we’re there?” I tease.

He laughs wickedly. “I’ll show you when we get there, wench.”

I beam at him. My heart feels as if it will burst with love. “Tell me about these wonderful caves.”

“Actually, you’ll find them extremely interesting. They have prehistoric paintings guaranteed to take your breath away. Afterwards, I thought we might stop and have a quick bite before I bring you back here so you can catch a nap. If you plan it well you can sneak another nap in between your shopping trip and the ball. That way you won’t get too tired.”

I stare at him. Maybe he really does care for me, after all. “I think you are full of great ideas today.”

A servant approaches with a metal covered platter and he rubs his hands together. “Mmmm … bacon.”

* * *

I’m reminded of a trip our family took to Switzerland once. I was only little and my father was still alive then. He always had a great sense of adventure. I think I inherited that trait from him. He rented a car and drove my mother and me out of town. Aimlessly we travelled, enjoying the view and seeing the sights. Every time we came to a crossroads he would simply ask my mother or me which way we preferred. That trip is one of my happiest childhood memories. Less than two years later he was gone forever, and my mother and I never went abroad together again.

This ride seems almost the same, the lie of the land, the faces of the people, the animals in their greener than green pastures, the neat little houses. Avanti has to be one of the most beautiful countries on earth.

“It’s so peaceful here,” I say to Dante. “Almost like we’re in a different world. One where there are no cares and no problems.”

He turns toward me. “That’s a surprising thing to say from a girl that relishes the rat race.”

“I don’t relish it.”

“Admit it. You thought of taking the baby to work.”

“I did not,” I deny. “In fact, I’ve been thinking I might take a year off. Spend it with the baby.”

He stares at me in astonishment.

“Can you keep your eyes on the road, please?” I holler in a panic.

He turns back to the road and does not say anything else. I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m actually not ready to discuss the way I feel about him or the baby yet.

We go down one country road after another, most of them narrow trails under canopies of green leaves. Eventually, we come to an area with a chain-link fence beyond which stands a stone building the size of a small cottage.

“Here we are,” Dante says as he pulls up to a gate and presses a button. Soon, a young man wearing a guard’s uniform comes hurrying toward us. As soon as he spots Dante his face lights up.

“Your Highness,” he says. “Welcome, welcome. What a wonderful surprise. You’re here to explore the caves.”

“Well, ‘explore’ might no longer be the right word since I’ve been here so many times.” He smiles at the young man.

“Ah, then, let’s say you’re here to visit the caves again.”

“Yes, and to show them to my fiancée.”

The man gawks at me in astonishment before opening the gate. We drive through and park off to the side.

“Just a short walk,” Dante says as we start down a brick-lined path.

I look around me. Tall trees dot a series of rolling hills—pines and maples; the sky is pale blue and filled with soft white clouds. “What a wonderful place,” I say with a sigh.

“Matilda used to bring me here for picnics. No one lives for miles around, and I used to roam the hills and the woods with one of the sons of the cook.”

Dante slips his arm around my waist and stops for a moment. “You know when our child is a little older, we’ll have to bring him here too. And later on, maybe his brother or sister too.”

“Would you mind very much if our baby turns out to be a girl?”

He runs his hand through his hair, a stupid smile on his face. “The only thing I care about is for our child to be born healthy.”

“Me too,” I whisper, and he smiles into my eyes. A special smile as if we are sharing the most wonderful secret in the world. We walk a little more and I feel as if I am floating on air with sheer happiness.

“Here we are,” he says and points straight ahead. “The first of the three caves.”

“Does no one ever come here?”

“Sometimes, on weekends or holidays, but I suppose to most people it’s old hat. I just never seem to tire of the place.” He releases his arm from around my waist and grabs my hand. “Come on,” he says and starts pulling me along and running toward the entrance. I laugh and do my best to keep up with him. To be honest I’m surprised by his mood. He reminds me of a small boy eager to show me his discovery.

He stops just inside the entrance. It is dark and it takes my eyes some time to adjust to the sudden dimness.

“Don’t worry,” Dante says, “I’ll guide you.” He stops and leads me carefully inside. “Just wait till you see,” he tells me, a lilt in his voice.

“See what?” I ask.

“The paintings. Some of the best you can find anywhere.”

“How can I see anything? It’s so dark.”

“Just wait.” His voice is eager.

He leads me forward; It’s dark and I can’t see much, but I can smell the earth and the rocks all around me. Dante seems to know his way very well. His stride is sure and confident. We make a turn, and suddenly it’s light. I look up to see a round opening at the top. Then I see the paintings—dancing men and women, animals, suns, stars, plants and hunting men wearing animal disguises.

“These are all from prehistoric times?” I ask, amazed.

“Yes, among the oldest ever found on earth.”

“Wow! The colors are so vivid.”

“Aren’t they.” There is fierce pride in his voice. “They are done in bat guano.”

“Do you know how old they are?”

“Our scientists say they’re from the early Bronze age. Some believe they may even be older than one in Indonesia that is supposed to be the oldest in the world.”

“But why isn’t this more of a tourist attraction?” I ask.

“For one thing, my father decided not to broadcast the findings. He didn’t want what happened to the Lascaux Caves where the carbon dioxide of the thousands of tourists arriving everyday started to visibly damage the paintings.”

I gaze at the paintings in amazement. “How long ago were these caves discovered?”

“I was a child when a rock climber found them, but I still remember the day I heard the news. I was so excited. Even before they were authenticated I was already here with Matilda.”

“Really?”

“Look here,” he says showing me the footprint of a small child.

“Wow. This is even better than visiting a cemetery. It’s hard to imagine that this child lived thousands of years ago and left something of itself for us to find.”

“See that guy there with the big penis?”

I follow the direction of his hand. Indeed, there is a man with an extraordinarily large erection. “Yeah?”

“That’s how you make me feel.”

He grasps my shoulders and draws me toward him. “You thought I was kidding when I said I wanted to get you alone in the caves, didn’t you?”

“Well … I must confess I had hoped.”

“I’ve always liked a hopeful girl,” he murmurs as his lips descend on mine, warm, fiery and demanding. His scent floods my senses and I lose myself in him. My hands rise up to entwine in the silky hair at the nape of his neck as I press myself against his hard body and kiss him back until the world falls away and I can no longer think straight.

“Rosa,” he whispers slowly, as if it is a magic incantation. Never has my name sounded so wonderful before. My heart flutters in my chest.

“What?” I gasp breathlessly.

The moment is shattered by the sound of his cellphone ringing. He pulls his phone out and looks at it. He looks at me and says, “Hold that thought,” before taking the call and saying joyfully, “Oncle.”

“No, I’m sorry, but Rosa has to nap in the afternoon. In her condition, she gets tired too easily.” He pauses to listen, his eyes on me. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out.” He pauses again. “All right, great.” Another pause. “Of course, we’ll be there.” Another pause. “No, no. Just a snack will do. Okay. We’ll see you in … half-an-hour.”

He looks at me. “Can I take a raincheck on ravishing you? My uncle wants me to bring you around to his house.”

“You want me to meet him dressed like this?”

“You won’t meet a man less concerned with the way you look than my uncle.”

As we walk back to the car he tells me about the man who was more a father to him than his own.