A huge grin grew on her slightly lined face. “That’s wonderful. You knowher.”
And they both planned to never see each other again. The pounding in his veins that he’d made a mistake caught his attention. “No, you don’t understand—she’sgone.”
Her eyes widened behind her silver frames. “Gonewhere?”
Off to see Europe and not return to him—she’d seemed serious about keeping what happened one night only. A tingling sensation that he’d lost flushed his face. “Venice.”
“Pfft.” She shrugged. “So go find her. That’s only a few hoursaway.”
It seemed his mother grew angel wings in that moment. Of course. He jumped out of his chair. “Mother, I don’t… okay, I will grab a fast shower anddrive.”
She stood and fixed her black dress. “How did shego?”
“The train.” He wished he’d asked more about her trip. He knew that she’d never been to Venice so he’d start with the touristspots.
His mother walked toward the door. “Good luck! I’m so excited to meet this Donna. She must bespecial.”
She was. He’d known it when she’d bravely swallowed the beer she didn’t like in the bar. If he married Donna, then perhaps the feeling of being trapped would ease. He held onto the chair and stared out the window. “Mother, I screwed this up already, but if it’s possible, I’d marryher.”
His mother clapped. “Good to hear. I’ll move my things to the dower house and have the duchess quarters set up while you’regone.”
So practical, as always. The moment his bedroom door closed, he raced to his bathroom. The train made a lot of stops along the way. He’d drive straight to Venice. With luck, he’d arrive within the hour she did. The shower revived him as did the idea of Donna being hisduchess.
A few minutes later, he raced down the stairs in a fresh pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt. She was American and would understand his preference for comfort. He’d packed a button-down Oxford for something dressier while he prayed her past hurts didn’t interfere with them, in the here andnow.
His mom waited for him at the bottom step. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone,” he said as he flew past. “I don’t have her phonenumber.”
His mother snapped her fingers and he stopped on his heels. “I can help. She talked to someone named Beth Conners from Miami. I’ll call her first, and see if she’ll talk or I’ll hire investigators. I’ll call you when I get any usefulinformation.”
“Sounds good.” His mother had a way of making thingshappen.
He opened the door as she said, “And buy a ring. Women like to be proposed to with aring.”
Right. The buzz in the back of his mind said Donna might not agree, so it was good to go in with a plan to get her to say yes. He nodded. “I will.Goodbye.”
“You’ll knock her socks off.” His mom was trying to sound as American as their neighbors had once been and it made himchuckle.
He hopped into his red Ferrari convertible and the engine sang to life as he sped out of his estate and onto thehighway.
Donna’s smile was all the fuel his body needed. As he passed the welcome sign for Italy, he picked up his cell phone and called his secretary. On the second ring, Piers said, “Hello.”
Blackwell didn’t start with the niceties. Instead he launched into what he needed while driving fast on the highway. “Piers, please call all the hotels you know in Venice. Make me a reservation at the usual but also find out where a Miss Donna Smith, American, isstaying.”
Piers, efficient as ever, said, “I’m on it, sir. As you are driving to Venice right now? Shall I cancel your appointment with the Earl ofSky?”
Riding horses could be postponed. He nodded though no one could see him. “Yes, reschedule our ride and tell Remington I’ll call him; never mind—he’s calling now. I’ll handle it.” His phone beeped and he glanced at the screen, then switched lines. “Remington. I’m driving to Venice—we’ll have toreschedule.”
His friend had also grown up in America but on the beaches of California instead of the mountains of Colorado. “What’s in Venice? I thought you were determined to stay in Woodbridge Hall for the next six months to finally get used to theplace.”
True, that had been the plan. It still was, once Donna agreed to return with him but if anyone knew what the rush was for, it was Remington. He had even less time to find a wife. “My mother asked the Royal IT Department for the name of the woman who matches my personality. She’s American, and visiting Europe—specificallyVenice.”
“But you asked the Earl of Paston for Chelsea Bright’s hand—which left her unavailable for my offer, by theway.”
“They haven’t accepted my offer. It’s a business deal. Are you in love withChelsea?”
“I’m in a time crunch as you know, and she seemed nice enough. I sent an offer which is how I know aboutyours.”
When he came back from Venice, he’d rescind the offer straight away. “Maybe they’ll accept yours—give me a fewdays.”
