Outside the corner of the Doge’s palace, Blackwell felt his own body tense as he absorbed her words. He let her go and asked, “So your list is all the places you wanted to go withHarry?”
Her face paled. “That sounds reallybad.”
“You don’t deny it.” He crossed hisarms.
She shook her head but couldn’t look him in the eye. “I never thought aboutit.”
Perhaps she was still in love with Harry and that was why she was finding herself. The idea of being Harry’s replacement made his stomach feel sour. He reached for her arm to link in his and stared at the door ahead. “Let’s not discussit.”
She didn’t take his hand, but stood in front of him with her legs slightly apart. “No, wait. Maybe he triggered me writing the list, but I grew up reading books in the library as my escape, especially after my parents died. The books I read were often set in various European settings. The philosophers I liked were alwaysEuropean.”
If so, she could have dropped the conversation. Part of him wondered if he was onto something and she still wanted Harry back. He put his hands in his pockets. “Who were thesephilosophers?”
Her eyebrows arched. “Aristotle-”
“He’s Greek,” he interrupted and shook his head. “Greece wasn’t on yourlist.”
She stepped closer and brushed her hands against his upper arms. “Voltaire. He’s Italian. John Locke, he’s English and you introduced me to English royalty. I was sograteful.”
She smelled like vanilla and the sweetest thing in Venice. His heart slowed to its normal pace, and he let out a grunt. “Let’s end this conversation, Donna. It doesn’t make mehappy.”
She turned, took his hand in hers and squeezed it a little. “Okay. Let’s just enjoy the Doge’s palace and get that icecream?”
“Fair enough. This way.” They entered a castle that had circles and white space, and was nothing like the gothic writers from England or the usual dreams of girls he remembered in high school who talked a lot. Here everything was Italian marble and clean. Without a word, he motioned for a guard who opened a red velvet top and he was given access to the unopened areas and guided herinside.
The first room had more gilded gold than he cared for, but Donna scoped the room like she was in awe and her face lit up like she was watching the fourth of Julyfireworks.
As they walked toward the next room, which he knew was where the king held private audiences, his phone vibrated. He tried to hit ignore, but Donna said, “Your phone isringing.”
He took his phone from his back pocket and saw the Earl of Paston’s name flash. Perhaps his offer of marriage had been accepted, which wouldn’t be good, not now. He held the phone in his hand. “Please enjoy the next room and I’ll join you in a moment. I need to take thiscall.”
She kissed his cheek and let him go. “Okay, I’ll missyou.”
Blackwell turned toward the huge bay window. “Hello,sir.”
The older man was the same age his father had been, though he seemed in good health. Blackwell listened and intended to say as little as possible that Donna might overhear. “Oakley, my daughter Chelsea wanted to ask you a few questions before she accepts your offer. Can you talk toher?”
Of course, she had questions. He honestly had no idea what she even looked like. All he knew was her resume and family name. He tugged his ear. “Can I call later? I’m in the middle of something rightnow.”
Paston muffled the phone but clearly asked her. A minute later, he said, “She said please call her before four today as she is helping to host the Women Voter’s benefit dinnertonight.”
He’d chosen Chelsea for her ability to function as a duchess. Neither man mentioned his older daughter who had no picture or online identity. Part of him wondered why she hadn’t been visible or why her father hadn’t pushed the issue, but he wasn’t invested enough toask.
Donna’s steps in the next room echoed on the hardwood floor. His heart sped up and he told Paston, “I will call by then. Thank you,sir.”
Paston said, “I’m hoping my daughter becomes your duchess so I can call you myson.”
Ice grew in his veins, and he flinched. “Very good, sir. Goodbye.” He spoke with more force. Donna was probably wondering what was taking so long and he turned toward the door. Blackwell turned his phone off the instant the man said goodbye and walked into the nextroom.
Donna motioned for him to join her near a statue of a former Doge, who ran Venice for the church for centuries. “Who was that,Blackwell?”
He decided quickly that Donna didn’t need to know about Paston. He’d rather marry her and pay the contract off, if Donna said yes to him. He’d ask her once they made it to Paris as planned but for now, he had to convince her that marriage to him was a good deal. He put both of his hands on her hips and turned her toward him. “Business. I’d rather spend my time withyou.”
“So it wasn’t bad news.” She closed her eyes, waiting for his kiss as he camecloser.
His lips met hers and he hoped she’d agree. He anticipated sparks from their kisses for the rest of his life—it ended too soon and he guided her toward the next room, a library that had countless hardcover books on religious beliefs and dogmas but the books reached the ceiling in all corners. “It’s the backup plan that I’ll happily pay off, if I get my firstchoice.”
She stared at him completely blank and smiled. “Oh, well that’s cool.” Her head craned up as she stared at all the books. “There are no numbers to identify the books for organization. This palace is gorgeous. I can’t imagine living in suchopulence.”
