“Again, your frank honesty reminds me of your father. Will you do me the great honor of flying back to La Valazzura with me today, Your Highness? That’s who you are to me even though you’re still the uncrowned Prince. I’ve already arranged for your bodyguards.”
Out of all the possibilities Nico had entertained when considering his origins, he could never have made up a scenario like this.
“The royal jet is waiting at the airport in Turin. Every moment we hesitate, your father’s cousin is attempting to mount another coup that is gaining momentum. But the arrival of King Carlo’s son could change the tide.”
“How can the queen possibly be okay with this?”
The other man shook his head. “It’s important for you to know Carlo mourned the loss of his precious little dark-haired Massimo every day of his life. He was there at your birth and took you to his heart. If your father were alive, he would beg you to carry on his legacy. With training and advisers to help you, you’re the only man on earth who can.”
Me? The illegitimate son? A doctor with no credentials to govern? A grieving queen who has been betrayed in the most cruel of ways?
A shudder racked Nico’s body. How did all that work?
“Since the duca has told me how you’ve longed to know your parents, then now’s the time for you to meet with the one person who knew your father far better than anyone besides me. If nothing comes from your visit and you wish to return to the life you’ve made, Liliane can at least answer the many questions you’ve had in your heart all these years.”
Nico stopped pacing. Only four days ago he’d bared his soul to Fausta.
Whatever happens, I’m on a journey that has to be taken alone. The day could come soon when I’ll have to leave Domodossola on a moment’s notice. Depending on the circumstances, I might never be back.
* * *
The three day visit to Ottavia in Rome accomplished one thing Fausta had needed to put one foot in front of the other again. Her aunt encouraged her to follow through with her idea to give computers to the orphanage. Doing something of worth for those children would force her to set aside her heartache over Nico for a little while.
Fausta flew from Rome to Turin to meet with officials at church headquarters. They were delighted that Princess Rossiano from Domodossola wanted to donate such a gift to the Sant’Agate Orphanage and they talked with the Mother Superior to make the arrangements.
After receiving the necessary permission, Fausta flew home to Domodossola to touch base with her contacts. The next day she drove to Mottalciata and booked a room at one of the village’s hotels. She knew she’d have to be there for quite a while.
The Mother Superior couldn’t have been more excited. Since there was so little room at the orphanage, she had the desks with the computers and printers set up in the large common room. Five were placed at one end. Five others were put at the opposite end with the piano and toys in between.
As soon as more electrical outlets had been installed, two men set the computers up with the software and they were in business. Since Fausta was computer savvy, she planned to stay in the village for as long as it took to work with each student. She wouldn’t leave until they were competent enough to have fun on them without help.
When everything was ready, the Mother Superior took Fausta into the big dining room and introduced her. The children were finishing their dinner. They had no idea who she was or that she’d been the one responsible for the gifts. That was the way Fausta wanted it.
The Mother Superior clapped her hands. “Children? I’d like you to meet Signorina Rossiano. She’s the person who is going to show you how to use the computers and printers that were donated to us.”
The children shouted with excitement. They attended the local school during the school year and were dying to get their hands on them. Fausta remembered Nico telling her he’d have given anything to work on one.
As she looked at each of the children, she could picture Nico, who’d spent ten years eating meals in this room, and felt a fierce tug on her heart. At the moment there were twenty-nine children from the ages of six to fourteen.
“You’ll have to learn how to use them in shifts. Right now we’ll start with Emilio, Eva, Nicoletta, Paolo, Sergio, Remo, Teresa, Guido, Maria and Nicolo.”
Just hearing that last name caused Fausta’s pulse to pick up speed.
“Follow Signorina Rossiano to the common room. Once your turn is over, more of you will be called until everyone has had a chance before it’s bedtime.”
Teaching the children how to work on the computer turned out to be pure joy for Fausta. She’d never had so much fun in her life.
Since school was out for the summer, she was able to work with the children in shifts throughout the day. They were smart and caught on fast.
* * *
By the following Monday she realized it wouldn’t be long before they didn’t need her anymore. That put her in a panic. As long as she kept busy, she couldn’t agonize openly over Nico until she went to bed.
Fausta decided that when she went back home in a few more days, she would do a fund-raiser to buy more computers and have them installed in other orphanages around Domodossola. Finally she had a cause of her own, separate from Lanza’s.
The children’s hunger to learn the latest technology convinced her it was a worthy cause in many ways and would help her deal with her pain. But she’d never get over losing Nico. That wasn’t possible.
CHAPTER SEVEN