Donetta got up from the couch. “Enrico warned me she wouldn’t want our marriage, but I never dreamed it could get this bad.”
“Mamma has surprised me, too. I heard her say it’s not too late because she knows Valentina will still marry him if he can be free. Since the whole world doesn’t know about it yet, she’s hoping your marriage can be undone and go away. But it has to happen right away.”
“Oh, Lia. I don’t know what to do.”
“I wish I knew how to help you and my mother. I’m sure she’s talking about a divorce with Enrico right now in the salon. I’ve never seen her in such a rage. This is so awful, because I think you and Enrico are perfect for each other.”
Donetta’s heart warmed to her new sister-in-law. “Thank you for saying that and defending us.” She leaned over to give her a hug. “I owe you a debt of gratitude for everything, especially for that wedding dress and all the lovely things that went with it. You’re wonderful.”
“So are you. Enrico has never been so happy. I wish there were something I could do to calm my mother, but she’s not listening to reason right now and Papà’s fall didn’t help.”
“I agree she has more on her plate than a human should have to handle. I know deep down she’s a wonderful person or she wouldn’t have such marvelous children like Enrico and you girls. You don’t know how much I appreciate your coming here to warn me. When Enrico comes back, I’ll be prepared.”
Lia nodded. “I’d better leave so he doesn’t find me here.”
“He said he’d probably be gone all night.” Donetta followed her to the door. “We’ll stay in close touch. Thank you again for being such a good friend to us.”
After another hug, Lia hurried off. Donetta watched until she disappeared, but she couldn’t stand to wait for Enrico. With no time to spare she left the apartment and hurried through the palace to the salon to find her husband. But as she approached the door, she heard his mother’s voice. “It’s better that she leave the country, Enrico. You shouldn’t have married her in the first place.”
Pierced to the heart with pain, that was all Donetta needed to hear. Once alone in the apartment again, she knew what she had to do. She refused to stand in Enrico’s way. He must go on to be king. The country needed him. Though she would have loved to get behind him and manage by his side, it was better that he get the chance to rule, even if it meant she couldn’t remain his wife.
Her beloved husband needed help. The one path open to her was to leave the country and give him the chance to handle this desperate situation without her. It was the only way he could take on the throne.
When she found her phone, she called the pilot of the Rossiano royal jet. Donetta asked him to fly to Vallefiore ASAP. She would be waiting on the tarmac.
At three in the morning, she slipped out of the apartment with her two suitcases, praying Enrico wouldn’t catch her in the act of fleeing. The palace guard saw her leave in the taxi she’d called for. But she knew that by the time he would have reported her actions and someone tracked down Enrico to tell him, she’d be on her way to Domodossola.
So far, so good, she thought as she boarded the jet and they took off. She sat there during the flight absolutely devastated for Enrico and the trouble his mother was creating. In hindsight she realized that what he’d wanted just wasn’t possible. His mother had lived a lifetime with her own set of principles and couldn’t change now.
Donetta refused to hold him or his kingdom back by her selfishness. She wouldn’t fight a divorce. All she could do was return home and help her own family.
Oh, Enrico... I love you so much.
An hour and a half later the plane landed. Enrico hadn’t phoned her yet. Maybe he still hadn’t heard that she’d left the palace. Hoping that he didn’t have to cope with that worry yet, she undid her seat belt and phoned Fausta.
“You’ve left Enrico?” Fausta sounded aghast.
“It’s not what you think. Can you come for me in the limo so we can talk?” It was six in the morning. “I don’t dare phone the parents. They need their sleep.” The last thing she wanted to do was bring them more grief, but under the circumstances she was afraid it was going to be inevitable.
“I agree. I’ll be there within half an hour.”
“Bless you.”
CHAPTER TEN
AFTER LEAVING HIS parents’ apartment, Enrico raced to his in the other part of the palace. He needed to talk to Donetta. On his way, he got a phone call from his cousin. He clicked on, trying to keep his emotions under control after the long, disturbing talk with his mother and Leopold.
“Giovanni? I presume you know everything.”
“I’m afraid I know more than you do.”
“What do you mean?”
“The guard outside the entrance to your wing of the palace phoned to let me know Donetta left the palace in the middle of the night in a taxi.”
No! His body broke out in a cold sweat.
“Her bodyguards followed her to the airport and confirmed she flew out on the royal jet from Domodossola. I contacted their country