Her heart turned over on itself when Enrico reached for her hand so she could stand next to him. “Just wait until later,” he whispered in her ear, sending darts of awareness to the tips of her fingers.
The cardinal blessed both of them before the organ burst forth and they heard bells ringing. Donetta was excited beyond belief when they walked down the aisle to the enclosed carriage waiting outside. Their ride would end at the palace with a feast awaiting everyone in the main dining room.
Once he released her, they turned to their families. To her everlasting gratitude, everyone showed a surfeit of love today. As for Enrico’s mother, her decision to allow the coronation to proceed made Donetta love her more than ever.
Back at the palace, Enrico removed the crown and the festivities began. Their coronation dinner included champagne toasts from everyone, including Enrico’s sisters. Donetta loved all the tributes, especially the ones from Fausta and Giovanni, who’d sat together and seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. They stood at the same time and revealed secrets back and forth to everyone’s amusement.
“To my cousin Enrico, whom I’ve never seen so happy in my life. Every time he had a date with a girl, I’d ask him if he was going to see her again, but he’d say he wasn’t interested. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong until he finally told me about Donetta. And then we planned the concorso here so she’d come.”
“That explains everything,” Fausta blurted. “To Donetta! If you’ve all noticed, she’s glowing. When she returned home from that competition, I never saw anyone so happy. She told me Enrico had taken her on a picnic. I knew she was crazy about him.
“She reminds me of Lanza who came back from their last trip to Argentina and told us she and Stefano were expecting a baby.”
Everyone laughed and clapped in delight. Knowing Lanza was going to have a son very soon made this coronation day extra special for Donetta.
Her father made the last toast. “To my beloved daughter Donetta. I couldn’t agree with your sister more. I’ve never known you to be this happy, which means you’ve met the right man in Enrico. May you always feel this same joy through the years and know the contentment I’ve had with my bride.”
His toast brought tears to Donetta’s eyes and her mother’s. She glanced at Enrico’s mother. How hard this had to be for her because of her husband’s illness. Enrico had to be thinking the same thing. He squeezed Donetta’s hip before leaving her side to go hug his mother and father.
His devotion to them made Donetta love her new husband with a fierceness she didn’t know herself capable of. Later in the day he stole her away and they hurried to their apartment where they could be alone at last.
He kissed her long and hard. “Let’s hurry and get changed. I have a surprise for you.”
“You do too much for me already,” Donetta murmured against his lips.
“This is a small thing, but I know you’ll enjoy it. Wear something casual.”
“Life is always exciting with you.”
She rushed to get out of the gown she’d worn to the coronation, wondering if he wanted to go on a horseback ride or some such thing.
In a few minutes they were both ready. He’d dressed in cargo pants and a sports shirt. From king to sailor, he was equally gorgeous.
Donetta smiled at him. “Before we leave, I have two surprises for you.”
“You do?” He looked excited.
“One is in here. Come into the living room.” She reached for his hand and walked him out of their bedroom. “Look over on the far wall.”
Those black eyes swerved in that direction. She felt his body quicken as he pulled her with him to the oil painting of his latest horse.
She knew she’d given him something he would cherish. He crushed her to him. “It’s fabulous.”
“Just like you.”
“I adore you, bellissima.”
After another lengthy kiss they left the apartment and hurried down the staircase to the entrance where he kept his Jaguar. Was he taking them back to their camp?
But her question was answered quickly when he drove down to the lake and parked at a pier, where she saw a gleaming white sailboat moored.
She squealed when she noticed the name on the side and turned to him. “You’ve named it the Luna!”
“That’s right. When I decided to buy this sailboat, I had you in mind. But I didn’t want to give away my secret and call it Donetta. Your horse’s name was the next best choice.
“The day you won that championship on Luna was years ago, but I recognized there was something special about you even back then. You have no idea how excited I am to be sleeping on board with my wife who was once a girl with hair like a silvery gold waterfall.”
She launched herself in his arms. This was love beyond imagining. He walked her down the pier and helped her onto the boat.