‘Just rest for a couple of hours,’ the aide informed them, because, well, they needed to and everyone knew that the wedding was just a formality. They’d been sharing a bed for ages after all. ‘We’ll be back to do your hair and make-up at five—you’ll make your entrance at six-thirty.’

And finally they were alone.

‘You look amazing,’ Alex said.

‘It’s actually incredibly uncomfortable,’ Allegra admitted. She smiled at the maid who came in to help her undress, for she would be expected to wear the gown tonight, but for now it would be a relief to take it off.

‘We’ll manage, thanks.’ It was Alex who dismissed the maid and she was suddenly nervous, knew, despite her confidence in her decisions, that she was now his bride and that all the bravado in the world could not tame her shyness.

‘Let me help,’ Alex insisted as she stood there impossibly shy, far braver in her role of princess than wife.

He was behind her and his fingers undid the tiny buttons.

‘Really, there is nothing very romantic about wedding attire.’ She gave a brittle smile as she eyed his military uniform. ‘Maybe we should call back the maid...’ She was blabbering and terribly so.

‘We’ll manage,’ Alex said, which meant rather than drop his braided jacket to the floor he placed it on a chaise longue and then sat on it and took off long boots. Her heart was in her mouth as she slipped her dress off and stepped out of it.

‘I need to hang it.’ God, the one time she needed the maid... Instead she was dressed in a stupid basque with hands that were shaking so, for she could feel his eyes now roam her body, could hear the undoing of zips and buckles and guessed he was close to naked now. And somehow she had to hang the most talked-about dress in the country.

‘Come to bed, Allegra.’

‘I can’t sleep with you now.’ Determined to be honest, determined to be true to herself, she said it without looking at him. Instead she arranged the chiffon so that it would hang nicely this evening. ‘I mean, I know that’s probably what’s expected, and I know that we will, but—’

‘Allegra...’

‘I’m just nervous enough about tonight, about the speeches, about my family, about so many things, without...’ She padded to the ensuite and slipped off her bridal underwear and slipped on a robe, and chatted nervously away. ‘I’m just so tired and so wound up and...’ She tried to be honest. ‘I don’t want to be rushed.’ She walked back to the room, glad he had turned off the light, glad for the thick drapes that shut out the late-afternoon light, glad for a couple of hours to regroup. ‘And no doubt we will later, but it’s hard to explain. I mean, it must be a walk in the park for you....’

‘A walk in the park?’

His English was excellent, just there were certain things that didn’t translate, and she actually smiled as, still dressed in her robe, she climbed into bed beside him. ‘No big deal.’

It was a huge deal, except to tell her that would sound pushy. ‘When you’re ready.’

He heard her sigh of relief.

‘Can I just sleep?’ She wriggled at the very pleasure of it. ‘I didn’t sleep much last night.’

‘I know.’

He stared up into the darkness and he waited, for the rush of thoughts, for thirst, for the burn in his gut, and instead he breathed in air that smelt of her and all there was was peace.

‘I had Matteo ask after you when he texted Izzy this morning.’

‘Mmmm.’

‘She was already heading for the cars though.’

Allegra closed her eyes. It was such a minor detail in the scheme of things, but rare for Alex to be the one filling silence, talking about nothing. ‘I was worried.’

‘That I wouldn’t show up?’

‘No,’ Alex said. ‘Though I thought you might not.’ He turned and looked at her half dozing. ‘You seem...’ He did not know how to best describe it. ‘I thought you would be more...’

‘Miserable.’ She peeked open an eye. ‘No.’

‘How come?’ Alex asked, because she was a different woman to yesterday.




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