“Thank you,” Blair shoved herself upright in the bed and sniffed the air as the aroma of freshly brewed coffee tantalized her nostrils. Her eyes spied pastries in a small basket on the tray. “Are those cornetti?”
“Yes, raspberry. Your favorite, si? Cristiano, our cook, he remembered, and Ms. Carson? There is a small gift here for you also. A welcome to the palazzo from the Signore.”
Both curious and ravenous, Blair pushed the bedcovers from her legs and rose from the bed. With a cheerful smile, the maid left the room.
A narrow, long blue-velvet jeweler’s box nestled on a starched, white serviette, next to the plate of cornetti. Curiosity won the tug of war and she lifted the case and gently opened it. Inside, laid upon shining white satin, was an exquisite silver charm bracelet. Blair lifted it from the case and held it up, exclaiming over the delicate charms evenly spaced along its length.
She didn’t usually wear any jewelry. It just got in the way in the kitchen, but for now, she couldn’t wait to put this piece on. She struggled a little with the parrot clasp before managing to secure it round her wrist. She turned her arm this way and that, admiring the reflection of light on the silver and the faint jangle of the charms as they bumped together. How thoughtful of Draco to give this to her. But then her cynical, insecure side wondered if he kept a cabinet filled with such things for his female guests. She knew for a fact that he was highly sought after in international circles. Just about every article about them back home in New Zealand had put pictures of his past companions side-by-side with whichever one they’d managed to snap of her and Draco together. Whatever the case, she loved the bracelet and she’d enjoy wearing it.
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of the sweet delights waiting for her. Blair’s mouth watered as she tore off a piece of the fresh pastry and popped it in her mouth. For a moment, even her critical chef’s brain disengaged as it melted on her tongue. By the time she’d picked up the last crumb and enjoyed the delicious nutty-flavored coffee, she was ready to face the day. She took a quick shower in the bathroom and dressed in a loose-fitting, raspberry-colored sundress, as the day promised to be warm. The button-down style was easy to wear, and then, just for something different, she grabbed a long, multicolored scarf and tied it across her head from above her fringe and twisted it into a knot at the nape of her neck. The tails dropped over her shoulder. She studied the effect in the mirror. It was kind of retro sixties, but with her coloring, it looked good and gave her a dose of much-needed confidence. She looked at the time. She was ready early.
She paced the floor of her bedroom for a few minutes, finally settling in front of the tall windows that gave a stunning view out across the valley. In the distance, the darker shadows of the hills loomed over the verdant countryside. How different the landscape was from the blanket of winter she’d seen last time she was here. She wondered if she was to wait here for Draco, or if she should see if he was in his room. Waiting didn’t sit comfortably with her. Already she was itching to get out in the sunshine of what promised to be a beautiful spring morning. Her decision made, she spun around and opened the door.
He’d said last night he was a couple of doors down the corridor from her. Her shoes made no sound on the petit point carpet of the hallway. It almost felt sacrilegious to walk on the fine craftsmanship. A couple of doors down he’d said; a rueful smile twisted her lips. He neglected to mention just how far down the hallway a couple of doors actually was.
Blair hesitated when she reached the cream-and-gold paneled door, a twin to her own. She drew her fisted hand up and rapped gently on the wood. It opened almost immediately.
“Buon giorno, Blair. You look much better this morning.”
“Thank you. I had a wonderful sleep. And thank you too for this.” She held up her wrist.
“Ah, you’re most welcome. Here, come in, I’ll be ready in a moment.”
Draco stepped aside and Blair walked into a comfortable sitting room. While the chairs were heavily upholstered in rich floral fabrics, there was nothing feminine about the room. The wood-paneled walls and hunting paintings took care of that little detail, Blair noted.
She felt Draco as he drew up behind her. “You look and smell wonderful today.”
A small shiver ran through her body as he dipped his head to the curve of her neck and felt his hand run down her arm. His long fingers wrapped around her wrist and he lifted her arm.
“Each charm has a special significance to our land here and our place in it.” He fingered the small wine bottle nearest the clasp. “This is for the vineyard, where we produce our own Vernaccia.”