Page 30 of The Phoenix (Spy Girl 6)
“I think I fell in love with him long before that. Do you remember a group of tourists yelling from the balcony and Lorenzo waving to a young girl about six years ago?”
She narrows her eyes. “That was you?”
“Yes. I had a plan to meet Lorenzo at the casino, but instead, we met by happenstance at the tailor’s shop. And, if my mother had told my father, Ares Von Allister, that I was his daughter, I would have met Lorenzo long before that.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t matter at this point, Huntley, but you have my blessing. And I’m sorry if I caused you pain. We will call off the engagement immediately.”
“Yeah, about that,” I say and then proceed to tell her just why she can’t do anything of the sort.
At least, not yet.
“You’re quite an extraordinary woman,” the queen tells me.
“So are you,” I reply. “You have sacrificed much for your love of Giovanni, your son, and the crown.”
As she smiles at me and pats my hand, Lorenzo bursts through the door.
“General Agueda is dead,” he blurts out.
“What happened?” his mother asks.
“When asked to confess, he told a story of how, six years ago, Prince Alessandro spoke of a new world. One of which Alessandro would rule as king and the general would control its military. A few weeks after Alessandro was killed, an American spy gave him a packet naming the man behind the plot, one John F. Hillford. He confessed to calling Hillford to offer his services rather than delivering it to the king as promised. It wasn’t until recently that he was approached again with a similar offer that involved Ophelia. One he said would have been the spark that lit the flame in a new world order.”
“How did he die?” his mother asks.
I think she’s having a hard time convincing herself that it’s true. That her nightmare with the general could be over.
“He pulled a gun from his desk and shot himself.”
The queen breaks down in tears again.
Lorenzo comes to sit by his mother and wraps his arms around her. “It will be okay,” he says. “The general never mentioned your affair. Only Huntley and I are aware of it. Your secret is safe with us.”
“I’m ashamed that you even found out,” she says to her son.
“Huntley explained the situation to me. You’re human, Mother.”
“Huntley told me you were secretly married the night before the announcement.”
Lorenzo’s eyes go wide with surprise.
I shrug. “I was mad.”
“I want you to know that I only pushed marriage to protect you. I thought, if you were married, if there were a new queen, the people wouldn’t care so much about my sins.”
“I know,” he says. “You should rest, Mother. It’s been a long night.”
“Thank you,” she says as Lorenzo escorts me out of the room.
The second he closes the door, he leans against a nearby wall and slumps to the floor, emotion overcoming him.
I sit next to him, taking his hand and tightly squeezing it.
After a few moments, he kisses me. It’s an emotion-filled kiss. One that brings tears to my own eyes.
“It will be okay,” I tell him. “The general is dead. There will be no coup.”
“What I didn’t tell my mother was that they’d found plans in the general’s study. He was going to kill the entire royal family, except for my mother, as well as the Prime Minister and many parliament leaders.”
“Probably so he would control the country when the real crisis starts.”
“Yes, and although we dodged this bullet, it confirms what you’ve been suggesting—that there is more. How am I supposed to stop it?”
“We’ve stopped half of it,” I say. “That’s huge. At least, no matter what comes next, you will be able to maintain control of your country. We’ll figure out the rest, I promise.”
“I don’t know what I would do without you in my life,” he says softly.
“You’d be dead.” I wink at him, trying to defuse some of his stress.
He kisses me again. “And I’m so very glad that I am not. I have a vision,” he says. “You and me holding hands on the balcony and waving to my countrymen after the crisis has passed. It is what is getting me through all of this. That goal. Of us together. In public.” He lowers his head again. “But, after what you have witnessed, seeing what my mother went through for her country, I doubt the idea of being my queen is very appealing.”
I push his chin up, so he has to look into my very serious eyes. “You and I are different. We have a closeness that your mother and father never had. Although, tonight, you doubted me.”
“Are you angry with me?”
“Lorenzo, we’re special because of our trust. Lack of trust in your father is why your mother turned to another man.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” he says.
“I was more hurt than angry. I suspect that our relationship will be tested further in the upcoming days. Whether your vision manifests depends on that trust.”
“What about our love?” he asks.
“It’d be ruined in a heartbeat if we didn’t have trust.”
“That sounds cold,” he says.
“Reality is that way, unfortunately,” I reply. “So, what steps are you taking as far as the planned coup goes? Were there other men the general involved that you will be arresting?”
“Actually, no. He was planning to use a very old Montrovian law to order his troops to fulfill the task. He would have accused the royal family of treason to the people, the sentence of which is a swift death. One that he planned to carry out himself.”
“Wow. Time to strike that law from the books, huh?”
“Yes, I believe it is.” He stands up and holds out his hand to help me up. “Before you leave for the evening, I’d like to view this beautiful dress a little more closely in my chamber.”
“I suspect all you want to know is where the zipper is.”
He grins. “True.”
“I have to go, Lorenzo. I’ve already stayed away far too long. Is the ball still going on?”
He glances at his watch. “It’s nearly eleven. People will definitely still be dancing, and the fireworks will start within the half hour.”
“I’ll go out first and let Lizzie know that your mother suddenly took ill. I also need to dance with Daniel.”
“Sounds like fun,” he says sarcastically.
“I would think, after discovering the traitor in the upper ranks of your military and stopping a coup, you, above anyone, would have a lot to celebrate tonight,” I reply with a snippy tone because we still have a heck of a lot more to worry about than my dress.
MISSION:DAY EIGHT
Her Royal Highness, Queen Emilia Gracia “Grace” Vallenta of Montrovia is up early after a fitful sleep. She’s still worried that, somehow, word of her betrayal to the country of Montrovia will leak out. She should have known that the general’s drunken thoughts were not just rants, and in the back of her mind, she probably did know. He was power-hungry. He was filled with hatred and wanted revenge on her husband for stealing her away all those years ago.
She should have confessed to Gio and begged him for forgiveness. If there were a man who would have forgiven her, it would have been him. She should have warned Gio of the general’s treachery. Of course, in retrospect, everything is always clearer.
But, as she was going through it, she never imagined the general would actually take it that far.
She shudders at the thought and dares to reach for the morning paper that has been taunting her by lying on the silver tray from which it was brought in on.
She takes a deep breath and reads today’s headline.
Lorenzo and Huntley dance at wedding. Lizzie left home.
She can’t help but let out a chuckle. For once, she’s grateful to see Huntley Von Allister on the cover. She studies the photo of her son dancing more closely, finally seeing what she has refused to see?
?the love shining in his eyes.
She has to give the girl credit. Huntley’s intelligent, not afraid to speak her mind, and quite beautiful. And, even though he’s engaged to another woman and she to another man, she’s fiercely trying to protect her son. She has the makings of a strong Montrovian queen. The kind of queen Grace should have been.
Just below the photo of the couple dancing is another headline.
Leader of Montrovian Army found dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police say that, after an interview with his spouse, they believe that alcoholism and marital strife played a role in General Alberto Agueda, head of the Montrovia Army, taking his own life. The general, a close friend of the late King Giovanni, will be cremated and his life celebrated in the coming days. Details to follow.
