He must have been able to read her mind because his next comment answered her question. “My brother and I didn’t like our long names, so we gave ourselves nicknames. He’s Vito and I’m Val.”
“V and V,” she said playfully. “I’m surprised you didn’t have to wash your initials off some of those putti.”
Another burst of rich laughter escaped his throat. When it subsided, he explained their little joke to Vincenzo and Abby.
Carolena smiled at Abby. “I’d caution you never to tell that story to Max, or when he’s more grown up he might take it into his head to copy his uncles.”
“Fortunately we don’t have putti,” Vincenzo quipped.
“True,” Abby chimed in, “but we do have busts that can be knocked over by a soccer ball.”
Amidst the laughter, a maid appeared in the doorway. “Forgive the intrusion, Your Highness, but the queen says it seems the young prince has started to cry and is running a temperature.”
In an instant both parents jumped to their feet bringing an end to the frivolity.
Wanting to say something to assure them, Carolena said, “He’s probably caught a little cold.”
Abby nodded. “I’m sure you’re right, but he’s still not as used to the queen yet and is in a strange place. I’ll go to him.” She put a hand on Vincenzo’s arm. “You stay here and enjoy your visit, darling.”
At this point, Valentino stood up. “We’ll have all day tomorrow. Right now your boy needs both of you.”
“Thank you,” they murmured. Abby came around to give Carolena a hug. “See you in the morning.”
“Of course. If you need me for anything, just phone me.”
“I will.”
When they disappeared out the doors, Carolena got to her feet. “I’ll say good-night, too. Thank you for a wonderful dinner, Your Highness.”
He frowned. “The name’s Val. I want to hear you say it.”
She took a deep breath. “Thank you...Val.”
“That’s better.” His gaze swept over her. “Where’s the fire?”
“I’m tired.” Carolena said the first thing that came into her head. “I was up early to finish some work at the firm before the limo arrived to drive me to the airport. Bed sounds good to me.”
“Then I’ll walk you back.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
He cocked his dark blond head. “Do I frighten you?”
Your appeal frightens me. “If anything, I’m afraid of disturbing your routine.”
“I don’t have one tonight. Forget I’m the prince.”
It wasn’t the prince part that worried her. He’d made her aware of him as a man. This hadn’t happened since she’d fallen in love with Berto and it was very disturbing to her.
“To be honest, when you showed up at the swimming pool earlier, you looked tired after a hard day’s work. Since it’s late, I’m sure you’d like a good sleep before you spend the day with Vincenzo tomorrow.”
“I’m not too tired to see you back to your room safely.”
“Your Highness?” The same maid came to the entrance once more. “The queen would like to see you in her apartment.”
“I’ll go to her. Thank you.”
He cupped Carolena’s elbow to walk her out of the dining room. She didn’t want him touching her. The contact made her senses come alive. When they passed the guard and reached the grounds, she eased away from him.
“After getting to know Vincenzo, I realize how busy you are and the huge amount of calls on your time. Your mother is waiting for you.”
“I always say good-night to my mother before retiring. If our dinner had lasted a longer time, she would have had a longer wait.”
There was no talking him out of letting her get back to her room by herself. “What kind of work were you doing today?” She had to admit to a deep curiosity.
He grinned. “I always come home looking dirty and need to wash off the grime.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. Volcanoes are a dirty business.”
Carolena came to a standstill before lifting her head to look at him. “You were up on Mount Etna?”
“That’s right.”
His answer perplexed her. “Why?”
“I’m a volcanologist with the National Center of Geophysics and Volcanology lab in Catania.”
“You’re kidding—” After that movie she’d watched on the plane, she couldn’t believe what he’d just told her.
One corner of his compelling mouth lifted. “Even a prince can’t afford to be an empty suit. Etna has been my backyard since I was born. From the first moment I saw it smoking, I knew I had to go up there and get a good look. Once that happened, I was hooked.”
With his adventurous spirit, she wasn’t surprised but knew there was a lot more to his decision than that. “I confess it would be fantastic to see it up close the way you do. Have you been to other volcanoes?”
“Many of them.”
“You lucky man! On the way down here I watched a Hollywood movie with Louis Jourdan about a volcano erupting in Polynesia.”
“You must mean Bird of Paradise.”
“Yes. It was really something. Your line of work has to be very dangerous.”
For a second she thought she saw a flicker of some emotion in his eyes, but it passed. “Not so much nowadays. The main goal is to learn how to predict trouble so that timely warnings can be issued for cautioning and evacuating people in the area. We’ve devised many safe ways to spy on active volcanoes over the decades.”
“How did your parents feel about you becoming a volcanologist?”
A smile broke the corner of his mouth, as if her question had amused him. “When I explained the reasons for my interest, they approved.”
That was too pat an answer. He sounded as if he wanted to get off the subject, but she couldn’t let it go. “What argument did you give them?”
His brows lifted. “Did you think I needed one?”
She took a quick breath. “If they were anything like my grandmother, who was the soul of caution, then yes!”
He stopped outside the entrance to her wing of the palace. Moonlight bathed his striking male features, making them stand out like those of the Roman-god statues supporting the fountain in the distance. His sudden serious demeanor gave her more insight into his complex personality.
“A king’s first allegiance is to the welfare of his people. I explained to my parents that when Etna erupts again, and she will, I don’t want to see a repeat of what happened in l669.”
Carolena was transfixed. “What did happen?”
“That eruption turned into a disaster that killed over twenty-nine thousand people.”
She shuddered, remembering the film. “I can’t even imagine it.”
He wore a grim expression. “Though it couldn’t happen today, considering the sophisticated warning systems in place, people still need to be educated about the necessity of listening and heeding those warnings of evacuation.”
“In