| |
When we arrived at the dining room, Frano pulled out my chair and waited for me to sit, after which he too sat down.
Though Frano’s conversation was charming and animated, I could not help but think about his younger brother hiding under the dining table in the bedroom.
Why had he tried to drag me over to a blank wall?
What was he going to show me?
I was beyond curious and wondered if he would still be waiting for me when I returned to my room.
Or, and my stomach churned at the idea, if he would be discovered by the guards sneaking out. Why had Frano made a point to ask the guards to guard both entries? Was it because he wanted me kept safe or because he had suspicions of his brother’s visit.
But surely Frano doted on him? How could he not be protective of his mute younger brother?
‘This is for the two of us? All of this?’ I asked, hoping to encourage Frano to speak about the other members in his family. He hadn’t mentioned his parents the entire time I’d been here, or on the beach when I’d met him. What would they think of me?
Frano laughed, staring down at the entire table laden with what I could only call a feast.
I inhaled the delicious scents and Frano nodded.
‘Surprisingly, our cooks are seafood experts,’ he said with a sensual smile as he poured a dark red wine into both our goblets.
‘That is surprising, being an underwater city and all, I would have thought they were experts in perhaps preparing chickens,’ I said, hiding my smile behind my raised goblet.
Frano laughed and raised his goblet also.
‘To us, Nada, to our very bright and exciting future.’
Our glasses clinked musically and I took a sip of the dark red liquid and let it warm my mouth and throat. Not as good as the wine my mother and I made ourselves, with the help of our neighbours, but still delicious.
‘Help yourself, please,’ Frano said, indicating all the food with a flourish of his hands. ‘I have dismissed the maids so that we may have this time alone.’
I glanced around the room and could see that the doors had all been closed and my stomach fluttered.
‘Don’t be frightened, Nada,’ he said, passing a plate of grilled fish my way. ‘I’m not going to bite.’
‘I’m not frightened,’ I said, spearing a fillet of grilled fish with my fork and dropping it onto my plate.
I got up and moved to the herbed potatoes and spooned out several onto my plate.
‘So, do you have any family members, parents or siblings you’ll be introducing me to? I almost thought they’d be here, at the dining table tonight? Or shall I meet them on the wedding night?’
Frano’s shoulders dropped and he took a sip of his wine and kept his eyes fixed on the green beans in front of him.
My stomach churned. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what he was going to say.
‘I’m going to tell you something now. I didn’t wish to have to say it but... I have a brother. A younger brother. But please, please stay away from him.’
I tried to appear surprised and perhaps disinterested so I took a leisurely sip of wine.
‘Why? Is he dangerous? What does he look like?’ I asked, dropping my fork to the plate with a clang, my face burning with heat. I had never been a good liar.
Frano sighed, slicing into his buttery fish with a silver knife.
‘It’s difficult to explain. My brother and I... our parents died when we were very young. He is my charge. I look out for him. He is very dependent on me and sometimes I wonder if he will get jealous when I marry.’ Frano shook his head and seized a slice of bread from the basket, offering me one.
I took a slice and rested it against my plate.
‘How old is he?’ I asked, my voice coming out a squeak.
‘Seventeen. Your age,’ Frano said, staring at me almost accusingly. ‘He won’t like me spending so much time with you so I am planning to have him put away during our courtship, before the wedding. Just so that I can get to know you without hurting my brother’s feelings.’
I nodded, but inside I was not understanding this one bit.
‘But why would a seventeen-year-old boy be jealous of his sister-in-law? Not that I’m marrying you yet.’
Frano gave me a pointed look. ‘It’s complicated, Nada.’
‘But there is an entire city out there. Wouldn’t he have friends of his own?’ I pictured his rich blue eyes and his dark, wavy hair and the sharp cut of his cheekbones. ‘Girlfriends? Surely they’d be interested in him.’
Frano set down his knife and fork with a clatter. ‘And why would they be interested in him, Nada?’
I’d all but given myself away.
I shrugged and took a sip of wine and swallowed it quickly.
‘I assumed that if he was your brother that he’d be handsome, like you, and attract girls... who are friends.’
Frano stared at me intensely then shook his head and roared with laughter.
‘I’m flattered. But now even more concerned for your safety.’
‘Why?’ I asked, still pretending to be nonchalant.
‘Because my brother is said to be beautiful by many of the women here. But none are truly interested in him for a long-term relationship.’
‘Oh, why not?’
Frano’s eyes darkened. ‘Because he is mute.’
I speared a small potato with my fork.
‘Can he hear?’
Frano nodded and set down his knife and fork.
‘The day our parents died, in a train accident, was the day my brother stopped speaking. Selective mutism they call it.’ Frano took a bite of his bread. ‘I call it running from responsibility.’
‘But he must have suffered, being so young. How young was he?’
Frano sighed. ‘He was four and I was six.’
My heart immediately softened.
‘I’m so sorry, Frano, what a young age to lose your parents and become responsible for your brother.’
Frano took my hand into his and seemed genuinely pleased that I was showing concern for him.
‘We were young, but we had a lot of staff and servants who stayed on at our manor to look after us and so my parents’ wishes were honoured. But yes, my brother stuck to me like glue and I became his brother and a parent.’
After swallowing a piece of potato, I took a sip of wine and decided to change the subject to lighten the mood.
‘Why don’t you wish to live life up there on the mainland? Why here? Why not tell the world of your discoveries and be famous and wealthy and happy?’
‘Because wealth is not everything, Nada. And can you imagine what would happen if I told the world about this beautiful city?’ Frano didn’t let me answer. ‘It would be ruined. Everybody would want to see it. It would become a tourist destination. The government and scientists would be crawling over every inch.’ He shook his head and narrowed his gaze. ‘No, Nada. Marin will remain a secret as long as I’m alive.’
I smiled, impressed by Frano’s passion for Marin. It made me feel closer to him. Because it was clear that we weren’t very different from each other. Both of us ferociously protective of our homes in the ocean.
Frano smiled back and placed his hand over mine, his warm touch both comforting and sensuous. Perhaps this could work. Perhaps I had truly found someone I could share my life with.
‘Tell me more about yourself, Nada,’ said Frano, giving my hand a squeeze. ‘Was your father kind to you?’
I smiled softly, picturing my father’s sun leathered face and his sparkling green eyes.
‘Yes, he was a wonderful man. I miss him so much.’
‘We have both suffered loss, so we share in that, don’t we Nada?’ Frano said, his gaze wistful.
My heart stuttered to know that he too felt the connection that I was feeling.
Frano smiled and raised my hand to his lips.
‘I don’t believe I can eat another bite, Nada,’ he said, before turning my hand and pressing his lips against the inside of my wrist.
My stomach fluttered and my pulse quickened.
‘Me neither,’ I said, placing my knife and fork across my plate.
Frano stared at the mountain of food and laughed. ‘I will tell the maids to call all the kitchen staff to share in this feast after we have left.’
As we stood, it occurred to me that Frano’s brother would still be in the room, unless he could make himself invisible to the guards, which was hardly likely.
‘What about desert?’ I asked, fixing my gaze on all the pretty bite sized cakes decorating a long table against the wall.
Frano nodded.
‘We’ll choose a plate of cakes each and return to your room to eat them.’
I nodded and followed him to the table, accepting the plate he offered and taking as long as I could to choose my deserts.
We chatted about mindless things on the way back to the room, but all I could think about was Frano’s mute brother. Would he still be inside the room, hiding under the dining table? What would Frano do if he found him? And what did he mean by ‘putting him away’ for the duration of our courtship. You can’t just put somebody away. Surely, he didn’t intend to lock him up?
What a strange family, I thought, as we neared the double doors.
‘Did anybody approach or leave the room?’ Frano asked one of the guards.
The guard stood to attention. ‘No sir.’
My stomach churned. Part of me wanted him found, part of me didn’t. Of course, I didn’t want him to get caught. But at the same time, I didn’t exactly want him in the room should I decide to kiss Frano.
Frano nodded and sucked in a deep breath, preparing himself for confrontation, no doubt, and my stomach tightened in fear. I didn’t know his brother at all apart from our brief meeting, but I felt compassion for him already. How terrible to be so tiny and lose both your parents and be left in the care of staff and a six-year-old brother. To grow up without the loving arms of his parents.
And Frano, to have the weight of so much responsibility so young. No wonder he is so mature at only nineteen years of age.
Frano led me into the room and as the doors closed I braced myself for confrontation, but after Frano set the plates down on the dining room table and checked beneath it, he shook his head and laughed.
‘What?’ I asked.
Frano sighed and took me into his arms, staring down into my face. He looked so handsome right now it made me feel light headed.
‘Nothing. I fear I have an overactive imagination.’
I smiled up into Frano’s face, where his eyes held me captive.
‘The more I know you the more I realise how similar we are,’ I whispered, my heart thumping like mad.
‘May I kiss you, Nada?’ Frano asked, his eyes shifting down to my lips.
My stomach swirled with butterflies as I recalled the feeling of Frano’s lips on mine at the beach.
‘Yes,’ I whispered, my throat husky.
Frano bent forward and my pulse zipped through my veins as I moved in to join him.
His lips were gentle at first, softly brushing against mine, then he applied pressure and slipped his arms around my waist and drew me closer, close enough so that our torsos touched.
The heat of his body touching mine set my skin on fire and sent arrows of pleasure straight to my lower belly. I wanted more of him and tugged his shirt out of his trousers and slid my hands up against his bare, muscled back.
Frano groaned softly and pressed himself against me harder still.
I wondered how much further we’d take things... if we’d give into our passions, because I couldn’t imagine how I could stop myself from wanting to feel as physically and emotionally as close to Frano as possible. But almost as soon as I thought this, Frano stiffened and loosened his hold on me.
He pulled away and stared down into my face while he caught his breath, his broad chest rising and falling rapidly.
‘We mustn’t go too far. We aren’t married yet and I wouldn’t think of pressuring you into something you’re not ready for. I understand that you’re only seventeen, and I’ve always imagined a traditional wedding.’ His face blushed a soft pink and I wondered if he was as inexperienced as me.
But he was being a gentleman and I admired him all the more for it.
Frano drew my hand to his lips, his blue eyes dark and smouldering.
‘Should we eat the cakes?’ I asked, grinning.
Frano laughed softly and drew me into a hug. He pressed his lips to the top of my head.
‘No, Nada. I think I’d better leave now while I have full control of myself. Enjoy the cakes. You should feel perfectly normal in the morning so I will take you on a tour of our city.’ He stroked my hair ever so softly. ‘You’re going to love every inch of Marin as much as I do.’
‘Marin,’ I raised my head to meet Frano’s gaze. ‘I don’t know why I hadn’t said anything before, but my great grandfather’s name was Marin.’
Frano raised his brows.
‘Well, that must be a sign. You were meant to be here. I was supposed to find you swimming like a beautiful mermaid last week. This was all fate. Destiny. Kismet.’
I smiled. Frano was so sweet when wide-eyed like this.
‘I’ll come to your room at 9am sharp to take you on a tour of the city. Get some rest. There is a clock on your bedside table and the maids will rouse you if you don’t. They’ll bring you breakfast and help you get ready if you need it.’
I nodded. ‘Thank you.’ As he turned and walked away I cleared my throat.
‘Yes? Nada? Anything you’d like to ask?’
‘It’s just that. That door. Where does it lead?’ I pointed to the third door in the room – one I’d only just discovered.
‘That door is locked.’ Frano frowned slightly. ‘I take it you’re a curious individual, much like myself. But that door leads to the travel chutes and is always locked. Only I have access. If somebody left the city without authorisation, somebody with ill intent, well, they could alert mainland authorities to our whereabouts.’
I nodded. Frano treasured his underwater world, so it made sense he was very guarded about the travel chutes.
After Frano left the room I got changed into a night gown that had been left out for me and slipped into bed – but not before checking to see that nobody was hiding beneath it.
The cool satiny sheets felt luxurious against my skin, so different to the threadbare sheets back home that had been washed so many times and used by so many generations.
In many ways, my life had taken a turn for the better. Adventure and the unknown as opposed to a life in the city that I didn’t want with a boy I didn’t wish to share a meal with let alone a bed and a life.
At least I liked Frano, I was attracted to him. He had dangled a magical, new life in front of me, a fantastical new life.
And I had taken it.
But I still wondered if my mother missed me and if she was happy to have moved to the city. She had obviously chosen the pearls and an apartment in Split over me. That I had to stomach, and it was difficult because as annoyed with each other as we were on a daily basis, I loved my mother very much, and she me.
My eyes stung and a stray tear dripped down my face onto the satin covered pillow.
‘Goodnight Mama,’ I whispered into the night.
‘Goodnight Papa,’ I whispered also, wondering if his spirit was with me right now, congratulating me on a wonderful, exciting new life. Or would he be angry with me for making such a rash decision.
I sighed and wiped away the lone tear.
Grateful for the light crystal lamp that glowed at my bedside, I sat up and got out of bed and easily made my way to the dining table for a glass of water.
As I poured my glass of water, I spied a piece of paper that had been slipped beneath the carafe.
I glanced around the room, my stomach fluttering.
The paper was folded.
I opened it.
‘My name is Lukas.’
I studied his handwriting for what seemed a long time. His scrawl was masculine yet elegant.
Smiling, I tucked the note between my breasts and slipped into bed, wondering just how Lukas had managed to escape the guards’ watchful eyes.