Amelia stood in front of Philip’s blue Alfa Romeo glancing in both directions. She had gotten up early and ran down to the lobby to pay the bill. She stopped in the hotel gift shop and picked out a straw hat with a wide brim. She didn’t think anyone would recognize her but she couldn’t take the chance.
She would find Sophie and then she would tell Philip the truth. She pictured Sophie’s white-blond hair and large blue eyes and frowned. Could she really disgrace her father and let down her lady-in-waiting?
“That hat looks wonderful on you.” Philip approached the car, clutching two tall Styrofoam cups. “You look like a movie star.”
“I bought it at the gift shop.” Amelia flushed. “I wanted a souvenir of Portofino.”
“I got double espressos, we’ll need lots of energy,” Philip replied, handing her a cup.
“We do?” Amelia raised her eyebrow.
“We have to drive back to Rome and find Sophie.” He kissed her on the mouth. “And then we have to replay what we did last night.”
“The delicious dinner and the evening stroll?” Amelia asked, tasting coffee and cinnamon.
“I was thinking about what happened afterward,” Philip murmured, tucking her hair behind her ears.
Amelia felt a shiver run down her spine. She hopped into the passenger seat and fixed her sunglasses.
“Then we better start driving.”
They drove out of Portofino and onto the motorway. Amelia gazed at the tranquil harbor and the green inlets and felt her heart turn over. It was so beautiful: the magnificent villas, the cliffs covered with purple and white daisies. She wished they could drive forever, with Philip’s hand on her knee and the sun glinting on the windshield. She saw a group of nuns walking along the road, carrying a basket of fruit. Suddenly her eyes sparkled and her face broke into a smile.
“I know where Sophie is!”
“Where?” Philip asked.
“I’ll show you.” She grinned. “Just keep driving.”
* * *
They wound through the Sabine Hills and approached the village of Toffia. Philip drove down the gravel path and Amelia recognized the stone building with small lead windows. She checked her lipstick in the mirror and fixed her hat. She opened the passenger door and leaned in the window.
“I think it’s best if you wait here.”
She walked to the narrow wooden door and knocked. She waited and knocked again. Finally she heard footsteps and a tall nun opened the door.
“Signorita Ann,” the nun exclaimed. “What a pleasure to see you. Have you come to play with the children?”
“I’m looking for Sophie.” Amelia smoothed her dress. “I thought she might be here.”
“I haven’t seen Signorita Sophie since she was here with the American doctor.” Sister Lea frowned. “Would you like a glass of water before you go?”
“No, thank you.” Amelia sighed.
She turned back to the car, feeling the hot sun on her shoulders. She was sure Sophie would be here, it was the perfect place to hide. She heard someone running and suddenly a little girl with blond curls threw her arms around her legs.
“Pretty lady! Don’t go,” Gloria exclaimed. “You have to play hide and go seek.”
“I’m sorry, I have someone waiting.” Amelia pointed to the car. “But it’s lovely to see you.”
“You have to play,” Gloria insisted. “The pretty blond lady is hiding and I have to find her.”
Amelia stopped and turned around. “Signorita Sophie?”
“We play games all day, hopscotch and ring around the rosy.” Gloria nodded. “I always win hide and go seek, she won’t hide in small places.”
Amelia took Gloria’s hand and walked to the convent. “Show me where to look and I’ll find her.”
* * *
“I can’t believe Sister Lea lied that you weren’t here,” Amelia said.
“The nuns are serious about protecting people they care about from outsiders,” Sophie replied. “That’s how they survived the middle ages.”
Amelia sat in the small reception room gazing at her friend. Sophie wore a white cotton dress and beige sandals. Her hair was knotted in a low ponytail and tied with a yellow ribbon.
“What are you doing here?” Amelia glanced at the threadbare brown sofa and stained glass window. There was a wooden coffee table with a tray of deviled eggs and a pitcher of lemonade.
“In the mornings I help the sisters in the vegetable garden; we’re planting baby peas and butter lettuce and asparagus.” Sophie put a deviled egg on a plate. “Then I prepare lunch and read and play with the children. I discovered Thomas Hardy—they have his complete works in the library.”
“I mean what are you doing in Toffia?” Amelia asked. “I went to Portofino, Elspeth is worried.”
“You went to Portofino to find me?” Sophie’s eyes were wide.
“I thought Philip wrote the article about you.” Amelia bit her lip. “I let slip that you were a princess when I was drunk. I thought you’d never forgive me.”
“I had to write it.” Sophie fiddled with her ponytail.
“I don’t understand, how could you do something to hurt your father?” Amelia frowned.
“Lots of young royals spend the summer partying in Cannes or Monaco or Amalfi.” Sophie shrugged. “It would create a small scandal but the alternative would be worse.”
“The alternative?” Amelia raised her eyebrow.
“All I could think about was Theo.” Sophie sipped her lemonade. “I was about to do something terrible.”
“Does he know you are here?” Amelia asked.
“Of course not.” Sophie shook her head. “He called the morning after we kissed and asked me to go to Pompeii to visit an orphanage. He promised we’d have separate rooms.
“I packed a dress and sandals and a toothbrush. I folded my lace underwear and bra and realized all I wanted was to go to bed with him.” Sophie hesitated. “I couldn’t let that happen, my father would never speak to me again.”
“You could have told Theo you had to work and couldn’t make it,” Amelia said softly.
“But I wanted to go, I was falling in love with him!” Sophie exclaimed. “If I didn’t run away I wouldn’t have the strength to say no.”
“Why not just go back to Portofino?” Amelia asked. “Why did you have to lie?”
“If Theo knew I lied about who I am, he’d never forgive me,” Sophie replied. “I had to make sure it was over.”
“You have to come back to Rome,” Amelia insisted. “Elspeth said she’d give me twenty-four hours to find you until she tells your father.”
“I am going back to Rome,” Sophie said slowly. “I was leaving this afternoon.”
“That’s wonderful,” Amelia beamed. “Philip is waiting outside.”
“You don’t understand.” Sophie sat forward. “I lay in bed at night and thought about all the things I could do for the people of Lentz: build a state-of-the-art hospital, create an opera program for children, grow organic vegetables.
“I suddenly had all these ideas and it’s because of Theo. When I’m with him I feel like I can do anything.”
“Love makes you believe you can accomplish anything,” Amelia murmured.
“You told me but I didn’t believe you,” Sophie nodded. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world.”
“What are you going to do?” Amelia asked.
“I’m going to tell my father I’ll be the best queen Lentz ever had,” Sophie declared. “But I’m going to pick my own husband.”
Amelia gasped. “What will he say?”
“If he trusts me to rule the country, he has to trust me to marry the right man.” Sophie bit her lip. “I want a husband and children and I won’t live a charade.”
“What about Prince Leopold?” Amelia asked.
“He’s one of the wealthiest princes in Europe.” Sophie waved her hand. “Girls will line up to be his wife.”
“I’ll tell Philip to make room in the backseat.” Amelia smiled.
“What if Theo doesn’t forgive me?” Sophie’s mouth trembled.
“You’re not going to find out playing hide and go seek with Gloria.” Amelia stood up. “You have to ask him.”
They drove silently back to Rome with Philip’s hand resting on Amelia’s knee. Amelia glanced at the villages with outdoor cafés and wished they could stop for a pizza margherita and a bottle of limoncello. But she felt Sophie dig her fingers into the back of her seat and knew they had to hurry back to the Hassler.
Philip pulled up in front of the hotel and Sophie jumped out. Amelia turned to Philip and hesitated.
“I should stay with her, she thinks Theo will be furious.”
“Go on.” Philip nodded. “Let’s meet for dinner.”
“Seven o’clock at Rosati?” Amelia’s shoulders relaxed.
“I have to go home and beg Signora Griselda to iron my sheets.” Philip kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Someone told me they’re lumpy.”
Amelia strode through the black and gold lobby and approached the elevator.
“Good afternoon, Miss Tate,” Ernesto called. “How was Portofino?”
Amelia pictured the green cliffs and wooden fishing boats. She saw the brightly colored apartment buildings and whitewashed villas. She remembered the scent of bougainvillea and hibiscus and fresh ground coffee.
“It was wonderful, Ernesto.” Amelia smiled. “It’s the most beautiful place in Italy.”
She opened the door of the Villa Medici Suite and put down her suitcase. She flipped through the script and read her lines in front of the mirror. She pictured Philip’s dark eyes and narrow cheeks and realized Sophie was right.
Suddenly she felt like she could do anything. Her eyes were brighter and even her smile was wider. She couldn’t wait to get back on the set and play Princess Ann.
There was a knock on the door and she got up to answer it.
“The nurse said Theo wasn’t at the clinic.” Sophie entered the marble entry. “But I saw his Fiat in the alley.”
“He could have stepped out for lunch,” Amelia suggested.
“He never eats lunch unless we’re together.” Sophie sat on an ivory silk sofa. “How can I make him understand if he won’t see me?”
Amelia studied Sophie’s pale cheeks and white lips. She grabbed her straw hat and put on her sunglasses. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
She slipped out a side door of the Hassler and hurried down the alley. She entered the clinic and sat on a red vinyl chair. She heard the bell tinkle and saw the nurse with her metal clipboard.
“Can I help you?” the nurse asked.
“I need to see the doctor.” She twisted her hands.
The nurse ushered her into a small room and Amelia sat uncomfortably on the wooden table. She heard the door open and saw Theo’s blond hair and green eyes. He wore a white coat over blue jeans and had faint stubble on his chin.
“It’s you.” He folded his arms. “What do you want?”
“Sophie had a bad asthma attack,” Amelia explained. “I gave her her inhaler but it’s not helping, I’m very worried.”
“Where is she?” Theo clutched his clipboard.
“At her suite at the Hassler.” Amelia bit her lip. “Her breathing was ragged and her cheeks were white as paper.”
Theo put down his clipboard and ran out the door. He raced down the alley and entered the gold revolving doors. Amelia followed him into the lobby and watched him disappear into the elevator. She waited until the doors closed and then she pressed the button to the seventh floor.
* * *
Amelia stepped out of the marble bathtub and walked to the closet. She had an hour until she met Philip and wanted to wear something glamorous and sexy. She flicked through cotton dresses and linen capris and found a lime green chiffon dress with a scooped neck. She paired it with gold Gucci sandals and a gold necklace. She snapped on her Cartier watch and added a few gold bangles.
She gazed at the vanity with its double marble sinks and white fluffy towels and jars of lotions and creams. Soon shooting would wrap and she’d go back to Los Angeles. She pictured Philip’s dark eyes and white smile and shivered.
She was going to tell him she didn’t mean to lie about who she was. It all started because she was exhausted from jet lag and had had too little to eat and too much champagne and wanted to explore Rome. She never meant it to go this far and she’d never lie to him again.
There was a knock on the door and she crossed the living room to answer it.
“I don’t know what you did but I could kiss you.” Sophie burst into the room. She wore a white linen dress with a silver belt. Her hair was knotted in a low bun and her mouth was coated with shimmering lip gloss.
“You look like you belong on the cover of Vogue.” Amelia smiled, admiring her large blue eyes and thick dark lashes.
“I was curled up on the sofa reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles when Theo rushed into the suite.” Sophie sat on a royal blue sofa and tucked her feet under her. “He took my pulse and stroked my forehead. He thought I had a terrible asthma attack.”
“Is that so?” Amelia grinned.
“I tried to correct him but I burst into tears,” Sophie replied. “By the time I stopped crying he was holding me in his arms and kissing me.”
“Tears and diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” Amelia murmured.
“He said he should have known I was a princess because the first time he saw me he knew I was special.”
“Go on.” Amelia nodded.
“We talked about his dreams of building an orphanage and the responsibilities of being a princess,” Sophie continued. “We’re having dinner tonight at La Pergola.”
“I’m glad,” Amelia replied. “You are perfect for each other.”
“I’ve never been on a real date; what if he wants to do more than kiss me goodnight?” Sophie asked.
“You’ll get the hang of it.” Amelia smiled. “You’re doing great so far.”
“I hope so.” Sophie sighed, gazing at the silver tray of fresh scones and strawberry jam. “Since I fell in love I’ve barely had an appetite.”
Amelia slipped on her sunglasses and gathered her purse. She imagined Philip waiting at Rosati and thought Sophie was right. Suddenly her stomach clenched and she wasn’t hungry.