“A pregnant woman never need apologize for that.” She crossed to Evelyne. Took her hands. Her smile was wide and welcoming, and there was an array of emotions in her expression Evelyne couldn’t all parse, but she recognized them as happy ones.
“He has your eyes,” Evelyne blurted out, then felt heat creep up her cheeks. What a silly thing to say.
But Mrs. Marti beamed. “Yes. My eyes and temper. Hopefully the baby will escape the temper part.” Before Evelyne could think abouttemperandGabriel, his mother continued. “You are looking lovely, Your Highness. You probably do not remember when we met before.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we had.”
“It was the last time my husband and I visited Alis, before we decided to not return ever again. You were only three or four. And pretty as a picture, as you are now.” Mrs. Marti squeezed her hands then began to bustle her to the couch. All the while talking.
“I didn’t want our first meeting to be some formal royal affair. I know Alexandre means well, but he is just a man and cannot understand such things sometimes.”
Evelyne smiled in spite of herself as she was nudged into a sitting position. “Yes, he is just a man.”
Mrs. Marti laughed and sat next to Evelyne. “I wanted just a few moments to meet the man my son married without telling me.”
“We are sorry.”
“I understand that things with King Enzo were…complicated. I can’t hold it against you, as much as I might like to.” She smiled though, like she really did understand. Then she picked up a small package from the table. “I brought this for you.”
“Oh…”
“Foryou. Not a baby gift, though I will shower my grandson as well when he arrives, but I always thought the woman carrying the child never got enough attention.”
Evelyne felt overwhelmed with too many emotions to name. She didn’t know what else to do but open the gift when Mrs. Marti urged her to.
The box was small, the beautiful pendant inside delicate and stunning. And it reminded Evelyne of Gabriel’s eyes.
“You’re a princess so no doubt you have access to the most beautiful jewelry, but this is an heirloom. It has been passed down in my family for many generations.”
“Mrs. Marti—”
“Bianca.”
“Bianca… I couldn’t possibly—”
“Gabriel is my only son. My only child. I had always planned to present this to his wife once he married—unless I hated her.”
Evelyne looked up at the woman, a little desperate to have this connection but not feeling like she deserved it. “You don’t know me.”
“I know Alexandre. I knew your mother. And I know my son. I won’t hate you, Evelyne.”
Evelyne’s breath caught. “You knew my mother. I suppose I knew that, but I didn’t realize…”
Bianca smiled sadly. “I’m not sure I knew herwell, but we were friends as much as anyone can be friends with a queen. Manuel brought me to Alis after we were married. The king had not fully ended Alis’s relationship with Italy yet, so Manuel was still working as a diplomat. Your mother and I were pregnant at the same time, so she would invite me to teas and such.”
“Alexandre always says she was…perfect.”
Bianca laughed. “No one is perfect, though I’m sure she was perfect to Alex. Poor boy. She was very good. Very, very kind. Too soft for the likes of this place.” Bianca’s smile went sad at the edges. “She would have loved you very much.”
Tears filled Evelyne’s eyes. She swallowed at the lump in her throat. She didn’t have the words. She didn’t have…anything.She would have loved you very muchwould stick with her for all her days.
“And since she is not here,Iwill be. Manuel and I have a life in Italy, but now that King Enzo is gone, there is no reason to fear coming back to Alis whenever it is wished. We will be at your beck and call, I promise.” She patted Evelyne’s stomach. “And his.”
“Mrs.… Bianca… I…” She flicked a tear off her cheek. “I’m overwhelmed.”
“You’ve had so much thrust at you, and so quickly. Of course you are.” Bianca scooted closer, put her arm around Evelyne and squeezed. “And growing a little one is hard work—physicallyandemotionally. It’s a study in overwhelm, but you’ll handle it beautifully. I have faith in the woman my boy chose.”
Chose. Not really, but Evelyne could hardly lay that at Bianca’s feet. So she changed the subject. She pulled the necklace out of the box, fastened it around her neck. “How does it look?”
