“I’m sure you’re extremely tired,” he said as he moved out of the way and offered his arm as assistance. “Your room is ready for you if you’d like to go and rest for a while. The cook has dinner in the oven but it’s still a few hours from now if you would like to nap.”
I took his arm, not out of want but out of need. I actually worried my knees would collapse underneath me. “Yes, please.”
“Your room is right up the stairs, Mrs. Bennato. Let me help you.” He looked at Gio, who was trailing behind me. “How long will you be staying? Do you need me to get a guest room prepared?”
I didn’t bother looking back at Gio but heard him say, “I’ll be staying for a few days to make sure Mrs. Bennato gets settled in. I’ll also want to train the staff as to what the Bennato Brothers expect.”
I was too tired to tell both the men to stop calling me by a name that wasn’t mine. I just wanted a bed and a shower. The rest of this situation could wait.
Although I could barely keep my eyes open, I did take in how the Italian villa was a complete opposite of the manor I had just come from. It was fully furnished with rustic furniture and antiques. Romantic paintings of the countryside and the small Italian villages hung on the aged walls of yesteryear. The villa had a charm that in any other situation would have had me giddy with glee. It was something right out of a movie. Even the smell of savory food being cooked in the kitchen added to the idealistic environment. Warm. Inviting. Homey in so many ways other than it wasn’t home. It was just another version of a prison. Only this time, I would be alone.
“My name is Ricardo. I’m the house manager here, and my job is to make sure you have everything you need.”
We walked up the stairs arm and arm, and though the villa was much smaller than the manor, there was still a level of opulence about it. When Ricardo opened my bedroom door, I half expected to see the room empty as it had been when I first arrived at the manor. Although it was far from that. A beautiful bed mastered the room with a carved wooden headboard. The craftsmanship of the engraved flowers on the bed matched the nightstands, the large armoire, dresser, and a small desk and chair that sat beneath the window. Everything in the room was custom made. Even the patchwork quilt on the bed was obviously created with great care.
“I’ll leave you alone for now and check on you before dinner. But if you need anything at all, Mrs. Bennato, don’t hesitate to ask.” He walked out of the room but stopped before closing the door behind him. “There’s a private bathroom behind that door on the right of the armoire. It’s fully stocked with all the hygiene items I could think of as well as towels and washcloths. I’m sure once you settle in, you’ll want more. I can of course do the shopping for you, but hopefully we can also get clearance to go into town together. I think you’ll really like it here.”
“Thank you, Ricardo,” I said as I practically collapsed on the bed.
I would be sure to be polite to this man. It wasn’t his fault his employers were bastards.
As I closed my eyes, not even bothering to take off any clothing or shoes, I welcomed sleep. But it didn’t come. Instead, all I could do was wonder where Stefano and Thomas were. Would they come visit me? Would they want to be involved with the pregnancy at all? There would be doctor’s appointments and finding out the sex of the baby. What about nursery colors and a name? And…
Stop. Why was I thinking these thoughts?
This wasn’t some romantic love story where I had a doting spouse to be with me every single step.
I didn’t even know whose baby it was!
This was madness. Complete madness.
I placed my hand on my belly and wondered how long it would be before I started showing. I knew nothing about pregnancy. I had been a loner in my previous life and didn’t have any girlfriends who went through this. I didn’t have a living mother to guide me or some trusted aunt. Just me.
Rolling over to my side, I tried to allow the pure exhaustion to wash over me and quiet my mind.
I could hear the ticking of a clock, a few doors close downstairs, and heavy footsteps going up and down the stairs.
Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.
I made a mental note to ask Ricardo about ordering some pregnancy books. That would help answer some of my questions. I wondered if Stefano or Thomas had any family that would be interested that I was pregnant with a Bennato baby. What about their mother? Wouldn’t she want to be involved?