To Kiss a King - NIcole Burnham Page 0,74
stopped and provided assistance, but their injuries are grave. A group of men exiting one of the casinos began yelling at the driver and dragged him to the sidewalk. He had already called emergency services and the police arrived before the altercation went too far. The driver hit his head on the curb and may have broken ribs, but the initial report is that he will be all right. His attackers have been detained. There are two ambulances on the scene assisting the family. The media are on the way and will be held a few blocks from the accident. However, given that the accident will shut down the Strada for at least an hour as the situation is sorted, you needed to be informed.”
“Do you know the condition of the family?”
“Not yet, Your Highness. As of now, there are no reported fatalities, but the situation is fluid.”
“Keep me updated.”
Eduardo dropped the phone and rubbed a hand over his face. This was his nightmare.
“I heard,” Claire said. “Do you want to go back to the palace to wait for news?”
“I just sent my driver home.”
“Mine lives a few blocks away. He told me he rarely goes to bed before two or three. Let me send him a quick message. He’s worked for the embassy for years and understands security protocols.”
Eduardo hesitated, but only for a second. “If he’s available, that’s fine. Otherwise, I’ll call mine back.”
He found his clothing and headed for the bathroom. When he emerged, the lamp was on and Claire was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed. “Fabiano is on his way.”
Eduardo reached for her hand. “A family of five means children.”
She kissed his knuckles. “I’ll come with you.”
He nodded, then they went to the front door to wait.
Fabiano took them to La Rocca using side streets, but every so often Eduardo caught glimpses of the emergency lights on the Strada il Teatro.
Claire followed his gaze, then reached for his knee and gave him a reassuring squeeze before flipping her palm to hold his hand.
When security waved the car through the rear entrance, he told her, “I need to go to my office. I could be a while.”
“I’ll send Fabiano home and find a spot to wait.” She held her phone aloft. “I have a few documents I can read.”
Sergio and Zeno were talking outside his office when he arrived. He should have been surprised to see them, but somehow he wasn’t. “You heard?”
Sergio nodded. “My wife and I had dinner near the marina, then stayed to watch fireworks from a wedding. We heard the sirens and I called to see what was happening. Zeno received a media alert and decided to come in.”
Sergio offered to make coffee and the men settled around the coffee table in Eduardo’s office to wait for news.
They sat in silence for several minutes, then Sergio said, “You were at Claire Peyton’s home, Your Highness?”
Zeno’s head snapped up, as if he couldn’t believe Sergio had asked the question when they both knew the answer.
“I was.”
Sergio ran his index finger around the rim of his coffee cup. “She has Selvaggi, doesn’t she? I heard a rumor.”
“She does. Not officially, but it’s coming.”
This time, the silence fell like a weight.
“No matter what we hear from the hospital tonight, this is a tragedy.” Sergio was hesitant, picking his words with care. “A family will be devastated by this, even if they all survive. The driver will be forever changed. Tourists will worry about their safety.”
“We can’t fix tonight, much as we might wish it. We can only move forward.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Sergio swallowed, then said, “Tonight’s tragedy points out why the improvements are necessary. But if Ambassador Peyton gets Sonia Selvaggi’s support and you introduce that legislation, it will not go over well, particularly at a time when you need the public to believe in you and your vision.”
Eduardo shook his head. “We won’t sabotage her talks with Selvaggi, if that’s what you’re suggesting. The timing isn’t ideal, I’ll grant you, but what she’s arguing for is legislation I support. You support it, Sergio. It’s the traditional role of the monarch to promote these kinds of programs.”
“Yes, Your Highness. But given the circumstances, you need to postpone it. We’ve had to devote so much time and effort in the Strada project precisely because it’s not the type of legislation in which San Rimini’s monarchs involve themselves. The commitments we have are fragile. If it’s going to go through, you need the public’s