at peace.
Epilogue
Eduardo leaned forward and waved as he rode along the Strada il Teatro in an open-top carriage. Beside him, Claire perched on the red velvet seat, her eyes glowing with excitement. One hand rested atop the polished black door while the other held his. She wore an ivory silk gown, a tiara that had belonged to his mother, and a pair of turquoise and silver earrings that had been crafted by a childhood friend of her own mother’s. A matching turquoise and silver bracelet circled her wrist.
Her emerald and diamond engagement ring sparkled on her left hand.
All around them, crowds whistled and cheered under a bright, sunny sky.
Every so often, Claire pressed a hand to her heart, then waved. Happiness rolled off her.
A decade earlier, he’d walked this same route behind the 1750 State Coach, a gilt-laden vehicle so massive that it required a team of six horses to navigate San Rimini’s cobblestoned streets.
It had been empty as it wound its way to the Duomo that day, a traditional final farewell to a member of the royal family. The three hours that followed that walk had been the longest of Eduardo’s life as he’d endured the memorial service at the Duomo and then a reception at the palace. He’d felt as if his soul had been ripped from his body, leaving a void that could never be filled.
He would always mourn Aletta. But as with the Strada il Teatro, which would soon be torn apart and rebuilt for a new era, so too had his soul undergone a renewal.
He had the woman beside him to thank for it. She had taught him to live in the present, and every moment of the past two months had driven that home. Next month, he planned to thank her by introducing legislation that would send funds and teachers to the education program she’d championed in Uganda.
Two months ago, Claire had stepped down from her office. Though she’d been certain the President would want a political ally to fill the role, he’d followed her recommendation and promoted from within the embassy, elevating Mark Rosenburg to the position. Claire couldn’t have been more thrilled. Karen Hutchinson had offered to stay on and work with Mark’s assistant during the transition, but planned to leave afterward.
Though Karen had kept it quiet at work, Claire had confided that Karen was involved with King Eduardo’s defense ministry liaison, a man she’d apparently described to Claire as “good looking” at the credentials ceremony. They’d bonded over their government jobs, thirst for travel, and love of baking. They both wanted children and Claire suspected a wedding would be in the works soon.
Two weeks after Claire left office, Zeno Amendola had strolled into his usual Monday morning press briefing and given updates about the Strada il Teatro project before announcing plans for Prince Antony to visit Belgium as part of San Rimini’s delegation at an upcoming climate summit. When Zeno opened the floor for questions, he’d fully expected the barrage that hit him to address everything but those two items.
Claire had appeared on a roundtable American political program the day before to discuss the worldwide refugee crisis. However, the moderator had quickly pivoted to personal matters when speaking to Claire.
“You recently retired from your role as the United States Ambassador to San Rimini. There’s now talk that you and King Eduardo could marry. San Riminians have strong opinions about that.”
“Do they?” Claire’s laugh was genuine, her eyes sparkling as she faced the moderator.
“Particularly in regard to a title.”
“Well, I’ve lived a good portion of my life with a title. It has been an honor to be called Madam Ambassador. I have no need or desire for another.”
“Are you saying you’ve discussed this with the king? Do you have plans to marry?”
“I’m saying exactly what I just stated. It was an honor to serve as the American ambassador to San Rimini. I was able to forge partnerships that benefit both our countries. I had the opportunity to meet and work with some incredible people, many of whom have become dear friends. And while I’ve retired from my role as ambassador, I have no intention to stop working. I plan to pursue a number of philanthropic projects that are near and dear to my heart. I haven’t seen a study on the subject, but I suspect many career diplomats do the same. A desire to make a difference is what brought many of us to the state department in the first place.” She’d