Cesare had seen the advertisements all over town. The vision of the haughty blonde had him grinning from ear to ear. The advertisement made her sound like the ideal wife. But from what he'd witnessed, she was pleasant on the eyes, but hell on the ears. Still, she served her purpose. He was wandering around the estate, wondering where the front door was and how to go about making an appointment to see General Scapula. Hands tucked into pockets of expensive silk trousers, leather wing tips making soft sounds on the flagstones.
A little way into the trees to the east of the villa, Luciana had discovered - well, if it wasn't a hot spring, it was at least a warm pool - perfect for bathing. Of course, a virgin in search of a husband shouldn't go anywhere unescorted, and certainly shouldn't be naked in the middle of a forest frequented by hunters and trappers, but that was hardly going to stop her. She'd always had a mind of her own, and so long as her father didn't catch her this time, she wouldn't be punished for this venture, either. So she was quite happily lounging in the warm water, clothes and drying linen on the bank, oblivious to the rest of the world.
Cesare heard movement in the treeline and glanced over, curiously. The closer he came to that natural spring, he started seeing clothing laid out. He got even more curious, and being a bit of a voyeur, he moved even closer. Hiding behind a cedar bush, icy blues finally gaze into the water, so crystal clear, that he could distinguish a birthmark on her upper thigh from a good twenty feet. His eyes admired her, as well as other parts of his body, but his head reminded him of the task at hand and of her razor sharp tongue. This was perfect. Her father would never believe her a virgin if he could describe her naked form in intricate detail. He stepped out from behind the bush and cleared his throat as he stood on the bank. Right between her and her clothing.
Luciana almost choked on the mouthful of water she inhaled at the sound of a throat clearing nearby, quick to tread water and spin about. Pale blue eyes widened in horrified consternation at having been caught, and then narrowed as she recognised the one who had caught her. Why did it have to be him, of all people" Now she knew exactly what he would be thinking about whenever he looked at her from here on in. She glared at him. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"
"If she were here, maybe she would have." He smiled, a very broad and knowing smile. "Does your father know about that birth mark?" He pointed, wiggling his finger. "That one there, just on your thigh. Right where your hip meets your leg?" A playful wink and he turned to walk away. He'd allow her privacy. He had enough to get her to go along with his plan, willingly. If not, another maiden's named ruined. He'd ruined enough in his life time, another surely wasn't going to make a difference to him.
Again her eyes widened as embarrassment coursed through her. Blushing furiously, she curled herself into a tight ball, glaring at him as he turned away, feeling that same embarrassment turn to anger. Then a dreadful thought occurred to her. What if he was here to see her father" What would her father say if this wretched man told him about her birthmark" One reputation down the drain, and no man would even consider marrying her; her father would never forgive her for it. Splashing loudly, she scrambled up onto the bank, throwing her short stola on over her wet skin. "Wait," she called, choking down the bile at having even address the man. "What are you doing here?"
He heard her splashing and then calling out to him. Of course he stopped, picking up a linen and holding it up behind his back for her to take to dry herself off. "What am I doing here?" He chuckled, keeping his back to her. "Why I read that there is a bride for sale. Came to see what the highest bid was." He wasn't going to spill the truth, not just yet.
She snatched the linen from his hand, and the next thing he would feel would be the snap of it against the back of his head. "Doubtful, Master Romano," she snapped unhappily, her eyes flashing with anger at even having him allude to that humiliating debacle in the city. "More likely you came to discomfort me deliberately in front of my father."
"Actually.." he lurched forward when his head was snapped by that linen. "Hey, you could use a few lessons in manners yourself." He stopped and turned then. "I have a proposition for you." He grinned then and moved towards a bench. "Please, have a seat." As if it were his bench on his property that he was offering.
A little way into the trees to the east of the villa, Luciana had discovered - well, if it wasn't a hot spring, it was at least a warm pool - perfect for bathing. Of course, a virgin in search of a husband shouldn't go anywhere unescorted, and certainly shouldn't be naked in the middle of a forest frequented by hunters and trappers, but that was hardly going to stop her. She'd always had a mind of her own, and so long as her father didn't catch her this time, she wouldn't be punished for this venture, either. So she was quite happily lounging in the warm water, clothes and drying linen on the bank, oblivious to the rest of the world.
Cesare heard movement in the treeline and glanced over, curiously. The closer he came to that natural spring, he started seeing clothing laid out. He got even more curious, and being a bit of a voyeur, he moved even closer. Hiding behind a cedar bush, icy blues finally gaze into the water, so crystal clear, that he could distinguish a birthmark on her upper thigh from a good twenty feet. His eyes admired her, as well as other parts of his body, but his head reminded him of the task at hand and of her razor sharp tongue. This was perfect. Her father would never believe her a virgin if he could describe her naked form in intricate detail. He stepped out from behind the bush and cleared his throat as he stood on the bank. Right between her and her clothing.
Luciana almost choked on the mouthful of water she inhaled at the sound of a throat clearing nearby, quick to tread water and spin about. Pale blue eyes widened in horrified consternation at having been caught, and then narrowed as she recognised the one who had caught her. Why did it have to be him, of all people" Now she knew exactly what he would be thinking about whenever he looked at her from here on in. She glared at him. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"
"If she were here, maybe she would have." He smiled, a very broad and knowing smile. "Does your father know about that birth mark?" He pointed, wiggling his finger. "That one there, just on your thigh. Right where your hip meets your leg?" A playful wink and he turned to walk away. He'd allow her privacy. He had enough to get her to go along with his plan, willingly. If not, another maiden's named ruined. He'd ruined enough in his life time, another surely wasn't going to make a difference to him.
Again her eyes widened as embarrassment coursed through her. Blushing furiously, she curled herself into a tight ball, glaring at him as he turned away, feeling that same embarrassment turn to anger. Then a dreadful thought occurred to her. What if he was here to see her father" What would her father say if this wretched man told him about her birthmark" One reputation down the drain, and no man would even consider marrying her; her father would never forgive her for it. Splashing loudly, she scrambled up onto the bank, throwing her short stola on over her wet skin. "Wait," she called, choking down the bile at having even address the man. "What are you doing here?"
He heard her splashing and then calling out to him. Of course he stopped, picking up a linen and holding it up behind his back for her to take to dry herself off. "What am I doing here?" He chuckled, keeping his back to her. "Why I read that there is a bride for sale. Came to see what the highest bid was." He wasn't going to spill the truth, not just yet.
She snatched the linen from his hand, and the next thing he would feel would be the snap of it against the back of his head. "Doubtful, Master Romano," she snapped unhappily, her eyes flashing with anger at even having him allude to that humiliating debacle in the city. "More likely you came to discomfort me deliberately in front of my father."
"Actually.." he lurched forward when his head was snapped by that linen. "Hey, you could use a few lessons in manners yourself." He stopped and turned then. "I have a proposition for you." He grinned then and moved towards a bench. "Please, have a seat." As if it were his bench on his property that he was offering.