Free Red Wine For Miss Parker - Another very romantic Comedy (Delicious Regency by Ruby Royce, Book 2) by Ruby Royce Page B

came to her, not swim at all as far as she remembered. She could try, of course, it could not be as hard as that? She waddled through the dark corridors and into the drawing room. She opened the french window and stepped out into the park. The moon was shining brightly, a sharp crescent, like a dagger from the orient.
    "Hello doggies… pardon me…" Flora said to the watchdogs who wiggled their tails sleepily as she passed them.  
    She reached the lakefront and considered jumping into the water, when she had a better idea.
    "Boat…" she mumbled and swayed towards the landing stage. "Need a boat, yes?"  
    There were three or four larger barges but also a few smaller rowing boats for individuals. Flora stumbled into the one closest to her. "Ha!" she declared. "Watch out, Francesco Karlsburg, I'm coming!"  
    She began to row but after a few strokes she realised that she was not advancing. She giggled stupidly. "The rope! Ha! I'm an idiot." She stood up again and, in what could be considered a breathtaking manoeuvre, she freed the boat from the pier.  
    Flora sat, took the rows into her hands and started out into the night.
    "We shall see, huh? We shall see what you think of me, once I'm done with you, Princeypincey!"  
    She pulled and pulled and pulled. All the while she kept mumbling to herself. Occasionally, she took a sip from the bottle, but after about half an hour it was empty. "Bloody thing…" she swore and threw it into the water.  
    Fortunately it was a straight line from Palazzo Sforza to the protruding peninsula on which Francesco's residence stood for Flora had no idea how she would have been able to stir the thing.  
    After an hour of rowing she hit against a stony shore, just underneath a magnificent white baroque caslte. Much to Flora's discomfort, the fresh night air and the exercise had diminished the wine's effect and she was not as courageous as she had been before.  
    What now?
    It turned out that Francesco's watchdogs did not know her and soon they were barking and howling until a few lights came rushing down from the castle towards her. As they approached Flora saw that they were torches carried by soldiers. All of them armed up to the teeth.
    They looked quite startled to find a tiny girl in a white nightgown, sitting in a boat and trying to control her facial features.
    "Ma Signorina, cosa fa? Chi è? Ha avuto un incidente?"
    Flora understood that they wanted to know who she was.
    "Flora…" she pointed at herself. "Parlare con il Principe!"
    They stared in bafflement.  
    "Flora Parker. Palazzo Sforza! Surrey! Duca inglese è mio amico! Cugino of the bloody Principe… whatever. My italian is finished here. Get me to the Prince, now will you?"

Fourteen

    Castello Maggiore, about 1:30 am

    Francesco was instantly awake as he heard the dogs barking. His sleep had been restless anyway since he had delved in and out of unpleasant dreams for several hours.  
    He lit a candle by the bedside and glanced at a small clock on his bed-side table.
    Burglars? Here? He did not believe it. But what had gotten the dogs into such a state?  
    He heard the soldiers talking amongst each other from somewhere near the shore, but they were too far away for Francesco to make out what they were saying.  
    A few moments later there was a knock on his door.
    "What is it?"  
    "Signore, signore! C'è una ragazza! There's a girl!" the head-footman's voice sounded through the thick wooden door.
    "A what?"
    "A girl!"
    "Where? What? Open the door so I can hear you properly."
    The door opened and the man's head protruded through the opening.  
    "Signore, there's a girl come in a boat! She says she wants to see you?"
    "A girl came in a boat? Who is she?" Francesco, still   in bed, sat bolt upright.
    "Her name is Flora."
    The prince stared at his servant in utter disbelief.   "Is this a joke?"
    "No! No, Signore, she's in a boat down by the shore! It is true, I swear!" The man nodded emphatically.
    "Get out. I'll be right