Cory smiled at her; he was seeing Castello all over again through her eyes. He loved how the staff treated her with great respect. "This is the Medici fairy tale, remember?"
As Rosa led them through the great hall, he chuckled as Madison swung her head from left to right, trying to take in everything she saw. He heard her squeal as she stopped in her tracks in front of a painting.
"What’s wrong?"
"That painting. It's Da Vinci's Leda and the Swan! It looks like an original. He painted several versions, and most of them have been lost. There’s supposed to be one remaining at the Ufizzi I’d hoped to see. Is this a copy?"
Cory shrugged. "Not sure, there’s art all over this house. I'm afraid I don't know much about it."
Rosa turned to see which painting Madison was referring to and nodded slightly. "Excuse me, mistress, but that is indeed an original painting from Leonardo. The Medici's were great patrons to the Masters of the Renaissance, and this painting was given to Shade's father, Christofano, as a gift. It has hung here since 1507 and has never been viewed by the mortal world. You will find many such pieces, both paintings and sculptures, throughout Castello. You may inspect it if you wish."
Madison was dumbstruck. An original? Never seen by mortals? She was looking at a piece of art touched by the hand of Leonardo Da Vinci, and she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone what she’d seen. "This is unreal! Can I try to sketch it while I'm here?"
Rosa shook her head. "That will be up to our master, but I would think not. If the outside world were to see it, then it would raise questions as to the location of the art. It would risk our exposure, si?"
Madison nodded, understanding the ramifications, as she stared in awe at the painting. "No, I understand."
Cory drew her away. "Come on. I'll give you a full tour tomorrow, and Rosa can come along to explain where the pieces came from."
Madison reluctantly allowed herself to be drawn away from the painting and led to the opulent room she and Cory would share.
***
Shade helped Kate up the grand staircase to their bedroom. Emma was already inside unpacking their belongings. Shade addressed her. "Emma, slow down, we are not going anywhere."
She stopped and looked at him, blinking her eyes a few times. "But, master, my lady needs her things to be put away as soon as possible, she will need a bath and some rest after our long journey."
Shade spoke to her softly, “Now, you go on ahead and leave. Get yourself settled. I will handle getting her bath and tucking her in, si."
Emma's eyes shot from Shade to Kate and back to Shade. She seemed unsure about leaving her post. Kate caught Emma's eyes. "Go ahead, Emma. I'll call if I need you."
Emma scurried from the room as Kate sat down on the bed, kicking off her shoes. "So, you’re to be at my beck and call this evening, are you?"
Shade knelt beside the bed, massaging her feet with his strong hands. "Si, my lady, I am at your service. What is it you wish your master to do for you?" He smiled at her, his blue eyes flashing, and his dark curls hanging over his forehead.
Kate looked at him as he knelt at her feet, looking up at her with those steely blue eyes. "Oh, I think you have done quite enough, mister." She laughed as she ran her hand over the swell of her belly. His powers to seduce with a single glance were no less intense this night than the night she’d first laid eyes on him.
"Oh, my lady, I am just beginning.” Standing, he leaned over her as she lay back on the bed. He kissed her belly, holding his weight off her body and gazed deep into her eyes. "I miss my lily white. Our life is not as it was before our son, but I would never trade it for anything. Speaking of which, where is Lorenzo?"
“Theresa has him in the room next to ours. And please, as much as I love him, I need a little peace and quiet. He was so rambunctious on the flight over. I'm trying to imagine juggling two of them and it makes me tired just thinking about it."
"Si, I will keep him occupied, as much as possible. Now, I think you need a bath with your master."
As the words left his mouth, the sound of the water running in the tub could be heard, as he willed it. Lifting her up gently, he undressed her, leaving small kisses across her delicate white skin. "You are so beautiful, mi amore. I love when your body is round with our bambino."
Lifting her into his arms, he carried her to the bathroom, sitting her gently down in the water of the large marble tub. He stripped away his own clothes and slid in carefully behind her, pulling her back to his chest. Pouring some aromatic salts into the bath, he slowly stirred the water with his hands, watching the water lap at her breasts. The scent of roses rose from the steaming water and filled the air around them. "Are you comfortable?"
Kate laid her head back against his chest, as the steam rose from the tub and the hot water soothed her tired muscles. "I can't remember the last time we were able to take a bath together like this." She closed her eyes and enjoyed this rare moment of alone time. Even the hours she spent sleeping next to him in his death slumber were interrupted daily to spend time with Lorenzo.
Grabbing the bath sponge, he proceeded to wash her. He could feel her body relax into him, and her thoughts rambled through his mind. "You give much to the men in your life, mi amore. Do not think I ever take that for granted. There are times I am jealous of my own son, because he needs you as much as I do, and I have to wait for your attentions. It feels good to be here, at Castello. It is filled with memories of my past, but we will be making so many more memories in the future, si. Do you feel our Sophia? Does she speak to you?"
Kate felt the tight muscles relax as he tended to her. "Hmm, she does from time to time. She refers to herself as Princess, not as Sophia. So, I don't think she'll have any problems accepting her role." Kate felt a hard kick from the baby and laughed, placing her hand over her belly. "Yes, I know you're an eager one, princess. It won't be long now."
Shade lathered her hair with shampoo and massaged her head while washing her crimson tresses. "She is anxious to be here, si. She knows what awaits her, so much love."
He rinsed the shampoo from her hair until all the soap was gone. "She will have red curls, I think, si?"
Kate nodded, her eyes closed as he washed her hair, his strong fingers massaging her scalp. When they were first together, without Lorenzo, he often washed her hair. Now, it was a luxury she rarely got to enjoy. "Yes, she shows me red hair like mine, and blue eyes, like yours. And a crown, she must have her crown."
Kate smiled at the image projected in her head. She also knew this would be a willful and stubborn child, not like their easy-going Lorenzo.
"A princess must always have her crown. She is Medici. Come, let us get out of this water, it is beginning to chill."
Standing, he stepped out of the tub and helped her get out. Grabbing the large, thick white towels, he rubbed her body down until her skin was a soft pink, and then carried her to the bed. As they got into the main room, the fireplace was blazing, and the bed had been turned down.
He smiled. His staff knew their jobs and did them well. He was a fortunate master. Laying her down gently on the large bed, he climbed in beside her, holding her close. "You must feed, mi amore. You will need my strength to help you through the birth. Take from me."