Page 110 of Duty and Desire

My heartbeat slipped into a higher gear.

I drained my glass. “Let’s find out.” I grabbed another glass from a passing server, and headed in Nick’s direction, the alcohol providing a pleasant buzz.

Daniela spotted me before I’d covered half the distance, and gave me a nod.

How nice to have permission.

When I reached the little group, she gestured to me. “Your Highness, may I introduce Mr. Giovanni Colonna, an American writer who is here to research a book about our country.”

I bowed my head. “Your Highness.” Then I addressed Nick with another nod. “Your Majesty.” I averted my gaze.

Princess Karoline regarded me with polite interest. “Are you enjoying your visit, Mr. Colonna?” She wore a satin gown that matched the pale blue of her eyes, her dark hair coiled, her tiara sparkling in the light from the chandelier.

“I am, Your Highness. It’s intriguing to see another culture, one very different from my own.”

She arched her eyebrows. “May I ask what are the major differences you’ve observed?”

“It’s more a case of what Ihaven’tobserved, Your Highness.”

She blinked. “Indeed. Now you’ve succeeded in intriguing me.” Her tone was polite, yet condescending.

I drank a mouthful of champagne before speaking, conscious of Nick’s attention. “It’s fascinating to see how different cultures evolve in their understanding of love and identity. In the U.S., there’s been so much progress with same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights.” I looked her in the eye. “Have you observed similar changes in your country?”

Except I already knew the answer to that.

Karoline gave a polite smile. “Ah, yes, I suppose onemightcall it progress. Though, of course, not all traditions are meant to be discarded simply because the times change.” Another thin smile. “Some values, you see, are rather timeless.”

Nick coughed. “I’d argue that love and equality are among those timeless values.”

She stared at him, momentarily nonplussed, then widened her smile.

“Love is a beautiful thing when it follows its natural course. But then, some… modern interpretations of it do seem rather—how shall I put it—contrived. It’s a curious thing, really, how societies can be encouraged to embrace novelty, even at the expense of stability.”

Nick stared at her, his lips parted, his nose crinkling ever so slightly.

Yes, Nick. Listen to what she’s saying. See what lies beneath.

I cleared my throat. “‘Stability’? You mean like the stability of people being free to marry whomever they love?”

Karoline gave a graceful shrug. “Well, in some circles, marriage has always been regarded as more than mere affection between individuals. It has, for centuries, been a foundation of order and legacy. When we redefine such institutions to suit personal whims, we risk unraveling something far greater than ourselves, don’t you agree?”

Judging by the way Nick’s face tightened a fraction, he was seeing his future wife for the first time. Maybe he’d had no idea of her views.

But he knows now, doesn’t he? And he doesn’t like them.

I wanted to drive the lesson home.

I took another sip before continuing. “I’d say marriage has been redefined many times over the centuries. I mean, let’s not forget that once upon a time, women had no say in whom they married.”And neither do certain princes, apparently.“Interracial couples were once banned. Should we have preserved those ‘timeless’ traditions too?” I gazed at her with a neutral expression.

Karoline laughed. “Oh, my dear Mr. Colonna, we mustn’t conflate historical injustices with matters of, well, natural design. One cannot undo nature, after all. There is a certain… complementarity to things, don’t you think? A symmetry that has guided civilization for millennia. And yet now, we are expected to applaud when such harmonies are disregarded entirely.”

I gave an exaggerated blink. “You mean when people are free to love whom they love?”

She let out a sigh. “Ah, love. Such a powerful word, isn’t it? And yet, not everything that calls itself love leads to the betterment of society.I do sometimes wonder if, in our rush to be seen as ever so progressive, we have lost sight of what is truly sacred.”

I glanced at Nick.

You hear her, don’t you?Her words were elegant and non-confrontational, but her condescension, her coded language with her references tonatural design,harmony, thebetterment of society, and her subtle dismissal of LGBTQ+ relationships as fleeting or unnatural…

---