Page 45 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)
Bella gazed up at the Botticelli masterpiece The Birth of Venus and in a split second totally understood what Reid had meant about it being an emotional experience.
Tears of happiness welled in her eyes, and she couldn’t quite believe she was here.
Tuscany, and Florence in particular, had been where she had dreamed of visiting since she had seen images of the architecture online.
She had been captivated by the place and now, thanks to her new husband, here she was, experiencing it for herself.
Harris slipped his arm around her shoulder. ‘Are you ready to leave?’
She didn’t take her eyes from the painting. ‘Even though we’ve been here at the gallery for two hours and this is the third time I have visited this painting, the emotions are just as raw each time.’
‘She is beautiful,’ Harris said. ‘This place is incredible. But we need to go if we’re going to catch the Cavalcade.’
As if being snatched from a trance, Bella turned to him. ‘Oh, gosh, yes. We can’t miss that.’
The winter sun was low in the sky, and it wouldn’t be long until it made its descent towards the horizon and Florence was already bathed in a warm orange glow in spite of the chilly temperature.
The horseback rider at the front of the procession was dressed in the most sumptuous silks in rich, vibrant colours.
As they followed the procession from Palazzo Pitti, they saw people dressed in Renaissance costumes of red, gold and blue.
It was like a painting come to life. Bella had learned that the participants’ clothing had been inspired by the fresco in the Medici Palace Chapel that had been painted in the mid-1400s.
They had visited the Magi Chapel the day before and had been awed by the outstanding example of fifteenth-century artistry.
As they walked, the atmosphere was humming with chatter and excitement as men with wicker baskets handed out sweets to the children. Music was being played on accordions, guitars and even bagpipes, which made Bella think of home. Huge flags were being waved, and every face held a smile.
As the winter sun began its descent, candles were lit and even though it was still technically daylight, they took on the mantle of the warm glow that the sun had passed on.
In spite of the chill in the air, Bella had never felt warmth like it.
Harris held her hand and every so often he gazed down at her, smiling, his abundant happiness evident for all to see.
The parade ended in the Piazza del Duomo, and they were greeted by the angelic sound of a children’s choir serenading them with festive songs.
Had they been at home, Christmas would have been over by now, but here they got to extend the experience and were able to witness the wonderful living nativity as the wise men placed gifts before the Christ child.
Bella had tears in her eyes as she watched everything play out before them.
* * *
Later that evening, they enjoyed a divine meal at one of the bistros at the Piazza Santo Spirito with melt-in-the-mouth steak and gnocchi in a rich, creamy sauce.
Both happy and full of good food, they sat for a while enjoying a glass of chianti and the movida on a heated terrace as they watched the evening revellers laughing and singing.
The centre of the piazza featured a beautiful octagonal sandstone fountain which people stopped by to take photos and selfies, just as they too had done earlier.
Afterwards they took a wonderful moonlit walk along the river back to Hotel Pendini and their room which overlooked the Piazza Della Reppublica and the skyline of Florence beyond.
After a long, languorous shared shower, Harris decided to forego room service and instead went to the bar to acquire some drinks, and while he was gone Bella stood at the Juliet balcony to look out.
There were still a few people in the square below making the most of the dry evening and Bella could just about hear their chatter, but more prominently a string quartet were playing Mozart’s ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ and the beautiful melodic sound floated through the air, sending shivers down her spine.
The sun had set now, and the navy-blue sky overhead was filled with thousands of tiny specks of glittering light.
She inhaled deeply and tried to commit the moment to memory.
After all, that was the point of being there.
Their room was the epitome of luxury, with stunning antique furniture and the most beautiful cream wallpaper with ferns and foliage painted all over it in shades of pale green.
It was like something she would’ve chosen for one of her own designs.
The main feature of the room was the huge brass bed that felt like sleeping on a cloud.
But the view was the best part. Harris had promised that one day they would return in the spring or summer to experience the place in the sunshine.
But he had made such a wonderful choice that being there at that precise moment was the closest thing to perfection Bella had experienced or could imagine.
She wrapped the fluffy white robe around her, not minding the feel of the cool breeze on her skin, and thought back to the shower they had shared earlier. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and smiled at the memory, her face flushing a little. She never wanted this honeymoon to end.
Harris returned to the room with a bottle of prosecco and two glasses, and she turned to see him walking in. Her heart swelled as his mouth tilted up in a delicious smile. He shook his head and remained on the spot for a moment, just staring at her.
‘What?’ she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.
He sighed. ‘You… there… now… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more stunning sight. Well, apart from watching you walk down the aisle towards me.’
She felt a flush of embarrassment, or desire, or a mixture of both travel upwards from her chest. No one had ever looked at her the way Harris did.
No one had ever made her feel so beautiful.
He placed the glasses and the bottle down and walked slowly towards her.
He slipped his hands into her hair and kissed her as if it was the first time.
She pulled him inside and closed the door to the balcony before letting her robe slip to the floor.
* * *
Bella’s eyes fluttered open as a crack of daylight streamed in through the curtains and she rolled over to see Harris lying on his back with one arm above his head and the other resting on her hip.
She snuggled up to him and he instinctively moved to wrap her in his arms. She inhaled the familiar scent of his skin and placed a kiss on his bare chest. She’d had vivid dreams overnight that had changed the way she thought about certain elements of their future.
She just had to work out how to tell him.
‘What’s wrong, sweetheart?’ he asked, eyes still closed as he placed a kiss on her forehead.
No time like the present , she thought. ‘Can we talk?’
He pulled away to look at her, his eyes now open and focused. ‘Aye, of course. What is it? Are you okay?’
She nodded. ‘I’ve been thinking… well, actually, I’ve been dreaming.’
‘And?’ A crease of worry formed between his brows.
‘Maybe we don’t have to wait that long.’
‘For what?’
She chewed her lip for a moment. ‘To start a family.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘I’m sorry, what? What’s brought this on?’
She pushed herself up onto her elbow to look down into his eyes. ‘I dreamt last night that we were out walking in Glentorrin and… you were pushing a pram, and I was holding the hand of a small child. I’ve never felt so serene and calm as I did in that dream. It felt like a sign.’
He stared at her for a few seconds, and she began to wonder if perhaps she’d said the wrong thing.
After all, it wasn’t so long ago that she’d said she wasn’t ready, so she probably sounded crazy saying a dream had changed her mind.
But it was the truth. She could only hope that he didn’t hate the idea.
She tried to find a way to explain things better that wouldn’t make her sound like a crazy person.
‘I know I sound like I’ve got a slate loose, but all I can think about now is little Harris and little Bella, or whatever combination they arrive in.
My job is pretty flexible anyway and we have the space in the house.
But if you hate the idea and you’re not ready that’s fine, too, of course I would never expect?—’
He pulled her down and stopped her words with a kiss and when he pulled away again his eyes were glistening. ‘So, we’re doing this?’ he asked, almost in a whisper.
Bella’s eyes welled with tears, and she laughed. ‘If you definitely want to.’
He nodded. ‘I definitely do.’
Her heart flipped in her chest. ‘Oh, my word. We’re going to try for a baby.’
He beamed up at her. ‘We are. I love you so much.’
‘And I love you,’ she told him as she pulled the covers over their heads and kissed him once more.