second day

I woke up the next day at the crack of dawn we were still hugging each other my legs between his legs we had slept on a pillow I only moved my head not to wake him up and watched the sun rising little by little when I turned around he was awake and looking at me .

"Good morning" I said, kissing him

"Good morning" he answered and holding me tighter he added in a rough voice "mmmm how nice it would be to wake up like this every morning"

"Yes, that's true," I admitted.

"I hugged him even more, my breasts against his chest, my belly against his, when I felt something hard pressing between my legs, I blinked without understanding, then I noticed his embarrassment.

"I think someone woke up down there.

"yes "I said surprised

"yes....this ....does happen ...when you ....have a ..... girl....so beautiful ....that you can't ... can....look.....without ....making you ...come.....certe ...cravings..... "he said and every time he interrupted himself he kissed me.

I hadn't followed the whole speech I had stopped when he had said "yes he has a girlfriend".

He had admitted that I was his girlfriend, until now he had never said that. I was surprised, he didn't give me a chance to think about what he had said, I was dizzy and at the same time my skin felt like it was burning, I felt overwhelmed by desire, it felt like there was a storm inside me ready to explode, and in the end it exploded, leaving me tired, weak but happy.

when we finished the sun was high we were still holding each other when with one last kiss he sat down "baby we have to go.....you know I would spend here ....all day....but it's not ... possible. "every pause he made was a kiss

"yes but if you do that we won't get up anyway" I told him.

"you're right I'm going to take a quick bath and come back" he said with one last kiss

"wait how are you going to get out now" I suddenly asked anxious that maybe some servant might see him

"They don't have to go out" he replied and when I looked at him, amazed, he said "Come on, I'll show you" I put on my dressing gown and went to see, to my surprise I saw him move a small painting to one side and a door open, I looked out to see what was on the other side and I was speechless .....

other than a magician

he was just a cheeky .

the door opens directly into his room that's where he used to pass every time and why he had me prepare that very room now that I knew it could also be useful to me without saying anything I looked at him smiling and said only "see you later" and disappeared behind the hidden door .

After taking a bath, I put on the dress I had worn the day before to go riding, the skirt was made of heavy camel cloth with a brown blouse and the jacket was the same as the skirt, lined with fur. I put my hair up in a low bun at the neck so that I could put my hat on.

"Are you ready yet? I thought you'd be waiting for me.

I waited for you I laced up here and turned my back the only thing I hadn't been able to do alone was to tie the corset of my dress and I made him do it I put on my jacket and I was ready.

We went downstairs together, they were almost all ready, only my brother and Valentina were missing, but they arrived a little later and all together we went to the stables.

Come on, boys, choose a horse and then take a lady with you", then turning to the stable boy, "prepare a horse for you, too, so that you can accompany us and bring back the extra horse".

"OK, sir"

so we set off, we walked for quite a while, so much so that my back ached, and at the end we arrived in a pine forest where the pines were enormous, we crossed it and finally there was an enormous clearing, the snow on the ground had melted and the ground was shiny, but we didn't sink, we walked quite well.

"He spread the blanket on the ground and put the other two blankets on top of it and put the baskets with lunch and drinks and left.

"So guys, are we going to eat something first or take a walk?"

Fabrizio asked the others

"for the time being I'm going to sit down and sit at the Amazon, I've got a bad back," I said as I sat down.

"it's true," said Valentina, "the ride is long.

"Alright, let's see what the cook has prepared" he said and began to bring out meat pies, pies, goose liver pâté, bread still warm, cheeses,and fruit, both fresh and dried, and a cake with peach jam and wine, and so we started to have lunch, we ate everything in a short time, it was all so delicious and still warm, and the wine warmed us up even more, after which we went for a walk.

"What a pity I don't know how to ice-skate, this lake would have been perfect for it".

"why do you know someone who knows how to do it?" says Alessandro teasingly

"a relative of mine in France told me that Queen Marie Antoinette has shoes specially made for walking on ice and that she invites the whole court to do it by giving presents as prizes".

"That would be beautiful to see."

Next time I hear from her, I'll write and ask her to send them to me."

"yes but by then winter will be over or almost over and what would you do with them once winter is over" Valentina replied

"I'll keep them for next year if I can't learn this year" Marica replied.

"then ask them to send a few more pairs so we can learn too", Lucia and I say in chorus.

"alright".

As usual, when we girls liked an idea, the boys didn't agree and immediately started to take us apart.

"yeah right, now we can also walk on ice" Fabian began

"there's no better way to stay sick" replied Alessandro

"he's going to walk on water like Jesus" said Fabrizio.

"it seems to me that these French have a good imagination" replies Marco

"of course you are not at all condescending" says Valentina

"no we are realistic" Fabian replies

"why don't you try walking on ice and see what happens? "he continues

"but if he says they are shoes on purpose" replies Valentina again

"I'll believe it when I see one of you manage to do it" says Alessandro, we look at each other and Marica steps forward.

"Alright then, as soon as we manage to do it, you have to learn it too.

"yes yes" she said laughing, convinced it was a joke.

"now that you've made this kind of pact we're going home I've heard enough nonsense for one day" Marco said and the others followed him without speaking

"it's as if they're afraid that we'll be able to do it" I said to the other girls

"in the meantime you won't do it" Fabian said "and so the bet is off because we said that all four of you have to learn".

"why can't I do it? what have you got to do with me" he turns to me narrowing his eyes

"first of all you're my sister and if you don't do what I tell you I'll tell dad and he'll see what punishment to give you besides the fact that it's a joke, do you understand? I don't want to repeat myself"

"I looked at Fabrizio, thinking he was defending me, but instead he was looking at me seriously and seriously too, evidently he thought the same as Fabian on this point, I couldn't wait to disobey him so I could win the bet. Of course I would have to do everything secretly and be careful not to hurt myself, but otherwise, when I put something in my head I did it whether he liked it or not.

I went back to the horses without saying a word to them I was angry no one could command my life and tell me what I could do and what not to do they would have a hard time if they wanted to impose their will on me by picking things up and each one took a piece to bring back the sun was beginning to set it would soon be dark and we still had to leave when Fabrizio helped me get on the horse I didn't even look at his face I was too angry he noticed and touched my hands but I took them off him and he said

"Are you angry?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"OK, but know that if it's about skating, I agree with everything Fabian said....."

"How can you..." I interrupted him.

"let me finish he may be wrong in the way he said things but the concept is the same sport if you want to do it you have to do it in safety that's not a sport and you're playing with your life if you fall and become an invalid? or if the ice breaks and you fall in the icy water do you think you have a chance to save yourself with the clothes you wear? think about it and see that he's right"

I hadn't spoken even though I had listened to everything and during the long drive I thought about it and in some ways they weren't wrong but any sport has its risks, yes maybe this one a bit more but I didn't want to agree with them so immediately on the spot.

And then now we had to win the bet also because in my opinion it could have been that theirs was just pride they were afraid of not making it and so they prevented us from making it too.

We arrived home and I was still angry at the way Fabian had treated me. In a few months I would have been eighteen and they couldn't continue treating me like a child. when we arrived at the stables to leave the horses I didn't even wait for Fabrizio to help me down when he stopped I slipped down and without saying anything I headed for the front of the garden where the main entrance was as I walked I heard fast footsteps behind me I was almost sure I knew who they were so I found myself I was almost sure I knew whose footsteps they were, so I found myself running in the house to get to my room as quickly as possible so that I wouldn't see anyone. I went in and threw myself on the bed.

I felt the bed move and someone was pulling my hair out of my face

"go away I don't want to talk",

"I didn't come to talk"

"then what did you come for"

"to put my services at your disposal" I broke into a smile at hearing this and hid my head in the pillow so as not to be seen but by then he had caught me.

"You see I saw you laughing"

"and with that"

"if you're laughing at me then you're no longer angry with me",

I turned to look at him, he was so calm, even too calm, and I realised that he wasn't as calm as he wanted me to believe.

"I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed."

"Disappointed in me?" he said between his trousseau and regretted.

"yes of you"

"but...."

" nothing but I was hoping you would defend me and instead...."

"I told you before what I think"

"yes ....ma"

"listen to me well because I won't tell you a second time" she sat me on the bed and took my face in her hands and looking into my eyes she said "I love you I love you more than my life and if anything would happen to you I would die I don't want you to risk your life just for a whim now do you understand why I don't want you to take part in that stupid bet?"I knew he loved me, I could see it in every gesture and every word, but hearing him say it like that had another effect, suddenly I felt ashamed of my behaviour, so I lowered my eyes without answering.

"Angelica answer me!" he said almost begging me.

"yes .... and only ...that ..." I had a knot in my throat and I felt like crying.

"What?"

"and that I want to decide about my life, I don't want to be imposed on."

"As far as I'm concerned, you can do whatever you want. The only thing I'm asking you not to do are two."

"Which two?"

Point number one: I don't want you to do dangerous things. Point number two: I don't want to see you in the arms of another man. I already feel bad if I see you dancing with Fabian, let alone with someone else."

"but Fabri..."

"without but if you love me and so"

"You know I love you, why do you say that? "without answering

he got up, but I held him by the arm.

"Wait!"

"It's dinner time and there are guests. I can't stay here."

"Not even if I come with you?"

"All right, but hurry up."

I changed quickly, I didn't even pay attention to the dress I was putting on, I loosened my hair, which was almost down to my waist, I put a little powder on my cheeks and I was ready, I already had my hand on the handle to open the door and go out, when I turned around and kissed him.

I didn't have an appetite but I made an effort to eat something after dinner, played some cards and then I went to sleep. I was the first to get up but I felt tired and exhausted, I couldn't stand it any longer, I quickly undressed and went to bed as soon as I put my head on the pillow and fell asleep.