Deluca

TWO

Eleanor followed Giuseppe as he gave her a full tour of the house. It was just as intimidating inside as it had been on the cobblestone steps. The high ceilings with ornate cream wallpaper lead up to a large dangerous-looking chandelier.

It was less of a chandelier and more of an art fixture. Eleanor couldn't help but attempt to guess the price of everything she laid her eyes on.

She had always known Giuseppe to be rich. It was obvious with his worldly knowledge; tales of places Eleanor wouldn't have even known to Google.

When Giuseppe first made the offer, his wealth was the first thing that gave her pause. Getting into an arranged marriage for the money was nearly prostitution in Eleanor's mind.

She shoved the whirling thoughts in her mind away when Giuseppe turned to her and gave her an empathetic smile.

"This house has been in our family since the fifties." Giuseppe explained as they ascended the stairs, leaving the mess to the men in the parlor.

"It's beautiful." Eleanor could lie, the house was something directly out of a fairy tale. While it had been dark when they arrived, Eleanor could hear the water lapping at the cliffside the house sat on.

Even the hallways were a marvel. The walls were stone with curved carvings in the ceiling. Iron chandeliers were hanging, all lit.

The arched windows lining the left of the wall gave a view of the front yard. Showing the cobblestone curved driveway with small lights making the exterior of the house visible.

Eleanor eyes the statues in the large hall. It was covered in art pieces that looked as though they would be better suited in a museum.

The whole house could go into a museum, it was nearly a castle instead of a home.

"Francesco collects." Giuseppe explained. It was something he had told him numerous times. Giuseppe had a habit of repeating his stories often, but his charismatic nature prevented her from ever pointing it out.

"They look expensive." Her words weren't as much of a compliment as she intended to be. The amount of wealth that surround her made her uncomfortable.

Not only had left the country for the first-time shock her, but the shell shock of leaving her entire lifestyle was enough to make her dizzy.

"This floor is just spare rooms. When our family comes the house will be suddenly suffocating, trust me."Giuseppe said, leading Eleanor to a wooden spiral staircase at the end of the hall with an arch accenting its design.

"This is your room; this floor is the entire master suite." The space was narrow as they climbed up the steps, Giuseppe carrying Eleanor's two bags.

The landing had been a loft with a fireplace and large cream chairs in front of them. The chairs looked as though they had been plucked directly from the clouds, and Eleanor found that to be the theme of the room.

Beyond the French doors had been the bedroom. A large bed with large end tables on each side. They were oak just like the beams in the ceiling above.

On the far wall were floor-to-ceiling windows covered by cream sheer curtains. As Eleanor observed the room

"You can relax. I am sure you're tired from the long day. I have to go beat some sense into my brother. You're good here, right?" Giuseppe asked.

Eleanor could tell he was distracted from the moment he had quickly dragged her away. Eleanor had only gotten a glimpse of who she had assumed Francesco to be.

And if she was being honest, she would love a moment longer. Giuseppe's embarrassment had prevented her from getting so much as a glimpse.

Despite her eagerness, all her mind could think about was how soft the bed could have been.