Eva’s Story
Part Two
Capodimonte to Palermo
1873
Eva was sad. King Emmanuel hadn’t visited Capodimonte for several months due to what her father called the “intrigues” of Rome.
But on a fine spring day in 1873, Eva, Dante and Italia put on their best clothes to meet the king who had come to Capodimonte from Rome so he could hike through the woods with their father.
After the two friends finished hunting the king asked to see his favorite children.
When they entered his study the king swiveled around in his chair and gave a big broad sunburned smile and extended his large rough hands. They were the hands of a woodsman not those of a king from a palace in Rome.
At first, Eva was intimidated, but soon she was admiring the king’s large upturned mustaches and long flowing Imperial beard.
After the king gave Felice a bronze statue of his two favorite Capodimonte hunting dogs, he turned to Eva and said, “I hope you will like Palermo.”
What did that mean?
After the king drove away Felice explained that King Emmanuel had given him a big raise and promoted him to be conservatore of all the royal residences.
That meant the family would spend first a few years in one royal Palazzo then a few years in another and they would sleep in their finest salons.
Eva didn’t like the thought of leaving the mountains and flowers of Capodimonte but the life of a travelling princess might have its charms just as well.