was not very tall but thickset and looked as if he enjoyed working out with weights.
‘Contessa,’ he said, politely inclining his head and offering his hand to assist her on board.
She managed to embark elegantly, although the boat gave a little lurch and she soon heard the engine throbbing away. The gangplank was up and the boat was moving out into the bay before she asked, ‘Where is the Conte?’
*
‘I am sorry that you feel that way,’ Rosa said. She held her features in check but could feel her lips tremble with inner fury. ‘I thought that would never happen. You gave me assurance it would not happen.’
‘Did I?’ Luca asked.
‘After what she did, you said you could never forgive her.’
‘Did I ever say those actual words?’
Rosa shrugged. He was no fool. ‘Not exactly.’
‘Like Renata and my brother and his wife, you assumed . The truth was I could not forgive myself for not seeing how bad she was feeling. I ignored all the signs.’
Rosa stared at him and wondered how she had ever believed that she had him in her fist. He had taken her out to dinner parties, he had invited her to be his hostess and on two occasions she had travelled with him, but he had never touched her passionately. He maintained their friendship and their business ties but never had he allowed himself to be her lover. A kiss more friendly than emotional and that was it. Yet she had persevered, believing that in the end she would win what she had long desired. Luca, of course, but more importantly, the name he could give to her … Contessa, the power, and now the money as well — that would be pleasurable too, and would enable her to end her business adventure. That was becoming far too precarious and threatening. Her fellow travellers in business would also not be delighted by this turn of events. Alva was not a woman who would let things go; she was a curious little cat and was not afraid to voice what she felt. However, now it seemed that not only was she back but she was once more working her magic over the conte. Rosa had been sure she would succeed with him. They would not be best pleased when they found out she had failed.
‘I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, Rosa. We have been friends a long time and I would not — ’
She put her hand up and smiled. ‘No need to say it, Luca. I understand. But are you not just a little afraid that she — ’
He cut off her words brutally, his anger clear as he barked, ‘Do not dare to judge her or to interfere with me, Rosa. We are friends, but only up to a point. I will not have you making these dangerous suggestions.’
Crossing to him, she linked an arm through his. ‘Luca, forgive me. I was presumptuous.’ There was something so cold and cruel about him in that moment that she felt a shiver run along the length of her spine. Luca had always hated to be contradicted about anything — and his relationship with the Englishwoman in particular. ‘But we can still have lunch, it is all arranged, that will be not be too onerous for you?’
‘Of course not, Rosa. I just wanted to — as the English are fond of saying — lay my cards on the table. Let you know that there is a strong possibility that Alva may be staying.’
She murmured, ‘And Renata?’
He inclined his head, giving the broad hint that he would not discuss his daughter with her. Fool! He did not realize that the moment he had gone she would be on the telephone to someone who could stir the girl up to make trouble and that the lonely girl had been groomed to take a specific stand.
The telephone rang out, just as they were sitting down on the loggia for lunch. Excusing herself, Rosa went and answered it.
Alone, Luca mused over matters, he had told Rosa that he would no longer be seeing her as he used to. He wanted to spend more time with his wife, but as yet he had not said anything to his wife. Perhaps she would not like the idea of staying with him? Yet he would try. Divorce was not
‘Contessa,’ he said, politely inclining his head and offering his hand to assist her on board.
She managed to embark elegantly, although the boat gave a little lurch and she soon heard the engine throbbing away. The gangplank was up and the boat was moving out into the bay before she asked, ‘Where is the Conte?’
*
‘I am sorry that you feel that way,’ Rosa said. She held her features in check but could feel her lips tremble with inner fury. ‘I thought that would never happen. You gave me assurance it would not happen.’
‘Did I?’ Luca asked.
‘After what she did, you said you could never forgive her.’
‘Did I ever say those actual words?’
Rosa shrugged. He was no fool. ‘Not exactly.’
‘Like Renata and my brother and his wife, you assumed . The truth was I could not forgive myself for not seeing how bad she was feeling. I ignored all the signs.’
Rosa stared at him and wondered how she had ever believed that she had him in her fist. He had taken her out to dinner parties, he had invited her to be his hostess and on two occasions she had travelled with him, but he had never touched her passionately. He maintained their friendship and their business ties but never had he allowed himself to be her lover. A kiss more friendly than emotional and that was it. Yet she had persevered, believing that in the end she would win what she had long desired. Luca, of course, but more importantly, the name he could give to her … Contessa, the power, and now the money as well — that would be pleasurable too, and would enable her to end her business adventure. That was becoming far too precarious and threatening. Her fellow travellers in business would also not be delighted by this turn of events. Alva was not a woman who would let things go; she was a curious little cat and was not afraid to voice what she felt. However, now it seemed that not only was she back but she was once more working her magic over the conte. Rosa had been sure she would succeed with him. They would not be best pleased when they found out she had failed.
‘I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, Rosa. We have been friends a long time and I would not — ’
She put her hand up and smiled. ‘No need to say it, Luca. I understand. But are you not just a little afraid that she — ’
He cut off her words brutally, his anger clear as he barked, ‘Do not dare to judge her or to interfere with me, Rosa. We are friends, but only up to a point. I will not have you making these dangerous suggestions.’
Crossing to him, she linked an arm through his. ‘Luca, forgive me. I was presumptuous.’ There was something so cold and cruel about him in that moment that she felt a shiver run along the length of her spine. Luca had always hated to be contradicted about anything — and his relationship with the Englishwoman in particular. ‘But we can still have lunch, it is all arranged, that will be not be too onerous for you?’
‘Of course not, Rosa. I just wanted to — as the English are fond of saying — lay my cards on the table. Let you know that there is a strong possibility that Alva may be staying.’
She murmured, ‘And Renata?’
He inclined his head, giving the broad hint that he would not discuss his daughter with her. Fool! He did not realize that the moment he had gone she would be on the telephone to someone who could stir the girl up to make trouble and that the lonely girl had been groomed to take a specific stand.
The telephone rang out, just as they were sitting down on the loggia for lunch. Excusing herself, Rosa went and answered it.
Alone, Luca mused over matters, he had told Rosa that he would no longer be seeing her as he used to. He wanted to spend more time with his wife, but as yet he had not said anything to his wife. Perhaps she would not like the idea of staying with him? Yet he would try. Divorce was not
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