The Tuscan Tycoon’s Wife Page 15

  ‘That’s it,’ Leo said when she’d gone. ‘Gina’s accepted you as her employer. As far as she’s concerned it’s a done deal.’

  ‘Gina’s flattering me. I wouldn’t know how to run a house and she knows it even better than I do.’

  ‘Of course. That’s her job. Your job is to leave everything to her. But haven’t you noticed that these days she asks you, not me?’ He rested his fingertips on the back of her hand. ‘Signora Calvani,’ he murmured.

  ‘Leo-I told you last night-’

  ‘I was hoping that was a nightmare,’ he groaned. ‘You went away so soon afterwards-’

  ‘You weren’t saying anything.’

  ‘I was trying to pretend it hadn’t happened. Selena, please let’s forget last night. After everything that’s happened we weren’t our normal selves.’ When she shook her head he demanded, ‘Are you trying to send me white haired?’

  ‘I can’t marry you. I couldn’t be a countess if my life depended on it. Your uncle won’t live for ever. What happens when you inherit? One day you’ll want to do the whole “count thing” properly, Venice, the palace, society, the whole lot.’

  ‘Me?’ he demanded aghast. ‘Selena, for pity’s sake, I’m a country man. You can’t rear horses in Venice. They’d drown.’

  But the attempt at a joke fell on stony ground. Selena’s face was as stubborn as he’d ever seen it, and he was filled with alarm.

  ‘I don’t believe this,’ he said. ‘I thought we’d settled that we loved each other and were going to be together for ever. Or did I miss something?’

  ‘No, my darling, I do love you. Oh, Leo, if you knew how much I love you. I’ll stay, but not like that.’

  ‘Well that’s too bad, because like that is how I am,’ he snapped.

  He spoke more harshly than she ever heard him before, but his nerves were taut. His head was aching, his foot was aching, and his normal resilience was at a low ebb.

  ‘But it can’t be how I am,’ she said, setting her chin.

  And suddenly the chasm was there again, as though they had never been reunited.

  They papered over the cracks to drive to Venice for the wedding. There they smiled and played their roles perfectly. The palace had only just got back to normal after Guido’s trade show, before it was snowed under with guests for the wedding.

  Selena was glad to vanish into the crowd. She and Leo had agreed not to alert the family to their differences, and there were a few of the usual hints about setting the date. But they could cope with these more easily than the truth.

  And she knew that Leo was hoping that if nothing was said, her resolution would simply wear out.

  In the great basilica of St Mark’s she watched the bride arrive, and knew that Harriet was at home in these grand surroundings. There was a magnificence about her as she gave her hand to the man she loved, and he looked at her out of eyes full of emotion. Their happiness seemed to fill the church and reach out to touch everyone there.

  Selena turned and met Leo’s eyes. She was sure she saw reproach in them, as though he was accusing her of denying him the same happiness. She looked away. Why couldn’t he understand that she was doing what was best for both of them?

  At the reception she drank champagne, toasted the bride and groom and cheered them when they left on honeymoon. As the evening wore on she looked around for Leo, but he’d vanished into the count’s study with some of the other men. And he stayed there until she’d gone to bed.

  Next day he was subdued during the farewells, and on the journey home he dozed while she drove. They left late and it was dark when they reached home. Selena had told Gina to go to bed, and they found supper waiting for them.

  As they uncovered the dishes she said, ‘You told them, didn’t you?’

  ‘I didn’t need to. They could tell. They kept asking me about our wedding, and you can only put people off just so often before they guess the truth.’

  ‘So now they know. Perhaps it’s best.’

  ‘Selena, didn’t anything that happened back there mean anything to you? Didn’t you see Marco and Harriet, the way they committed themselves to each other? That’s why marriage is important. Without it there’s no commitment. I thought we were committed, but now you’re telling me that you’re not. What kind of a future can we have?’

  ‘We’ll make our future in our own way-’

  ‘In your way, you mean? I love you, I want you for my wife.’

  ‘It’s impossible,’ she said despairingly.

  ‘It’s only impossible if you make it so.’ He took a deep breath. ‘What’s impossible to me is to go on like this.’

  ‘What are you saying?’

  ‘I’m saying that I love you, and I’m proud of you. I want to walk out of church with you on my arm and tell the world this is the woman I’ve chosen, and she’s chosen me. I hope you wanted the same, but if you don’t-’

  ‘Go on.’

  He said, as though the words were torn out of him, ‘If you don’t, then we have nothing. You may as well go home again.’

  ‘Are you throwing me out, Leo?’

  Suddenly he slammed his hand on the table, and in this sweet-tempered man the gesture was more shocking than it would have been in anyone else.

  ‘No, dammit!’ he roared. ‘I want you to stay here. I want you to love me, and marry me and have my children. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But it has to be married. Does that sound like throwing you out?’

  ‘It sounds like giving me an ultimatum.’

  ‘All right then, I’m giving you one. If you love me one tenth as much as you’ve always said you do, then marry me. I can’t compromise on this, it’s too important to me.’

  ‘And what about what’s important to me?’

  ‘I’ve heard about nothing except what’s important to you, and I’ve tried to understand, although it put me through hell. Now it’s my turn to tell you what I want.’

  She stared at him, a man she’d thought she knew through and through. Leo had finally lost his temper, not in the half humorous way she’d seen when he roared with frustration, but in deep, genuine anger. His eyes were as gleaming and dangerous as any man’s she’d ever seen. It was as though the last piece of him had slid into place.

  That feeling persisted even when he immediately ran his hand through his hair and said, ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout.’

  ‘I don’t mind shouting,’ she said truthfully. ‘I can always shout back. I’m good at that.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ he said shakily. ‘I don’t mind the shouting either. It’s the silent distances I can’t stand.’

  ‘There are too many of them now,’ she agreed.

  She took a step towards him. He moved in the same moment, and they were in each other’s arms.

  It was a long, fulfilling kiss and she felt her fears and tensions ease. While they had this-

  ‘Don’t ever frighten me like that again,’ she said. ‘I really thought you meant it.’

  He released her. ‘I did mean it.’

  She stepped back. ‘No, Leo, please-listen-’

  ‘I’ve listened as much as I mean to,’ he said firmly. ‘I can’t do it your way. In here-’ he touched his heart ‘-you’re already my wife. I can’t live differently on the outside. I can’t live a divided life.’

  ‘And you’d really send me away?’

  ‘My darling, if we tried to do it your way we’d pull apart sooner rather than later, and part miserably. We’d have nothing left but bitter memories. It would be better to part now, while there’s still love to remember.’

  ‘Oh, you-’

  She turned away, waving her arms in angry, helpless gestures, then began to bang her head against the wall. He quickly took hold of her and pulled her away, pressing her against him.

  ‘I feel like doing that too,’ he said, ‘but it just gives you a headache.’

  ‘What are we going to do?’ she wept.

  ‘We’re going to have something to e
at, and we’re going to talk like civilised people.’

  But they couldn’t talk. They had each stated their position, and each recognised that the other was immovable. What was there to say after that?

  They were both glad to go to bed, in their separate rooms, but after a couple of hours of lying awake Selena got dressed and came downstairs.

  She didn’t put any lights on, but walked from room to room in silence, wondering if she would soon leave here. It would have been so easy to run back to Leo and promise to marry him, anything rather than leave him. But the conviction that they would both pay a heavy price for a brief happiness lay heavy on her. She could take the risk for herself, but not for him.

  She wanted to bang her head against the wall again, but she didn’t because she was too tired and her head was aching already. At last she settled on a sofa by the window, put her arms on the back, and dozed off uneasily.

  She was awoken by a hand on her shoulder.

  ‘Darling, wake up,’ Leo said.

  ‘What time is it?’ she asked, moving stiffly.

  ‘Seven in the morning. We’ve got visitors, look.’

  They went out into the yard, where two cars that they recognised were coming up the slope.

  ‘It’s the family,’ she said. ‘But we saw them only yesterday. Why have they followed us here?’

  The cars drew to a halt, and Guido and Dulcie got out of the first. Out of the second, to their astonishment, stepped the count and countess.

  ‘We are here on a very important matter,’ Count Calvani announced. ‘My wife insists that she must speak to Selena. The rest of us merely travel as her entourage.’

  ‘Come inside,’ Leo said. ‘It’s too cold to stay out here.’

  Inside Gina served them with hot coffee. Selena was still trying to sort out what was happening. Why did the old woman want to see her? Why were her eyes fixed on her so urgently?

  ‘Will someone tell me what’s happening?’ she said.

  ‘I come to you,’ Liza said slowly, ‘because there are things-’ she hesitated, frowning ‘-things that only I can say.’

  ‘We’re here to help,’ Dulcie said, ‘in case Liza’s English runs out. She’s been working hard at learning it, for your sake, and as far as possible she wants to say this herself.’

  ‘I tried before,’ Liza said. ‘But then-I do not have the words-and you do not listen.’

  ‘When you were in Venice the first time,’ Dulcie said. ‘Liza tried to talk to you, but you ran away.’

  ‘There was no need for her to tell me I was the wrong person for Leo,’ Selena said. ‘I knew that.’

  ‘No, no, no!’ Liza said firmly. She glared at Selena. ‘You should talk less, listen more. Si?’

  ‘Si!’ Leo said at once.

  Unexpectedly Selena also smiled. ‘Si,’ she said.

  ‘Good,’ Liza spoke robustly. ‘I come to say-you do a terrible thing-as I did. And you must not.’

  ‘What am I doing that’s terrible?’ Selena asked cautiously.

  ‘After what Leo told us we had a family conference last night,’ Guido said, ‘and we reckoned we all had to come out here and talk some sense into you. But Liza most of all.’

  ‘Now, you come with me,’ Liza said firmly. She set down her cup and headed for the door.

  ‘Can I come?’ Leo asked.

  Liza regarded him. ‘Can you keep quiet?’

  ‘Yes, Aunt,’ he said meekly.

  ‘Then you can come.’ She marched out.

  ‘What is she doing?’ Selena asked him.

  ‘I think I know. You can trust her.’

  He followed them out to the car, handing Liza in, while Dulcie got behind the wheel.

  ‘Drive down through Morenza,’ Liza said, ‘and then-two miles further on-a farm.’

  Dulcie followed instructions and they were soon out in the countryside, surrounded by fields, with the occasional low-roofed building. The others came behind them.

  ‘There,’ Liza said, indicating a farm house.

  Dulcie turned in and drove the short distance to the cluster of buildings. A middle-aged man looked up and greeted Liza. Selena didn’t hear the words they exchanged. Liza led the way past the house to a collection of outbuildings, and into a cow byre.

  It was a large building, filled with animals, for they had arrived at milking time.

  Liza turned and faced Selena.

  ‘I was born here,’ she said.

  Selena frowned. ‘You mean-in the house?’

  ‘No, I mean here, in this room, where we stand now. My mother was a servant and she lived here, with the animals. In those days-it sometimes happened. Poor people lived like that. And we were very, very poor.’

  ‘But-’ Selena looked around helplessly.

  ‘I was not born a fine lady. You didn’t know?’

  ‘Yes, I knew you weren’t born with a title but-this-’

  ‘Yes,’ Liza nodded. ‘This. In those days there was-big gap between rich and poor.’ She demonstrated with her hands. ‘And my mother was not married. She never told my father’s name, and there was much disgrace for her. This was seventy years ago, you understand. Not like now.

  ‘When I was a child-my mother died, and I was put to work in the house. Always I was told-I was lucky to have food and work. I was a bastard. I had no rights. I was taught nothing.

  ‘It was Maria Rinucci who saved me. These lands-her dowry when she married Count Angelo Calvani. She was sorry for me-took me to Venice with her. That was how I met my Francesco.’

  A glow came over her face as she turned to look at the count, watching her, smiling.

  ‘If you could have seen him then,’ she said, returning his smile, ‘how young and handsome-he loved me, and of course I loved him. But-no use. He must marry-great lady. He ask me. I say no. How can he marry me? For forty years I say no. And then-I understand-I make big mistake. And now I come to tell you-don’t make my mistake.’

  ‘But Liza-’ Selena stammered ‘-you don’t know-’

  ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Liza said flatly. ‘Of course I know. I tell you. People think it must be-wonderful to be Cinderella. I say no. Sometimes-a burden.’

  ‘Yes,’ Selena said in relief at finding someone who understood. ‘Yes.’

  ‘But if it’s your destiny,’ Liza said fiercely, ‘you must accept that burden-else you will break Prince Charming’s heart.’

  She took her husband’s hand. He was looking at her with a world of love in his eyes.

  ‘People see us and they think how romantic that our story had a happy ending,’ Liza said, a little sadly. ‘But what they do not see is in here-’ she indicated her breast ‘-my bitter regret that our love was only fulfilled at the end. We could have been happy long ago, I could have had his children. But I wasted all those years because I made too much of things that didn’t matter.’

  Leo had come quietly forward until he was standing beside Selena. Liza saw it, and smiled.

  She had one last thing to say to Selena, and now her words began to come easily, as though she had found the key.

  ‘In all your life, nobody has valued you, and so you did not learn to value yourself. Then how can you understand Leo, who values you more than anything in the world? How can you accept his love, when you think you are not worthy of love?’

  ‘Is that what I think?’ Selena asked, dazed.

  ‘Has anyone else ever loved you?’

  Selena shook her head. ‘No. Nobody. You’re right. You grow up thinking that you’re not entitled to much-’ she saw Liza nod in a comprehension that included only the two of them ‘-and when Leo loved me I kept thinking he’d made a mistake, and he’d wake up soon and realise that it was only me after all.’

  ‘Only you,’ Liza echoed. ‘Only the woman he adores. Only the first woman he has ever asked to marry him. And, I think, the last. Don’t harm him as I harmed my Francesco. But trust him. Trust his love for you. Trust your own love for him. Don’t make my mistake, and throw away your happ
iness until it is almost too late.’

  Selena turned to Leo and found him looking anxiously into her face. The enormity of what she’d nearly done to him shook her and she couldn’t stop the tears coming.

  ‘I love you,’ she said huskily. ‘I love you so much-and I never understood a thing.’

  ‘You just didn’t know about families,’ he said tenderly. ‘Now you do.’

  She was wanted. The whole family was opening its hearts and its arms to her-she, who’d never had kin that she could recall-not who’d wanted her, anyway.

  ‘Marry me,’ he said at once. ‘Let me hear you say it.’

  She never did say it. She could only nod vigorously while he took her into his arms and held her. Leaning down so that his chin rested on her head. Recovered treasure.

  ‘I’m never letting you go again,’ he said.

  They set the wedding for as soon as possible, before winter closed in. Count Francesco was so delighted to be welcoming Selena into the family at last that he yielded about St Mark’s, and happily agreed that the village church in Morenza was the only suitable place.

  The date was booked at the little church, and a flurry of cleaning got the house ready for guests.

  For the groom there was the entire Calvani family, but now they were Selena’s family too. Selena had invited Ben, the loyal friend who’d kept her on the road long enough to meet Leo, and his wife, Martha. She sent them the tickets, and on the day she and Leo drove to the airport to collect them.

  This wedding wouldn’t have been complete without the Hanworths, all except Paulie, who found something better to do. Leo went to meet them alone, leaving Selena with Ben and Martha, catching up on old times.

  ‘I’d better give you this before I forget it,’ Selena said casually, handing Ben an envelope.

  ‘How much?’ Ben yelped at the size of the cheque he pulled out.

  ‘That’s all the money I must owe you going back a few years. Do you think I didn’t know how you pared the bills down? And you couldn’t afford it.’

  ‘Can you afford it? You must have won every race in sight.’

  ‘It’s not all winnings. I’m working for Leo now, with his horses.’

  ‘He pays you?’