Dante's Unexpected Legacy(43)

                ‘A’course,’ said Bea firmly.

                ‘Then I will wait downstairs until you are ready,’ said Dante.

                ‘I’ll call down when we are,’ Rose told him, willing her stomach to stop churning.

                Bea was so impatient to get the drying session over that Rose was feeling even more twitchy by the time her child was propped up in bed with Pinocchio and Bear.

                ‘Call the man now,’ said Bea imperiously, but then bit her lip at her mother’s raised eyebrows. ‘Please,’ she muttered.

                ‘I should think so. And our visitor’s name is Dante. Can you say that?’

                ‘A’course,’ was the scornful answer.

                Rose went out on the landing to call down. ‘You can come up now, Dante.’

                ‘Grazie.’ He ran up the stairs two at a time and planted a kiss on her lips on the way into Bea’s bedroom.

                Bea had a story-book waiting open on the bed and waved a gracious hand at the basket chair drawn up close by. ‘There, Dante—please.’

                Dante’s eyes, which had widened at his name, were luminous as they rested on the child, who looked like a Botticelli angel with the lamplight haloing her bright curls. ‘You are most kind, piccola. Which story have you chosen?’

                ‘Goldilocks.’ Bea wriggled more comfortably against her pillows and smiled as Rose perched on the bed beside her. ‘Ready, Mummy.’

                Rose was proud of her steady voice as she read the story with the animation her daughter always demanded, with a different voice for each bear and a special one for Goldilocks. As she read, careful not to miss out a single word, it occurred to her that, though none of this had been planned, it was a good warm-up to her big announcement. Dante was obviously delighting in the interlude as he sat perfectly still, more handsome than a man had a right to be, even in the incongruous old sweatshirt. His eyes remained on Bea’s face as she drank in every word. Towards the end her eyelids began to droop and when Rose finally closed the book the child made no protest when her mother kissed her good-night.

                Dante got up very quietly, a look on his face which told Rose he would have liked to kiss the child, too, but he merely said a very quiet good night and left the room as Rose dimmed the lamp.

                Before going down to join him, Rose took a detour to her room to tidy her hair and touch up her face, then ran down to open the dryer. ‘I hope you’re not sorry I asked you here to dinner now,’ she said lightly as she handed his sweater to him. ‘Bath time can be an exhausting experience.’

                He stripped off the sweatshirt and pulled on the jersey. ‘Grazie, Rose. For you, bath time with Bea comes at the end of your working day, when you are already tired. For me, tonight, it was pure pleasure. Thank you for letting me share it.’

                ‘You’re welcome. Will you pour the wine now while I check on our dinner?’

                Dante sniffed in appreciation as Rose opened the oven. ‘It smells good.’ He filled two glasses and with a sigh of satisfaction sat down at the table she’d made festive with a bright green cloth and yellow candles in pottery holders. ‘This is much better than a restaurant.’

                ‘Even one as good as your cousin’s?’

                ‘Yes.’ Dante eyed her flushed face with pleasure as she set a casserole dish on the table. ‘Here we are alone with no waiters to intrude. But I can help if you allow.’