Dante's Unexpected Legacy(47)

                ‘Naturalmente. I have a home ready for you, also a family who would welcome you,’ he said swiftly.

                Rose shook her head firmly. ‘It’s not the basis for a marriage, Dante.’

                ‘You would find it so hard to be my wife?’ he demanded, eyes glittering.

                In some ways not hard at all, but that wasn’t the point. She should, she knew, be grateful that he’d taken the news of his fatherhood so well, with none of the doubts she’d expected. ‘I think it’s a mistake to rush into anything, Dante,’ she said at last. ‘You need time to get used to the idea.’

                Dante stood with long legs apart and arms folded as he stared down at her. ‘If you do not marry me I will demand to spend time with my daughter,’ he said harshly.

                ‘Of course,’ she said, secretly dismayed. ‘But before we descend to bickering about it perhaps you’ll listen to what I have to say?’

                ‘Allora, talk, Rose.’

                ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so abrupt with my objection.’ She gazed at him in appeal. ‘But you must see that we are, in effect, strangers, Dante. Before we rush into something as binding as marriage, it would be sensible to get to know each other better.’

                His eyes softened slightly. ‘Is that how you feel, Rose? That I am a stranger?’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘After what happened here between us the last time, how can you say that?’

                She felt her face flame. ‘It’s obvious that we—we’re compatible in that way.’

                ‘Compatible!’ He gave a mirthless laugh. ‘If you mean I want to crush you in my arms and kiss you until you are helpless to refuse me, you are right. Do not look like that,’ he added. ‘I will not resort to—to physical coercion, this is right? Instead, I give you no choice. You will marry me and make your home in Italy with me and with our daughter.’

                ‘Oh, will I?’ Rose cried. ‘Just because you’ve suddenly discovered you’re Bea’s father doesn’t give you the right to turn our lives upside down.’

                ‘You are wrong. It does,’ he retorted, a look in his eyes that sent her backing away. ‘My child must grow up knowing she has a father who loves and cares for her. If you do not agree to marriage you must share Bea with me. She will like my house, and she will have cousins to play with her, also doting grandparents and uncles and aunts.’ He shook his head in sudden wonder. ‘I was resigned to the role of uncle. To discover now that I am a father, I feel great joy.’ He glared at her. ‘Also great frustration because the mother of my child will not marry me.’

                Rose thrust a hand through her hair, her eyes troubled. ‘Before I took a giant step like that I’d have to be sure that it would make Bea happy.’

                Dante held her gaze in silence for a time and then took her hands in his. ‘Allora, this is what we do, Rose. I will go back to Fortino to talk to my brother, also to my parents. Then I will return here to stay at the Hermitage for a while to spend time with Bea. Later, you must bring her to stay at the Villa Castiglione for a holiday to meet my family.’ Dante’s eyes held hers. ‘You agree with this?’

                She thought it over then nodded reluctantly.

                ‘Va bene. But first she must be told I am her father.’ He closed his eyes suddenly. ‘Dio, I still cannot believe it.’

                ‘If you have any doubts on the subject say so now and we forget the whole thing,’ said Rose and backed away as his eyes flew open to blaze into hers.