Her eyes widened. ‘You’re coming to collect us?’
He smiled bleakly. ‘This surprises you?’
‘Well, yes; I expected to cope alone.’
‘As always. If you prefer to do that—’
‘No! Indeed, I don’t. Thank you.’
‘Prego. You will permit me to look in on Bea before I go?’
‘Of course.’
Rose watched him leave the room with the swift grace that was such an essential part of Dante Fortinari and felt sudden regret, as though she’d somehow missed out on something important. She smiled brightly when he returned. ‘Is Bea all right?’
‘She is sleeping like an angel, as all children look when they sleep, even Luca, Leo’s son, who is more demon than angel when awake. And now I must go. I will ring you early in the week.’ His eyes locked on hers imperiously. ‘And this time you will answer me and talk to me.’
‘Yes, I will. And Dante,’ she added quickly before she could change her mind, ‘I’m not sorry.’
‘Cosa?’ He frowned.
‘That you found me in Florence.’
‘Bene, I am happy to hear it!’ But, instead of kissing her as she’d hoped, he gave her the smile he shared with his daughter and turned to go. ‘Arrivederci, Rose.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
ONE OF THE highest of the several hurdles facing Rose was informing Bea that Dante was her daddy. Grace advised doing it straight away before Dante rang again, so that evening, after reading a longer than usual bedtime story to put off the moment, Rose finally told Bea she had exciting news—they were going on holiday to Italy, where Auntie Charlotte lived, to stay in Dante’s house.
Bea, no lover of road journeys, frowned. ‘In the car?’
‘Only for a little way. Dante is driving us to the airport to catch an aeroplane.’
The blue eyes lit up. ‘Tomorrow?’
‘No, not tomorrow, darling, but soon.’
‘Gramma and Tom, too?’
‘No, just you and me. And Dante. Will you like that?’
Bea nodded eagerly. ‘Are there stories in his house?’
‘I don’t know. We’ll take ours, shall we?’
‘OK.’
Rose took a deep breath. ‘Darling, I’ve got a secret to tell you.’
‘What?’
‘Dante is your daddy.’
The blue eyes stared at her blankly for a moment then rounded like saucers. ‘A real daddy, like Holly’s?’
Rose cleared her throat. ‘Yes.’
Bea was quiet for several long, tense moments. ‘Will he get me from school?’ she said at last.