Bea slid off Rose’s lap to look hopefully at her grandmother. ‘With balloons?’
‘Yes, carissima. With balloons!’ Maria laughed and kissed the pink cheeks. ‘But now I must go home. A domani—until tomorrow.’
Once they’d waved his mother off Dante suggested they go indoors to show Bea her room.
‘It’s not bedtime yet!’ objected Bea as they went upstairs.
He laughed. ‘No, piccola, it is not. But we must show Pinocchio and Bear where to sleep, yes? Your room is here, between your mamma’s and mine.’ He threw open the door and waited as Bea ran inside then stopped dead as she saw the doll propped up on the bed.
She looked up at Dante, wide-eyed. ‘Whose dolly is that?’
‘She is yours.’ He caught Rose’s eye and shrugged impenitently.
The doll had fair curls and blue eyes and wore jeans and a T-shirt. ‘She’s got clothes like me,’ Bea crowed, picking the toy up to hug her.
‘What do you say?’ prompted Rose.
‘Thank you, Daddy! You get kisses for presents,’ she informed him as he picked her up.
‘Davvero? Then you must kiss me twice because there is another present. Your dolly has a bag.’
Bea obliged with the kisses and wriggled to get down. ‘What’s in it?’
‘Open it and see.’
The holdall, much to Bea’s delight, was full of dolls’ clothes.
‘How lovely, darling,’ said Rose, and smiled wryly at Dante. ‘You couldn’t resist, then?’
He shook his head. ‘No. You disapprove?’
‘How could I?’ Rose smiled as Bea laid out every piece of miniature clothing on the bed, her eyes shining as she showed them to the doll. ‘I’m only surprised you had the restraint to wait until now.’
‘So am I.’ His eyelids lowered. ‘Allora, now I know that presents are rewarded with kisses I shall buy something special for you, Rose, also.’
She shook her head, flushing. ‘No need.’
‘You mean,’ he whispered, moving closer, ‘that no gift is necessary for you to kiss me?’
Rose turned away hastily. ‘What name shall we give her, Bea?’
Her daughter turned in surprise. ‘Dolly, a’course.’
Dante threw back his head and laughed, then seized Bea and spun her round. ‘So tell me, piccola, do you like your room?’
Bea nodded, giggling as he set her down. She frowned suddenly. ‘Is it my room for always?’
Dante exchanged a look with Rose. ‘Always,’ he said emphatically.
* * *
Later that evening, Bea, tired out with all the excitement of the day, made no protest about going to bed in her new room with her growing collection of companions. Once she was asleep, Rose showered and changed into a dress in honour of her first dinner with Dante in the formal dining room, and felt glad she’d made the effort when she found he was wearing a lightweight suit. Dark curls gleaming in the light from the chandelier above a face alight with a smile at the sight of her, he took her breath away.