Dante's Unexpected Legacy(7)

                He shook his head. ‘Firenze will seem new to me, seen through your eyes. But why have you not been here before, Rose? I had hoped so much to see you again when you visited Charlotte, but you never came.’

                ‘Too much work to get away. And I see her regularly when she comes to visit her father.’

                ‘She told me Signor Morley shares his life with your mother. You are happy with this?’

                Rose nodded. ‘It’s a happy arrangement all round.’

                ‘It was plain that you were all close at the wedding. I am fortunate to possess both my parents, but no longer, alas, my grandmother. I adored her and miss her still.’ Dante’s eyes lit with sudden heat. ‘Only the message telling me she was dying could have torn me away from you so suddenly that night, you understand? But, grazie a Dio, because I left immediately I arrived at the Villa Castiglione in good time to say goodbye to Nonna and hold her hand in mine before she...she left us.’

                ‘I’m glad of that,’ said Rose quietly. Though at the time she hadn’t believed a word of it, convinced the call had been from some girlfriend—a theory which had seemed proved beyond all doubt next morning when she found out about Elsa.

                ‘Nonna left her house to me.’ Dante’s eyes darkened. ‘At first I did not want the Villa Castiglione, afraid I would miss her there too much. But because it was Nonna’s greatest wish my parents persuaded me to live there.’

                ‘Alone? You’ve found no replacement for Elsa yet?’

                ‘No.’ He arched a wry black eyebrow. ‘You think such a thing is easy for me?’

                ‘I don’t think about you at all.’ She shrugged. ‘After all, I only met you once.’

                His eyes narrowed to an unsettling gleam. ‘And you did not look back with pleasure on that meeting!’

                ‘Oh, yes, most of it. I had a great time with you all day. But once I knew you were spoken for I never gave you another thought.’ She smiled sweetly and got to her feet. ‘Now I really must go to bed.’

                He walked with her to the ornate lift. ‘I shall take much pleasure in our tour of Firenze, Rose.’

                ‘You must tell me what to see.’

                ‘When do you fly home?’

                ‘Thursday morning.’

                ‘So soon!’ He frowned. ‘But that gives you only one day for the sightseeing. We must meet early for breakfast.’

                ‘I thought I’d have it sent up—’

                ‘No, no.’ Dante shook his head imperiously. ‘I will take you to breakfast in the Piazza della Signora to begin on the sightseeing as we eat. We shall meet down here at nine, d’accordo?’

                Rose nodded. ‘I’ll enjoy the luxury of a lie-in for once.’

                ‘You rise early for your work?’

                ‘Much too early.’ She smiled politely as the lift glided to a halt and pressed the button for her floor. ‘Which one for you?’

                ‘The same.’ He showed her his room number. ‘So if you are nervous in the night you can call me and I will come.’