The Tuscan Tycoon’s Wife

CHAPTER TWELVE

FOR breakfast Gina had a wide choice of dishes, each one a favorite of Leo’s, which she pressed on him until he begged for mercy.

‘I’ll clear away, Gina,’ Selena said. ‘I know you’ve got masses to do.’

‘Si, signorina.’ Gina nodded and went on her way.

‘That’s it,’ Leo said when she’d gone. ‘Gina’s accepted you as her employer. As far as she’s concerned it’s a done deal.’

‘Gina’s flattering me. I wouldn’t know how to run a house and she knows it even better than I do.’

‘Of course. That’s her job. Your job is to leave everything to her. But haven’t you noticed that these days she asks you, not me?’ He rested his fingertips on the back of her hand. ‘Signora Calvani,’ he murmured.

‘Leo-I told you last night-’

‘I was hoping that was a nightmare,’ he groaned. ‘You went away so soon afterwards-’

‘You weren’t saying anything.’

‘I was trying to pretend it hadn’t happened. Selena, please let’s forget last night. After everything that’s happened we weren’t our normal selves.’ When she shook her head he demanded, ‘Are you trying to send me white haired?’

‘I can’t marry you. I couldn’t be a countess if my life depended on it. Your uncle won’t live for ever. What happens when you inherit? One day you’ll want to do the whole “count thing” properly, Venice, the palace, society, the whole lot.’

‘Me?’ he demanded aghast. ‘Selena, for pity’s sake, I’m a country man. You can’t rear horses in Venice. They’d drown.’

But the attempt at a joke fell on stony ground. Selena’s face was as stubborn as he’d ever seen it, and he was filled with alarm.

‘I don’t believe this,’ he said. ‘I thought we’d settled that we loved each other and were going to be together for ever. Or did I miss something?’

‘No, my darling, I do love you. Oh, Leo, if you knew how much I love you. I’ll stay, but not like that.’

‘Well that’s too bad, because like that is how I am,’ he snapped.

He spoke more harshly than she ever heard him before, but his nerves were taut. His head was aching, his foot was aching, and his normal resilience was at a low ebb.

‘But it can’t be how I am,’ she said, setting her chin.

And suddenly the chasm was there again, as though they had never been reunited.

They papered over the cracks to drive to Venice for the wedding. There they smiled and played their roles perfectly. The palace had only just got back to normal after Guido’s trade show, before it was snowed under with guests for the wedding.

Selena was glad to vanish into the crowd. She and Leo had agreed not to alert the family to their differences, and there were a few of the usual hints about setting the date. But they could cope with these more easily than the truth.

And she knew that Leo was hoping that if nothing was said, her resolution would simply wear out.

In the great basilica of St Mark’s she watched the bride arrive, and knew that Harriet was at home in these grand surroundings. There was a magnificence about her as she gave her hand to the man she loved, and he looked at her out of eyes full of emotion. Their happiness seemed to fill the church and reach out to touch everyone there.

Selena turned and met Leo’s eyes. She was sure she saw reproach in them, as though he was accusing her of denying him the same happiness. She looked away. Why couldn’t he understand that she was doing what was best for both of them?

At the reception she drank champagne, toasted the bride and groom and cheered them when they left on honeymoon. As the evening wore on she looked around for Leo, but he’d vanished into the count’s study with some of the other men. And he stayed there until she’d gone to bed.

Next day he was subdued during the farewells, and on the journey home he dozed while she drove. They left late and it was dark when they reached home. Selena had told Gina to go to bed, and they found supper waiting for them.

As they uncovered the dishes she said, ‘You told them, didn’t you?’

‘I didn’t need to. They could tell. They kept asking me about our wedding, and you can only put people off just so often before they guess the truth.’

‘So now they know. Perhaps it’s best.’

‘Selena, didn’t anything that happened back there mean anything to you? Didn’t you see Marco and Harriet, the way they committed themselves to each other? That’s why marriage is important. Without it there’s no commitment. I thought we were committed, but now you’re telling me that you’re not. What kind of a future can we have?’

‘We’ll make our future in our own way-’

‘In your way, you mean? I love you, I want you for my wife.’

‘It’s impossible,’ she said despairingly.

‘It’s only impossible if you make it so.’ He took a deep breath. ‘What’s impossible to me is to go on like this.’

‘What are you saying?’

‘I’m saying that I love you, and I’m proud of you. I want to walk out of church with you on my arm and tell the world this is the woman I’ve chosen, and she’s chosen me. I hope you wanted the same, but if you don’t-’

‘Go on.’

He said, as though the words were torn out of him, ‘If you don’t, then we have nothing. You may as well go home again.’

‘Are you throwing me out, Leo?’

Suddenly he slammed his hand on the table, and in this sweet-tempered man the gesture was more shocking than it would have been in anyone else.

‘No, dammit!’ he roared. ‘I want you to stay here. I want you to love me, and marry me and have my children. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But it has to be married. Does that sound like throwing you out?’

‘It sounds like giving me an ultimatum.’

‘All right then, I’m giving you one. If you love me one tenth as much as you’ve always said you do, then marry me. I can’t compromise on this, it’s too important to me.’

‘And what about what’s important to me?’

‘I’ve heard about nothing except what’s important to you, and I’ve tried to understand, although it put me through hell. Now it’s my turn to tell you what I want.’

She stared at him, a man she’d thought she knew through and through. Leo had finally lost his temper, not in the half humorous way she’d seen when he roared with frustration, but in deep, genuine anger. His eyes were as gleaming and dangerous as any man’s she’d ever seen. It was as though the last piece of him had slid into place.

That feeling persisted even when he immediately ran his hand through his hair and said, ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout.’

‘I don’t mind shouting,’ she said truthfully. ‘I can always shout back. I’m good at that.’

‘Yes, I know,’ he said shakily. ‘I don’t mind the shouting either. It’s the silent distances I can’t stand.’

‘There are too many of them now,’ she agreed.

She took a step towards him. He moved in the same moment, and they were in each other’s arms.

It was a long, fulfilling kiss and she felt her fears and tensions ease. While they had this-

‘Don’t ever frighten me like that again,’ she said. ‘I really thought you meant it.’

He released her. ‘I did mean it.’

She stepped back. ‘No, Leo, please-listen-’

‘I’ve listened as much as I mean to,’ he said firmly. ‘I can’t do it your way. In here-’ he touched his heart ‘-you’re already my wife. I can’t live differently on the outside. I can’t live a divided life.’

‘And you’d really send me away?’

‘My darling, if we tried to do it your way we’d pull apart sooner rather than later, and part miserably. We’d have nothing left but bitter memories. It would be better to part now, while there’s still love to remember.’

‘Oh, you-’

She turned away, waving her arms in angry, helpless gestures, then began to bang her head against the wall. He quickly took hold of her and pulled her away, pressing her against him.

‘I feel like doing that too,’ he said, ‘but it just gives you a headache.’

‘What are we going to do?’ she wept.

‘We’re going to have something to eat, and we’re going to talk like civilised people.’

But they couldn’t talk. They had each stated their position, and each recognised that the other was immovable. What was there to say after that?

They were both glad to go to bed, in their separate rooms, but after a couple of hours of lying awake Selena got dressed and came downstairs.

She didn’t put any lights on, but walked from room to room in silence, wondering if she would soon leave here. It would have been so easy to run back to Leo and promise to marry him, anything rather than leave him. But the conviction that they would both pay a heavy price for a brief happiness lay heavy on her. She could take the risk for herself, but not for him.

She wanted to bang her head against the wall again, but she didn’t because she was too tired and her head was aching already. At last she settled on a sofa by the window, put her arms on the back, and dozed off uneasily.

She was awoken by a hand on her shoulder.

‘Darling, wake up,’ Leo said.

‘What time is it?’ she asked, moving stiffly.

‘Seven in the morning. We’ve got visitors, look.’

They went out into the yard, where two cars that they recognised were coming up the slope.

‘It’s the family,’ she said. ‘But we saw them only yesterday. Why have they followed us here?’

The cars drew to a halt, and Guido and Dulcie got out of the first. Out of the second, to their astonishment, stepped the count and countess.

‘We are here on a very important matter,’ Count Calvani announced. ‘My wife insists that she must speak to Selena. The rest of us merely travel as her entourage.’

‘Come inside,’ Leo said. ‘It’s too cold to stay out here.’

Inside Gina served them with hot coffee. Selena was still trying to sort out what was happening. Why did the old woman want to see her? Why were her eyes fixed on her so urgently?

‘Will someone tell me what’s happening?’ she said.

‘I come to you,’ Liza said slowly, ‘because there are things-’ she hesitated, frowning ‘-things that only I can say.’

‘We’re here to help,’ Dulcie said, ‘in case Liza’s English runs out. She’s been working hard at learning it, for your sake, and as far as possible she wants to say this herself.’

‘I tried before,’ Liza said. ‘But then-I do not have the words-and you do not listen.’

‘When you were in Venice the first time,’ Dulcie said. ‘Liza tried to talk to you, but you ran away.’

‘There was no need for her to tell me I was the wrong person for Leo,’ Selena said. ‘I knew that.’

‘No, no, no!’ Liza said firmly. She glared at Selena. ‘You should talk less, listen more. Si?’

‘Si!’ Leo said at once.

Unexpectedly Selena also smiled. ‘Si,’ she said.

‘Good,’ Liza spoke robustly. ‘I come to say-you do a terrible thing-as I did. And you must not.’

‘What am I doing that’s terrible?’ Selena asked cautiously.

‘After what Leo told us we had a family conference last night,’ Guido said, ‘and we reckoned we all had to come out here and talk some sense into you. But Liza most of all.’

‘Now, you come with me,’ Liza said firmly. She set down her cup and headed for the door.

‘Can I come?’ Leo asked.

Liza regarded him. ‘Can you keep quiet?’

‘Yes, Aunt,’ he said meekly.

‘Then you can come.’ She marched out.

‘What is she doing?’ Selena asked him.

‘I think I know. You can trust her.’

He followed them out to the car, handing Liza in, while Dulcie got behind the wheel.

‘Drive down through Morenza,’ Liza said, ‘and then-two miles further on-a farm.’

Dulcie followed instructions and they were soon out in the countryside, surrounded by fields, with the occasional low-roofed building. The others came behind them.

‘There,’ Liza said, indicating a farm house.

Dulcie turned in and drove the short distance to the cluster of buildings. A middle-aged man looked up and greeted Liza. Selena didn’t hear the words they exchanged. Liza led the way past the house to a collection of outbuildings, and into a cow byre.

It was a large building, filled with animals, for they had arrived at milking time.

Liza turned and faced Selena.

‘I was born here,’ she said.

Selena frowned. ‘You mean-in the house?’

‘No, I mean here, in this room, where we stand now. My mother was a servant and she lived here, with the animals. In those days-it sometimes happened. Poor people lived like that. And we were very, very poor.’

‘But-’ Selena looked around helplessly.

‘I was not born a fine lady. You didn’t know?’

‘Yes, I knew you weren’t born with a title but-this-’

‘Yes,’ Liza nodded. ‘This. In those days there was-big gap between rich and poor.’ She demonstrated with her hands. ‘And my mother was not married. She never told my father’s name, and there was much disgrace for her. This was seventy years ago, you understand. Not like now.

‘When I was a child-my mother died, and I was put to work in the house. Always I was told-I was lucky to have food and work. I was a bastard. I had no rights. I was taught nothing.

‘It was Maria Rinucci who saved me. These lands-her dowry when she married Count Angelo Calvani. She was sorry for me-took me to Venice with her. That was how I met my Francesco.’

A glow came over her face as she turned to look at the count, watching her, smiling.

‘If you could have seen him then,’ she said, returning his smile, ‘how young and handsome-he loved me, and of course I loved him. But-no use. He must marry-great lady. He ask me. I say no. How can he marry me? For forty years I say no. And then-I understand-I make big mistake. And now I come to tell you-don’t make my mistake.’

‘But Liza-’ Selena stammered ‘-you don’t know-’

‘Don’t be stupid,’ Liza said flatly. ‘Of course I know. I tell you. People think it must be-wonderful to be Cinderella. I say no. Sometimes-a burden.’

‘Yes,’ Selena said in relief at finding someone who understood. ‘Yes.’

‘But if it’s your destiny,’ Liza said fiercely, ‘you must accept that burden-else you will break Prince Charming’s heart.’

She took her husband’s hand. He was looking at her with a world of love in his eyes.

‘People see us and they think how romantic that our story had a happy ending,’ Liza said, a little sadly. ‘But what they do not see is in here-’ she indicated her breast ‘-my bitter regret that our love was only fulfilled at the end. We could have been happy long ago, I could have had his children. But I wasted all those years because I made too much of things that didn’t matter.’

Leo had come quietly forward until he was standing beside Selena. Liza saw it, and smiled.

She had one last thing to say to Selena, and now her words began to come easily, as though she had found the key.

‘In all your life, nobody has valued you, and so you did not learn to value yourself. Then how can you understand Leo, who values you more than anything in the world? How can you accept his love, when you think you are not worthy of love?’

‘Is that what I think?’ Selena asked, dazed.

‘Has anyone else ever loved you?’

Selena shook her head. ‘No. Nobody. You’re right. You grow up thinking that you’re not entitled to much-’ she saw Liza nod in a comprehension that included only the two of them ‘-and when Leo loved me I kept thinking he’d made a mistake, and he’d wake up soon and realise that it was only me after all.’

‘Only you,’ Liza echoed. ‘Only the woman he adores. Only the first woman he has ever asked to marry him. And, I think, the last. Don’t harm him as I harmed my Francesco. But trust him. Trust his love for you. Trust your own love for him. Don’t make my mistake, and throw away your happiness until it is almost too late.’

Selena turned to Leo and found him looking anxiously into her face. The enormity of what she’d nearly done to him shook her and she couldn’t stop the tears coming.

‘I love you,’ she said huskily. ‘I love you so much-and I never understood a thing.’

‘You just didn’t know about families,’ he said tenderly. ‘Now you do.’

She was wanted. The whole family was opening its hearts and its arms to her-she, who’d never had kin that she could recall-not who’d wanted her, anyway.

‘Marry me,’ he said at once. ‘Let me hear you say it.’

She never did say it. She could only nod vigorously while he took her into his arms and held her. Leaning down so that his chin rested on her head. Recovered treasure.

‘I’m never letting you go again,’ he said.

They set the wedding for as soon as possible, before winter closed in. Count Francesco was so delighted to be welcoming Selena into the family at last that he yielded about St Mark’s, and happily agreed that the village church in Morenza was the only suitable place.

The date was booked at the little church, and a flurry of cleaning got the house ready for guests.

For the groom there was the entire Calvani family, but now they were Selena’s family too. Selena had invited Ben, the loyal friend who’d kept her on the road long enough to meet Leo, and his wife, Martha. She sent them the tickets, and on the day she and Leo drove to the airport to collect them.

This wedding wouldn’t have been complete without the Hanworths, all except Paulie, who found something better to do. Leo went to meet them alone, leaving Selena with Ben and Martha, catching up on old times.

‘I’d better give you this before I forget it,’ Selena said casually, handing Ben an envelope.

‘How much?’ Ben yelped at the size of the cheque he pulled out.

‘That’s all the money I must owe you going back a few years. Do you think I didn’t know how you pared the bills down? And you couldn’t afford it.’

‘Can you afford it? You must have won every race in sight.’

‘It’s not all winnings. I’m working for Leo now, with his horses.’

‘He pays you?’

‘You bet he pays me. I’m very good at my job. I don’t come cheap.’

‘Well, I guess you found your right place. You always did have a way with horses. Look what you managed to do with Elliot. Nobody else could have done as well with him.’

‘Oh, Ben, don’t. The one thing that isn’t perfect was that I just abandoned Elliot.’

‘I thought he was being cared for by that Hanworth fellow who’s coming this afternoon.’

‘He is. He’ll have the best of everything, but I just know he’s wondering why I don’t come back. Talking of coming back, where is everyone? Leo should have brought them home by now.’

As the day wore on Selena had the feeling that everyone was in on a secret from which only she was excluded. Maids giggled in doorways and vanished at her approach. Once Gina asked if Leo had given her a wedding present yet.

‘Not yet,’ Selena said, bewildered.

‘Perhaps you get it today,’ Gina observed, and went away smiling.

Hours passed. She began to feel nervous. Surely they should have been home by now?

In the late afternoon Gina came to find her.

‘Signorina, I think you should look out of the window. There is something there for you to see.’

Puzzled, Selena went to look down the road that led to the village. A little group of people were walking slowly up to her. She recognised Barton, Delia and the rest of the family. But she also recognised a figure that she hadn’t dared hope to see again.

‘Elliot!’ she shrieked and flew out of the house.

Leo was leading the way up the road, holding Elliot’s bridle, grinning as he saw her. All the others were smiling too as she arrived in a rush and threw her arms about the old horse’s neck.

‘You-’ she whirled on the Hanworth family. ‘You brought him over with you?’

‘Sure did,’ Barton said, beaming. ‘Me and Leo stitched it all up, and he swore he wouldn’t let you get wind of it.’

Selena had remembered her manners and embraced Delia, Barton, then the girls. She would have hugged Jack too but he warned her off with a boyish glare.

‘Elliot, Elliot-’ Tears poured down her face.

‘That’s why we’ve been so long,’ Leo said. ‘It took time to get him off the plane and clear him for entry. Never seen so much paperwork, but in the end they passed him. By the way, that offer on Jeepers is still open.’

‘Better take it,’ Selena agreed. ‘He’s a racer, he needs to do his stuff. Elliot-’ she kissed his nose again “-just needs to rest and be loved.’

The Calvanis arrived next day, and they and the Hanworths immediately took to each other. In the rowdy party that followed Selena saw Liza looking a little overwhelmed and took her up to bed.

‘Thank you. Thank you for everything.’

When they had hugged she said, ‘You really think I can do it-be a contessa?’

‘Not in the old way,’ Liza said. ‘That belonged to another age. You will do it your own way, and that is right. Things must change if they are to live.’

Selena considered this. ‘A cowgirl contessa?’

‘I like that,’ Liza said at once. ‘I admired you so much at the rodeo. It’s such a shame that I’m too old to learn to ride.’ They laughed, then she became serious again. ‘Only one thing makes you a contessa, and that is the love of a count. Never forget that.’

Downstairs Selena found the brothers arguing about money. Guido didn’t want to take any from Leo, know that the raising of it might damage the farm.

‘And who wants to live in the palace once you’ve sold off everything?’ he demanded.

‘I don’t want to live in it at all,’ Leo retorted. ‘Uncle, please arrange to live a very long time so that this will remain academic.’

‘I’ll do my best,’ the count agreed imperturbably, ‘but when I’m not there this problem will be there. Still. You should settle it now.’

‘I don’t want to live in the palace,’ Leo said stubbornly.

‘Then we needn’t,’ Selena said. ‘Guido can stay there.’

Everyone turned to look at her.

‘Guido, have I got this right?’ Selena asked him. ‘You don’t want the title and all the stuff that goes with it. But you love Venice, and you love the palace.’

‘Right.’

‘And it’s a great backdrop for your business.’ She turned to Leo. ‘So he stays there. We just have to turn up for special occasions. You work out the rent and discount it against the compensation. That way the palace isn’t standing empty, and the money worries are sorted. Everyone’s happy.’

In the silence the brothers looked at each other.

‘She’s a brilliant lady you’re marrying,’ Guido said with a grin.

‘What did I tell you?’ the count roared. ‘I said the Calvanis always get the best wives,’ he swung Selena around in a dance, ‘and we’ve done it again.’

The wedding was a true family occasion, with the family being the whole village. When Leo walked Selena out of the church and three times around the duck pond-because they always did that in Morenza-he started up the hill, followed by everyone in the village who could walk, and every tenant they had.

At the gate of the farmhouse the crowd gave them a rousing cheer before going back to the public hall where a spread was laid out for them. Leo would gladly have invited them all inside, but the house would have burst at the seams.

The sight of herself in bridal white with a flowing veil had taken Selena’s breath away. She didn’t look like the person she knew at all, but perhaps that was the way to start a new life. She wasn’t sure who this person was, but she belonged to Leo body, heart and soul, because he had given her the same, and given it first.

She wondered what would have happened if Guido hadn’t brought her back to Italy by subterfuge. As the party quietened down, she felt moved to remind her husband, ‘I guess we owe a lot to Guido. If he hadn’t been able to cook up a good story, none of us would be here.’

Leo raised his glass to his brother. ‘I guess that’s true.’

‘It’s in the blood of the Venetians,’ Guido said cheerfully. He’d had a little too much champagne, or he would never have said the next words. ‘We all have those little skills, inventing, forgery-’

There was a sudden silence, in which his last words seemed to echo.

‘Forgery?’ Leo repeated. ‘What do you mean-forgery?’

The silence had taken on a stunned quality as the implications sank in. Everyone was looking at Guido.

Guido, who had discovered the evidence that made Leo legitimate. Guido, who had sworn he would escape the title, no matter what he had to do.

Guido-the master of tricks and spells, the man of masks and illusions, the Venetian.

‘Oh, no!’ Leo groaned. ‘You wouldn’t do that to me! Tell me you wouldn’t.’

Guido looked at him, bland and innocent. ‘Who me?’

‘Yes, you, brother! You sneaky, tricky, unscrupulous-’

He set down his glass and began to advance on Guido, who backed off cautiously.

‘Now, Leo, don’t do anything you’ll regret-’

‘I won’t regret anything I do to you.’

But he was checked by the last sound anyone there had expected to hear. Selena burst into peals of laughter. The others relaxed and began to smile as her mirth echoed around the room.

‘Selena, carissima-’

‘Oh, my goodness!’ she choked. ‘This will be the death of me! I haven’t heard anything as good as this in years.’

‘Well, I’m glad you find it funny-’

‘It’s your face that’s funny, my darling.’ She put her hands on either side of his head and kissed him, still laughing.

Her mirth was infectious. He couldn’t help himself laughing with her, even through his dismay.

‘But don’t you realise what Guido’s done to us?’ he demanded. ‘He forged that evidence.’

‘Has he? Are you sure of that? He hasn’t admitted it.’

‘And he’ll never tell you, one way or the other,’ Marco observed, eyeing Guido judicially. ‘But I’m betting he’s innocent, although it pains me to find him innocent of anything.’

Guido ran a finger around his collar.

‘What I think happened is this,’ Marco continued. ‘He got wind of the Vinelli marriage in England, and he employed an army of private investigators to hunt it down. After all, we have a P.I. in the family.’ His amused eyes rested on Dulcie. ‘I dare say she put him in touch with a few?’

Guido seized his wife’s hand and muttered, ‘Say nothing.’

‘Very wise,’ Marco continued. ‘Well, that’s my theory for what it’s worth.’

‘You think it’s real?’ Leo asked him. ‘Not a forgery.’

‘I doubt he forged anything, although he’ll let you think he did, just to tease a rise out of you.’

‘I’ll break every bone in his body,’ Leo said.

Guido hopped nimbly out of range. ‘No violence,’ he said. ‘Remember I’m an expectant father.’

Marco said in Leo’s ear, ‘And that’s where you’ll get your revenge.’

‘What do you mean?’ the brothers demanded with one voice.

‘Children tend to take the opposite tack to their fathers. It would serve Guido right if his son wanted all the things he was so glad to give up. When that day comes, he may have some explaining to do.’

‘But you just said-he didn’t forge it,’ Leo reminded him.

‘Well, I don’t think even Guido would go that far.’

‘But how can we be sure?’ Leo groaned.

‘Easy,’ Marco said, ‘you check the English register offices. I think you’ll find it there.’

‘But let’s not do that,’ Selena said. ‘Let’s not know. Then it’s not boring and predictable any more.’

‘Will I ever understand you?’ Leo asked tenderly.

‘You do,’ she said simply. ‘You’ve always understood me, when I never understood myself.’

She touched his face.

‘I had the prize,’ she said softly, ‘and I nearly let it go. But I’ll never let it go again. All my life, for ever and ever.’