‘And since then you have done everything in your power to persuade me otherwise.’
‘So you believe me now?’
‘Definitely,’ he said firmly. ‘A case of mistaken identity.’
She looked at him sharply. ‘You—you know?’
‘About Celeste?’ he nodded his arrogant head. ‘But of course.’
‘How conceited you Martino men are!’ Suzanne said shortly.
‘Vidal too?’
‘Yes!’
The Conte frowned. ‘What has he done to you? He has not tried to force his attentions on you? Is that why you are alone here in the garden?’ he demanded angrily. ‘I would not have left you alone with him, but I thought you would be safe with him here at the hotel. He usually behaves himself in front of our employees.’
Her green eyes sparkled with anger. ‘Since when have you been my keeper, Signor Conte?’
‘Since you looked at me two nights ago with snapping green eyes, as you are doing now,’ he informed her calmly.
‘Since I …?’
‘Yes,’ he told her huskily. ‘Has Vidal upset you?’
‘N-no,’ she said uncertainly, not at all sure she liked the way the conversation was progressing. ‘Where is Celeste?’
He shrugged. ‘In her room, I would presume—how should I know? We parted over an hour ago.’
‘Oh.’
‘You sound surprised. I would not have taken her out at all but for you. I expected it to be a foursome, not an intimate dinner for two,’ he said the last with disgust.
‘I don’t—’
‘Do not think I should be talking to you in this way? Neither do I. Perhaps it would be better if I leave you now. As long as you are all right?’
‘Yes, I—I’m fine.’
He bowed, once again the haughty Conte Martino. ‘Then I will wish you a good night.’
‘Goodnight,’ she returned to his fast retreating back.
* * *
She was still puzzling over the Conte’s strange behaviour the next day. Celeste had left the hotel early for the beauty salon, insisting she needed her hair and nails attended to. As Suzanne had always done her own hair and nails this seemed the height of laziness to her. She felt sure that part of Celeste’s eagerness to attend one salon or another was just pure snobbery. On her return she would be full of the exalted personalities she had met while having her nails lacquered, regaling the uninterested Suzanne with all the details.
She could almost have thought from the-Conte’s behaviour towards her the evening before that he was interested in her himself. He certainly didn’t like her friendship with his brother. But she was being ridiculous! Cesare Martino didn’t like her seeing Vidal because he had other plans for his stepbrother, plans that didn’t include a penniless nobody like her. But then he didn’t think her penniless, even going as far as to call her ‘a little rich girl’ at one time, before she had told him otherwise, of course. But he must still consider her to be fairly wealthy to be able to stay at a hotel like this. She smiled to herself. If he could see her dingy bed-sitter he would soon know differently. Men of his wealth probably didn’t even realise people existed in the poverty she had called home for the past three years.
‘What do you find so amusing?’
She looked up with a start, her eyes widening as she took in Cesare Martino’s casual appearance. Accustomed as she was to seeing him only in well-cut suits, or his impeccable evening clothes, his faded denims and half unbuttoned navy blue shirt came as something of a surprise. A pleasant one, she might add, making him more approachable and much less the ‘Conte Martino’.
She blinked twice before answering him. ‘Sorry?’ she finally asked vaguely.
‘You are walking about the place with a big smile on your face, and although I may find it pleasing, I can only wonder at the reason for it.’ He fell into step beside her.
‘It was you, actually,’ she answered truthfully.
‘I?’ He looked astounded. ‘What have I done to cause you this amusement?’
She shook her head, the smile reappearing at his indignation. ‘You haven’t done anything. I was just wondering what you would think of my life as a student.’
‘I would not approve. Celeste has told me that you insist on living in the same disorder as your fellow students, and that you refuse all her offers of help. I think that is perhaps taking your wish to feel one of them too far.’
Dear Celeste! She certainly wasn’t taking any risks. This way, if she should happen to unwittingly give out any real facts of their living arrangements, dear Celeste would already have covered herself. What a clever, devious woman she was! ‘I see. Then you don’t approve of my living in a bed-sitter almost starving to death?’
He frowned heavily. ‘No, I do not! It was foolish to make yourself ill through pride.’ He looked at her too-thin body. ‘You are too delicate, too frail to survive those conditions.’
Suzanne grinned outright now. ‘I hate to disagree with you, Conte—er—Cesare.’ She saw his nod of approval. ‘But I’m as tough as old boots.’
‘As what?’
She chuckled at his expression. ‘It’s a saying we have. It means I’m as tough as leather.’
‘How charming!’ he said dryly.
‘But I am,’ she insisted. She could have added that she had had to-be, but thought better of it.
Without her being aware of it he had manoeuvred her out of the doors of the hotel and was now in the process of opening the car door for her, a low sports car. It was very sleek, only a two-seater, the canvas roof lowered in the heat of the day.
Suzanne looked up at him questioningly. ‘Where are you taking me?’
‘We are going out for the day. You look as if a little fresh air would not come amiss. Come on, get in. I am not abducting you.’
She did as he asked, settling back in the low leather seat. She had never been in a sports car before and was amazed at how low to the ground she felt. The Conte handled the car with complete assurance and she watched him with a certain amount of fascination. He seemed different today, more at ease, a slight smile on those well-formed lips.
He turned to look at her, raising his eyebrows at her intent gaze. ‘Is anything the matter?’
She blushed. ‘No, nothing. Why?’
He shrugged his powerful shoulders. ‘You appear to be staring at me.’
‘Yes,’ she admitted huskily.
‘Would you mind explaining why?’
‘Oh, I …’ she looked confused. ‘I don’t know why. Perhaps because you seem different today.’
‘How different?’
‘It’s hard to explain. Perhaps—perhaps it’s the clothes,’ she said in a rush. Denims and a casual shirt certainly weren’t the attire she had ever expected to see him in.
‘My clothes?’ he frowned. ‘But they are not so very different from your own.’
Which was true. She had taken advantage of Celeste’s absence today to wear the hated denims and a green vest top. ‘That’s right,’ she agreed. ‘But I didn’t intend wearing mine about the hotel. Celeste wouldn’t like it.’
‘But we are not at the hotel.’ He changed gear smoothly as they joined the motorway stream of traffic. Most of the traffic appeared to be going into town, not leaving, allowing him free acceleration, which he took advantage of. ‘And Celeste is not likely to find out,’ he continued. ‘She is out for the day.’
Green eyes widened. ‘How do you know that?’
He smiled. ‘I make it my business to find out these things.’ He looked at her wind-tousled hair. ‘Would you like the roof up?’ he asked politely.
‘Oh no.’ Her eyes glowed. ‘I love the feeling of freedom all this sunshine and fresh air gives me. I’m enjoying the wind in my hair.’
‘Good,’ he nodded his satisfaction. ‘Already your cheeks have more colour and your eyes are no longer shadowed.’
She blushed at his observations. He didn’t miss much. ‘Where are you taking me?’ she as
ked.
‘You have heard of the New Forest in your Hampshire countryside? It is very beautiful there this time of year.’
‘I’ve heard of it,’ she acknowledged. ‘And that’s where we’re going?’
The Conte glanced at her fleetingly. ‘Do you want to go?’
‘I’d love it,’ she enthused. ‘There should be some young foals there now.’
‘Yes.’
‘Will you—Do you think you’ll enjoy it? I-It doesn’t seem to be the sort of thing you would enjoy.’
‘But I will. You will be there, will you not?’
‘Yes.’ She was completely puzzled by his behaviour. He had guided her into his car before she had time to collect her thoughts together, and now he was taking her out and talking to her as if they were old friends. Which they certainly weren’t! ‘That was the reason I was unsure of you’re enjoying yourself.’
‘Really? And why should I not enjoy being with you? If I had not thought we would get on together we would not both be here.’
‘Are you sure you didn’t just invite me because you had nothing else to do?’ she asked daringly.
His head rose haughtily. ‘I have plenty of other things I could be doing at this moment.’
‘Then why aren’t you doing one of them?’
He shrugged. ‘I felt like taking a day off.’
‘And you chose me to help fill your day,’ she said cuttingly. ‘I’m only sorry Celeste wasn’t available.’
‘I would not have brought her even if she had been.’
She lapsed into a sulky silence, speaking a long time later when a thought suddenly occurred to her. ‘After all the fuss you made yesterday about Vidal and myself being chaperoned don’t you think our outing together is rather improper?’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Then you do think we should be chaperoned?’
‘No. I—’
‘Oh, Cesare! Look!’ She clutched at his arm impulsively. ‘Oh, aren’t they adorable!’
For the past few minutes they had been driving through rich green woodlands, and they had just driven into a peaceful clearing, a group of horses grazing quietly together in the sunshine. Huddled close to their mothers were three young foals, their coats thick and fluffy, their noses wet and shiny, and their eyes huge and gentle.
‘Oh, Cesare!’ Suzanne repeated, her eyes softened with pleasure. ‘Aren’t they beautiful?’
He slowed the car down, pulling on to the side of the road to allow her to see the mares and foals better. ‘They are very attractive,’ he nodded agreement. ‘But not to be petted and fed like a domestic animal,’ he added warningly.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that. Anyway, it’s against the law to feed them.’
‘That is only right. They are born wild horses and should be allowed to continue to live that way.’ He too watched the young foals’ antics as they scampered around their mothers, smiling slightly at their legs too long for their body.
‘Oh, I agree with you.’ Her eyes glowed and she smiled gently.
One dark eyebrow rose in surprise. ‘You do?’
Suzanne looked at him. ‘But of course I do.’ she laughed at his expression. ‘It may seem as if I disagree with you on everything through sheer obstinacy, Signor Conte, but I can assure you, I don’t.’ She grinned impishly.
‘You Surprise me. And a moment ago you managed to say Cesare very charmingly.’
‘Oh, did—did I?’ She blushed prettily.
‘You did. And I would appreciate it if you could continue to do so. You are ready to drive on further?’
She nodded her agreement, exclaiming enthusiastically at each group of horses they came to, and there were many. Suzanne had heard of the wild ponies of the New Forest, but she hadn’t realised there were so many of them. There were a lot of young foals too and many mares in foal, ready to give birth any day now.
To her surprise she was enjoying herself—surprise because she had never expected to enjoy any encounter she had with the Conte. But he made a charming companion when he cared to be, and at the moment he definitely cared to be. Her cheeks glowed and she smiled happily as Cesare drove slowly along the narrow roads of the forest, occasionally drawing on to the side of the verge as they met cars coming along the other way.
His strong brown arms manoeuvred the car with a sureness that was totally habitual, and he was as relaxed in his seat as she was. He glanced sideways at her. ‘Hungry?’ he asked softly.
All morning she had been denying the rumbling of her stomach. She hadn’t bothered to have breakfast this morning and now she was regretting her omission. A pot of coffee had seemed sufficient at the time, but now, miles from anywhere, she longed for food of some sort. Just the thought of it made her mouth water.
‘Very,’ she admitted laughingly.
They drove on for another five minutes or so before the Conte veered the car off the road and into one of the parking areas provided in plenty by the Forestry Commission. He slowed the car to a stop before switching off the engine and turning in his seat to look at her puzzled face.
‘Is this suitable?’ he queried.
Suzanne looked about her at the deserted but beautiful woodlands, loving the way the sun shone through the denseness of the trees. ‘Suitable for what?’ she frowned.
Cesare Martino stepped out of the car, coming round to open her door for her. ‘For our picnic, of course,’ he answered her question. ‘I had the hotel pack us a picnic lunch.’
CHAPTER SIX
SHE looked up at him as he assisted her out of the low car. ‘You did?’ she couldn’t help sounding surprised.
He pocketed the car keys, opening the boot and lifting out a wicker picnic basket and a folded groundsheet before turning to smile at her. ‘Could you please carry the cooler box?’
Suzanne lifted up the light plastic box, following him as he walked across the grass and through the trees as he looked for a suitable spot for their picnic. The place he finally stopped at seemed perfect, and it didn’t take Cesare long to lay down the groundsheet.
She sat down beside him as he began unpacking the food. ‘What’s in here?’ she indicated the cooler box.
‘Wine,’ he answered, preoccupied with his task.
She raised her eyebrows. He certainly didn’t believe in doing things by half measures. ‘I see.’
Grey eyes rested on her averted face. ‘The wine is simply to add to our enjoyment of the meal,’ he said coldly. ‘You do not have to have any if you do not want it.’
‘How could you be so sure I would come? All this food may have gone to waste.’
‘I doubt it. I would have simply come on my own. I enjoy the peace I can find here, the being among complete freedom of animals. In this part of the country the horses rule. I like that.’
‘So do I.’ She leant back against a tree, her eyes turned dreamily up to the blue sky. ‘It’s lovely here. I just didn’t realise anywhere as beautiful as this existed so close to London.’
Cesare removed the cork from the bottle of the wine with ease. ‘You have not travelled very much?’
She laughed lightly. ‘Manchester’s about my limit.’
‘But Celeste said she had visited America and many places in Europe. You did not accompany her and your father?’
‘No,’ she answered shortly, taking over from him in the serving of the food. There were cold meats, chicken, beef, pork, and mixed salad, cheese, and fresh fruit. And of course, the wine, which she soon found was deliciously cool.
‘You were at school, I suppose? It is not good to upset a child’s education.’ He too sipped the wine.
‘I wasn’t always at school.’
‘True. Your chicken is good?’ He indicated the food on her plate.
‘Lovely!’
They ate their meal slowly in companionable silence, Suzanne watching a group of horses grazing a few yards away from them. They didn’t seem bothered by the presence of human beings, although Suzanne didn’t know if they would react as plac
idly if they attempted to get closer to them.
The remnants of the meal cleared away and only the wine left to drink, the two of them relaxed back on the groundsheet. Suzanne gazed sleepily up at the deep blue sky, her glass held casually in her hand.
‘I’ve enjoyed today,’ she said suddenly, surprising herself with the truth of her words. It had been enjoyable, a day apart.
Cesare lay beside her a short distance away, leaning on his elbow as he looked down at her. ‘It is not over yet.’
She turned to look at him, wholly aware of how near he was, of how easy it would be to reach out and touch his muscular arm only inches away from her own. But she didn’t want to touch his arm! Why should she? Cesare Martino meant nothing to her. Just because today he seemed like any other man of her acquaintance that was no reason to believe he could ever be anything other than the Conte Martino, a haughty aristocratic man who believed her to be after his brother regardless of his impending engagement.
She moved away from him slightly. ‘It must be getting quite late.’ She looked at her bare wrist. ‘Oh, damn! Could you tell me the time, please?’
‘Almost three o’clock,’ he answered her. ‘You do not have a wristwatch?’
‘I do. At least, I did,’ she blushed prettily. ‘I went for a swim this morning. Unfortunately I forgot to take off my watch—it wasn’t waterproof,’ she added ruefully.
‘That was very careless of you. Was it an expensive watch?’
‘Oh, no,’ she smiled. ‘I couldn’t afford anyth—’ she stopped herself. ‘It was just a cheap one. I have a habit of breaking them.’ She had almost let Celeste down then, not that she thought for one minute that the Conte would fall for Celeste’s plan to entice him into marriage. Hadn’t he as much as said so himself?
‘I see.’ He took the empty glass out of her hand, placing it beside his own in the hamper. Those curiously grey eyes moved slowly over Her face, compelling her to look at him too, even though she didn’t want to. He was so close now she could see the different shades of his eyes, that light grey that could darken almost to black, and the strange gold flecks surrounding the pupils.
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