The Italian's Price

by Diana Hamilton

  sstefano will take your cases to your room. Wait in the hall while I go to prepare Nonna for your return.'

  No way!

  Outwardly compliant Milly preceded him into the coolness of the marble paved reception hall then watched as Saracino handsome as all-get-out in the superbly styled light grey suit that drew attention to his broad back narrow hips and long, elegantly strong legs, walked purposefully towards one of the gleaming, intricately carved doors that led off this huge space.

  Then she dragged in a deep breath and scampered after Stefano as he mounted the sweeping staircase congratulating herself on disregarding the boss's orders and discovering where Jilly's room was and avoiding the ignominy of pretending a shod-term memory loss and having to confess to forgetting which room was hers!

  Concentrating hard she followed Stefano as he turned left where the magnificent staircase branched down a panelled corridor hung with portraits and landscapes in heavy gilded frames counting doors to left and right.

  First hurdle over! It was the only positive thought she'd had since leaving England when Stefano opened the third door on the right.

  Smartly suppressing the instinctive cry of delight, she entered the room that had been supposedly hers for the last few months the most beautiful room she had ever seen with its soft ivory-coloured carpet panelled walls colour-washed in the same shade gleaming antique furniture and the most opulent tester bed she had ever laid eyes on, layers of white lace topped by a satin quilt in a lovely shade of dusky rose, the whole enclosed with gauzy drapes. Not to mention the magnificent vaulted wooden ceiling, painted with scags of flowers cherubs and exotic birds.

  Placing her luggage on the low chest at the foot of the bed, Stefano said in passable English, 'Not to use the smart valonia the Signora buy for you'?' As his glance rested on the old hold-all and shamefully battered suitcase into which she had stuffed Jilly's lovely clothes she understood his meaning, found a smile and invented rapidly, ‘I didn't want it to get scuffed; I wanted it to stay smart.'

  Which earned her a beam of approval and the self-congratulatory thought that so far she was doing just fine. Which lasted precisely five seconds, the time it took for Stefano to exit and for her to realise that she was facing her reflection in a full length pier glass.

  Staring at herself, she simply couldn't believe Saracino hadn't seen through the deception! True, feature for feature, she and Jilly were identical, but where her twin walked and held herself with sublime confidence she drooped! Hastily hauling her shoulders back she pushed her fringe out of her eyes. Eyes innocent of any artifice. Unfortunately Jilly hadn't left any of her cosmetics behind, just the clothes she'd worn a couple of times and grown tired of. So Milly had had to do the best she could with her usual moisturizer and rarely used rose-pink lipstick. Totally different from the trade mark scarlet pout heavily darkened lashes and expertly applied foundation eye shadow and blusher.

  No wonder Saracino had made that scathing remark about toning down her act! She was going to have to try harder! Make herself act, walk and talk like her sister, because if she didn't then sooner or later-probably sooner-she would be rumbled. The thought terrified her so much that she felt nauseous as she made her way back to the huge hall.

  Where Saracino was waiting, pacing, and clearly not pleased. His nostrils flared, dark eyes shooting a dire warning at her, he bit out, ‘I told you to wait here.'

  Inwardly quailing, Milly straightened her spine. Never mind how Jilly would have reacted to this ogre in the guise of an Adonis she Milly, wasn't going to be spoken to as if she were a dim-witted form of low-life.

  ‘So you did.' Proud of her dulcet tone, achieved with great self-control, she added serenely, ‘But I needed the bathroom. Now I will make my apologies to Nonna.'

  'she is not your grandmother. I won't have a creature like you presuming family connections' The sensual mouth compressed with distaste as he took her arm in ungentle fingers. 'You will address her as Filomena as you always have done and as Saracino when speaking to the staff on her behalf.'

  Little did he know it but because of her slip of the tongue he was being a great help. This thought buoyed her a little as he practically frog-marched her through an intricately carved door that led into a sitting room of beautiful proportions.

  Tall windows lay open to an arcaded stone veranda admitting the soft spring light that gleamed back from gilded looking glasses and exquisite inlaid furniture. But Milly's attention wasn't for the obvious grandeur of the surroundings, it was all for the beaming elderly mauve-clad lady seated in a throne-like chair that dwarfed her frail body, b0th hands held out in welcome.

  ‘silly-naughty girl! Running away without a wordl' The warmth of the tone and the smile that went with it robbed her words of any sting. score, let me look at you.'

  Unnervingly conscious of a pair of hard black eyes boring into the back of her head Milly went forward on legs that felt like wet cotton wool uncomfortably aware that if she put a foot wrong Filomena Saracino would see right through her and out her as the imposter she was.

  Frail fingers clasped her own and the warmth of affection flooded through Milly and made her want to weep because the warmth wasn't for her but for her charismatic sister. Jilly, the golden girl only had to turn on that effortless charm of hers to have the recipient eating out of her beautifully manicured hands.

  'You've cut off all your hair', why did you do that, child'?' Disconcertingly-her sister was a total stranger to blushes-

  Milly felt her face flood with colour.

  She hated having to lie to this patently nice old lady. She pulled a breath into her suddenly oxygen-starved lungs and managed 'With the hot weather coming I thought it would be cooler ' and heard behind her a cynical huff of breath. Saracino. He believed she'd done it to try to alter her appearance', he'd said as much at their first meeting.

  ‘very practical.' The silvery head was tipped arrestingly, the faded eyes lively, ‘It suits you. You look younger', don't you thi nk so Cesare'?' Which elicited no response, but

  Milly knew his first name now and that was one more brick in the edifice of deception she was building up-a necessary deception she hastily reassured herself as distaste for the part she was playing flooded her conscience.

  The old lady released her hands and prompted gently, 'Now pull up a chair and tell me about the family crisis that took you away from me.'

  Silently Cesare placed a delicate upright chair a little to the side and a little in front of where his grandmother was sitting, then took himself across the room to lean against the huge marble fire surround, one arm draped over the top, feet crossed at the ankles.

  He might appear relaxed but he wasn't. Those dark hostile eyes didn't leave her for a single moment, Milly noted singingly as she sat on the chair he had provided and tugged the hem of her narrow skirt more demurely over her knees. He was watching her like a hawk to make sure she didn't do or say anything to upset his grandmother or leap up and snatch the rope of pearls from around the old lady's throat and make a run for it, she thought with rising hysteria.

  ‘It must have been important ' Filomena probed.

  ‘For you to leave without saying goodbye, or phone me later to tell me what was happening.' Her voice trembled slightly. 6 I really missed you. The days seemed so long and dull without you to brighten them for me.' The eyes that had seemed so lively on her arrival now dulled. 'Would you have come back if Cesare hadn't gone to England to find you?'

  A lump the size of a small planet formed at the base of her throat and from the opposite side of the room Cesare put in as smooth and deadly as black ice ‘Don't upset yourself Nonna. I know Jilly can put your mind at rest.' Dark eyes narrowed on her troubled face and she heard the threat behind hi s seems ugly bland tone .

  ‘Can't you , JiIIy?'

  CHAPTER FOU R

  SUDDENLY MILLY COULD hear herself breathing. Shallow and too rapid. The soft calling of the doves in the flower-decked courtyard she could glimpse beyond the stone a
rcade seemed preternaturally loud in the ear-tingling silence that awaited her response.

  She swallowed heavily and stared at her short no-nonsense fingernails then clenched her fists to hide them out of sight of querying eyes because Jilly wouldn't be seen dead without long, perfectly manicured nails.

  Inventing an important crisis was completely impossible. Piling lie on unnecessary lie was utterly distasteful.

  Besides, of late hadn't there been many all too real crises in her life-the bruising advent of Cesare Saracino mislaying her sister losing her mother? The death of her mother just over a month ago had been the absolute worst. The reminder of that dreadful day was rawly, painfully devastating and her voice shook with the emotion she couldn't hide as she whispered, ‘My mother died. It was very sudden.' And at times it seemed as if it had happened only yesterday.

  Her eyes flooded. The loss still hurt dreadfully, compounded by the fact that she had had no means of contacting Jilly and having her come home for the funeral to give her support and to pay her respects to the mother who had doted on her.

  A beat of silence followed the statement, then, ‘oh my dear! How sad for you. What a terrible shock.' Filomena leant forward and took b0th her hands again her eyes full of sympathy. 'You make me so very ashamed of my grumbles. Of course you would have been too distraught-and harried with all the arrangements to even think about me let alone phoning or writing to let me know what was happening. I understand perfectly. Forgive me for doubting your intention to return.'

  Choking back a sob, it was all Milly could do to manage a husky, ‘of course.'

  The pressure of the frail fingers increased as Filomena angled a sharp look in her grandson's direction. ‘I trust Cesare didn't pressure you into returning before you were ready'?' There was no honest disclaimer Milly could give to that and, thankfully, the need to reply was obviated by the elderly lady saying, ‘I know you said your little sister is very practical and dull, without a sensitive or imaginative thought in her head, but will she be all right on her own? She must be feeling lonely without you, especially during this time of family mourning.'

  'She's fine,' Milly said hollowly and felt her cheeks flame with discomfiture. That Jilly should describe her as being her little sister she could just about understand. To Jilly it must have felt that way. Her twin had always been the leader, she the follower. But practical and dull with no imagination or sensitivity-was that how Jilly really saw her? It hurt.

  Cesare had moved to stand behind his grandmother's chair and the look he glued on her was definitely speculative. Which somehow made everything ten times worse.

  The old lady turned her head briefly towards him then turned back again to smile at Milly. 6We will invite your sister for a holiday. Next month? Before the weather gets too hot-May here is such a lovely month. A holiday will be good for you b0th and I shall enjoy having two young things to keep me company . '

  Mistaking the unwitting look of horror on Milly's face for something else entirely her mouth curved impishly. ‘I won't expect you b0th to dance attendance on me all the time of course. You will have the use of one of the cars to take her sightseeing and shopping. Now if you'll excuse me I shall take my usual rest before dinner so why don't you phone home and let your sister know you have arrived safely, and mention the offer of a holiday-do your best to persuade her? Then you must also rest after your journey and we'll see each other again at dinner.'

  Filomena got stiffly to her feet and Cesare handed her a walking cane. Then Milly noted singingly that his strong lean face was turned to her those dark penetrating eyes burning into her apprehensive green ones as he addressed her in a torrent of Italian.

  Feeling sick with nerves, Milly bit into the soft underside of her bottom lip, her brain turning dizzily as it scrambled to recall what Jilly had written on one of those postcards.

  That she was picking up the language! Was the deception to be uncovered so soon so easily? There was a thumping silence as she failed to respond to what it was he'd been saying to her.

  'Now Cesare.' Unwittingly Filomena came to her rescue. 'You know the rules. English only'

  ‘Of course Nonna. I apologise.' Cesare dipped his dark head and Milly was sure a hard smile tugged at the corners of his handsome mouth. ‘I shall reframe my question in perfect English ' he delivered silkily, eyes as cold as the Arctic winter holding hers. 'Would Jilly like to give me her home number? I can dial it for her as I know the correct international code.'

  'That won't be necessary,' Milly returned thinly, and smiled for Filomena. ‘I will see you to your room before I phone home.' She shot Cesare a challenging glance. ‘Milly won't have left work yet. And I expect she'll need to do some grocery shopping before she heads home.'

  She had no intention of making that pointless call and with the feeling that she had survived somehow, had avoided quite a few pitfalls-even if the survival had relied more on luck than judgement-she accompanied the elderly lady to her ground floor suite saw her settled and finally left with the promise that yes, she would herself rest before dinner.

  Thanks to her earlier foresight she found the room that had been Jilly's with no trouble at all and sat on the edge of the huge, opulent bed and lowered her bright head to her hands.

  Back in England anxious to save her twin from being treated like a criminal hauled before a judge to answer to charges she was surely innocent of she had blithely believed that this deception was necessary if only to give her the time to try and trace her missing sister put her in the picture and get her to clear everything up.

  She hadn't wanted the cold-headed Cesare to find her first, refuse to listen to anything she said in her own defence and have her clapped in irons before she could draw breath.

  She still didn't. Of course she didn't! But the deception was making her feel ill and desperately ashamed of herself. Not on Cesare's account that was for sure! He was the brute who had broken her sister's heart, bedded her, led her to believe he would marry her. Then dumped her. At least everything pointed that way. Why else would Jilly have disappeared? But deceiving a lovely, kindly old lady was despicable. It was pricking her conscience like a red-hot poker! She couldn't do it.

  She was going to have to come clean.

  Cesare ended the second call and swivelled his chair away from the leather-topped desk so that he could face the bank of tall windows that overlooked the expanse of emerald-green lawns that swept uninterrupted to the stone perimeter wall.

  Shadows were lengthening as the sun sank towards the horizon and beyond the wall he could see the misty amethyst of distant hills the nearest terraced and surrounded by clusters of ochre-walled houses and farmsteads.

  His strongly angled brows drew down darkly as he dragged in a huff of breath and swooped back from the view that always calmed him and faced his desk again one lean tanned hand reaching for an address book.

  The enigma he was tussling with was his grandmother's wretched thieving companion. Lots of things about Jilly Lee didn't sit right.

  Her demeanour was quiet almost subdued. Instead of in-your-face bright and bubbly. Short unvarnished fingernails the lack of beauty-salon-glossy make-up.

  AII of which could be put down to the fact that the bounce had been knocked out of her when he'd caught up with her and forced her to come back and work without remuneration until the amount she had stolen had been repaid. Plus, she would be on a low following the death of her mother. No puzzle there. Her grief had been genuine the emotion real and raw.

  Yet he had always been an astute judge of character and early on he had decided that Jilly Lee was completely shallow incapable of an emotion that wasn't entirely self-centred.

  And then again-he had instant recall of her look of mystification when he'd addressed her in Italian. Jilly Lee was pretty near fluent.

  True, English only was Nonna's strict rule and it had paid off because she was now conversing with ease and the challenge to brush up on the language had been good for her had given her a real interest.


  But her companion had always used Italian when speaking with the staff and when she was alone with him-a situation she had contrived with tedious regularity.

  So why the seeming lack of comprehension when he'd simply asked for a phone number? Something didn't sit right.

  His mouth compressed he leafed through the address book until he found the number he wanted.

  There were ways to get to the bottom of the enigma. Already he had put two investigators on the case.

  The one in England who had initially found Jilly Lee's family's home address, the other here to follow a possible Italian trail.

  There was something he could do himself to get to the bottom of what was needling him. But he couldn't do it here.

  He drew the phone towards him lifted the receiver and punched in numbers.

  ‘Contessa-' The dining room was magnificent but Milly couldn't exclaim over the wonders of the painted ceiling, decorated with garlands of flowers, fruits and impish tutti , or the two fantastic Venetian chandeliers above the long, highly polished table because as Jilly she would know the interior of the villa inside out.

  And she was in no real state to properly appreciate any of it the room the food served on delicate porcelain plates the heavy silver flatware the wine-a different one for each course-in exquisite crystal glasses.