Sins of the Past (23 page)

‘You
bought it?’ She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She didn’t think she could take any more wonderful surprises in one day!

‘I put an offer in for the place weeks ago, and it was accepted. In fact I drove up there earlier to meet the agent with the keys.’ He grinned, clearly pleased with himself, ‘And walked down here as soon as I saw you drive in.’

That accounted for why she hadn’t seen his car outside, Riva realised.

‘That’s one of the reasons I’ve been in Europe for three weeks—to organise the sale of Marcello’s villa, as well as
a couple of properties of my own. We’re still keeping the Seychelles house—in fact you might like to consider it for our honeymoon,’ he interjected dryly, ‘but we need a clean start, and I want to settle here in England, with Eloise just down the drive, where she can still keep her independence but I can keep an eye on her. And because the other two most special people I know are here. Well?’ he pressed, when she was too overwhelmed with joy and amazement at all he was saying to respond. ‘What do you think?’

Now she laughed up at him, her emerald eyes dancing with that impishness he loved. ‘About marrying you or about living there?’

He tapped her lovingly on the nose. ‘Both,’ he answered with a chuckle, still hardly daring to hope. ‘What is it,
cara?’
Lines corrugated his forehead as he noticed the sudden clouding of her eyes.

‘You won’t get bored with me?’ she put to him, rather tentatively.

‘Bored with you?’ His soft laughter was incredulous. ‘Why on earth do you ask that?’

‘You don’t exactly have a good track record for your staying power in relationships,’ she reminded him, almost sheepishly.

‘Ah, I see,’ he breathed, aware that she was referring in particular to the Magenta Boweringham article—and that disgruntled lady’s public attempt to discredit him. ‘I couldn’t do the dishonest thing and pretend to feel something I didn’t feel,’ he explained simply. ‘Because I’d never met the woman I wanted to marry. Until now …’

His voice held so much sincerity that it shook her to think she could ever have doubted him. Now, in answer to his questions about living at the manor and especially about marrying him, she murmured, ‘I think they’re both wonderful ideas,’ adding teasingly, ‘What took you so long to ask?’

‘You’ll pay for that—later,’ he pledged, with an exciting promise in his eyes. But then on a more serious note, holding
back from her a little, he asked, ‘What about Benito? Do you think he’ll be pleased that his
mamma
and
papà
have finally decided to do the decent thing?’

‘Are you kidding?’ She couldn’t credit that he needed to ask. ‘He thinks you’re the best thing since sliced bread!’ She laughed, to alleviate any concerns he might still be harbouring.

He gave a long, relieved sigh, drawing her back into his arms. ‘I love you,
amore,’
he murmured deeply, and the way his powerful body trembled against hers only confirmed it.

‘I love you too,’ she whispered, unable to believe her heart could hold so much joy.

At first neither noticed the silent, elegant figure standing unobtrusively in the doorway. But turning her head, snuggling against Damiano’s shoulder, Riva opened her eyes and spotted Eloise.

She was looking towards the main wall, and the tableau that Riva and Damiano had hung there. Those glittering eyes registered shock, amazement and then pure joy as her gaze dropped and met Riva’s smile.

Love him,
ma chère.
Grab the passion.
As her grandmother-in-law-to-be turned discreetly away, Riva could still hear those deeply accented words in her head—and something else that she read in the woman’s discerning smile, which she already knew in her own heart.

She had it all.

It was something to be nurtured and treasured, she realised, looking up at this wonderful man who was offering her a lifetime of loving, and she knew without a shadow of doubt that this special love they shared was going to last for ever. And as she rested her head against his shoulder again, and her gaze strayed towards the tableau that they had hung together, that legendary lady of faithfulness seemed to be looking down on them both, and Riva almost imagined that she smiled.