At Her Latin Lover's Command. Susan Stephens

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      ‘Che Dio mi aiuti! You are a cold, unfeeling monster of a woman!’ he spat.

      Miranda almost sobbed out loud. He had turned her into an ice queen. It had been her only defence against his growing indifference over the past year.

      She managed to hold herself together. ‘I assume you’ll get to the point eventually.’

      Mentally urging him on with an almost hysterical panic, she sank to her knees, which seemed dangerously liquid. She saw Lizzie staring at her, a frozen expression on her face, and was touched that her sister felt so agitated on her behalf.

      Dante cleared his throat. ‘You must come to Italy. It is imperative that you do.’ It sounded as if a herd of wild elephants were dragging the words from him. His normally satiny voice was harsh and begrudging. ‘I’ve sent a ticket by courier. The flight is tomorrow. My chauffeur will meet you. I’m at my late uncle’s estate.’

      Oh, thank you, thank you! she cried in silent passion. He’d relented! No, she corrected. That seemed unlikely. He’d rather cut off his right hand.

      More probably, she thought rapidly, he’d discovered that looking after Carlo in strange surroundings was harder than he’d imagined. Heavens, she thought with a rare flash of waspishness, he must have been desperate to swallow his pride!

      But Carlo would be hers. The separation was to end. Her hand flew to her mouth to stop herself from groaning with heartfelt relief. She’d have him back, safe in her arms. Tomorrow!

      All of a sudden, she couldn’t contain herself any longer. And without even responding to her husband’s imperious demand, she put the phone down with a crash.

      Then burst into floods of tears. And, embarrassed, she ran up to her room to give vent to her relief in private.

      Lizzie gaped. She’d never seen her sister cry. Not even seven years ago, on the day their mother had died when she was twelve and Miranda eighteen. And since their father had left them all before their mother’s death, Miranda had then become the breadwinner and substitute mother.

      Dante had been the first person to get under Miranda’s skin, the first man to make her blossom and go starry-eyed. But then he was gorgeous, even Lizzie had to admit, more charismatic than his handsome younger brother, Guido, who managed the London office.

      Guiltily Lizzie chewed her lip. She dreaded what Miranda might say if she ever found out she was dating the wild and reckless Guido. But she had a life too, didn’t she? The Severini family was rich and she wanted in. It was scary now that Miranda had been cast aside with no income and the prospect of homelessness.

      With a shudder, Lizzie remembered the penny-pinching days of her childhood. Since Miranda’s marriage, she’d become used to living in the lovely house here in Knightsbridge, and charging all her shopping to Dante’s account.

      So with Miranda possibly blowing the chance she’d had to be one of the idle rich, she, Lizzie, had to take over the running now. If Dante didn’t take her sister back, Lizzie thought, she’d bag herself a Severini of her own to provide the luxury lifestyle she craved.

      ‘Look at it! Miranda, just clock this place!’ Lizzie screeched.

      Miranda was beginning to regret agreeing to her sister’s plea to be found a place on the flight too. For the whole journey, Lizzie had been pestering her to reconcile with Dante. In addition, Lizzie’s envy of the sumptuous villa on the shores of Lake Como had made Miranda squirm.

      Meeting the chauffeur’s cynical gaze in the driving mirror, she looked away in embarrassment. Then she realised that the car had stopped in front of some imposing gates. She tensed. They must have reached their destination.

      Her stomach began to churn like a washing machine and she forgot Lizzie’s embarrassing worship of conspicuous wealth. In a few moments Carlo would be snuggling up to her. She could hardly breathe for excitement.

      ‘Miranda, this is money with a capital M!’ gloated Lizzie. ‘Couldn’t you try to patch things up? Oh, please, please! Look what you’d be missing—’

      ‘I’ve told you!’ Miranda frowned with impatience. ‘I’m here for one reason only and that’s to take Carlo from that swine I stupidly married! I swear,’ she cried with low and heartfelt passion, ‘that I will move heaven and earth if necessary to take my baby back to England—’

      ‘You’re hopeless! All right. Get a damn good divorce settlement at the very least,’ counselled Lizzie crossly. ‘Screw him for all you can.’

      The massive wrought-iron gates swung open electronically. As the limo purred through them, Miranda’s face lit up with relief and she couldn’t prevent a warm smile from seeping out at the thought of her son’s dear little body, soon to be held close to hers.

      With a start, she noticed that the chauffeur’s eyes had hardened at the sight of her pleasure and she wondered what Dante had told his staff about her.

      ‘Is this actually Dante Severini’s house?’ she asked, breathless with excitement.

      There was a moment’s hesitation before a grudging grunt. ‘Si.’

      Not ‘Si, signora,’ the usual courteous response, she noted. Miranda gritted her teeth at the deliberate insult and then dismissed it. What did it matter what lies Dante had told? She’d be shot of the lot of them in an hour and on her way back home.

      The car crawled up the long driveway and her tension mounted. So this, she thought in amazement, was the estate that Dante had coveted, along with the business!

      She could see why. It was breathtakingly situated on the shores of Lake Como in the north of Italy. The gardens had been laid out in a mixture of English and Italian styles, so that rhododendrons and azaleas and plane trees harmonised surprisingly well with the palms and banana plants set amid elegant terraces and statues.

      And she’d never even known of its existence.

      ‘Jumping elephants!’ Lizzie shrieked as the house finally came into view. ‘My brother-in-law’s become a billionaire at least! Jammy devil!’

      ‘Lizzie!’ she scolded, humiliated by the chauffeur’s disgusted glance.

      ‘What? I’m only saying what’s true,’ protested her sister. ‘Forget the divorce. You’re looking great, Miranda. This is your big chance. Play your cards right as we discussed, get back into his bed, and life’ll be a ball!’

      Miranda was barely listening, far more interested in studying the house. Four storeys high, the pale ochre building was both graceful and imposing. An eighteenth-century palace, fit for a prince. Or a highly ambitious man.

      It was quite the most beautiful house she had ever seen, straight out of a fairy tale. It sat serenely in the lush green gardens, with what must be magnificent views over the stunning blue lake.

      Yet despite its grandeur the house seemed welcoming and friendly as if centuries of love and care had given it a mellow personality of its own.

      Even Lizzie had been silenced as they came to a halt by the broad stone staircase.

      Now I truly understand why he schemed with such desperation, Miranda СКАЧАТЬ