One Passionate Night's Miracle: One-Night Baby / The Surgeon's Miracle Baby / Outback Baby Miracle. Carol Marinelli

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СКАЧАТЬ would have to pick a lawyer out of a book like pinning the tail on a donkey … taking her chances that she picked a good one like the rest of humanity.

      Kate couldn’t fail to be moved by the depth of emotion on Santino’s face as he watched Meredith carry Francesca away, but it was that same reflection of possession and entitlement that filled her with dread. She wasn’t frightened of Santino in a physical sense, but as he rose to his feet and towered over her she felt herself shrink inwardly.

      He stood looking down at her in silence, and when he spoke his voice was low and full of menace. ‘How could this happen, Kate?’

      ‘Please, Santino, not here …’ She found it hard to vocalize, her throat had seized up so badly with fright. She wasn’t even certain that Santino heard her as she started for the door.

      ‘Kate …’

      Sensing Santino behind her, Kate was suddenly consumed by a primeval fear. She started running, her feet drumming on the wooden floor, adding to the noise in the room, and that noise reverberated in her head, driving her feet, stealing her breath until she was almost blind with panic by the time she reached the exit. She had to fight her way through the crowd to get out, but people coming into the restaurant hardly noticed and were still smiling as she jostled them. They had a party to go to, friends to meet, food to eat, wine to drink, while Kate was lost in a nightmare without end.

      As she burst through the door she was sobbing and had to pause for breath before she could set off again and run down the path. Clutching her throat, she gulped in the warm clean air, but Santino caught up with her too quickly before she could compose herself.

      ‘Please, Santino, please …’ His grip on her arm was remorseless.

      ‘Let’s get one thing straight before we go any further.’ He thrust her in front of him and his eyes were molten with rage as he stared down at her. ‘Francesca is my daughter.’

      It was a statement, not a question, Kate realised, and one prompted entirely by male pride. But she had pride too and she was incensed on Francesca’s behalf that her parentage should be drawn into question. ‘Yes, of course she is!’ She answered him back furiously. ‘Any fool can see that.’

      Santino stiffened, causing Kate to jerk back, but there was only disgust on his face.

      ‘No need to ask who’s been the fool,’ he said icily.

      ‘All I’m trying to say is there’s no mistaking the fact that Francesca is your child. You must know she is.’

      ‘As you have known for four long years. And must have known you were pregnant five years ago—’ Santino broke off with a sound of contempt and walked away as if he couldn’t bring himself to look at her a moment longer. He didn’t stop walking until he reached a place that was shaded by the overhanging branches of an ancient tree. And then he turned and Kate was shaken by the force of his venomous stare.

      ‘Non posso crederio, Kate! I can’t believe it!’ Santino’s voice was harsh, his gaze impenetrable. ‘I can’t believe you would do this to me!’

      Kate had never heard a voice made so ugly by emotion, or seen a face so deeply wounded she had no option but to look away. This was Santino in the raw, with all semblance of civilisation stripped away from him. The charm and civility he was renowned for were nowhere to be seen. The consideration for her sex had utterly deserted him. Santino had never seemed more dominant to her than he did at this moment, or more intimidating. She could see now that he posed a terrible threat to the simple life she enjoyed with Francesca, and would remain a threat unless she could find some way to placate him.

      He levelled a steely gaze on her face. ‘I asked you a question, which as yet you have not seen fit to answer. I can guess your reply … you’ll find some excuse.’

      ‘If you’d only let me explain …’ She reached out to him. ‘Please, Santino, why won’t you listen to me?’

      ‘So you can tell me more lies? I’m done with listening to you, Kate. It’s your turn to listen to me. And I’m telling you …’ his voice dropped to a menacing whisper … ‘you … owe … me … the truth.’

      ‘I realise I should have told you before, but—’

      ‘But?’ Santino bit out. ‘I asked you how could this happen and you prepare to feed me some excuse?’ His voice was like a shard of glass, cruel and sharp. ‘How long have you been in Rome, Kate? How many times have we sat together? How many opportunities have there been when you could have told me about Francesca? How many chances have you ignored? You could have told me today. You could have told me five years ago. You could have found me then if you had really wanted to.’

      ‘I was eighteen.’

      He gave a contemptuous laugh. ‘Don’t plead your age as an excuse. You were old enough to go to bed with me—and as I remember you didn’t take much persuading.’ Turning his face to the sky, he exhaled raggedly as if he had hoped to find the answer there.

      There were no words to touch Santino’s grief and nothing Kate could do to stop the memories flooding into her mind, memories that only reminded her in the cruellest way possible that Francesca was all she had left now. Meredith and Caddy were wonderful, but the bond between a mother and child was like no other. It could fill you with the most tremendous joy, or break you with unimaginable sorrow. But she couldn’t think about that now. She had to find a way to reach Santino or risk losing Francesca.

      Even as Santino brutalised her with words there was so much she wanted to say to him, so much she wanted to share, so much he should be told. So much that tragically, now, would always be left unsaid. What was the point in heaping more pain and grief on top of the rest? What was the point in confiding in a man who didn’t want to hear what she had to say? She had known too much loss to risk more. She had to think about Francesca now and remember how lucky she was, and not stare backwards into the past longing for what was lost.

      Kate’s anxiety levels rose as Santino started walking away. ‘Where are you going?’ But she could see where he was going. He was heading back towards the restaurant where Francesca was waiting. Who knew what he might do? Anything was possible. She ran after him and grabbed his arm.

      He shook her off angrily. ‘Don’t try to stop me going to my daughter. Just get away from me.’

      She was no longer required, here, or in his organisation, or in his life. But retreat wasn’t an option and so she ran after him again. ’Santino … Please, I know how hurt you must be—’

      ‘You have no idea,’ he assured her without breaking stride.

      ‘Please, Santino, for Francesca’s sake, we must—’

      ‘We?’ He stopped dead. ‘There is no we. Surely you don’t imagine I would trust you with the smallest decision where my daughter is concerned?’

      Kate had started to shake uncontrollably. ‘You have to listen to me, Santino. You have no choice.’

      ‘No choice?’ He smiled at her in a way that made her quake. ‘Is that a fact?’

      ‘I am Francesca’s mother—’

      ‘Yes, her mother?’ Santino declared with scorn. ‘And like all mothers you think only of yourself.’

      His СКАЧАТЬ