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

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СКАЧАТЬ Standing up, Kate firmed her jaw. Her little girl was laughing in the sunshine and that was where she wanted to be … outside in the fresh air with Francesca. Picking up her bag, Kate stuffed the documents inside. She would have to look at them more closely another time.

      By the time Kate reached the lakeside Santino was just lifting Francesca from the boat and setting her down on the wooden pier that jutted out in the lake. The moment she saw Kate, Francesca came flying across the grass to greet her. Capturing Francesca’s momentum, Kate swung her high into the air. Francesca was bursting with excitement from everything she’d seen, including the island where she would be able to play pirates once she was older and had learned to sail.

      Santino would be able to teach Francesca so many things, Kate reflected, smiling as she listened to the endless list of discoveries Francesca had made. If her daughter was happy she was happy—wasn’t that how it had always worked in the past?

      Kate had to stamp on the longing that threatened to overwhelm her when Santino walked up to them. She couldn’t bear to look at him. She couldn’t bear to see the expression of loathing on his face when he stared back at her. Her heart was so badly bruised she wasn’t ready for another knock yet.

      ‘Did your meeting go well?’ His voice was clipped, but, as always, cleverly pitched in front of Francesca.

      ‘Very well, thank you.’ A glance at Francesca reassured Kate that they were both successful in keeping their true feelings from her.

      ‘Good,’ Santino said with satisfaction.

      Kate flashed him a look over Francesca’s head to let him know she was aware of all the risks she had run by falling in with his plan. The papers his lawyer had given her weighed heavily in her bag. Her secret hoard of misery, Kate thought bitterly, knowing there could be no going back. The legal machine was up and running, and as far as Santino was concerned the end of the journey was a foregone conclusion.

      ‘Come along,’ Francesca prompted, reaching for Kate’s hand, ‘We’re going to have ice cream. Gelato, ’ she added, pronouncing the new word proudly and distinctly.

      ‘Clever girl.’ Kate forced a smile, knowing this was the first of many new Italian words Francesca would soon be speaking.

      ‘You like ice cream, don’t you?’ Francesca pressed hopefully.

      ‘Yes … but Daddy wants to have some time alone with you,’ Kate explained as gently as she could. ‘You and I have lots of opportunities to eat ice cream together, Francesca.’ With every word Kate felt as if she were twisting a knife in her heart and Francesca’s tears of disappointment gave it an added twist. However hard she tried not to, she was in danger of spoiling Francesca’s day. She should have forgotten about putting on a brave show and stayed in the house out of the way.

      ‘There’s enough ice cream for everyone.’

      Santino’s remark was to forestall any emotional blunder, Kate realised. He could always read her so accurately and knew she was on the brink. For once, she could only be grateful to him. The last thing she wanted to do was break down in front of Francesca.

      It pierced Kate’s heart when Francesca smiled up at both of them, totally unaware of the deception they were playing out.

      ‘Don’t worry about me.’ Kate’s steady glance assured Santino that she was back under control. ‘I’ll have some ice cream with you another time, Francesca. I’ve got some things I must do.’ She turned to go and kept on smiling, but she hated it, she hated any form of deception where Francesca was concerned.

      But Francesca wouldn’t take no for an answer and seized her hand. And then she took Santino’s hand so the three of them were linked.

      She had to keep up the act, Kate told herself firmly. If Santino could do it, then so could she. But all the resolve in the world couldn’t ease the pain of a broken heart. She had wanted so much more than this.

      Meredith was waiting for them on the raised patio. Standing beside an old-fashioned ice cream cart, she was waving a child-sized apron like a flag. Kate felt anger flood through her at the thought that this was how Francesca’s life was going to be from now on. What was wrong with a dish of ice cream, or an ice cream cornet, for goodness’ sake?

      She had calmed down a little by the time Francesca had served them all beautifully, but Kate still couldn’t bring herself to meet Santino’s eyes. She couldn’t bear to see the adoration in his gaze when he stared at Francesca turn to cold contempt each time he looked at her.

      There were heaters positioned on the patio to protect them from the slightest chill, but even so Kate shivered as she thought about her meeting with his lawyer and what it signified. Surely a child belonged with her mother? She had to believe that. She had to believe that any court would uphold that right.

      ‘Kate, a word, please …’

      Kate jolted back to attention as Santino spoke to her and saw he was standing, waiting for her to go with him. What now? What demands, what threats, would he put in place? But even as she shrank from the prospect of more power play she yearned to be with him, to be close to him, to have the opportunity to try and reach beyond the coldness and find his heart.

      Thanking Francesca for his ice cream, he promised to visit her stall again very soon, and then turned to make sure Kate was following him.

      Kate was so eaten up by anxiety on her way back into the house that she almost stumbled. Santino was there to catch her. He steadied her, his touch on her arm a poignant reminder of the old intimacy between them.

      Her heart was always ready to take him back, Kate realised, but she had to stop wasting time on hopeless daydreams and concentrate on securing the best possible outcome for Francesca.

      ‘Do you think Francesca is happy?’

      They had taken up positions on opposite sides of Santino’s study and were facing each other.

      ‘Of course,’ Kate told him honestly. ‘Anyone can see how happy she is.’ Even as she spoke Kate was conscious that any innocent remark might work against her. Just by telling the truth she made it sound as if she were endorsing Santino’s desire to keep Francesca with him in Rome. She would have to be on guard every moment and watch every word she said.

      ‘And what do you think of my proposals regarding visitation rights? Do you think them fair?’

      Fair … The word thundered in Kate’s head, taunting her with what might have been, reminding her that now it all came down to a balancing act between them as they ensured Francesca’s time was divided between them. ‘Yes,’ she said uncertainly, wishing now that she had stayed longer in the house to study the documents. The urge to be with Francesca had overwhelmed her and made her careless, and now she realised that it might have cost her dear. ‘They seemed fair.’

      ‘That’s good. We need to get everything organised as quickly as possible to lessen the impact on Francesca.’

      Lessen the impact on Francesca? Kate couldn’t find any words in answer to that. Was Santino serious? How would a speedy decision lessen the impact on Francesca? Had he thought how this new regime would impact on her? How could it affect Francesca other than negatively when it took away from her everything she knew, everything she was comfortable with, everything in her innocence she believed would go on for ever? Santino might have convinced himself that a straightforward transaction could take place between them, СКАЧАТЬ