It was too soon, Mandy told herself. Renzo was bound to be wary at first. He just needed time. But she was haunted by the sight of him at the airport, seeing her embrace her son, pouring out motherly love, something that had never happened to him. With all her heart she longed to welcome him into the magic circle, but only he could decide when the moment had come. Until then, he was condemned to stand apart.
Then Danny clamoured for her attention and for a few hours she was able to forget everything but the joy of their reunion. Everyone in the house wanted to meet him, so she had to take him everywhere. The maids lined up to make joyful noises, which Danny returned with interest.
Teresa had outdone herself, reviving every baby-food recipe that she’d ever known, and laying out the details for inspection. Mandy ventured to suggest that for tonight Danny had better stick to his regular diet, which Sue had thoughtfully brought with her. But this was met with outrage.
In order to keep the peace, she made a choice, silently resolving to keep his normal food ready in reserve. But Danny was fast learning the social rules, and from his perch on Mandy’s lap he ate everything Teresa offered him with evident enjoyment.
‘He’s so sweet and well-behaved,’ she purred.
‘Don’t count on that lasting.’ Mandy chuckled. ‘I think the journey tired him, because usually he’s a little devil.’
‘Good,’ Teresa said fervently. ‘That’s how it should be. Just like his father.’
She beamed approval at Renzo, who smiled back dutifully.
‘It’s time he was in bed,’ Mandy said, rising with Danny in her arms.
‘Shall I come and help you?’ Sue asked.
‘Thank you, but no. We have a lot of catching up to do. Come along, my little man.’
She dropped a kiss on Danny’s head as she carried him out of the room. Renzo watched until they were out of sight, then turned back to Sue and became the perfect host. But Sue had a kind heart and soon released him, declaring herself tired after the journey.
Teresa had celebrated Danny’s arrival by ordering the most expensive cot and bedclothes she could find, putting them on Renzo’s account and demanding that they be delivered that day on pain of dire retribution. The intimidated store staff had obliged and the cot was waiting in Mandy’s room.
‘Look at that,’ she told him. ‘See how welcome they’re making you. Oh, let me hug you. It’s been so long. Mmm!’
Danny made a sound halfway between a giggle and a gurgle and she kissed him again and again, murmuring, ‘I’ve really got you back, my darling, and everything’s all right again. I’m never going to let you go.’
‘Fish,’ Danny said firmly.
‘Yes, fish. And fish. And fish. All the fish you want. Hey, don’t pull my hair.’
She burst out laughing at Danny’s determined assault, and he laughed with her.
‘I love you, love you, love you!’ she said fervently. ‘Now, let’s get you tucked up and off to sleep. And don’t worry, I’m staying right here with you all night.’
She settled Danny in the cot, gazing down with adoration, so oblivious to everything else that she never saw the man standing in the doorway, waiting for her to notice him and smile in welcome. When she didn’t, he moved quietly away.
They both wanted Sue to remain for a while and she settled in as part of the family. Renzo visited Danny twice a day, smiled and said the right things, but always with a kind of reserve that Mandy sensed he was trying to overcome, but without success.
Again, she found herself remembering the words he’d spoken in the mountains.
‘A man who takes such a jaundiced view of families as I do had probably better not have children.’
Had he spoken more prophetically than he knew? He’d been pleased with the idea of Danny but, as he’d warned her, the reality made him uneasy.
As a gesture of gratitude, she took Sue shopping in the Via Montenapoleone. They were alone, having yielded to Teresa’s pleas for Danny to be left with her. She bought her friend some costly outfits and they returned home happily to reclaim Danny from the housemaids who were cheerfully neglecting their work to play with him.
But there was no sign of Renzo.
‘He’s gone to visit the old man,’ Teresa confided. ‘He always stays with him a long time.’
And it was very late when she heard Renzo return to his room. She knocked on his door and he opened it at once.
‘I was wondering if it was too late to disturb you. Come in.’
When he’d closed the door he said, ‘I’ve been to see Nonno,’ using the Italian word for Grandfather, and indicating the picture that she’d used to prove Danny’s heritage.
‘How did you find him?’
‘Drifting in and out of consciousness. I tried to tell him about Danny but I’m not sure I got through to him.’
‘Then perhaps it’s time we all went together,’ Mandy suggested.
‘I was hoping you’d say that. We’ll go tomorrow.’
The care home where Bruno was living was a pleasant country house on the edge of Milan. He was on the ground floor, in a room with large windows with a view of the grounds. He wasn’t, as Mandy had expected, in bed, but sitting on a sofa, looking out at the lawn.
She could see that he was very old, with a wizened look, but when he heard them enter he opened his eyes and smiled. His mouth just shaped the word, ‘Renzo.’
‘You didn’t expect to see me back so soon, did you?’ Renzo said cheerfully. ‘But I told you about my son, and now I want you to meet him.’
For a moment they weren’t sure that he’d understood, but then he turned his head slowly to look at Mandy, who’d seated herself beside him on the sofa, with Danny in her arms. Renzo drew up a chair facing them.
‘Danilo,’ he said, touching the child.
‘Danilo.’ It was a whisper, barely audible.
‘Mandy.’ Renzo indicated her.
Bruno might be dreadfully weak, but he was still a gentleman. He inclined his head courteously, and she did the same.
‘Renzo has told me…a little about you…not much.’ His smile became conspiratorial. ‘Now…you tell.’
She gave a brief description of their meeting in the mountains, and their last nights.
‘I thought he was dead,’ she finished. ‘When I discovered that he was alive I came to find him, and tell him about our child.’
‘And this…is Renzo’s…son?’
‘Yes.’
Bruno put out a hand tentatively, and Danny promptly seized it hard enough to make him wince. Renzo instinctively reached out to break the contact.
‘No,’ Bruno said in a much firmer voice than before. ‘It’s good. He is strong…break things…’
‘Yes,’ Mandy said, smiling. ‘He does break things.’
‘Then he has spirit. In time…he will build things. I remember…’ the old man’s eyes rested warmly on Renzo ‘…when he wanted to smash everything, but he recovered.’
‘Because of you,’ Mandy said.
‘No, because of himself.’ Bruno looked at Renzo. ‘He will be to you what you have been to me.’
‘Will he?’ Renzo murmured, and Mandy wondered if she really heard a wistful note in his voice.
‘We never think so at first,’ Bruno said gently. ‘We see only the difficulty, the little terror who breaks our tools and makes a mess. But then there is the smile-you’ll see it soon, and know that it is just for you. After that-there is nothing you will not do to keep him safe.’
He stroked Danny’s forehead. ‘Thank you for bringing him to me.’
‘I’ll go out for a while,’ Mandy said.
When they were alone, Bruno said, ‘So she is the one.’
‘Yes,’ Renzo said quietly. ‘She is the one.’
‘She will be good for you. When will you marry?’
‘I don’t know. I haven’t asked her yet.’
‘Don’t let her slip through your fingers. When you’ve found the one, you must secure her. Not just because of
