Rinaldo’s Inherited Bride

But as the service ended and he kissed her, Alex murmured, ‘Gino’s here.’

‘I know. I saw him by the door.’

It was all they needed to be happy. As they turned and walked back down the aisle together their eyes were searching row after row of faces, looking for the one face that mattered.

But he wasn’t there. If he had ever been there, he had gone again.

The reception was held in the largest barn, hung with flowers and ribbons. The bride and groom laughed, drank toasts, and danced, but each was secretly longing for the moment when everyone would be gone, and they could begin their true life together. There was no sign of Gino.

When the last guest had gone they made their way across to the house, and there found an unexpected face.

‘Bruno!’ Rinaldo exclaimed with pleasure. ‘We hoped to see you earlier.’

‘I came with Gino, but he left at once and I felt I should stay with him.’

‘I wish he’d talked to me,’ Rinaldo said heavily. ‘I’ve been trying to arrange things so that he’ll have some money to live on, but he writes to say he won’t take anything. He should accept something. Part of this place is his.’

‘I know, but he feels he can’t draw an income from the farm when he won’t be here to do any work. With the money he won’t accept you can hire more workers.’

Bruno’s manner suddenly became uneasy and he couldn’t meet Alex’s eye. ‘Signora, he apologises for the way he ran away before. I believe his feelings overcame him that day. The only thing he wants-’

‘Is the ring,’ she said. ‘I’ll get it.’

Recently she had locked the valuable object in Rinaldo’s office for safe keeping. It took only a moment to bring it out.

‘Thank you,’ Bruno said, slipping it into his pocket. ‘And finally, there is this.’ He proffered a letter. ‘He wrote it after he left the church, and asked me to give it to you. And now, goodnight.’

He slipped away, leaving Alex staring at the letter in her hand. From the kitchen came the sound of Teresa calling the maids.

‘Come,’ Rinaldo said, taking her arm and drawing her towards the stairs. ‘Let us read it where we can be certain of not being disturbed.’

The house was quiet as they closed the door of her bedroom behind them.

Standing by the window, still in her bridal gown, Alex took out the letter and read the words on the envelope. Her heart leapt as she saw,

To my brother and sister.

‘Read it to me,’ Rinaldo said quietly.

Alex opened the sheet within, and began to read.

I thought I couldn’t bear to witness your wedding, but in the end I had to come, just for a few minutes. You looked so right together. Forgive me for not staying longer.

Forget my cruel words. I was half crazy and didn’t know what I was saying.

I can’t come back. We three cannot live under the same roof. But there’s no hatred or anger.

Alex, I thought you were the woman for me, but you can’t be, and I think perhaps Rinaldo needs you more. Take care of him. He needs to be cared for. But you already know that.

Perhaps, as you said, there’s someone else, waiting for me to find her. Then she and I can share what the two of you share. I hope so.

God bless you both!

Your brother, Gino.

The letter ended with a typical Gino joke.

PS: You might name your first baby after me.

PPS: Only if it’s a boy, of course.

‘How like him to say that,’ Alex said between tears and laughter.

‘Yes,’ Rinaldo said, and his voice too was husky.

He switched off the light. Outside the open window the countryside lay quiet under the moon.

‘I wonder where he is now,’ she said.

Instead of answering Rinaldo drew her away from the window.

‘He is where he will find his own destiny,’ he said, ‘as we have. Don’t fear for him. He is a far stronger man than we thought, and his time will come.’

He drew her possessively into his arms.

‘But now, amor mio, the time is ours. Let us waste it no longer.’

Lucy Gordon

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