he surveys?’
‘That’s exactly right-especially with your father. He’s Toni’s special pet.’
A strange look came over Ruggiero’s face.
‘Ah, yes,’ he murmured. ‘At last he’s got a grandchild.’
‘At last? He already has plenty of them by your brothers, doesn’t he?’
‘No, they’re my mother’s grandchildren, not his. Primo was her stepson in her first marriage, Luke was adopted, Justin and Francesco are hers, but not Poppa’s. Of course they’re all family, and Toni loves them because he has a great heart, but only Carlo and I are his actual sons. Carlo’s wife is too frail to risk children, so that just leaves me.’
Suddenly Ruggiero sat back in his chair, transfixed.
‘No wonder that little kid has taken Poppa by storm. Why didn’t I see it before?’
There were a thousand answers, but the one that warmed Polly’s heart was that out of the turmoil of feeling that had invaded Ruggiero in the last few days had come a new and generous understanding of his father.
‘I’ll give you another reason,’ she said, smiling. ‘Matti looks like him. We’ve all been staring into that little face, trying to decide whether he resembles you or his mother, but actually it’s Toni.’
‘You’re right! I should have noticed that.’
‘Maybe you need to stand back a bit to see things clearly?’ she said, giving the words two meanings.
He nodded. ‘Maybe.’
‘Eat your food before it gets cold.’
‘Yes, Nurse.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
AS THEY ate Polly studied him. He might only have been starving for two days but it looked more like a week. What had happened while he’d been shut up alone with those photographs and his pitifully few memories?
And then she knew why he hadn’t wanted to come to this place.
Her cousin was there in her mind again, as she’d been in the last few weeks of her life, giving one of her cruel monologues in a voice that had begun to rasp.
‘He used to talk about how we’d go to Naples together and he’d take me to this little fish restaurant he part- owned. He said he’d show me off to all his friends-as if I wanted to be displayed to a load of fishermen! No, thank you! He thought he was really something, but he didn’t have a clue.’
That was why he hadn’t wanted to bring Polly here. In his mind it was reserved for Sapphire. He’d never known that she’d appreciated him only for his skill in bed. When he’d grown sentimental she’d despised him.
Get out, she told the evil imp in her head. You don’t deserve him.
But the imp was clever. She changed, becoming beautiful again.
‘And you think you do?’ she jeered. ‘Do you think you’ll take him from me by mothering him? I know what he wants from a woman, and it isn’t that.’
I’ll free him from you, no matter what I have to do.
Sapphire vanished, sulking, as she’d always done when she didn’t get her own way easily.
‘Are you all right?’ Ruggiero asked. ‘You went strange all of a sudden.’
‘Yes, everything fine. This food is good. Tell me, did you ever go into work?’
‘Yes, but after the first day I realised I wasn’t ready.’
‘And you always meant to come back to your apartment. That’s why you took the pictures of Sapphire.’
He avoided answering this directly, but gave her a curious look.
‘Do you know that you just called her Sapphire?’ he asked. ‘It was always Freda before.’
‘I didn’t realise. Well, it’s awkward if we’re using different names.’
But that wasn’t the reason, she knew. Freda had gone. Only Sapphire existed now. Increasingly she had the feeling that her enemy was taking shape before her, ready for a fight that was inevitable.
‘I’m not a very good host,’ he said with a faint smile. ‘When a man takes a woman for dinner he should talk about her-her eyes, her face…’
‘You try that and I’ll make you sorry,’ she threatened, her eyes gleaming.
‘Ah, yes. Brian wouldn’t like it.’
‘I wouldn’t like it. I’m here to look after you. Your mother hired me as your nurse, and I’m going to earn my salary.’
‘My mother’s paying you?’ he asked, in a voice that sounded surprised and not entirely pleased.
‘Certainly. I’m providing a service and she’s paying the going rate. Well, more than the going rate, if I’m honest, but that only means I have to be more conscientious about doing my job.’ A burst of inspiration made her add, ‘Brian’s very pleased. Getting married is expensive, and we’re neither of us earning much yet, so the longer this job goes on the better he likes it.’
‘Even though it takes his heart’s desire away from him? Why do you make that face?’
‘Why do you say such silly things?’
‘Aren’t you his heart’s desire?’
‘I’m English. We don’t talk like that. Stop trying to make fun of me.’
‘I didn’t mean to. It’s just that you never seem to come at the top of his list of priorities. He’s not exactly burning with passion, is he?’
‘I have no complaints,’ she replied primly.
‘But isn’t he bothered by the time we spend together? Why isn’t he here, threatening me with dire retribution if I dare lay a hand on you?’
Her lips twitched.
‘For three reasons,’ she said. ‘First, I’ve assured him that you’re an invalid who couldn’t lay a hand on a rag doll. Second, if you tried I’d knock you into the middle of next week. And third, I’m getting good money to put up with you.’
Ruggiero joined in her laughter.
‘Completely unanswerable,’ he conceded. ‘So I don’t have to feel I’m imposing on your kindness if I ask another favour?’
‘What favour?’
‘Come back with me now, and fill in some more of the blanks.’
‘If I can remember,’ she hedged.
‘I think you can remember everything, and you must tell me whatever I ask. Promise me that?’
Luckily he didn’t wait for her answer, but called Leo and rose to leave.
True to her promise, she tried to pay for the meal. But Ruggiero scowled until she gave up, and they left with his arm around her shoulder.
‘You don’t mind propping me up, Nurse?’ he asked lightly.
‘Not at all,’ she said, matching his tone. ‘I shall put it down as overtime.’
Once in the apartment, he took out the albums and laid them on the table between them.
‘Have you spent these last days going through these?’ Polly asked gently
‘Stupid, isn’t it? I turned off the radio and television, made no calls, shut out the world in every way I could so that I could be alone with her. But-’ He sighed.
‘Ruggiero, don’t you realise that I could say anything? How will you know what to believe?’
‘Because I trust you,’ he said simply.
‘But how do you know that you can?’
He shook his head. ‘I can’t tell you that-just that all my instincts say that you’re one of the most honest people I’ve ever met. I trust you as I’d trust my own family. I’d risk my life on your word.’
It was a crushing responsibility, but if she ducked it she couldn’t help him, and that was all that mattered. Nor must he guess how she felt about him. Because that would compromise trust and make her useless. Thank goodness for ‘Brian’, she thought.
‘I’ll do my best,’ she said. ‘I probably knew her better than anyone because I lived with her for years. This
