challenge.
'She was lying,' he told her harshly. 'She is the
one who desires a marriage between us, because she
covets my title and my wealth. Caterina is a bloodsucker
and a leech, a woman who has proved beyond
any doubt that she is happy to sell herself to the highest
bidder.'
Jodie was curious to know more, but there was a
look on his face which said that the subject was now
closed. Cautiously she walked through the doors he
had just opened, and once she had done so her curiosity
about Caterina was pushed to one side by her
surprise. The room into which she had walked was
surprisingly modern, and furnished very simply. Plain
plastered walls had been painted a soft cream, and a
heavy-textured natural-coloured carpet covered the
floor, on which stood two large leather sofas.
'The original panelling was taken from this room
during the war, when the Castillo was occupied,'
Lorenzo informed her. 'That was when my grandmother’s
first husband was killed.' Jodie gave a small
shudder without knowing why she should suddenly
feel chilled.
'Where…where are Caterina’s rooms?' she asked
him uncertainly.
'She is occupying the state rooms, as did my grandmother,'
Lorenzo informed her dismissively, continuing
briskly before Jodie could ask any more questions,
'I shall arrange for my lawyer to come here
tomorrow so that we can draw up a contract and make
the necessary arrangements for our marriage.'
Jodie tensed. 'I’ve been thinking…'
'Caterina has alarmed you — is that it? You are
afraid of her?'
'No!' Jodie denied the charge vigorously. 'I’m not
afraid of her at all.'
Lorenzo lifted one dark eyebrow as though in disbelief.
'It isn’t that,' Jodie insisted again, 'but if you are
serious about this marriage between us, then I
want…'
'Yes?' Lorenzo invited her. It was just as he had
thought. Already she was working out how much she
could get out of him. 'You want what? Two million
instead of one?'
Jodie flashed him an angry look. 'No. I’ve already
told you I Don’t want your money.'
'But you do want something?'
'Yes,' she agreed, and took a deep breath. 'I want
you to go with me to John and Louise’s wedding.'
She held her breath, waiting for him to refuse, telling
herself that this would be the get-out, her reason
for insisting that she was not going to be dragged any
further into whatever devious plans he was hatching.
But, instead of refusing her, Lorenzo accused
softly, 'So you do still want him?'
'No! I just want…' She paused and shook her head.
'I Don’t have to explain my reasons to you. Those are
my terms for marrying you. It is up to you whether
or not you accept them.' Please, let him refuse…
'Very well, then. We will go to your ex-fiance.'s
wedding, but it will be as husband and wife.'
Jodie could feel her body sag with relief. Relief?
Because of a fatalistic sense of having any more decisions
taken out of her hands? Because she had
weakly handed over control of her life to an arrogant
stranger?
'Come with me…'
Tiredly, Jodie followed him through another set of
doors that led into a very male study, and from there
into an ante-room from which two doors opened.
'This is my room,' Lorenzo informed her, indicating
one door, 'and this is the guest room.'
He was looking at her almost as though he was
testing her, as though he was waiting for her to make
a choice. Determinedly she stepped towards the door
to the guest room and turned the handle.
Like the other rooms, it was decorated and furnished
in a plain, modern style, but all Jodie was interested
in was the wonderful large bed. Her leg was
hurting so much she was beginning to drag it slightly.
'Those doors on either side of the bed lead into a
dressing room and a bathroom,' she could hear
Lorenzo explaining. 'I shall have your bag sent up.
Are you hungry?'
Jodie shook her head. She had gone beyond that.
All she wanted was to lie down and feel the pain
easing out of her leg. She took a step forward and her
weak leg, already overtired from the long drive, buckled
and started to give way. Automatically she put out
her hands to try and save herself as she fell. She heard
Lorenzo cursing, and then he was reaching for her,
just managing to catch her before she hit the floor,
yanking her back to her feet so sharply that the pain
slicing into her made her cry out.
'Diablo! What is it? what’s wrong?'
'Nothing. It’s just my leg,' Jodie told him, pushing
him away and trying to stand up straight. But it was
too late. Her leg had had enough and was refusing to
support her properly. She could see the way Lorenzo
