Carol Marinelli – Tall, Dark and Italian: In the Italian's Bed / The Sicilian's Bought Bride / The Moretti Marriage (страница 21)

‘Oh.’ Tess swallowed. ‘Could she do that?’

‘If she had an accomplice,’ replied Castelli carelessly. ‘Do you know if she has any friends here in San Michele?’

Tess shook her head. ‘Not as far as I know,’ she replied, sure that Ashley had never mentioned any particular friend to her. Certainly no one who might be willing to assist her in doing something that sounded vaguely illegal. ‘She’s only lived here for nine months. Hardly long enough to get that close to anyone.’

‘Except Marco,’ Castelli observed softly, and Tess felt his frustration. Then, his eyes intent, ‘Tell me about my mother. I assume she came to ask you about your sister. What did she say to upset you?’

Tess shrugged. ‘Why do you think she upset me?’ she argued defensively, and a faint smile tugged at his lean, attractive mouth.

‘You said that if I had come for an apology, I would be unlucky, no?’ he responded drily. ‘Please, humour me. I would like to know her reasons for speaking with you.’

Tess sighed. ‘Oh—you know. She thought I might know more than I’d said.’

‘That you might know more than you had told me?’ he suggested shrewdly, and she nodded.

‘Something like that.’

‘Mmm.’ He withdrew his hands from his pockets and crossed them over his chest, tucking his fingers beneath his arms. ‘I guess she was unhappy with the results I had achieved. Did she tell you what a disappointment I had been to her as both a husband and a father?’

‘No!’ Tess was shocked. ‘She didn’t say anything like that.’

‘But she did imply that I was to blame for allowing Marco to become involved with your sister?’

‘No.’ Tess shook her head. ‘It was Ashley she vilified, not you. Or Marco. She said that Ashley had corrupted her grandson. That he was just a child. And when I said that boys of sixteen were not considered children in England, she criticised that, as well.’ She paused. ‘You—you were hardly mentioned.’

Castelli was sardonic. ‘You disappoint me.’

‘Well, I’m sure she didn’t approve of you associating with me,’ Tess appended swiftly. She pressed her hands together at her midriff, aware that she’d changed into an old pair of denim cut-offs when she’d got home from the gallery and they were hardly flattering. ‘She probably thinks that I’ll corrupt you, too.’

Castelli regarded her with mild amusement. ‘Do you think that is possible, cara? I am not an impressionable boy to be dazzled by a woman’s looks. In my experience, a pretty face has a limited appeal. If I had to choose, I would pick brains over beauty every time.’

‘How noble of you.’ Tess couldn’t hide her bitterness. ‘Is that why your wife left you? Because she couldn’t live up to such high ideals?’

It was an unforgivable thing to say, but Tess refused to feel any remorse. She resented the fact that he’d come here, that he’d felt he had the right to force his way into the apartment on some pretext she had yet to discover. All right, the way she’d behaved on the beach had probably given him the notion that she’d be willing to do just about anything he asked of her. But that had been a moment of madness that she had no intention of repeating. Ever.

Castelli moved then and she had to steel herself not to put the bar that divided the kitchenette from the rest of the room between them. But all he did was rub his palms over his spread thighs. He seemed to be more thoughtful than angry. It was as if he was considering her words and deciding how to answer her. Perhaps she’d been a little too close for comfort, she thought eagerly, feeling a momentary surge of revenge.

When he said, ‘I do not wish to discuss my wife with you,’ she felt almost euphoric. And when he continued, ‘Her reasons for leaving me are not part of this equation,’ she was sure she had bloodied a nerve.

‘So I was right,’ she said, amazed at her own temerity. ‘You’re just like your mother and Maria. You Castellis think you’re never wrong!’

‘No!’ The word was harsh and angry and for the first time Tess was aware that they were alone. ‘You are not right,’ he said, coming towards her. ‘Gina and I did not separate because of any high ideals on my part. Not unless you consider the fact that she preferred to sleep in other beds than mine no justification.’

Tess did retreat behind the bar then.

She felt mortified and ashamed. She’d been so intent on scoring points, she hadn’t considered the wounds she might have been inflicting.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said unhappily. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’ She spread her hands along the bar, nails digging into the plastic rim. She licked her lips and when he didn’t speak she added, with a weak attempt at humour, ‘Blame your mother. I got used to defending myself with her.’

Castelli’s lips tightened. ‘You do it very well,’ he said, facing her across the narrow divide. ‘But you are wrong about me. My opinion of my own character is very poor.’

‘Is it?’

Tess couldn’t prevent the rejoinder and, because it seemed as if she couldn’t speak to him without being provoking, she picked up the bottle of wine she’d left on the counter earlier. The label meant nothing to her but she pretended to examine it anyway. Anything to avoid looking at him, from responding to that dangerous sexuality that he wore as naturally as his skin.

‘It seems you had the last word. As far as my mother was concerned,’ he said after a moment, and she wondered if he was trying to defuse the situation, too. It made it even harder to remember why she’d been so angry with him. But at least talking about his mother seemed harmless enough.

‘It was only because she got upset,’ she admitted now, putting down the bottle and opening a drawer. Rummaging around for the corkscrew gave her another excuse not to look at him. ‘I suggested she went into the office to compose herself. Then she let herself out the back without even closing the door behind her.’

Castelli snorted. ‘She got upset,’ he echoed disbelievingly. ‘That does not sound like the woman I know. Cara, Lucia does not get upset. Not unless it is for some purpose of her own.’

‘Well, perhaps she wanted to spend some time alone in the office,’ offered Tess, finding the corkscrew and pulling a rueful face. ‘I—well, I’m not absolutely sure about this, but I think she might have searched Ashley’s desk.’

‘Non credo!’ Castelli was shocked, she could tell. ‘No. Lucia may be many things, cara, but she is not a thief!’

‘I believe you.’ Tess sighed. ‘But I think she was looking for something all the same.’

‘Cosa?’ What?

Tess shrugged, and then, because she’d succeeded in finding the corkscrew, she felt obliged to use it. She was fitting the screw into the cork when Castelli came round the bar and took the implement from her. ‘Let me do that,’ he said, with obvious impatience. ‘Then perhaps you will explain what you are talking about.’

Tess didn’t argue with him. Stepping back, she let him have his way. But the kitchenette was tiny and he was now much too close for comfort. She couldn’t get past him. Not without rubbing up against him. And that was the last thing she wanted to do in her present state of emotional upheaval.

Instead, she kept her gaze riveted on his hands in an effort to distract herself. But she was uncomfortably aware of the strength in his chest and arms, the way his tight shirt outlined the taut muscles of his stomach.

He was all male, all man, and she wouldn’t have been human if she hadn’t responded to it. Particularly after what had happened between them before. Her breasts puckered in anticipation of a caress they were not going to receive, and she crossed her arms across her body in an effort to hide her reaction from him.

Her mouth was dry and, realising he was waiting for an explanation, she said quickly, ‘I think your mother was looking for information about Ashley. Perhaps she thought I’d missed something when I looked through the desk myself.’

Castelli pulled out the cork before replying. Then, setting the bottle down on the counter, he said, ‘So did she find anything?’

‘Not as far as I know.’ Tess was wary. ‘Why? Do you think she did?’

Castelli made a dismissive gesture. ‘Until this moment, I did not even know she had visited the gallery,’ he said drily. He frowned. ‘But I have not seen her today, so who knows?’

Tess’s lips parted. ‘I hope you don’t still think I’ve been keeping Ashley’s whereabouts a secret from you,’ she exclaimed indignantly, and Castelli gave her a speaking look. ‘You needn’t deny it,’ she continued hotly. ‘That’s why you’ve come here, isn’t it? Because your mother’s disappeared and you think I might know where she’s gone?’

‘Do not be so ridiculous,’ he told her impatiently. ‘I have just told you, I did not even know Lucia had been to the gallery when I came here.’

‘So you said.’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

‘Well, I only have your word that you didn’t know about her visit,’ said Tess challengingly. ‘And you must admit, you haven’t given me a good reason for coming here yet.’

Castelli leaned back against the counter, resting his hands on the worn plastic at either side of him. Then, with gentle irony, he said, ‘Well, obviously I am not here at your invitation. Let us be honest with one another. Do you want me to go?’