a resistance to overturn the monarchy. They kidnapped one of the king’s twin grandsons and demanded a ransom. The king refused to pay it.’
Alex frowned. ‘Why did he do that?’
‘I don’t know.’ She glanced at him briefly, her teeth capturing her bottom lip for a moment before she released it and turned back to look down at the lush valley below. ‘Maybe he didn’t want to be seen being manipulated or something.’
‘So the kidnappers killed the little prince?’
She hesitated for a fraction of a second. ‘Yes…his body was found after an undercover rescue attempt failed. He had been blown up by a bomb.’
She felt Alex wince. ‘Hard to live down that sort of stuff,’ he said.
‘Yes.’
‘So what was left of your family has had to live with that ever since?’ he asked.
‘Yes. It’s been hard…you know…everyone looking at you as if you have murder and insurgence on your mind,’ she said with a dejected slump of her shoulders.
‘Poor little elf,’ he said, turning her head so he could cup her face as he looked into her eyes. ‘It sounds to me as if you need to be taken away from all this drama for a while. Are we still on for dinner?’
‘D-dinner?’ She looked at him with a shadow of uncertainty in her green-flecked hazel eyes.
‘Yes, that’s why I came up here in the first place. One of the nursing staff said you lived up here in the foothills. I was taking a chance on finding you at a loose end so I could take you out to dinner somewhere.’
‘There aren’t any restaurants up here.’
‘I know, but what about down at Porto di Castellante?’ he suggested.
Amelia lowered her gaze, frightened of the temptation he was dangling before her and even more terrified she wouldn’t be able to resist it. ‘I have to cook my father something…’
‘I heard he’s not well and not keen on seeing anyone professional,’ Alex said. ‘I thought if I came up to take you out it might be a way of breaking the ice in case there’s anything I can do for him.’
She raised her gaze back to meet his, a look of surprise flickering there momentarily before she looked away again.
‘Did I say something wrong?’ he asked.
‘No…it’s just that he asked me to ask you to visit him, but I just didn’t get around to it when I…er…saw you earlier today.’
‘I can’t promise to be of any help but sometimes it helps to get a second opinion.’
‘He’s got advanced lung cancer,’ she said, the bleak resignation evident in her tone. ‘A second opinion is not going to save him.’
‘That’s sad,’ he said. ‘What about palliative care? Who is overseeing that?’
She let out a defeated sigh. ‘He won’t accept any treatment.’
‘So you are managing him on your own?’
‘Not very well, I’m afraid,’ she confessed, her eyes drifting to the view once more. ‘I have tried my best to get him to be reassessed but he won’t budge. He’s not in much pain as yet but I dread what is ahead.’
‘It’s a brute of a disease,’ he said with feeling. ‘I’ll have a chat with him and see if I can change his mind. Besides, we can always organise some self-administered morphine for him to use at home when things start to go downhill.’
‘You’re a heart specialist,’ she said, looking at him again. ‘This is not your responsibility.’
‘Perhaps not, but how else am I going to get you to agree to come out with me?’ he asked with a twinkling smile.
Amelia felt the familiar kick of panic deep in her stomach. She had travelled this road before and it had almost ruined her life. Alex Hunter was here for work and pleasure; there was no promise of permanency. How could there be? She would be a fool to even dare to dream otherwise.
‘You’re only here for a month,’ she reminded him, a tight set to her mouth.
‘So?’
‘So…that’s not long enough to get to know someone properly.’
‘Listen, Amelia, I’m an open book. What you see is what you get. I’m not hiding any dark secrets. I’m not married and nor am I currently involved with anyone and haven’t been for quite some time.’
‘So that’s supposed to reassure me?’ she asked with a deepening frown.
He smiled at her. ‘Of course.’
Amelia felt herself caving in in spite of her every attempt to counteract it. He was so utterly charming and irresistible. What would it hurt to go on one little date with him? she wondered. The fact that he was only here for a short time made it even less likely for her to be in any danger of losing her head or heart, she reasoned. Besides, this was a chance for her to prove to herself once and for all she had moved on after her experience with Benito. Only a naïve fool would fall into the same trap twice and she was no fool, or at least not any more.
Besides, Lucia and her brother were right—she did need to have a bit of a life now and again. All work and no play was a sure-fire recipe for burn-out and then who would look after her father and brothers?
‘I don’t know.’ she began hesitantly, not wanting him to see how tempted she really was.
‘Come on, give me a chance. I promise not to step over any boundaries. No sex, well…not on the first date anyway, but after that who knows?’ He gave her another teasing grin.
She gave him a school-mistress look. ‘You really are incorrigible.’
‘I know, but you’re so cute I can’t resist trying to win your heart.’
‘It would take a whole lot more than a sexy smile and a quick wit to win my heart,’ she said, trying to purse her lips but failing hopelessly.
‘You think I’ve got a sexy smile?’ His eyes glinted as they held hers. ‘I have to confess I’ve had extensive orthodontic work done.’ He tapped his two front teeth. ‘These are totally fake—porcelain veneers. I had my teeth knocked out during a football match.’
There was nothing she could do to stop her smile. ‘You really are unbelievable.’
He tapped her on the end of her nose. ‘So are you, elf.’ He got up and pulled her to her feet beside him. ‘Now, come on—let’s get this poor bike in the back of my car and get you home and hosed, and ready for our first date.’
Amelia sat in the front seat of his car as he loaded her bike in the back and mentally prepared herself for the first time he saw the poverty of her home. She could already feel herself cringing in shame. It had been years since she had brought anyone to the cottage. She always arranged to meet the few friends she had kept over the years
