up Matt’s anticipation again.
‘There must be someone else, too.’
Just keep walking, Skye told herself, determined not to be intimidated by the someone else.
‘It’s a lady,’ came Matt’s surprised commentary.
A lady, indeed, Skye thought bitterly, her spine instantly stiffening as she recognised Luc’s mother. No doubt now that the limousine was associated with his family. The chauffeur escorted Flavia Peretti across the street and was dismissed by her when she was safely on the sidewalk, right next to the front gate where Luc had stood waiting, nine months ago.
‘Is she coming to our place, Mummy?’ Matt asked, curiosity enlivened by this strange visitor who was watching their approach.
‘Maybe she wants to ask for directions, Matt,’ Skye temporised, unsure what to expect from this meeting and unwilling to expose her son to a relationship that might prove harmful.
Flavia Peretti looked very imposing, elegantly dressed in black, her hair more grey than Skye remembered, though perfectly groomed as always. She had a strong-boned face and a very upright figure, tall enough to carry her weight well, very much an Italian Mamma, although the softness of her womanly curves belied the hardness of her judgemental character. She was staring at Matt, just as Luc had done—the son of her son, her only grandchild.
‘Why is she looking at me?’ Matt asked.
‘Perhaps you remind her of someone,’ Skye answered, worrying that an introduction was about to be forced.
And then what?
Her stomach was churning. Her mind was, too. Why had Flavia Peretti come now? What was the point of this visit? To try to stop her from marrying Luc? To get to her while her precious son was away, destroy her trust in their love?
All Skye’s protective instincts told her to keep Matt out of any confrontation with Luc’s mother. Needing to distract attention away from her son, as soon as they were close enough, she called out, ‘Can I help you?’
Flavia Peretti lifted her gaze from Matt, looking at Skye with a determined directness that mocked any pretence of not knowing who she was. ‘Miss Sumner…’ she started, letting her own identification of Skye hang for a moment.
‘Yes? Do you want to make an appointment?’ Skye rushed out, hoping the evasive tactic might raise a decent sense of discretion. She put her hand pointedly on Matt’s shoulder as they paused by the gate, waiting for an answer.
The intense dark eyes, so very like Luc’s, flashed a rueful understanding. ‘If I may come inside?’ she replied with cool dignity, giving way to Skye’s silent demand while exerting her own pressure for a private meeting.
‘Of course,’ Skye muttered, opening the gate and handing Matt the door-keys. ‘Go ahead and change into play clothes while I see to business.’
Accustomed as he was to her dealing with clients, Matt didn’t question the situation, and Skye breathed a sigh of relief when he obeyed without giving in to the temptation to question the lady about the extraordinary size of her car, either.
Skye watched him go inside before turning back to Luc’s mother whose gaze was still trained on the opened front door which Matt had left ajar for them to follow. Inviting the enemy inside was certainly not to Skye’s liking. She quickly asked, ‘Why have you come here, Mrs Peretti?’
‘I wanted to see my grandchild,’ came the flat answer.
‘You’ve seen him.’
‘He’s like Luciano.’ The words were wistful, with an undercurrent of yearning.
‘And me,’ Skye stated fiercely, demanding her parenthood be recognised.
Luc’s mother heaved a weary sigh as she returned her gaze to Skye. ‘I knew nothing of how you and the child were dealt with until my husband informed me of it last Easter.’
‘You didn’t want me for Luc any more than your husband did,’ Skye threw at her, certain it was true.
Flavia Peretti nodded. ‘But Luciano will marry you nonetheless,’ she said resignedly. ‘He will not change his mind. For him it is a point of honour.’
‘He loves me. And Matt,’ Skye stated fiercely, resenting the implication that it was only honour driving Luc’s desire to marry her. She did not believe it. Would not believe it.
‘Do you love him?’
‘Yes, I do. He’s the only man I’ve ever loved. Ever will love. And I will not let you talk me out of marrying him, no matter what arguments you use, no matter what you might offer me, so your visit is a waste of your time and mine, Mrs Peretti.’
Skye’s outburst seemed to make no impression on her. She bypassed it all, simply asking, ‘When is the wedding date?’
‘Soon.’ Caution screamed not to name the day.
‘Before Christmas?’
‘It’s none of your business, Mrs Peretti.’
‘My son is getting married and it’s none of my business?’ It was a raw cry, scraped from a deep bank of emotion.
‘You didn’t care about what he wanted. You only care about what you want,’ Skye retorted, fighting the possessiveness that had led to all her grief.
‘I am Luciano’s mother. As the mother of a son yourself… the only one I have left…’
Unbelievably, the haughty arrogance crumbled, tears welling into her eyes. And Skye couldn’t help feeling sorry for her: this proud woman, weeping on a public street, this sad woman who had lost one son and was on the verge of losing the only one she had left. Regardless of the hurt she’d given in the past, she was Luc’s mother, and Skye imagined her watching lovingly over Luc as a little boy, just as she did Matt.
It was impossible to leave her standing here like this. ‘Come inside, Mrs Peretti,’ Skye gently urged, taking her arm to steer her up the path and into the house.
Letting in the enemy.
Except it no longer felt like that.
Until she told Luc what had happened.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LUC’S call came through at seven o’clock that night, right on Matt’s bedtime. Knowing this, he asked to speak to Matt first so he could say goodnight to him, and since Matt was jumping up and down in his eagerness to speak to his father, Skye passed the telephone receiver to him.
‘Guess what, Daddy?’ he cried excitedly. ‘I met your Mummy today. She’s my grandmother and she said to call her Nonna.’
He went on to describe the big black car this amazing new person in his life had come in, while Skye worried over how Luc was reacting to the news. She had strongly felt it would be wrong to gag Matt on the subject of his grandmother. It would have raised too many questions and none of the answers were appropriate for a little boy’s understanding. Better to let him be happy about the relationship
