Aunt Mary and Uncle Charles. They had been forced to delay their departure for Cyprus and would no doubt be impatient to leave. They could be no more impatient than she, for then she would not have to see Lorenzo Santorini again.
A part of her knew that she was being both ungrateful and wrong-headed in her judgement of him, but she could not help her feelings of irritation. He was such an arrogant man, so sure of himself. So many men must have died when that galley sunk so quickly, and he had saved only a few of them. How would he feel if he were one of those poor creatures chained to an oar and doomed to die unless someone rescued them? He could know nothing of their suffering or their pain.
She remembered his harshness towards the man he had named William. Was there no softness in him, no compassion? For a moment as he held her on the mountainside she had felt such…warmth, love…desire.
Kathryn’s cheeks flamed as she admitted to herself the mixture of emotions that had swirled through her in those brief moments in his arms. No, it was imagination, she could not have felt anything like that! It would be impossible to love such a cold man. What she had felt had merely been relief.
She turned as the door to her cabin was opened and saw Lorenzo standing there, watching her with those deep blue eyes that stirred such feeling in her.
‘My gondola will take you to my home,’ he told her. ‘Please feel free to do as you please within the house and garden—but do not leave it without my escort.’
‘I shall be only too pleased to be with my aunt again, sir.’
‘Lady Mary and Lord Mountfitchet have gone ahead of us to Cyprus,’ he told her. ‘My galley needs urgent repairs and so I returned to Venice for that purpose.’
‘But…’ Kathryn stared at him in dismay. ‘How am I to…It is not fitting that I stay in your house without Aunt Mary, sir.’
His eyes mocked her. ‘You have lately been a prisoner of Don Pablo, Kathryn. Your reputation must have suffered. If, however, you worry for your virtue, you should know that you are quite safe from me. I have no interest in foolish children.’
Her cheeks burned as she saw the mocking light in his eyes. ‘I did not mean—but my reputation…’ She faltered as she realised that in truth she could no longer claim to have one. She had been Don Pablo’s captive, living on board his ship and in his house for several days. Anything might have happened to her during that time, and some might believe it had. ‘I dare say it is too late to worry what others may think of me…’
Lorenzo’s laughter was low and husky. ‘Let them think what they will, Kathryn,’ he said. ‘The man who weds you will know your innocence is untouched and the others are as nothing.’
‘Yes, you are right, sir.’ She lifted her head proudly, though she was sorely troubled. Reputation was everything to an unmarried girl and hers had been tarnished through no fault of her own.
‘We took three galley slaves from the wreck,’ Lorenzo said. ‘None of them have blue eyes, but when they are well enough they will be questioned for any information concerning Richard Mountfitchet that they may have.’
‘I always called him Dickon,’ Kathryn said, her eyes sad and slightly dreamy. ‘And he called me Kathy…his sweet Kathy. We were but children, but we loved each other well.’
Lorenzo’s gaze narrowed intently. A little nerve was flicking at his temple as he said, ‘If you think of any other information that may be relevant, you may tell me. It should take no more than a week to repair my galley and then I shall escort you to your uncle. I believe he took William with him as you asked.’
‘Thank you…’ She looked into his eyes despite her determination to keep her distance, and her heart caught. Oh, no! She was being foolish. She could not be attracted to this man. It was impossible—wrong! Her heart belonged to Dickon and she would never marry someone who could do the things this man had done. ‘I shall be glad to be with my friends again.’
‘Yes, of course,’ he said. ‘Now, if you please, the gondola is waiting.’
Kathryn paced the floor of her chamber, feeling restless. They had been in Venice for two days now and she had hardly seen Lorenzo at all. Her meals were served to her wherever she wished, but she ate them in solitary state, which only made her feel more alone than ever. It seemed that in being rescued from Don Pablo she had merely exchanged one prison for another.
She was so tired of being in the house! She decided to go down to the courtyard and walk in the garden, but as she went down the stairs and into the main hall, she heard voices and saw that Lorenzo had that moment come in with Michael dei Ignacio. They both turned to look at her. Michael smiled warmly as he saw her, but Lorenzo’s eyes were as cool as ever.
‘I was about to go into the garden,’ she said, feeling it necessary to explain. ‘It is warmer today and the house seems too confining.’
‘You must be tired of being shut in the house,’ Michael told her. ‘I fear we have been too busy to entertain you, mistress. However, this evening there is a masque being held in the open air—perhaps you would care to attend? I shall be going and I dare say Lorenzo may be persuaded to spend a little time with us. And I shall take several of our men to protect you, though I think it unlikely that Don Pablo will try another such trick.’
‘I should like to go with you, sir.’ Kathryn looked at Lorenzo. ‘Have I your permission to go?’
His mouth seemed hard and censorious as he said, ‘You are not my prisoner, Kathryn. I am sure that Michael will take good care of you, though I have business that will prevent me from attending. You will need clothes for the masque, which is said to be very entertaining, I believe. I shall instruct my servants to bring you gowns and masks that you may like to wear for the occasion.’
‘Thank you.’ She sensed his disapproval, which was almost anger that she had agreed so willingly. ‘I shall look forward to it, Signor Ignacio.’
‘I shall be here at the hour of seven to collect you,’ he said and bowed to her. ‘And now, if you will excuse me, I have some business I must attend.’
Kathryn turned away as he left, but Lorenzo followed her into the courtyard. She waited, wondering what more he had to say to her.
‘I shall do nothing foolish,’ she told him before he could speak.
‘Michael will make sure that you are well protected. Besides, I do not think that Don Pablo will try another abduction. I have sent him a message and I believe you are safe from him in future, Kathryn.’
‘What kind of a message?’
‘It is not necessary for you to know that,’ he replied, a wintry expression in his eyes. ‘I wanted to tell you that we shall be ready to leave for Cyprus the day after tomorrow.’
‘Oh.’ Kathryn did not know why her spirits had suddenly fallen so low. ‘Thank you, sir. I shall be pleased to be with my friends again.’
‘Once there you will have the freedom that has been denied you here.’
‘Yes…’ She felt her throat closing and was suddenly emotional though she did not know why. ‘Lorenzo…’ She swayed towards him, wanting him to take her in his arms, to hold her as he had for that brief moment on the mountainside. She saw something in his
