think Alexandra sensed something between us. She knows that the council of the island are urging me to find a suitable wife and get married. They are concerned with the succession. Obviously Alexandra has her own agenda.’ He approached, lifted Victoria’s chin and peered into her clear grey eyes. ‘Don’t tell me you’re jealous, cara?’
Victoria caught the glint of male satisfaction in his eyes. ‘Not in the least,’ she answered, sending him a bright smile. She would not let him know the devastating effect of Alexandra’s gestures. She would not give him that satisfaction.
Swooping an arm possessively around her, Rodolfo brought her up close. ‘How about a drive around the island? We could picnic somewhere, if you like, or I could take you to lunch at my favourite restaurant in Lamara—a village at the end of the island. I promise you Alexandra won’t bother us again. I sent her away with a flea in her ear.’
A slow smile hovered about Victoria’s lips. His words mollified her defiant mood. ‘Okay, that sounds very nice,’ she said, lifting her face for his kiss.
THE RIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE of the island was delightful. Together they wandered hand in hand up a hill to the little rustic fish restaurant, all crooked whitewashed walls and bright blue shutters, perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the pristine sandy beach below. Immediately a large grey-haired lady in a bright flowered apron, wreathed in smiles, came to greet them.
‘Your Highness, what a pleasure to see you. And so well accompanied,’ the woman said with a broad smile.
She showed them to a secluded table with a wonderful view, and soon the red and white checkered tablecloth was covered with all sorts of dishes, ranging from fried fish to squid salad, lobster and a local specialty of meatballs in a delicious sauce that Victoria had grown particularly fond of in the past few days.
Now that they were away from the palace, and Alexandra’s oppressive presence, she’d recovered her mood of the night before. It was difficult to think of anything disagreeable like Bill’s ultimatum when she was being treated to so much solicitude. Determined to enjoy herself, she pushed the impending threat to the back of her mind. What could he do that hadn’t already been done? The scandal was fading, according to Anne—a seven-day wonder. Soon she would just be another item of old news.
Rodolfo was charming, as always, and she found herself melting inside when she looked at him, remembering all that had taken place the previous night. There was a new tenderness and intimacy between them that she had never known with a man before. What would it be like to leave? she wondered as she sipped a glass of chilled water. What would Hollywood and all the hype be like after this? That, and knowing that she probably wouldn’t ever see him again? Her heart sank at the thought.
Just as she was about to take another sip of water a shadow fell on the table and she looked up. A scruffy young man stood there, a smirk on his face.
‘Hi, gorgeous,’ he drawled in an American accent. ‘Having a nice day? Knew I’d find you if I looked hard enough.’
Rodolfo was looking at her, then at the young man.
‘Who are you?’ Victoria demanded, feeling her pulse race and her stomach lurch. This had to be Bill. How on earth had he found her?
‘You know what they say. You can run but you can’t hide.’ Bill wagged a finger at her and smirked again.
‘What do you want?’ she muttered, swallowing.
‘I told you what I wanted when I called you last night. But I guess it’s too late for that, honeybunch. You had your chance and you didn’t take it. Tough.’ With that he pulled a small camera from his pocket and snapped several quick shots.
‘Who the hell is this?’ Rodolfo rose quickly to his feet as Bill stepped niftily away from the table and made for the door.
‘He’s someone from LA. He—well—’ Oh, how could she tell Rodolfo?
‘What, Victoria? Tell me at once,’ Rodolfo commanded, leaning towards her and taking her hand in his. ‘You must tell me. He’s taken pictures. I need to know.’
‘He’s the boyfriend of the girl who introduced me to the doctor who gave me the pills,’ she said in a half-whisper. ‘He’s already tried to blackmail me. He—’
But before she could finish Rodolfo had spun on his heel and was marching across the restaurant. He caught up with Bill as he was about to get into his Jeep.
‘Hey—you!’ Rodolfo threw at the coarse-looking unshaven creature. ‘Give me that camera at once.’
‘You have to be kidding. This is tomorrow’s headlines.’ Bill patted the camera smugly. ‘You may run your own little show here on your fantasy island, Your Royal Highness, but where I come from money talks. Sorry.’ He made to switch on the engine.
But before he could do so Rodolfo lunged forward and caught him by the scruff of his neck. ‘I’m asking you nicely,’ he said, his voice low and filled with menace.
‘Hey, leave me be,’ the man said, trying pull away, his expression ugly. ‘I have every right to take pictures of who the hell I want.’
‘Not on my island, you don’t. As you just pointed out, I run the show around here. If you don’t give me that camera immediately I shall have you arrested for harassment. That, I believe, is a term that you should be familiar with where you come from?’
‘Hey, you can’t do that,’ Bill protested. Then, after pushing Rodolfo away, he revved the engine and skidded off down the earth road, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.
Without hesitation Rodolfo pulled out his mobile and called the local police. They would stop Bill at the port. No way would he allow Victoria to be blackmailed or harassed by the press or by some unscrupulous drug dealer.
As he slipped his phone back in his shirt pocket and stepped back into the restaurant, it occurred to Rodolfo that his reaction had been somewhat out of proportion. It had been that of a man protecting the woman he cared for, he thought suddenly. He looked across at Victoria, standing uneasily by their table, not knowing what to do, and smiled at her reassuringly. He did care for her, he realised, more than he would have imagined—certainly more than he ever would have deemed possible. Last night, spent together in each other’s arms, had been so special, so filled with extraordinary sensations and tenderness, that he would find it hard to forget.
Banishing his thoughts, Rodolfo went over to her. ‘The police will cut him off further down the road or at the ferry, so don’t worry. He won’t leave the island with those pictures. And if he doesn’t give the camera up voluntarily he’ll go to jail for a few hours. That should do the trick.’ He smiled down at her, his fingers touching her hair, and he made her sit down again. ‘There is no need to worry, Victoria. All that is behind you now, cara mia. But you must swear something to me.’
‘What is that?’ she asked sinking back onto the chair, her hand still held in his.
‘That if anybody should come bothering you or threatening you again, you will tell me at once. Trust me, Victoria. Above all, I’m your friend.’
She swallowed, then nodded silently, allowed him to pour her some more mineral water and sat with her hand covered by his.
‘Promise?’ He raised his glass to hers.
‘I
