After her marriage to Leo, Brooke had made the effort to learn Italian, picking it up quickly from tapes and books, then practising it with Leo in the evenings, plus every time she visited his family. She had no trouble following the conversation below.
‘There you are, Giuseppe,’ Sophia said. ‘I see you couldn’t sleep, either. That was Leonardo on the phone.’
Brooke’s ears immediately pricked.
‘Anything wrong?’ came Giuseppe’s reply.
‘He’s going to be late again. Doesn’t want us to keep any dinner for him this time.’
Brooke groaned. Just when she’d been wanting him to come home a bit earlier.
‘So?’ Giuseppe said with a shrug in his voice. ‘Why the worried frown?’
‘If he has so much work on his plate, Giuseppe, why didn’t he ask you to go in with him? It’s not as though you couldn’t spend a few hours in the office here and there.’
‘I offered, woman, but he refused. Told me one death in the family was enough for this year. But you’re right. He did look tired last night. I’ll insist on joining him tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow might be too late, Giuseppe.’
‘Too late for what?’
‘I don’t think he’s in the office today…’ Sophia said in more hushed tones.
Brooke leant forward in her chair.
‘…I think he’s with Francesca.’
Brooke’s heart lurched.
‘What?’ Giuseppe exploded. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, woman! Leonardo is not that type of man. He would never be unfaithful to that lovely little wife of his. Never!’
Brooke was glad she was sitting down. If she hadn’t been, she might have fallen down.
‘Not normally, Giuseppe,’ she heard Sophia say. ‘But these are not normal circumstances. Leonardo was in love with Francesca long before Brooke came into his life. He never got over Lorenzo stealing Francesca away from him. He might have pretended to, but I know differently. I’m his mother.’
‘For pity’s sake, that was years ago!’
‘Maybe, but Leonardo is not a fickle man. I always knew that when he fell in love it would be for life.’
‘Leonardo loves his wife!’ his father defended, outrage in his voice.
‘Has he said as much to you?’
An increasingly stricken Brooke strained forward further, waiting to hear Leo’s father say firmly, Yes, of course. Many times!
‘Men don’t talk about things like that, woman. But it’s as obvious as the nose on my face.’
Sophia sighed. ‘I’ve no doubt he does love Brooke, in a fashion. She’s a very beautiful girl. And incredibly sweet. But he was in love with Francesca. I will never forget the way he looked at her on the night of their engagement party, with such hunger in his eyes. To find her in bed that same night with his brother must have nearly killed him.’
On the balcony above Brooke was reeling from shock after shock. Leo…her Leo, in love with Francesca? Her husband, once engaged to his brother’s wife? Francesca choosing Lorenzo over Leo?
‘Unfortunately,’ Sophia went on with another sigh, ‘Leonardo handled Francesca the wrong way back then, playing the gentleman with her. He thought respecting her virginity was the right thing to do. But he was wrong. Lorenzo, to my eternal dismay, had no respect for anything, or anyone. He simply took what he wanted, and silly, shy, naive Francesca was swept away by his decadent wickedness.’
‘You’re talking nonsense, woman! Lorenzo was not wicked, just weak in matters of the flesh. If he was truly wicked, he would not have married the girl. Yes, they did wrong, but they couldn’t help themselves. They fell madly in love at first sight. Lorenzo told me so himself. He was very sorry he hurt Leonardo, but Francesca obviously didn’t really love the boy. Lorenzo said she was only marrying his brother because he was kind, and she was so lonely after her father’s recent death. As soon as Leonardo understood that, any feelings he had for the girl died a natural death.’
‘If he no longer cared for Francesca,’ Sophia scorned, ‘then why did he run off to Australia? And why didn’t he return for his brother’s wedding?’
‘He didn’t run off to Australia. I sent him there! As for not returning for the wedding, give the man some leeway, woman. He has his pride. He did right to stay away.’
‘Perhaps so. But I don’t think he’s staying away now. With Lorenzo dead, Leonardo finally has the opportunity to have what he foolishly denied himself back then. Francesca, in his bed.’
‘I don’t believe a son of mine would dishonour the family name in this way.’
‘Why not?’ Sophia said, her voice becoming hard. ‘Your other son did. Often.’
‘Lorenzo may have strayed once or twice. But he was a handsome man, and women threw themselves at him in a shameless fashion. It’s unfortunate Francesca never had children. Children keep a man at home, and loyal. But let us talk of Lorenzo no more. The boy is dead. It is not right to speak badly of the dead. And you are wrong about Leonardo. Now, I want to hear no more about this matter.’
‘Turning a blind eye will not solve this situation, husband mine,’ Sophia said sternly.
‘If what you say is true, then turning a blind eye is the only answer,’ Giuseppe refuted. ‘If Leo is fool enough to be having an affair with Francesca, he’ll soon get her out of his system and realise there’s just as good to be had at home. If I’m any judge, I’d say better! Leonardo and his family fly back to Sydney in two more days. Be patient and say nothing. The problem will pass.’
‘Maybe you’re right. But two days can be a long time…’
CHAPTER TWO
SOMEHOW Brooke made her way back into the bedroom without alerting the couple on the terrace below, there to collapse onto the gold silk quilt. Both her hands lifted to cover her eyes, as though by blocking out the light she could somehow block out the horror of what she’d just heard.
Leo, in love with Francesca! Leo, once engaged to his brother’s widow! Leo, not at the office, but spending time with his lost love…
It seemed unbelievable, and yet it explained so much. The fact Leo had never actually said he loved her. Not ever! He’d used other endearments, other phrases. Adoration. Desire. Need. But never love.
And then there was his oddly cold behaviour around Francesca. Not dislike or indifference, as she’d imagined. But the other side of love.
Oh, God…
The pain wasn’t just emotional. It was brutally physical. A vice clamped around her heart, pressing down till she simply couldn’t breathe!
Gasping for air, Brooke struggled off the bed and into the bathroom,
