“So you’ve guessed it.”
“Yes.”
His father breathed deeply. “Her sorrow was so great, I thought that having two stepsons to help raise would ease a little of her pain. You boys were only ten and eleven, and needed a mother, especially Dante.” His voice trembled. “As for me, I needed someone who could share my life. Naturally, it wasn’t like the feelings I had for your mother, but then, you can’t expect that.”
Leon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. They’d never had this conversation about his mother before. Belle was the catalyst to force a discussion that should have taken place years earlier.
“Luciana’s father was overjoyed, because he knew I would take care of her. Before she gave me an answer, she said she had something to tell me that no one else knew about, not even her father. If I still wanted her, then she would accept my proposal.
“I listened while it all came pouring out. After bitter anguish and soul searching, she’d felt she had no choice but to give up the baby for adoption so nothing would happen to her precious daughter.
“When she gave her up, she had to sign a paper that meant she could never see her child again or take her back. It was a sealed document. Luciana signed it because she was positive her own days were numbered, but at that point she didn’t care about herself. When she returned to Rimini, she wasn’t the same vivacious girl I’d known before she left.”
Again Leon stood there, dumbfounded by the revelations.
“Her honesty only deepened my respect for her.”
It appeared Belle had inherited that same admirable characteristic from her mother.
“Not long after our marriage, her father died of heart failure. She needed me more than ever.” Sullisto eyed his son soberly. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”
Leon shook his head. “After what you’ve told me, I’m not sure it would be the wise thing to do.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“That’s not it. I’m thinking of her daughter, who came to Rimini this week looking for the mother who gave her up.”
“What?”
Leon nodded. “Sit down, Papà, while I tell you a story about Belle Peterson.”
A few minutes later his father was wiping his eyes. “I can’t even begin to tell you what this is going to mean to Luciana when she finds out.”
“Except that Belle doesn’t want Luciana to know anything.” For the next few minutes he told his father what had been contained in that pamphlet, and Belle’s fear of hurting her mother.
“Hurt her?” Sullisto cried out. “It would have the opposite effect! I know what I’m talking about. The one thing in our marriage that has kept us from being truly happy has been Luciana’s soul-deep sadness. We tried to have a baby, but weren’t successful. She’s always believed God was punishing her for giving up her child.”
“Incredibile—”
“Not until two months ago did we learn that Valeria’s death was ruled accidental. That very day I begged Luciana to call the orphanage and find out what had happened to Belle. At least inquire if she’d been adopted. But she said she didn’t dare, because she was afraid her daughter would hate her. I told her I’d hire a private investigator to locate her, but Luciana was convinced Belle would refuse to talk to her, after she’d given her up.”
“Belle has the exact same fear, that her mother won’t like her.”
His father rubbed his hands together. “To know she has come all this way looking for her mother will be like a dream Luciana never thought could come true.”
“Then you don’t have a problem if they’re united?”
“Mind? How can you even ask me that?” he cried. “It’s my dream to make Luciana happy, but it has always been out of my hands.”
That was all Leon needed to know. He could only imagine Belle’s joy when the two of them finally met. “I have a plan. Bring Luciana to the villa for dinner this evening. Tell her the baby is better.”
His father nodded. “She’s been waiting forever for an official invitation from you.”
“I know. I’m sorry about that, but it’s something I plan to rectify.”
It was regrettable, but true, that though his father had come by the villa on occasion, Leon had never invited them over as a couple. His cool attitude toward Luciana had prevailed all these years. He wished he’d known early on that she’d given up her child. It wouldn’t have changed his feelings over his father’s remarriage at the time, but he might not have been so quick to judge her because of false assumptions and the many rumors that had reached his teenage ears.
“It doesn’t matter, Leonardo. I know how much your mother meant to you and Dante, and I’ve understood. As for Luciana, we both know how much she loves your Concetta and will rejoice at the opportunity to be with her in your home.”
Leon did know that. “Come at seven. By then Concetta will have been fed.”
His father seemed more alive as they walked to the door. He gave Leon the kind of hug they hadn’t shared in years. It wasn’t just the fact that Leon had broken down and invited them both over for dinner. Only now was he beginning to understand how much his father had suffered in his second marriage because of Luciana’s pain.
Once Leon left the bank, he alerted Simona about the plans for the evening, then drove to the pension. Ruggio was parked two cars behind Belle’s rental near the entrance. Leon walked over to thank his security man, and told him he wouldn’t need him any longer for surveillance.
A feeling of excitement he hadn’t known in over a year passed through him as he went inside the pension and pressed the buzzer to announce his arrival. Before long Rosa appeared. “Signore?”
“Forgive me for not introducing myself before. My name is Leonardo di Malatesta, signora.” The older woman’s eyes widened in recognition of his name. “I need to see Signorina Peterson on a matter of life and death.” He’d spoken the truth and felt no guilt about it. “I know she’s here. Ask her to come out to the foyer, per favore.” He put several bills on the counter for the woman’s trouble.
After a slight hesitation she nodded and hurried through the alcove. Leon didn’t have to wait long before Belle appeared, with a tear-ravaged face and puffy eyes. He wasn’t surprised to see her in this kind of pain.
“Leon?” Her breathing sounded ragged. “What are you doing here? We’ve already said goodbye.” Maybe he was crazy, but he had the gut feeling she was glad to see him.
“Yes, we did, but something’s come up. Let’s go to your room and I’ll tell you what’s happened.”
She nodded. “All right.” Any fight she might have put up seemed to have gone out of her for the moment.
Leon thanked Rosa before trailing Luciana’s daughter into the alcove and down the hall to her
