Page 70 of Tempted By the English Marquis
It was tempting to just give up on this evening and leave. To undertake the short walk back through the streets of Rome to Palazzo Lazio. But his absence might be noted. And while he and his family members were still guests in the Duke of Lazio’s home, Gideon did not want any trouble.
He would, however, like to punch the duke’s brother in the throat. And while that would surely cause him some problems, as far as Gideon was concerned, it would be well worth it.
Serafina was somewhere in the midst of the gathering. She was staying close to her mother. From what Gideon had been able to see when he caught brief glimpses of her, Serafina’s role seemed to be one of smiling and nodding.
Doing Donna Francesca’s bidding and not daring to set a foot out of line. This all makes me so angry. I need a few minutes to calm down. Find my social graces. If I don’t, I am going to say something we will all live to regret.
Making his way out of the main reception gallery, Gideon headed for the marble staircase at the far end of the room. It led down to the next level of the house where hopefully he would find a quiet place where he could gather his thoughts.
At the bottom he found a small sitting room. There were chairs and low sofas scattered about the place. He had taken several steps toward the nearest couch when he suddenly realized he wasn’t alone.
Seated with his back to the door was Signore Giovanni Magri. Gideon would recognize his nemesis anywhere. Next to him was a dark-haired woman. She was crying. Giovanni Magri had his arm around her and was gently stroking her hair.
The way they sat and the way he held her didn’t seem right. The woman lifted her face to Serafina’s future fiancé and offered him her lips. He captured her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. They clung to one another. Their bodies melded together in a long familiar intimacy.
Shocked, Gideon began to back away. He made it as far as the doorway before Giovanni Magri finally broke the kiss and spoke to the woman in his arms.
“Il mio cuore. Il mio amante. Per sempre.”
There was an unmistakable heaviness in his voice. His words held the weight of a vow.
The woman brushed her hand over Giovanni’s cheek.
“Si. Il mio cuore. Il mio amante. Per sempre.”
Rummaging in his jacket pocket, Gideon pulled out his notebook. He quickly jotted down the first few words. He knew the wordsempre—in music it meantalways.
I have a horrible feeling about this and who that woman might be.
ChapterThirty-Seven
Serafina greeted Gideon with the same smile she had been offering everyone all evening. It was a tight, polite one which hurt her face. Enzo de Luca had demanded that his daughter make her public appearance one of happiness and grace. This was the best Serafina could manage. Anything else and she might not be able to hold back the tide of tears.
This morning’s visit to the house had been more confronting than she had anticipated. And despite the contessa’s words, Serafina still feared her hold, on her future was nothing more than tenuous. The next few days would shape the rest of her life.
That knowledge had served to create a gnawing dread which sat heavily in her belly. She hadn’t eaten a thing at the supper; food only made things worse. The glass of wine in her hand remained untouched.
“Are you enjoying yourself this evening, Lord Holwell?” she said, forcing the smile to remain plastered to her face.
When he gave her a pained look in reply, she understood why. Gideon hated it when she addressed him in such a formal manner, much preferring the easy exchange of their first names. Tonight, she dared not risk such familiarity. Not in public. And most certainly not within earshot of her father.
“I can’t say I am,” he said, stepping as close as was proper while still making sure not to be overhead. “If I am being honest, I would say that this place makes my skin crawl. As does the owner. I’m glad you have finally been allowed to stand more than a few feet away from your mother. I’ve been wanting to talk to you all evening.”
Her gaze shifted from Gideon to where her father stood in the center of the room. Enzo de Luca was holding court with several other gentlemen. From the laughter and back slapping, it was clear he was relishing his impending victory. Giovanni Magri was an influential man in Rome’s political circles, and no doubt there were other fathers who had also thought to throw their daughters his way.
But only Enzo had succeeded. And, being Enzo, he would be making sure that every other man in the room was having second thoughts about where they stood with regards to Enzo and his growing power.
Gideon pulled a small notebook from his jacket pocket. He flicked through a few pages, then handed it to her. “Could you please tell me what those words mean?”
She quickly read them, then handed the book back. “It depends. Are they intended for me, or did you hear them somewhere?”
If they were for her then it was dangerous for them to be having this conversation, especially in the home of her future husband. But from the way Gideon was behaving, Serafina suspected that was not the case.
He cleared his throat. “I was just downstairs taking a minute for myself. I saw Signore Magri with another woman. They appeared to be very much together.”
Her mother had been right. The man her father had chosen for her future husband wasn’t going to keep his mistress a secret. She was still in the house while he was meant to be hosting the family of his bride at a private supper.
“The first few words meanmy heart, my lover, forever. And before you ask, yes, I am aware of this woman and what she is.”
