Page 27 of Tempted By the English Marquis
Augusta pushed past her and headed straight for the river. She moved at such a pace that it took Serafina a good twenty yards to catch up with her. Taking hold of Augusta’s arm, she spun her around.
“What are you doing, G?” Serafina asked.
“Do you think my mother would knowingly bring scandal to your family? Is that it? Serafina, we would never do anything to cause you trouble. The de Lucas have been nothing but generous to us.”
“No. I don’t.” Serafina sighed. “Well, not knowingly. But you have to admit that Her Grace does have a habit of speaking her mind. And sometimes she says things which I think should remain in her head. Add to that my mother . . .”
“What about your mother?”
“She has made it known in her usual subtle way that perhaps you and the duchess have overstayed your welcome.”
There, I said it. And I am a terrible person.
Augusta moved closer to the river bank. “Mama has a way of communicating which others often find confronting. I expect Donna Francesca is simply not used to having another strong-willed female in the palace. My father has always said Mama is hot tempered. When you stayed with us in London you must have heard their disagreements. It’s not as if they have ever tried to keep them private.”
How could I forget the way your parents fought?
The only good that had ever come out of the duke and duchess’s fights was that Augusta’s brother had taken it upon himself to become Serafina’s place of refuge.
Gideon.Her mind kept coming back to him. Of those little chats in the garden at Mowbray House. Of the trips around London and out to the nearby countryside. She couldn’t recall much of what they had talked about or even seen on those occasions, but the memory of his warm voice and blue eyes still remained strong in her mind. The marquis had shown her a kindness that had calmed her nerves. In no time at all, he had caught her interest.
The day she left London to return to Italy had been one of the saddest days of her life.
“Your mother has said few words about your father since you arrived. Do you think they have had another of their disagreements?” she ventured. A falling out which had seen the duchess unwilling to return home?
“I don’t honestly know.” Augusta replied with a sigh. “The odd thing is that my parents had stopped with a lot of the rows over the past year. I think they might have actually fought themselves out.”
Which made the ongoing presence of the duchess even stranger. If she and her husband were no longer constantly at one another’s throats, then why was she here in Rome?
And when are they going home?
From the way Augusta spoke, it was obvious she was more than interested to know when she would be seeing her family again.
“Your mother mentioned that you intended to go and visit with a friend of hers in Tivoli just after Easter. Perhaps when you get back it might be a good time to talk to her about a possible departure date. If I know when my wedding is to take place, then you could use that as the occasion for going home.”
Once she was married, Serafina wouldn’t be living at Palazzo Lazio. Nor, as her mother had so clearly stated, would she have any spare time to spend with Lady Augusta, roaming the city as they pleased.
“I don’t mean to make it seem like I am trying to be rid of you. That couldn’t be further from the truth. But today has unfortunately shown that our time together will soon be over whether we like it or not,” pressed Serafina.
Augusta sadly nodded. “I know. And I think you are right. I need to speak to Mama. She may not be all that eager to sail for England, but I am. I want to see my father, my brothers, and sisters again. And I have to find out more news on Flynn, if perhaps they found his body. Rome is wonderful, but it is not my home. You and I have been blessed with this reunion. Few friends are granted such time together.”
Serafina took her by the hand. “Come on, let’s walk along the river for a bit. If our time together is soon to end, we should wring every drop of enjoyment out of it that we can.”
“It’s late. Won’t you miss vespers?”
“There will be a whole day of prayer services tomorrow. Speaking of services, are you coming with me to Saint Peter’s Basilica? The holy father will be giving the Easter blessing. The city will be filled with pilgrims. It’s something you really shouldn’t miss.”
It didn’t matter to her that Augusta wasn’t Catholic. As far as Serafina was concerned, everyone should attend Easter at the Vatican once in their life.
Rome at Easter was a wonderful place. There was a crush of people who had come from all over the world to celebrate the holiest days of the year. And with this being the last year she would be free to roam and enjoy the city without the duty of being a wife, Serafina was determined to make the most of things.
“After the blessing service, we can spend the afternoon seeing the city. I am sure there are places we either haven’t been or ones you would like to visit again one last time before you go home.” Serafina wanted to share these precious days with Augusta, to create happy memories. Ones she could treasure.
“You Italians do know how to get the best out of life. And Easter Sunday sounds marvelous. All those people gathered in Saint Peter’s Square will be a wonderous sight. Of course, I will come.”
The tight smile remained on Serafina’s lips. It hurt her face, but she had a horrid feeling that she was going to have to get used to it. That learning to adopt a social mask was going to be the only way she would survive in the future.
For the second time today, she secretly wished that when Augusta left for England, she could sail with her and the duchess. And that when she did arrive in London, Gideon would be waiting at the dockside for her.
