Matt sank heavily on to a chair. He said, ‘Well, you can forget that. It’s over—finished with. You’ll get nothing from him—and when I’m done with you you’ll hardly be able to support yourself, let alone a wife.’ He laughed again, the sound grating. ‘I’ll strip you of everything. You’ll regret the day that you crossed me.’ He glared round. ‘You’ll all be sorry, damn you.’
Cory shook off her mother’s restraining hand and walked across the room. She faced Rome.
She said, ‘Is this what you were trying to say in the car?’
He met her gaze unflinchingly. ‘Yes. But I thought it would be better to confess my real identity to your grandfather first. Try and explain. Only, I was pre-empted.’
Her eyes were grave. Questioning. ‘Why didn’t you tell me before? In Suffolk, or when we came back?’
He said huskily, ‘Ironically, because I was afraid I’d lose you. And I couldn’t bear it. Couldn’t take the risk. And now I’ve ruined everything.’
She drew a deep breath. ‘And the rest of it—is that true? Can your grandfather really take Montedoro away from you?’
Rome put out a hand and gently brushed a tearstain from her cheek. ‘He can try.’
She nodded. Her voice was quiet. ‘Do you love me?’
‘Cory,’ Sonia almost shrieked. ‘The guy set you up. Tried to rip off your grandfather. He’ll tell you anything because he’s broke and you’re an heiress. Where’s your pride?’ Her tone became cajoling. ‘Forget him, honey, and walk away. If you don’t want to go to Miami, I’ll take you to the Bahamas and show you such a good time. In a month, I guarantee you won’t give him a second thought.’
Cory’s tired mouth smiled faintly. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m that shallow.’ She looked into Rome’s eyes. ‘Please answer me.’
‘Yes,’ he said roughly. ‘Yes, I love you, heart of my heart, and I always will. You’re part of me, and nothing can change that. And I want to go on my knees and beg you to forgive me. Only that’s impossible now. We can never be together, because for the rest of your life you might look at me and wonder if your mother was right.’
‘That will never happen anyway.’ Arnold spoke roughly. ‘Because I’m telling you now that if she dares to go with you—if she even gives you a second glance—I’ll change my will and leave the whole lot to charity. She’ll get nothing. See how she likes that. And see how long true love lasts at that rate.’ And he laughed scornfully, triumphantly.
Sonia shrieked faintly, and fell back on the sofa.
There was a long tingling silence, then Rome took Cory’s hands in his. He said softly, almost wonderingly, ‘My God, carissima. Do you realise what he’s just said? He’s set us free. They both have. They’ve taken everything and left us with each other.’
His voice became urgent. ‘Leave with me now, my sweetest love. Come with me. Because if you stay, they’ll have won.’ He looked into her eyes, deeply, gravely. ‘These bigoted, greedy, selfish old men will have won. And the precious thing we’ve been building together will be lost for ever.’
His hands tightened round hers. ‘Don’t let that happen, mi amore. Leave them to their plots, and their hating, and their precious millions. I’ll make a life for you, if not at Montedoro then somewhere else. Anywhere as long as it’s with you. I’ll dig ditches if I have to. Anything.’
Cory’s face was suddenly transfigured, her eyes luminous.
He remembered how he’d thought once that she was enclosed in an invisible circle. Now, somehow, he’d stepped over the perimeter, and the circle held him, too. He was at peace as never before, and could have wept with gratitude and relief.
She said, ‘Yes, Rome. I’ll come with you.’ And went into his arms, simply and directly, lifting her mouth for his kiss.
‘Cory,’ Sonia moaned. ‘You’re crazy. Arnold’s not kidding—he means it. And don’t look to me to bail you out.’
Cory ignored her. She said, ‘But, Rome, you mustn’t lose Montedoro. You can’t. It’s your whole life.’
He said, ‘Not any more, carissima. You’ve taken its place. But we’ll fight together to keep it, if that’s what you want.’
Cory turned in his arms to look at them all. There was a militant sparkle in her eyes, and a new crispness in her voice.
‘No one’s going to take Montedoro,’ she said. ‘Because my grandmother left me some money and we’ll use that to save it—’
‘A nest egg,’ Arnold interrupted dismissively. ‘A drop in the ocean. It won’t cover the kind of debt he’s in, so pull yourself together, because I wasn’t joking.’
‘Nor am I,’ Cory said. ‘The original legacy wasn’t that big, I agree, but it’s grown in the past year or so.’ She looked steadily back at Arnold. ‘Remember my amusing little hobby? Well, I didn’t just watch share prices. I started investing in the stock market—buying and selling on my own account. I even found I was good at it. And I’ve certainly made enough to repay the loan on Montedoro. With interest.’
‘Cory mia.’ Rome’s voice was husky as he framed her face in his hands. ‘I can’t take your money. Surely you must see that.’
‘It’s our money,’ she said, and smiled into his eyes. ‘For our marriage. Our life. Our children. And you must take it, my love, if you want me, because all my worldly goods go with me. That’s the deal. And we’re going to make great wine, because you know how.’
Her voice deepened passionately. ‘Oh, Rome don’t you understand? If you refuse now, then they’ll still have won, but in a different way. Their hate will have won, and not our love. Are you really going to let that happen?’
He said very softly, ‘My darling—my precious sweet.’ He drew her into his arms, resting his cheek against her hair. ‘Together we’ll make the finest wine in Tuscany. And the loveliest babies.’
‘Cory.’ Arnold held out a shaking hand. His face was suddenly gaunt—uncertain. ‘You can’t do this. You haven’t thought it through. You can’t leave me.’
Cory looked at him. She said sadly, ‘You wanted me to hate Rome, but you’re the one I’ll find it hard to forgive, Gramps. Can you imagine what Gran would have said if she could have heard you threatening me?’
She shook her head. ‘You must do as you wish with the money. I don’t want to be an heiress. I never did. And with or without it I’m going to have a life with the man I love.
‘As for you—’ she turned on Matt ‘—you lost your daughter, and now you’re losing your only grandson. Both of you are going to be lonely and miserable, and you deserve it. You’ve wasted years of your life in hating each other, and in the end hatred’s all you’ll have left. Because Rome and I are going—leaving you all behind if we have to.’
There was a silence, then Arnold said with difficulty, ‘Cory, you’re very dear to me, and I can’t bear this. Is there any way I can make amends?’
She said gently, ‘Not while you hate Matt Sansom more than you love me. Nor while you won’t accept my husband.’
Rome spoke, his voice cool and very clear. He said, ‘This feud has got to end if you want to see us again—if you want to hold your great-grandchildren. But that’s your decision. Because we’ve made ours.’
He took Cory’s hands and lifted them to his lips. ‘Mia bella,’ he said softly. ‘My lady. My dear love. Let’s go home.’
Cory smiled up into his eyes. She said tenderly, ‘Together—and for ever.’
They had reached the door when Matt’s