‘Very well,’ Santino agreed after a nerve-racking, hate-filled silence. ‘I’ll make my plans accordingly …’
Kate jolted back to attention. They had turned in at some rather grand gates and a long, straight road stretched in front of them. There were lush green fields on either side and the well-maintained road was lined with stately cedar trees. Santino had made one quick phone call from their suite and a Range Rover had been delivered to the door. Now Meredith was sitting in the back with Francesca, while Kate was sitting stiffly in the front next to Santino wrapped in thoughts of visitation rights and lawyers. There were so many avenues to explore when it came to Francesca’s future, and with Santino ranged against her Kate knew she risked all of them turning into dead ends unless she secured the best possible legal advice.
Santino hadn’t addressed a single word to her throughout the journey, though he maintained an easy conversation with Meredith and Francesca. Kate kept telling herself that it was crucial not to feel defeated at this stage, but that was easier said than done when she felt sick inside with apprehension.
She had received one piece of good news. Caddy had rung the room before they left to say that Diane Fox had decided all the actors must go off site to a retreat where she could explain her vision to them. Kate had almost cheered, knowing it left her free.
‘When we turn this last corner you will see my home in the country.’
Kate’s attention returned to Santino, who was talking to Francesca and Meredith. His face was angled towards them, but when his gaze grazed Kate’s face the smile died.
Meredith appeared oblivious to the tension between them and launched in with a stream of questions connected to the house they were about to visit. Santino took it in his stride, explaining that the vast country estate had been in someone else’s family for centuries, but that now it was his. For the dynasty he intended to create, he said, laughing softly as he turned to Meredith. Meredith laughed with him, and, infected by their mood, Francesca joined in. Only Kate remained silent.
The wedge between them was greater than ever. How could she ever compete with this? She had always known Santino was a wealthy man, but privilege on this scale was unimaginable until you experienced it. And Francesca saw the world through a child’s eyes. How could she fail to be impressed by her father’s circumstances?
Fear tore through Kate as she thought about the future. Even though Meredith was chattering away as if there were nothing to worry about, Kate couldn’t lose the feeling of dread growing inside her. And Meredith was no measure to go by—she was always enthused by new ideas and open to possibilities … Such as bringing Francesca to Rome on the lightest pretext?
Nothing would surprise Kate where her unconventional aunt was concerned, but this was the first time Meredith’s judgement had proved to be so severely flawed.
‘Well, what do you think?’ Santino said as they turned a final corner.
Meredith and Francesca gasped as the mellow walls of Santino’s gracious country home came into view. He had been happy to go along with Francesca’s idea that he lived in a cosy country cottage not dissimilar to Meredith’s. But if this was a cottage … Kate shook her head in incredulity. A cottage like le Petit Trianon perhaps, made famous by the ill-fated Queen of France, Marie Antionette …
‘It’s a big cottage, Daddy,’ Francesca observed solemnly. ‘Do the horses live inside with you?’
There was certainly room for them, Kate reckoned. She wanted to crane her neck and take everything in, but she didn’t want to give Santino the opportunity to accuse her of valuing his assets, and so she held back.
‘No,’ Santino said in answer to Francesca, ‘the horses live in the stable yard at the rear of the palazzo. Would you like me to drive you straight there so you can see them?’
Francesca’s excitement was all the answer he needed, and even Meredith joined in the fun. Only Kate was excluded from the enthusiastic chorus. She felt invisible, or as if she was the only person present who wasn’t a member of the Santino Rossi fan club. But then she hadn’t been invited to join, Kate reminded herself, trying to relax.
When he stopped the car Santino sprang out to open the rear door where Francesca was sitting. That was Kate’s job. She always helped Francesca to release the restraints on her car seat and jump down to the ground, making sure she didn’t tumble …
‘Don’t they look lovely together?’
Sensing her tension, Meredith had put a comforting hand on Kate’s arm as they stood together at the side of the vehicle. Kate knew Meredith’s hand on her arm was meant as a stay too. And she knew she shouldn’t begrudge Santino his time with Francesca. But she did, because every moment he spent with her cemented the bond between them and made it that much easier for him to cut Francesca’s mother out of her life. It was a struggle for her to hold back and watch them walking away from her hand in hand.
Kate grew more fearful as she listened to Francesca’s excited exclamations as Santino led his daughter down the line of stables. Noble heads peered curiously over each half open door and she had to keep telling herself not to be so mean-minded and to be glad for Francesca. But what she really wanted was to be a million miles away from the immaculately kept yard, to take Francesca somewhere, anywhere, that Santino couldn’t find them.
When the tour had been completed Santino brought Francesca back to Kate’s side. ‘Well, what do you think?’ he said to his little daughter.
Francesca’s brow wrinkled as she thought about it. ‘They’re all very big. Too big for me.’
‘True …’ Cupping his chin, Santino pretended to think about it. ‘It’s a shame I don’t have a pony for you to ride, or we could have gone riding together.’
‘Really?’ As Francesca’s eyes widened Santino met Kate’s gaze over their daughter’s head.
If this was intended as a warning to her it had succeeded, Kate thought, but she held his gaze determinedly. She didn’t need this power play to understand that Santino could offer Francesca infinitely more in the way of material possessions than she ever could. And Francesca was too young to understand the politics of love. All Francesca knew was that everything she had ever dreamed of was within her reach now she had discovered she had a father like Santino.
‘I have arranged for us to go rowing on the lake after lunch,’ Santino confided in Francesca. ‘Do you think you would enjoy that?’
‘A lake? Here?’ Francesca gazed about, almost beside herself with excitement now.
‘But first you and Gran Meredith can play with the new puppies while Mummy and I have a chat—’
‘Puppies!’
Francesca’s joy was complete. But Kate noticed concern had crept into Meredith’s eyes. There had been a small, but significant change in Santino’s voice when he’d referred to Kate, which indicated that things were not going quite as smoothly as her well-meaning aunt had intended. It made Kate wish she could say something to reassure Meredith, but what could she say?
‘Puppies,’ Kate managed woodenly as she took Francesca’s hand. ‘Won’t that be lovely?’
‘Don’t squeeze so hard, Mummy. You’re hurting me.’
‘I’m sorry.’ Kate’s voice was edged with fear. ‘That’s the very last thing I meant to do …’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
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