Italian Bachelors: Devilish D'angelos: A Bargain with the Enemy / A Prize Beyond Jewels. Carole Mortimer

why you won’t tell me who he is.’

      ‘Because I can’t.’ She sighed heavily. ‘He’s just not—suitable for me to be involved with, okay?’

      ‘No, of course it’s not okay, Bryn.’ Mary frowned worriedly. ‘I’ve never known you to— He isn’t a drug dealer or something like that, is he?’

      ‘Of course not,’ Bryn denied ruefully.

      Her mother didn’t look reassured. ‘But he’s unsuitable in some other way?’

      ‘Oh, yes,’ Bryn sighed.

      Mary continued to look at her searchingly for several long minutes, that worried frown between her eyes. ‘Does your interest just now, in the past, have anything to do with your reluctance to talk about this man?’ she finally prompted.

      ‘I— Maybe.’ Bryn’s teeth worried her bottom lip. ‘Do you know—? Is it possible that Daddy was the one to tell the press about the painting, as a way of ensuring the D’Angelo gallery, or some other gallery, couldn’t just dismiss the painting as a forgery?’