‘Any time,’ Rodolfo murmured, casting a final withering glance at Ed, disgusted at his attitude and his lack of concern for Victoria’s wellbeing. Only dollars and cents seemed to count for Ed Banes.
Slipping into a service lift, Anne and Rodolfo managed to slip into the suite unnoticed.
‘Vic, there’s someone here to see you,’ Anne said, opening the door of the salon, where Victoria sat huddled in the corner of the large sofa, her feet tucked under her.
She looked like a waif, wearing jeans and a tiny white T-shirt, her hair falling straight over her shoulders and her eyes red from crying. Rodolfo’s words of censure died on his lips. There was a reason why she’d resorted to pills to help her through all this. For a moment he wanted to reach out, take her in his arms and offer comfort. But he knew that was impossible. Instead he looked at her hard.
‘I’m very sorry that you are having problems, signorina,’ he said curtly, stepping towards her.
‘What are you doing here?’ Victoria said in a shaky voice. ‘Why did you come? To criticise me? Well, let me tell you something—’ her voice trembled and she balled her fists ‘—I don’t care if it was wrong, and I didn’t know those pills were considered bad. The truth is that at least they helped me get through all those awful interviews and all that hype.’
‘Maybe. That is still no excuse for your behaviour,’ he said, sitting down next to her.
‘And what right do you have to come barging in here, judging me?’ she threw angrily.
‘None,’ he replied, taking one of her hands in his. ‘Except that I realise how hard it has been for you, that you aren’t cut out for this; you aren’t the kind of person who enjoys the sort of publicity you’ve been exposed to. I have come to help you, that’s all.’
His calm, low voice and his caressing hand soothed her. Victoria swallowed. She felt confused by his presence. For a moment she wondered if he’d come with some ulterior motive. Most people around her lately seemed to have one. But his mere presence was so comforting that she just accepted it. ‘What do you think I should do?’ she whispered shakily.
‘If you agree to come back with me to Malvarina for a while, there you can get proper medical assistance, relax, and get away from all this. I think that would be the best. I guarantee complete privacy.’ He squeezed her fingers reassuringly.
‘Ed’ll give a press conference in the lobby, and you and the Prince can escape the back way,’ Anne urged. ‘Here, put on this dark wig and these sunglasses. That should help. And go as you are. You look much younger, and no one will recognise you like that. Anyway, they’ll never think that you and the Prince would be together.’
Victoria took a deep breath and looked from one to the other. It seemed like a good plan, and there really wasn’t any other option. The thought of being able to escape the paparazzi seemed heavenly. She nodded. ‘Thank you,’ she murmured, smiling waveringly at Rodolfo.
‘It’s nothing.’ He gave a dismissive wave of a hand. ‘Leave your luggage. Anne can have it sent on to you. Take only your handbag and passport.’
Silently Victoria rose and obeyed. She wished for a moment she could take her pills with her. But then she realised that she must put a stop to her habit immediately. It would be hard, but she couldn’t abuse Rodolfo’s trust when he was being so generous and saving her from herself.
Minutes later Rodolfo had grabbed her hand and they were heading down in the service lift to the garage level of the hotel, then slipping through the work stations and kitchens and out into a back street, where a Bentley stood waiting. Hastily they jumped in and the driver accelerated swiftly away.
‘Thanks,’ Victoria muttered, letting out a long sigh of relief as she leaned back in the soft plush leather.
And for the first time in months she felt safe.
TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER she was staring out of the window of Rodolfo’s Gulfstream jet as it circled over the Mediterranean. Down below she could see the contours of Malvarina, its rich vegetation encircled by cerulean blue sea, rocky cliffs giving way to smooth, white, sandy beaches. She could distinguish what looked like large properties up in the hills and down by the water. Then a small town appeared and to the left, up on high overlooking the sea, stood a medieval fortress.
‘That is the Castello Constanza,’ Rodolfo said pointing down. ‘The fortress and the island have belonged to my family since they conquered it in the tenth century. It has been through many wars and difficulties. We fought the Saracens, and the Ottomans. But in the end we prevailed, and today I hope to make Malvarina into a modern, well-run, financially solvent society.’
Victoria looked over at him, surprised at the passion and intensity she detected in his tone. She’d thought of him as a sophisticated playboy, simply trying to extract as much as possible from his inheritance. Yet now she sensed there was far more at stake for Rodolfo than mere money. This was about honour, about the wellbeing of his people. She smiled, glad that she’d taken the decision to flee Cannes and join him here in what looked like an enclave of peace.
Soon they had landed at the island’s small airport and were swooped off in the Rolls Royce that awaited them on the tarmac. The car swerved through the sleepy little town of Malvaritza, and on and up towards the fortress. Peasants with well-loaded donkeys stopped by the roadside and waved. Victoria noted that Rodolfo always returned the waves, smiled and acknowledged them. She had the feeling he would always do this, however tired or absorbed by other worries he might be.
Then the vehicle slowed as they approached the castle and its portcullis entrance that stood just over an ancient bridge. The castle walls stood high, and Victoria experienced a moment’s doubt: what had she got herself into? After all, she had no way of knowing what this man was really like. Once she was inside those walls she would be virtually at his mercy.
As though sensing her unease, Rodolfo turned and smiled at her. ‘A bit daunting, isn’t it? But don’t worry. Inside we have all the mod cons. My grandfather, although quite antiquated in many respects, was determined to have the place modernised. I’m very thankful he did. It was quite a job to get everything shipshape.’
‘I’m sure it must have been,’ Victoria agreed as the car purred into a cobbled courtyard and immediately several members of the Prince’s staff, dressed in traditional costume, moved to open the doors.
‘Welcome to Malvarina and the Castello Constanza,’ Rodolfo said, slipping her hand through his arm and moving forward. ‘Let me show you around.’
‘I’d love to see the castle,’ she said. Though she still felt a little shaky, the dreadful episode of the night before began to fade from her mind as she looked around at her magical surroundings—at the worn stone walls topped with small turrets, the crooked windows and gables.
As they walked, she took a deep breath and exclaimed, ‘What a lovely scent.’
‘That’s jasmine. It blooms most of the year here. We have quite a few tropical plants as well. This is bougainvillea,’ he remarked, pointing to the lovely purple and white flowers creeping up the southern wall of the façade. ‘My mother planted most of it.’
‘Does she live here?’ Victoria enquired, as they headed into what appeared to be a great hall.
‘Both my parents died in an accident when I was twelve,’ he replied briefly, moving towards the window. ‘Please, come over here and take a look at the view. It is magnificent from this vantage point.’
How sad that he’d been orphaned, Victoria reflected, as she stepped over and joined him by huge French windows that gave onto a vine-trellised terrace overlooking the tranquil sea. A yacht glided across the clear blue stretch of water, leaving a pristine white trail rippling in its wake.
‘Where