Loving Venus (Sally-Ann Jones Sexy Romance) (6 page)

    
When they finally scrambled out of the fine old car as close to the
Campo
, or central square of the city, as Tonia’s husband could park it, they immediately walked through the winding, shady lanes and alleys to where they’d arranged to meet Alessandro, who managed to procure for them all a superb vantage-point from his school-friend’s own
palazzo
, which commanded a 180-degree view of the ampitheatre-like
Campo
.

    
Alessandro didn’t hide his delight at seeing her after their brief separation and scooped her up into his arms. He carried her like a princess to the grand house from which they’d later watch the race. As soon as their great-grandfather pulled imperiously on the bell-chain which hung beside the massive oak front door of the
palazzo
, Alessandro’s friend, Mario, threw open the door and welcomed them warmly. “This must be the little lady who has stolen my friend’s heart,” Mario laughed, his eyes twinkling at Annabella. “He talks of nothing but you and now I can see why!”

    
Alessandro said, “Come and let me introduce you to Mario’s family! They’re dying to meet you. They’ve heard all about you.”

    
With the teenage boy effortlessly carrying the child up the stairs to the big balcony where chairs were already ranged and refreshments being served, the old man and her parents followed, Annabella’s father helping Tonia’s husband to negotiate the steep stone steps.

    
Alessandro deposited his load in triumph on a throne-like chair in the middle of the balcony.

    
“This is my Annabella,” Alessandro said proudly. “And her parents, George and Lucia. And of course you know my great-grandfather.” Turning to Annabella’s parents, he said, “Uncle, Aunt, I would like you to meet Signor and Signora Ferri, who are Mario’s parents and whose house this is. Their horse, Fulmine, whose name means lightning in English, is racing in the
Palio
this evening.”

     While the newcomers were being helped to drinks and antipasto and encouraged to take the best chairs on the balcony, Alessandro continued his commentary for the benefit of the visitors: “The Ferris are an ancient Sienese family and their colours are maroon and yellow. You will see Fulmine soon. Mario and I have been grooming him all morning and he looks fabulous. He
’s jet black and his coat is so shiny, Annabella, you could see your freckles in it.”

     They all laughed at this and he went on, “You see the thousands of people down in the
Campo
now? Some are tourists but most are residents of Siena’s
contrade
, or districts. They’re here to cheer their own district’s horse on and they get here well before the event’s due to start because they want to make sure they secure the best vantage spots. They’re happy to wait here all day, having lunch and chatting, until sunset. The horses will race around the square, on the packed dirt track, and the winner will be awarded the
Palio
, which is an old, old banner that has been fought over for longer than anyone can remember. We’re all very lucky to be up here because sometimes it’s dangerous down on the cobble-stones, with all the galloping and the excitement.”

     “Can’t I ride Fulmine?” Annabella  had begged, looking up first at her second cousin, then Mario, then beseechingly at her parents, great-grandfather, the Ferris and even the chauffeur.

     They all laughed, she remembered, much to her chagrin and Signor Ferri told her that even Mario wasn’t allowed to ride in the
Palio
until he was eighteen, although he too had been nagging to be allowed on the black stallion’s back instead of his older, married brother. Despite not being able to ride the beautiful horse, Annabella had enjoyed her day, especially when, at the end of it, she was plied with sugar lumps to feed to Fulmine when, wild-eyed and frothy with sweat, he was led to the
palazzo
and rewarded for his efforts, although he’d missed out on the banner. She somberly promised Mario and his family she’d return to Siena in the not too distant future and that she’d again watch the spectacle from their balcony.

      Annabella was roused from these happy memories by Tonia calling her.

     “Bella!” she was shouting, “Bella!”

      Annabella climbed down from the table-top on which she
’d been day-dreaming and called back to Tonia, who informed her that Doctor Esposito had come to check on his patient. “But, Signorina,” the housekeeper added sternly, puffing slightly after having rushed from the villa, “You’d better make yourself decent before you show yourself. You must have a dressing-gown,
no
?”

     Annabella shook her head, blushing furiously. Did even Tonia think she was too plump, in just her knickers and T-shirt, to be seen? Taking pity on her embarrassment, Tonia drew her into her arms and said reassuringly, “I’ll run and fetch you Alessandro’s gown. He left it hanging on the back of his bedroom door. I know he won’t mind you wearing it.” And, before Annabella could protest, she was rushing off again, leaving Annabella to wish, yet again, that she was as slim and tanned as her rival, Claudia.

     Within minutes, Tonia was back, a maroon silk kimono held lovingly over her arm. She helped Annabella into it and the young woman was suddenly overwhelmed by the unique male scent of her second cousin – a smell of cigars, an occasional indulgence on which he blamed their great-grandfather, horses and sun-warmed basil.
     “Are you all right?” Tonia asked concernedly. “I hope you haven’t a fever – you’re shivering.”

     “I’m perfectly well,” Annabella snapped. Then, realizing she had been rude, she quickly added, “Perhaps it’s just that I’ve been lazing in the sun so long that the shade feels cold.”

     “As long as it’s not that bang on the head making you sick,” Tonia said. “Now, come inside and let me help you up the stairs to your room.
Dottore
Esposito is in there already, taking a coffee on the balcony.”

     Annabella entered the bedroom shyly, keeping the wrap tightly around herself. The happy memories of a different, loving, kind, fun Alessandro coupled with the sensuous feel of his silken garment against her skin made her feel unsettled. She longed for him to be nice to her again, but she knew she wanted more than the friendship they had enjoyed so long ago. Much, much more.

     The doctor stood and approached her, immediately concerned by her pallor. But, on taking her blood pressure and pulse and listening to her heart, he was satisfied she was on the mend after the knock on her head. “Perhaps you simply need another coffee,” he said. “Tonia’s made enough for two, in case you wanted some. Come and take it with me on the balcony.”

     He held the chair out for her and poured the fragrant liquid, adding sugar and cream before taking his place opposite her and pouring more for himself.

     “It’s so lovely here,” Annabella said, knowing she’d never tire of this view, even if she grew as old as her great-grandfather.

     “Yes, it’s a beautiful place,” the doctor said. “But what of your country? That must be beautiful too.”

     Annabella nodded then said, “In a different way. I love Australia, but this feels like my home.”

     “I have a friend in Australia. Like me, she is a country doctor,” the doctor said. “I hope to go there one day, or perhaps she
’ll come here.”

     Before Annabella could reply, she caught sight of her second cousin in the garden below. He was, she supposed, heading for the big cypress tree under which she
’d first seen him again, grappling with the rows and rows of figures, for under his arm he carried the old books in which their great-grandfather had kept all the estate records. But, before he could begin to climb the ivy-clad stone steps that led to his makeshift office, Claudia too noticed him. She was, Annabella saw, standing on her terrace, lifting two smallish dumbbells up and down so that the hard muscles in her sinewed arms flexed visibly. With one of the dumbbells, she waved to Alessandro and he waved back. Then, putting both the weights down, Claudia ran to the railing of her terrace and called something to him which Annabella couldn’t hear. She saw him nod, run over to her and plant a long kiss on her neck, never taking his hands from the log books.

     Seeing the stricken look on her face and guessing by following the direction of her gaze what had caused it, the doctor said, “Annabella, would you do me the honour of accompanying me to the
Palio
tomorrow? It’s the second of July, one of only two days in the year on which it is run. I haven’t lived in Tuscany long so I’ve never seen it before and I can think of nobody I would rather enjoy it with.”

     Annabella bit her bottom lip to prevent the tears spilling. She hadn
’t realized the
Palio
was so soon. Smiling bravely, she nodded and told the doctor she would indeed like to see the horse-race with him.             

      The doctor leaned across the table and rested his hand kindly on her shoulder. Just at that moment Alessandro broke away from Claudia and headed for the table under the cypress, his eyes unaccountably drawn upwards to his old bedroom. He took in the intimate scene. Annabella in his silk dressing-gown, its neck falling open to reveal the snowy expanse of her throat, the shared coffee, the gentle smile passing between the man and the woman.

      Inexplicably angry all of a sudden, he knew he’d be unable to concentrate on the accounts today. He’d been planning to make an inventory for the new heiress so she knew where she stood. But he couldn’t face any of that now. Instead, having placed the old books on the steps, he lifted himself agilely over the wall that separated Casa dei Fiori from Villa Claudia.

                                 CHAPTER FIVE

Doctor Esposito arrived, as he had promised, at eight o’clock on the morning of the second of July. He knocked on the big front door of Casa dei Fiori and Tonia admitted him into the stone-flagged entrance hall where he had a wide view of the staircase down which Annabella would come as soon as she knew he was waiting.

     Dispensing with formalities, the housekeeper stood at the bottom of the stairs and shouted the heiress’ name. Within seconds, Annabella was bounding down two steps at a time, her mane of hair bouncing behind her.

     Even in ordinary jeans and a T-shirt, he thought, she looked wonderful.

     “
Dottore!
” she said, halfway down, genuinely pleased. She’d spent another miserable night longing for Alessandro’s friendship, but that didn’t diminish her pleasure in seeing the young doctor.

     She supposed he was about the same age as her second cousin but, where Alessandro was dark and rugged-looking, the doctor had sandy-coloured hair and was of a finer build, although almost as tall.

     “Please, call me Umberto,” he protested, smiling.

     “Well then, you must call me Annabella.”

     He bowed formally. “I hope you’ve eaten?” he asked, sure she was still slightly pale.

     At this point, Tonia interjected volubly: “She has eaten nothing. Figs. Dry bread. Bah! What is she doing to her beautiful figure,
Dottore
?”

     “Is this true, Annabella?” Umberto asked. “Is your head still sore?”

     “I’m perfectly all right. Please, don’t fuss. Don’t spoil the day,” she pleaded.

     “You
’ll eat lunch with me,
no
?” Umberto asked. “I’ve packed a picnic specially.”

     “Of course I will,” Annabella agreed, mentally making a note to re-start her campaign to attain a body like Claudia’s the following day.

     Tonia waved as Umberto’s Fiat sped away in the direction of Siena. She was glad the heiress would see the
Palio
again, but disappointed she wouldn’t be enjoying it with Alessandro. After all, the old man had wanted them to be together. Squaring her shoulders, she resolved to do her best to help him achieve his aim.

      Meanwhile, Annabella and Umberto parked the Fiat and were climbing the cobbled, narrow medieval alleys that threaded between rose-pink
palazzi
and led, eventually, to the
Campo
. The city was alive with noise and colour. Youths proudly bearing the medieval courtly uniforms of their ancestors, complete with ermine-trimmed capes, were thronging through the crowds of locals and tourists, beating drums and waving huge heraldic flags of yellow, red, emerald and purple. Feeling slightly dizzy because of her diet, Annabella was glad to hold Umberto’s hand. It also meant they wouldn’t be separated in the chaos. Finally, they reached the square where even more people were lined against the ancient buildings surrounding it.

     “Let’s watch from here,” Umberto said, pulling her into a deep, shady doorway just wide enough for the two of them to stand, very close. “I hope you w
on’t mind having a fairly long wait. Luckily, there’s lots to see and well before the race begins, there’s a parade of the representatives of the
contrade
in their historical costumes.”