The Italian's Rightful Bride - By Lucy Gordon Page 0,38

in semi-darkness.

‘Hello, Freddy,’ she said, trying to sound calm.

‘Hello, Jo. Is that really you? I can’t see you properly.’

She moved closer, and his face brightened.

‘That’s better. I say, you haven’t got somebody with you, have you? Sorry to break it up and all that.’

‘It’s all right, Freddy,’ she sighed. ‘You haven’t broken anything up. This is Prince Gustavo Montegiano.’

For the briefest possible moment Freddy seemed nonplussed.

‘Uhuh!’ in a noncommittal voice.

Then the moment was gone and he came closer, hand outstretched.

‘Nice to meet you. You won’t remember me, but I was at your wedding. Not exactly a gatecrasher, but brought along by a friend of a friend.’

‘Whoever brought you, you were very welcome,’ Gustavo said with slightly strained politeness. ‘Did you, by any chance, reach this wedding in the same way?’

Freddy roared with laughter. ‘Not this time. Mind you, I don’t say I wouldn’t have, if it had been necessary, but it wasn’t. The groom’s sister is a good friend of mine, if you know what I mean.’

He finished with a wink that made Joanna say in exasperation, ‘Yes, we know what you mean, Freddy, and don’t be vulgar.’

‘I can’t help being vulgar,’ he said, hurt. ‘I’m made that way. It’s part of my charm.’

His face was broad, good-natured and as innocent as a baby’s. It was the sort of face Gustavo guessed some women would find appealing. He would have liked to use his fists on it.

‘I meant to be here sooner,’ Freddy said, ‘but I got a bit delayed. Sorry to break up the party and everything, but could I talk to you, please, Jo? It’s really you I came to see.’

‘Can’t it wait until later, Freddy? Like tomorrow?’

His smile was beguiling. ‘Ah, there’s a problem about that. I’m only here for this evening, and there are things we need to discuss.’

‘In that case, I’d better give in,’ Joanna sighed.

Gustavo would have taken a wager that people usually gave in to Freddy because of what he described as his charm.

Whatever his charm was, Gustavo was sure he was immune to it.

Joanna shrugged at him helplessly. ‘Sorry about this. I have to go.’

‘To be sure. I must rejoin the party. Good evening, Mr Manton. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.’

He walked out quickly.

He did as he’d said, returned to the party and spent the rest of the evening being the perfect guest. He smiled, he laughed, and all the time he wondered about Joanna. Had Freddy departed yet? And if not, what were they doing?

Then he saw them standing just inside the door, absorbed in conversation, or possibly in each other. Suddenly Freddy moved fast, sweeping her into the dance, twirling her around exuberantly. It was hard for him to make out her face as it flashed past, but Gustavo could tell that she was laughing as though she enjoyed his company.

After a while he made his excuses and went to bed.

As soon as he was alone with Joanna Freddy said, ‘I can’t see any sign of Billy.’

‘No, he’s not here. He was terrified he’d end up being a pageboy in satin—maybe even white satin.’

Freddy closed his eyes and winced in sympathy.

‘So he kept well clear,’ Joanna finished.

Freddy laughed. ‘Wise man. Where is he, then? Not still in Italy on that dig he told me about?’

‘Yes. I’m going back there tomorrow.’

‘So when can I see him? I miss him like the devil, Jo.’

‘Come and visit him at Montegiano. I’m sure Gustavo won’t mind, and Billy will be thrilled.’

‘Thanks,’ he said, as eager as a boy himself. ‘Now come and talk to me. We’ve got a lot of catching-up to do.’

She acquiesced, chiefly for Billy’s sake. She would rather have been with Gustavo, but that was ruined for the moment. Once broken, the spell could not be recaptured tonight. But there would be another time, she promised herself. And soon.

In the meantime, she made the best of it and found, yet again, that, if you weren’t married to him, Freddy was great company. They spent a couple of happy hours discussing Billy, and finished the evening on the dance floor.

‘What time do you have to go?’ she asked as the lights began to fade, and the band packed up.

‘Go?’ Freddy asked innocently.

‘You said you were only here for a few hours.’

‘Ah, yes, so I did.’

‘I see,’ she said with a resigned sigh.

‘I only came on the off-chance because I heard you were going to be here at the last minute. I thought Billy might be with you, or, at any rate,