up,’ the stable manager told Mia when she returned him.
‘I believe so,’ Mia agreed.
The stable manager had the same look of sadness, concern and worry that all the staff had worn in recent months as it had become clear that Rafael’s time was nearing.
Later today their fate would be made known.
Mia wasn’t privy to the decisions Rafael had made.
She assumed the Luctano residence would go to his children, but could not imagine any of them living here. Mia guessed that it would be somewhere they dropped in on from time to time, like the rest of the Romano residences that were dotted across Europe. It was sad, Mia thought as she walked back to the house, holding a long single orchid she had collected on her ride, because it really was a home that deserved owners who loved it.
Mia headed up to Suite al Limone, to which the pinkish sky outside had given a warm coral hue.
Family members were starting to arrive and she was certain it was for the best that she stay upstairs until the last minute.
Having showered, Mia received updates from Sylvia, who had brought her breakfast.
‘The Castellos are flying into Florence then taking a helicopter. They asked to use the helipad here; Dante refused and said it was being kept just for family, but Gian De Luca just landed his helicopter!’ Sylvia raised her eyebrows at a slightly bemused Mia. ‘He’s a duke, you know.’
‘I didn’t know.’
‘He doesn’t use his title. The point is, though, that Gian is not family.’
No, that much Mia knew. Gian, though a friend of Dante’s, had been one of the few at their wedding and was the owner of La Fiordelise, a hotel in Rome where their wedding had been held. Gian had a reputation with women that was worse than Dante’s.
‘It’s a clear snub to the Castellos,’ Sylvia further explained. ‘Gian’s helicopter has the gold insignia of his hotel on the tail and is very recognisable.’ She gave a little, much-needed laugh on this very solemn day. ‘There is always offence waiting to be taken at an Italian funeral. Still, it’s all taking shape; Dante has it all under control.’
Mia, though, despite appearances, was not under control.
She felt shaky and nauseous and rather terrified about what lay ahead.
For the procession around the grounds and through the winding road to the church, Mia took some motion sickness medication and then made herself eat breakfast, recalling how dizzy she had become at her parents’ service from both emotion and lack of food. She was grimly determined that no such thing would be happening today.
Of course, today’s events were very different from when her parents had died, but with her black clothes all laid out, and sadness permeating the air, she could not help but reflect on that awful time.
It had been March and she had been due to start a new job, but before she did so there had been a family holiday to New York City with her parents and brother. It had been wonderful, taking in a show on Broadway and enjoying the delicious sights. On their final day, her father had hired a car to go a little farther afield, even though Mia had advised against it, reminding her father of the dreadful time they’d once had in France when he’d attempted to drive on the opposite side of the road.
Paul Hamilton hadn’t listened, though, and her mother, Corinne, had laughed off Mia’s concerns.
They’d had a wonderful day, but it had been early spring; the clocks hadn’t yet gone forward and dusk had descended as they’d headed back to the hotel. Her father had become confused by some headlights, had drifted across the road and a crash had ensued.
Her parents had been killed instantly, her brother seriously injured, and Mia had felt as if she’d been trapped for hours when really it had been only thirty minutes until she’d been freed.
Mia knew that it had been thirty minutes because she had read the reports, many times.
As well as poring over and over the horrendous medical bills.
She’d had travel insurance, thank God. Meticulous and organised Mia had bought it at the same time as her flight.
Her parents had had annual coverage and so they had been taken care of and their bodies repatriated.
But it had soon transpired that Michael, her brother, had not taken out insurance.
It had been more than horrendous. As well as losing her parents, the family home had had to be sold. But even that hadn’t covered