Italy's Most Scandalous Virgin - Carol Marinelli Page 0,16

as she made her way down the stairs, and stood watching her approach.

He even announced it in English!

‘Ah, here is my stepmother now.’

Dante heard the cruel ring to his tone and did nothing to temper it, for his loathing of Mia was his final defence. He had to constantly remind himself of the destruction she had caused to his family. As well as that, he had to retell himself over and over that his father’s wife was, and would remain for ever, out of bounds.

Her blue eyes, for the very first time, shot him an angry look. It was a mere flash of her building temper, for Rafael’s death had released her from the role she had played for the last two years. But then she reminded herself there was still this day to get through.

Just a few hours until she was free.

Ariana very deliberately turned her back on Mia, and Dante saw it.

Worryingly for Dante, he felt for Mia as she stood in the foyer so pale and alone.

He did not want to care about her.

He could not allow himself to care about her.

And so he reminded himself just how much he despised her as he suggested they all head out to the cars.

The funeral of Rafael Romano was to be a huge affair.

The Romano hotel was full, not just with guests who had flown from afar to attend but also with the press, though they were kept back from the very private residence.

Mia walked down the stone steps, doing all she could not to look at the hearse. She saw the door in the vehicle behind it being held open for her and she wanted to turn and run back into the house. She actually thought about doing just that for a fleeting second, but of course knew she could not.

Dante was at the vehicle behind where his siblings were getting in, but he looked over and saw Mia stiffen, noticing how timidly she climbed in.

Despite what he had said last night, the fact that she travelled alone was a clear slur, and everyone knew it. Mia sitting up front and alone made her even less than an outcast, for it signalled to all that she had never been part of the theatre of his family.

They hadn’t given her a chance.

Dante had no doubt that Mia Hamilton was in it for the money, but what if there had been some measure of love between her and his father?

The flash of tears in her eyes that he had witnessed last night was still capable of moving him, and the strain in her voice when she had said she did not want to be in the car on her own played again in his mind.

‘I’m going to go and sit with Mia,’ Dante said to the twins and Eloa.

‘Oh, please,’ Ariana sneered. ‘Why on earth would you do that?’

But Dante didn’t answer. Instead, he left the car and walked towards the one in which Mia sat.

It was cool this morning and when the car door opened, a gust of wind burst in; Mia looked over and jumped when she saw it was Dante.

‘Have I done something wrong?’

‘No.’ He got in beside her. ‘I am sure we can manage a more united front on this sombre day.’

‘Thank you,’ Mia said, relieved the animosity had been put on hold, and grateful to have someone sitting next to her, for his presence made this just a little less daunting.

As the procession moved off, Dante stared fixedly ahead, rather than witness the tears from the staff.

The car moved slowly and as they made their way towards the stables Dante’s hands tensed into fists when he saw that Massimo had been brought out. The stable manager wore a black suit and held Massimo, who pawed the ground as the hearse passed.

And Dante remembered long ago summer treks with his father and tried not to break down.

They passed the groundskeeper’s cottage. He wore a black hat, which he removed, and bowed his head. Then on to the vines, and Dante thought back to childhood summers, happier times. He closed his eyes and remembered the last conversation he’d had with his father.

Dante had told him about the board meeting the next day, and that he was embroiled in yet another scandal.

‘Hey,’ Pa had said, ‘at least you’re not a Castello.’

The Castellos were from over the valley and had a restaurant chain that had flourished in the UK. The sons used their wealth unwisely and were careless with