Her mother stood silent, gently stroking Serafina’s hair. When she finally released her hold on her daughter, she stepped away. With her hands pressed together, she raised them to her lips. From the expression on her countenance, it was clear she was conducting some sort of internal debate.
“You do know that if you marry this Englishman, you will be leaving Rome. You will spend the rest of your life in England, a Protestant country. Your children will not be raised as Catholics. They will not be a part of our faith.”
From the moment that Gideon had declared himself at the Colosseum, and she had decided her future lay with him, Serafina had known this difficult choice would have to be made. It meant turning away from much of who she was, of her culture. Her heritage.
“I know, and this was not an easy decision. But I take comfort in knowing that we worship the same god, and much of our differences have been wrought by politics, not faith. My first-born son will one day become the Duke of Mowbray. He cannot sit in the House of Lords if he is Catholic. It breaks my heart to give up so much. Catholics in England have few rights, but change will only come if those who can amend the laws are given knowledge by those in positions of influence.”
Her father had it wrong. He thought the only way she would ever be able to wield power was through his direction, but Serafina was determined to have her own agency. Her legacy would be her children. The laws against Catholics in England had to change.
A smile crept to Donna Francesca’s lips. “Good. Then you are at least aware of the trials which no doubt lay ahead of you in England. What you must concentrate on now, however, is what you need to do tonight.”
“You mean elope? I am not sure how far we would get. Gideon thought it too dangerous.”
“He is right. You cannot run from this; your father would catch you long before you could be safely away. What I meant is how you can make certain that Signore Magri will no longer wish to marry you.”
There was one thing she could doone thing guaranteed to break their match.
I made Gideon promise that if he ever got the chance to secure my hand in marriage, he wouldn’t hesitate.
“I might need some advice on how I should go about doing such a thing. I am not completely clear on what it takes to be… ruined.”
The contessa brushed a hand over her daughter’s cheek. “You remember when I told you that your father had a mistress when we were first married? Well, I am going to share with you the secret of how I made sure he not only got rid of her but has never been with another woman since.”
Her heart raced at a fast clip. Fear and something else she thought she recognized coursed through her body. What she was feeling didn’t matter because tonight, she would finally put the dreaded prospect of being forced to marry Giovanni Magri behind her once and for all. She would claim what was hers—Gideon. The man she loved.
Between now and later tonight, she was going to receive instruction from her mother on just how she should go about seducing her English marquis.
And Serafina was going to listen very carefully.
ChapterForty-Five
When it became apparent that Serafina would not be at supper, Gideon retired to one of the smaller sitting rooms and ate there. He had intended to dine alone, but Augusta soon joined him.
“The grand dining room seemed particularly empty tonight. Donna Francesca and Serafina didn’t make an appearance; nor did Nico and Isabelle. The old duke only stopped by to wish us a quick good evening. Turns out he was also dining with his son and daughter-in-law. I had some soup, then when Enzo de Luca got up and left without speaking to me, I decided to call it quits.”
His sister plopped onto a sofa with a sigh, but when her eyes lit up at the sight of his food, Gideon beckoned her over. “I am sure there is more than enough for the two of us,” he said. “I had a very large meal this afternoon when I was out in the city.”
Augusta had the good grace not to make further mention of Serafina. She picked up a slice of prosciutto and stuffed it in her mouth. Her hums of approval had Gideon smiling. The girls of the Kembal family were partial to a good feed. Their sister Victoria’s interest was yet to dim when it came to collecting cookbooks and recipes.
I wonder if I can find an Italian pasta book here in Rome.
“I must remember to buy gifts for our siblings before we leave for home,” he said.
“Already sorted. I have been buying bits and pieces for a little while now. Once we are onboard the boat, I shall bring them out and show you.” She leaned forward and slyly grinned at him. “That’s if you are not too busy in your cabin with one of the other passengers,” she whispered.
It went without saying that she wasn’t referring to their mother.
I should tell her about the letters. Change the bloody subject.
“I had a long chat with Mama this afternoon. Thank you for letting me know she had returned and was in distress. Suffice to say the visit with Signore Arosio to Tivoli did not go as she’d thought it would. The blackguard well and truly overstepped the bowling crease.”
He picked up the plate and offered his sister a piece of cheese. His cheeks were warm, and he prayed Augusta wouldn’t ask him to elaborate further on his cricket analogy. To his relief, she took two lumps of cheese and bit into them. It would be a cold day in hell before he talked sex with his younger sister.
Augusta seemed too interested in the contents of the supper platter, which was encouraging until Gideon had a horrid thought.
I forgot that G is a nervous over-eater. When she is upset, she just shoves food in her mouth.
She needed reassurance that something good had come from his discussion with their mother.
