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I nodded, unsure how to respond, having no idea what this man thought of me. Looking at him now, I thought he didn’t seem the terrible tyrant Matteo had painted such a bleak picture of. He looked nothing more than an old man—a very ill old man.
‘I’m dying,’ he said abruptly, as if he sensed my thoughts. ‘Did Matteo tell you?’
‘I haven’t seen him since yesterday afternoon,’ I admitted.
‘Ah. He is very angry with me, I’m afraid.’
‘Why?’
Bastian gave a little shrug. ‘Because I asked him to forgive me, I suppose.’
I started at that, because that was the last thing I’d expected. ‘He’s angry with you because you want to make amends?’
‘It is not always easy to let go of our grievances.’
‘Yes, but...’ He was dying. And, however much Matteo hated his grandfather, here was a chance to right old wrongs, heal old wounds. How could he reject it?
‘Matteo is a very proud man,’ Bastian said slowly. ‘He has worked hard for what he has. He saved Arides Enterprises, did you know that?’
‘Sort of...’
I gazed at him cautiously. Matteo had told me the empire had been in trouble when he’d come in and risked everything on its fledgling luxury hotel market. His gamble had paid off.
‘Well, he did. I was not as good a businessman as he was. I didn’t like to take risks. And his father...’ Bastian sighed. ‘His father had no head for it at all. As well as no interest.’
‘Matteo said something of that to me.’
‘Matteo was my saviour,’ he stated starkly. ‘And I confess I hated that. I didn’t want to be saved—and certainly not by a child I hadn’t even wanted to raise.’
I recoiled a little at his honest words. ‘Why blame Matteo for the circumstances of his birth?’ I asked.
‘I didn’t—not precisely. It was simply that he was too painful a reminder of my daughter-in-law’s death. I loved her, you see, and when she died I blamed Matteo.’
I must have looked shocked because Bastian hastened to clarify.
‘I loved her as a daughter. She was so gentle, so kind. And my son treated her dreadfully—gambling, drinking, having affairs. Taking Matteo in was an act of kindness on her part, but it was one that killed her, and I blamed Matteo for that. He reminded me of his father, who had been such a disappointment. I suppose it all became mixed up in my mind...and Matteo was an easy target.’ He smiled sadly. ‘He made it difficult for me in any case...always acting out. But I admit I made very little effort.’
‘How did taking in Matteo kill her?’ I asked.
‘She wasn’t strong physically or emotionally...and Andreas’s birth—do you know about Andreas?’
I nodded.
‘Poor, dear Andreas. His birth affected her badly. She never really recovered. Taking Matteo in...that was difficult for her, both emotionally and physically. And then to try to look after two baby boys, knowing one was the child of her husband’s whore...’
‘His mother wasn’t a whore. And how can taking care of a couple of children kill anyone? She must have had help...?’
‘Yes, there was a nanny. But Marina didn’t like to leave the care of the boys to her. She wanted them to grow up as brothers.’ His face twisted. ‘Something I couldn’t stand.’
I shook my head slowly, both saddened and repulsed by his plain speaking. He was a hard man, but he was also a broken one. ‘So how did she die?’
He paused, and then said starkly, ‘She killed herself. An overdose. We didn’t let the news out. I don’t think Matteo even knows.’
‘And you blamed Matteo for it?’ I surmised. Poor Matteo. Poor Marina.
‘Yes, I did. I know it isn’t logical, but it was the reaction of a grief-stricken man. I didn’t want him in my home, although I knew I had a responsibility towards him. I couldn’t bear it after the disappointment of my son, the death of my daughter-in-law... I sent him away with the nanny. I provided for him. I made sure he had adequate food and clothing, education and opportunity.’
‘But not the same as Andreas.’
