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‘No, wait a moment,’ Giovanni suddenly said. ‘Look in the top drawer—a wooden box.’
‘Is this what you mean?’ Vito asked, holding up a highly polished, flat wooden box that he’d found in the old chest-of-drawers across the room.
‘Give it to Lily,’ Giovanni said.
Vito frowned, but did as his grandfather bid. Lily took the box hesitantly, caught between the displeasure on Vito’s face and Giovanni’s wishes.
‘Oh!’ she gasped as she opened the box to reveal a stunningly beautiful necklace. ‘It’s exquisite!’
‘Antique Venetian glass,’ Giovanni said. ‘It was my great-grandmother’s. Until now I didn’t have anyone to pass it on to. It’s for you, my dear. Welcome to my family.’
Lily stared at the antique jewellery in awe. She’d never seen anything so gorgeous—and knowing that the glass beads were hundreds of years old, that the necklace had been treasured for generations, made it even more special.
‘We can’t accept that, Nonno,’ Vito said.
‘I’m not giving it to you.’ Giovanni looked sternly at his grandson, then his watery gaze moved on to Lily. ‘Your wife appreciates it. From her expression, I can see that she knows the true value of the necklace.’
‘Vito’s right,’ Lily said, reluctantly closing the lid of the box. ‘This is too much. You’ve only just met me.’
‘That doesn’t matter. You are my granddaughter now,’ Giovanni said. He leant back against his plump pillows and closed his eyes. ‘You may leave now. I am tired.’
Lily clutched the box tightly as Vito steered her out of the palazzo. It had been a morning full of surprises.
They walked home quietly. Lily had a lot on her mind. There were still so many questions—but at least some things were starting to come clear. Vito’s grandfather was a wonderful old man, and she understood completely why Vito wanted to make his last days happy. But he wasn’t being honest with anyone.
It wasn’t long before they were back in their bedroom.
‘I wish you had told me.’ Lily spoke without preamble. ‘That the only reason you wanted to marry me is to make your grandfather’s final days happier.’
‘There was no need to complicate our arrangement.’ Vito spoke shortly, not bothering to deny her accusation. ‘It was not your concern.’
‘Of course it was,’ Lily said. ‘I’m involved! I’m the one carrying your child—Giovanni’s great-grandchild. And I’m the one who is going to spend time with him during his last months.’
‘Save that for the rest of the world,’ Vito snapped. ‘Endless repetition won’t make it true, so stop trying to convince me that the child is mine.’
‘But it is,’ Lily protested. ‘Whatever you say, I’m not going to stop believing it—or saying it—because it is true.’
‘My grandfather is old and frail. He doesn’t have long to live.’ Vito brutally brought the subject back around. ‘It is the thought that his family line will continue that he needs. Not to socialise with you.’
Lily stared at him bitterly. Despite the circumstances, she had enjoyed meeting Giovanni. He was a wonderful old man, and she was sure spending time with him would enrich her life.
‘Oh my God!’ she gasped suddenly, sitting down on the edge of the bed as her legs felt weak with shock. ‘As far as you’re concerned, this is a temporary arrangement. As soon as Giovanni passes away, you’re planning to throw me and the baby out again!’
She looked up at Vito in a silent appeal, desperate for him to tell her that she was wrong. But he just stared down at her, a hard, unfeeling expression on his face.
‘Your grandfather will have died happy.’ At last Lily spoke her awful train of thought aloud. ‘And you will have no further use for me. Or for the baby. No wonder you were able to suggest this, even though you are adamant that the baby isn’t yours!’
‘It was a practical solution,’ Vito said coldly. ‘And now you’ll finally understand that it is pointless for you to continually try to persuade me of your innocence. Or to build a relationship with my grandfather. Or to put down roots in Venice. As soon as his time comes, you’ll be history.’
Lily stared at him in horror as the cold brutality of his words sunk in.
‘You are a despicable human being!’ she cried, suddenly flying to her feet and squaring up to him. ‘You don’t deserve a grandfather who loves you so much!’
‘I didn’t deserve a lover who cheated on me.’ The angry blue fire sparking in his eyes was the only sign of emotion on his face.
Lily glared at him, struggling for words. She couldn’t believe Vito would really do something like this.
