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“Luigi Bennato.”
Hallie stared at her in shock. “Why would he want to talk to me?”
“I do not know.” The white-haired woman looked at her steadily. “All I know is your husband owes him a debt.”
Meet the old man Cristiano had betrayed? Hallie felt caught between fear, curiosity and loyalty to Cristiano. “I couldn’t. Besides,” she said hesitantly, “how do I know he wouldn’t attack me or something?”
“Luigi?” Agata gave a low laugh. “He has a good heart. Better than Cristiano’s. Luigi is no risk to you. He’s waiting in the forest on the other side of the gate.”
A trickle of fear went down the back of her neck. “He’s here? Now?”
“Tomorrow you leave Cavello, possibly never to return. He might not live until your next visit. I told him I would ask you. If you wish to see him, it is your choice.”
Hallie stared at her, a lump in her throat.
“I’ll leave you to get ready for the gala. I need to pack for your trip.” She sighed. “And my own back to Rome. Tonight will be my last time watching Jack, while you’re at the gala.” Agata smiled sadly. “I will miss you both.”
“Won’t you come with us?”
“I’m sorry.” The older woman’s eyes lifted apologetically. “I do not want to leave Italy. It’s my home. My place is here.”
Hallie hugged her hard. After Agata left her in the salon, she was still blinking back tears, but she couldn’t blame the older woman for not wanting to endlessly circle the globe. Hallie didn’t want to do it, either.
She wanted a real home. She wanted to be surrounded by the people she cared about and who cared about her.
She wanted to love her husband, and she wanted him to love her back.
Hallie sucked in her breath. What would she do about Luigi Bennato?
Her eyes fell on her baby, playing happily on his blanket. She couldn’t go behind Cristiano’s back to talk to the man he’d betrayed. He wouldn’t like it. At all.
But then—Hallie’s face suddenly hardened—he’d done a few things lately that she didn’t like, either.
She picked up her cooing baby. Crossing to the foyer, she grabbed the stroller in quick decision. If Cristiano wouldn’t explain anything to her, if he wouldn’t tell her about his past or open his heart, she would find out without his help.
If she loved him, she had to try to understand.
“Going somewhere?” Her bodyguard, Salvatore, stood in the doorway, looking at the stroller.
Blushing, she said quickly, “Oh, no, I just wanted to clean the stroller.”
“All right. I’m going to lunch.”
Hallie waited until the bodyguard had gone into the kitchen to have his usual lunch and flirtation with one of the maids. Quickly she tucked Jack into the stroller, along with a pacifier, a blanket and an extra diaper just in case, and crept quietly out of the villa.
It felt scary and exhilarating to go by herself. She realized that this was the first time she’d gone out alone since the day she’d told Cristiano about the baby, back at his hotel in New York.
Jack cooed happily in the sunshine as she walked swiftly toward the rough stone walls leading to the gate. Around the side, some distance up the hill, she saw an old man peeking through the trees. She stopped, wondering if she was making a mistake.
Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and pushed the stroller forward.
“Signora Moretti—you are she, yes?” said the old man anxiously as she came forward. He was plump, and his hair was gray, and there was something about him that seemed oddly familiar.
Hallie took a deep breath. “You wanted to talk to me?”
She was startled to see tears in the old man’s rheumy eyes. “Cristiano’s wife,” he whispered. “I have seen pictures of you.” His gaze fell to Jack, who was waving his fat arms, as he whispered, “And his son?”
He’d seen pictures of them? Oh, yes, right—she was famous. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Bennato. I don’t know the whole story between you. But I know my husband betrayed you. You must hate him for what he did to you.”
