AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘We are not close.”
‘you could have been, if things had been different.” This from her father, who looked ready to immerse himself in a full-fledged guilt attack.
And no doubt he would be happier if she were more amenable like her half-sister but she was twenty-five years old. The time for such considerations was long past.
‘lt’s a bit late for such thoughts.”
Francesco winced and she clenched her hands at her sides.
‘I don’t mean that in a negative way. I meant you are not doing yourself any favors focusing on something that is over and done with.”
Therese laid her hand on Francesco’s shoulder.
‘she is right adore. You have been too caught up in memories since your heart episode but these considerations do no one any good. What is past is past. We must live in the present and we have your daughter with us now. You should enjoy her visit not waste it mourning over old regrets.”
Francesco’s face filled with love for his wife of twenty-three years. ‘Si della mia as always, you are right.”
Therese’s still beautiful cheeks turned a soft pink and she squeezed Francesco’s shoulder.
‘you! Sweet talk will not get you anything for dinner. You heard the doctor with ears that work as good as mine ”
They continued their gentle banter through the meal but afterward Francesco’s good humor vanished when Salvatore informed him he had no intention of leaving Elisa to stay in the Guiliano home .
‘your father is in America and your grandfather has gone on that cruise of the Greek islands with the widow Genose. It is not seemly for my daughter to stay alone with you.”
Elisa felt like laughing. She could understand the concern were she Annemarie but she’d been living on her own for years. However she said nothing. Let Salvatore fight his own battles. The whole living-arrangement thing had been his idea.
‘That is precisely why we are staying at my home and not here. Until the auction is over Elisa is at risk. Whoever she is with is also at risk. I can watch over her more effectively if my attention is not divided with the risks posed to those around her as weII.”
Her father looked much less impressed by this argument than Elisa had been. His eyes narrowed and his chest puffed up with male pride.
‘I can watch over my family just fine. Your own company has ensured that the security in my home is top-of-the-line.”
‘Nevertheless, Elisa will stay with me.” Salvatore, who had persuaded di Adamo with perfect finesse faced Francesco with primitive male aggression and not one attempt at conciliation.
Therese shook her head and clicked her tongue. ‘Ah an argument between two stubborn proud males is not my idea of after-dinner entertainment.” She turned to Elisa.
‘Come, child, we will go out to the garden and I will show you my new Pink Butterfly orchid. I planted it soon after your visit last year.It is just now in bloom.”
Elisa didn’t understand why Salvatore wasn’t trying harder to handle her father more carefully, but she had no intention of letting him and her father make any more decisions regarding her life.
‘l’d love to see your orchids but first… ” She turned to her father.
‘I agree with Salvatore. I will not put you and Therese at risk. I’ll go off on my own first.”
Her father opened his mouth to speak, but Salvatore forestalled him. ‘That is not going to happen.”
She didn’t bother to argue, simply lifted her brow as if to ask, ‘Is it not’?, and left the room with Therese.
Salvatore and her father joined them outside a few minutes later. Francesco had the look of a man whose favorite sports team had won an important tournament.
‘lt is a beautiful evening, is it not? The fragrance of flowers the warm air the company of good people.”
Once again the expansive Italian host he beamed at the others.
Therese smiled. you two have worked out your difference of opinion?’
With what Elisa considered an extreme lack of subtlety on his part, he leaned to whisper something in Therese’s ear.
