The Italian's Price

He was striding away and just as he reached the cliff pathway, she caught up with him her own troublesome problems forgotten in her anxiety for the old lady she'd liked immediately. ‘Is she hurt? What happened'?' Brow clenched he spared her a glance. ‘Broken collar bone and cracked ribs. Nothing life threatening but at her age the shuck-' His voice clipped on his last word and Milly impulsively laid a hand on his arm.

'

'Try not to worry,' she murmured sympathetically. ‘We'II soon be with her. Look ' she suggested firmly and calmly, 'you go on ahead do what you need to do-rev up the helicopter or whatever. I will follow, quick as I can. And the stuff I brought with me, I will leave it. It's not important, so I won't need to waste time packing.'

Cesare's eyes dropped first to the small hand that lay consolingly on his forearm and then lifted to her face. There was concern in those beautiful eyes, determination writ large on her exquisite features. His heart jerked with something indefinable and his voice was thick as he countered, 'You come with me. I don't want to have to fly you to hospital because you fell off a cliff' Common sense, Milly told herself as he took her hand and helped her along every step of the tortuous track. Of course he wouldn't want her to miss her footing and fall', he wouldn't want the delay of scraping her up off the rocks she decided determined not to read anything more into his care for her.

The way he strode rapidly ahead the moment they reached the safety of the cliff top gave credence to her assessment. He was waiting for her outside the little stone cottage when she arrived out of breath. He had slung a casual well worn light denim jacket over his naked torso and he enquired briefly, ‘Did you mean what you said about not packing'?' ‘of course. I left stuff back at the villa. I won't have to walk around naked.' And what had led her to say that she had no idea especially when the throwaway remark earned her the glimmer of a quirky smile and a pointedly raised eyebrow before he set off across the island to the landing pad leaving her to trot along in his wake, hot and bothered, wondering if what she felt for him was actually love.

Wondering how she could be so stupid to even give that thought headroom.

The journey back to the villa was swiftly accomplished by helicopter and car, mostly in silence. Milly was aware of his impatience the evidence of it written all over him as he braked the car to a gravel-splattering halt, slid out and strode into the villa where Rosa was waiting for him.

There was no way Milly could make head or tail of the rapid Italian conversation but she picked out the word doctors and when Cesare headed for his grandmother's ground floor bedroom she followed anxious to know how the old lady was.

The room was exactly as she remembered it from the previous time she'd come here. Tall windows opened to the warm air gauzy curtains filtering out the harshness of the sunlight fluttering gently in the slight breeze. The delicate tester bed with Filomena propped up against the white embroidered pillows one arm strapped in a sling.

Cesare strode towards the old lady, lifting the hand that wasn't confined by the sling to his lips, his voice hoarse as he murmured what Milly, hovering uncertainly in the doorway, could only suppose to be reassurances.

Then he turned to the short stout man who was packing a stethoscope into a square black bag and fired questions at him in Italian. Feeling out of place still in turmoil over what had taken place between her and Cesare this morning, Milly was about to turn and go to her own room when Filomena registered her presence in the doorway.

‘My dear-come sit with met' And in the same breath ‘Cesare! English only as usual-to please me . ' Going to Filomena Milly's legs felt unsteady and almost gave way beneath her when she saw Cesare swing round dark colour slashing along his angular cheekbones as his glittering eyes bored into her quaking body.

Once again he had forgotten all about her and definitely didn't like being reminded that she was still on the same planet she decided miserably, knowing that she would never be the centre of his thoughts and wishing she could be.

Trying to ignore that piece of insanity as Cesare saw the doctor out Milly sank into the pretty pale lemon upholstered chair at the bedside and smiled with sympathy, ‘Poor you-how do you feel? A bit battered'?' The old lady was pale but her eyes were smiling as she answered sonny when I try to move! I was careless and now I pay the price.'

‘How did it happen'?' Milly stroked the frail hand that lay on the white coverlet, trying to ignore the tingling sensation at the nape of her neck which told her that Cesare had returned and his black eyes were boring into the back of her head.

‘Amalia and I were walking in the garden and I was so amused by her wicked gossip that I was not paying attention and missed my footing on the steps leading down to the arbour.'

'Where is the Contessa now'?' Cesare had stationed himself on the opposite side of the bed.

Milly was determined not to look at him.

'she left when I was returned on a stretcher. Such a fuss! She was fearful that she would be in the way.'

‘I should not have left you here with her' Cesare pronounced on a grim note of castigation. ‘If you are not even to be trusted to look where you are goingl' 'Grandson, you speak as if I am a child' Filomena was obviously growing distressed.

Milly rose to her defence. Disregarding her intention not to look at him she glared across the bed her green eyes glinting defiantly. 'Your grandmother does not need to be grumbled at. If you can't be gentle then I suggest you go find someone stronger to snipe ail' She caught his look of stunned surprise and didn't care.

From what she already knew of him throwing his weight around was second nature. He had probably not been spoken to in such a way during the whole of his over-privileged life. In her opinion a reprimand was long overdue! Filomena reached for her hand and gave it a warm squeeze and Cesare on his dignity, announced,

‘I apologize Nonna. I have been anxious. Now I will go and arrange round the clock nursing care.'

He turned, his shoulders rigid, but was held back by his grandmother saying, ‘I forbid it. I will not have strangers fussing around me and doing objectionable things to me! I am not ill. I simply need to rest until I am mended. Jilly and Rosa will tend me between them.'

He turned back then. Slowly. His dark eyes sought Milly's. 'You are capable'?' Her chin came up. She returned the pressure of the old lady's fingers. ‘Perfectly.' Her dark green gaze steady, she held her breath. Would he back down or would he after her insubordination insist on hiring nursing staff:? They weren't to know it but the real Jilly would run a mile rather than put a foot one inch inside a sickroom. She had no patience with what she perceived as weakness in anyone.

He was watching her through hooded eyes, as if doubting her capability, and was about to offer up some argument that would allow him to get his own way. It was time for her to put her foot down again .

‘Please ask Rosa to fix a lunch tray for your grandmother. Something light.' She turned to the old lady. ‘A little soup, perhaps'?' She received her amused nod and added firmly, 'And then she must rest.'

Did his savagely handsome mouth quirk? Milly wasn't sure and was not about to let herself think about it not while she was desperate to stop herself from having any thoughts about him at all especially after what he had made her feel this morning. How he had made her behave! 'You handle him well,' Filomena remarked as soon as the door had closed behind him. 6He has the habit of authority. Though well deserved, I am the first to admit. He is always right.'

She sounded tired and Milly wondered if she was brooding over his comment that she was not to be trusted to look where she was going. In her weakened state his snapped comment would have been upsetting.

‘He adores you,' Milly was quick to console. ‘He was only grumpy with you because you'd given him such a fright. It's a natural reaction.'