‘It’s Grand Council today—you know our father’s never late for those sessions. And as for our fond mama, she always goes back to Andovaria for her fortnight’s spa this time of year—had you forgotten?’
Rico stared. ‘What? Di Finori told me Ben had been summoned immediately.’
‘Well, of course,’ Luca responded impatiently. ‘We’ve had to wait long enough to get him. But—’ his mouth pressed ‘—at least we’ve got him now.’ His voice changed again. ‘So we can all relax finally. Especially you.’ The jibing note was back in his voice. ‘Poor Rico—actually reduced to offering to make the ultimate sacrifice—marriage. And to such a bride. I’ve just checked her out on the security cameras. Dio, if I’d known she was that bad even I might have thought twice before I did that number on you. Still, it did the business—as I knew it would. She must have snapped your hand off the minute you trotted out the marriage-of-convenience fairytale.’
‘You never intended me to go through with it?’ Rico’s voice was edged like a knife.
Luca gave a laugh, abruptly cut off. ‘Thump me one if you want, Rico, but you gave us no choice. I had to be convincing. I had to make sure you believed you were going to have to go through with it.’ His mouth thinned. ‘Why the hell you gave this Lizzy Mitchell your word that you wouldn’t try and take the boy from her is beyond me. That’s not something to lie about. That’s why I didn’t want to put you in a position where you knew you were lying about a marriage of convenience.’
The expression in Rico’s eyes flickered minutely. ‘I gave her my word to get her to trust me,’ he said.
‘Bad move.’ Luca shook his head. ‘You’ll be glad to know I didn’t mention it to our father—it wouldn’t have gone down well. Still, like I said, everything’s worked out finally. And now we can finally get this damn mess sorted.’
His eyes went to Ben, who had a blank, confused look on his face at all the incomprehensible Italian being spoken over his head, then to his brother again. For a moment Rico thought he saw something in Luca’s eyes. Then it was gone. His voice, when he spoke next, was brisk and businesslike.
‘The boy’s personal household has been selected, and they’re waiting to take him now. He’ll have apartments here in the palace to begin with, where security is tighter. Later he’ll be moved out to somewhere more remote—up in the hills, probably, to keep him out of circulation. Boarding school’s a possibility when he’s older, but that’s a few years ahead yet. For the moment it’s just a question of nannies and tutors. And keeping his profile as low as possible, of course. Everything necessary will be done to mitigate the situation and minimise his presence.’ His expression changed again, and he gave a short, angry rasp. ‘Dio, what an ungodly mess! It’s been hell dealing with it here, I can tell you!’
‘I had the feeling,’ Rico said, his eyes narrowing, ‘that the idea of a grandson was welcome.’
Luca laughed shortly without humour.
‘You’ve been reading too much of that trash in the press. Yes, of course that’s the line the hacks took—they would, wouldn’t they? All cloying sentimentality. You don’t seriously imagine that our parents would ever welcome the news that Paolo had disgraced himself—and us all—by going and impregnating some two-cent bimbo and then marrying her?’
Rico gave a shrug. ‘Could be worse—the bimbo could still be alive. As it is, it’s just the frump of an aunt. What happens to her now, by the way?’ His voice was offhand.
‘Secure apartment here, in the south tower—she’s being taken there now—then she’ll be deported as persona non grata to the principality. Once outside the borders she can do what she wants. She won’t get the boy back. Even if the press bankroll any counter-custody claim by her for the publicity, it will take years. While she had the boy and they were still in the UK we were hamstrung—the law was weighted in her favour. But now it’s a different story. We have possession, and that’s what counts. She’s finished. And you, my dear brother—’ Luca clapped him on the back, his slate eyes sparking with his familiar sardonic expression ‘—are finally off-duty. You’re free to celebrate a job well done. Mission accomplished.’
‘Not quite,’ said Rico.
His right hand slipped from Ben’s, fisted, and landed on his brother’s left temple with the full weight of his body behind the blow. Luca crumpled, unconscious, to the floor.
Ben had given a gasp, but Rico just took his hand again and started to hurry towards the door.
‘Change of plan, Ben,’ said Rico.
His voice was tight with fury.
The corridors seemed endless. Like a twisting maze. Numbly, Lizzy followed behind the bespectacled equerry. He said nothing to her, and walked at a pace that was slightly too fast for her. They went up stairs, and along more corridors, and then more stairs, leading upwards.
The décor was getting less palatial with every corridor. Finally he took her through a set of doors and into one more corridor. Lizzy looked about her. This wasn’t just less palatial—this was…unused. It was the only word for it. A faint sheen of dust was on the floor, the skirting boards, and the air had a musty smell to it.
‘Signorina?’
The equerry, or whoever he was, had opened a door and was waiting for her to go in. She hesitated a moment, then, not knowing what else to do, went in. It was more like a room in a budget hotel than a palace, with a plain bed and furniture, and a small and not very clean window that, Lizzy could see, overlooked some kind of delivery area.
Her suitcase was standing on a slightly frayed rug beside the bed.
It was a single bed, she noticed, frowning slightly, and she glanced around towards the door into what she presumed must be Ben’s bedroom. But when she opened it it was only a small, windowless shower room, with no further door leading out of it. She turned.
‘Where is my son’s bedroom?’ she asked. There was sharpness in her voice.
But it was wasted.
The door to the corridor was closing, and as it did she heard a distinct click.
A spurt of alarm went through her, and she hurried to the door, twisting the handle urgently.
It was locked.