‘So, do you really have everything you need?’ Antonia prompted, giving Katie a meaningful look. ‘Now that my wicked brother has kept you here in Rome, you must need to go shopping. It never occurs to you, Rigo,’ she added, turning to him, ‘that other people don’t have a home in every city.’ And when he shrugged carelessly, Antonia added, ‘I bet poor Katie doesn’t even have a decent toothbrush with her—’
‘Well, as it happens,’ Katie interrupted wryly, getting the gist of this conversation, ‘I do need to do some shopping for…essentials.’
‘Lucky for you, then, that you have an expert on hand!’ Antonia exclaimed, satisfied that her ruse had worked. ‘You’ll definitely need toothpaste and a hairbrush, and all sorts of boring stuff…’
Katie was relieved Rigo hadn’t seen Antonia’s theatrical wink.
‘Are you offering to take Katie shopping?’ he said, frowning.
‘Could you spare your sister?’ Katie suggested, thinking what fun it could be.
‘Anyone who can keep Antonia entertained for an hour or two…’ His voice faded when he noticed Antonia looking at him and Katie thought Antonia’s smile had faded too. ‘I’d love to go shopping with you,’ she said, taking pity on the young girl, at which point Antonia quickly brightened.
‘But don’t forget—dinner at eight,’ Rigo reminded them as the two girls collected up their things.
‘Really, I’m perfectly happy eating in my room at the hotel,’ Katie assured him, sending an apologetic smile Antonia’s way.
‘I wouldn’t hear of it,’ Rigo insisted with a decisive shake of his head. ‘Antonia is right. You must allow me to make up for leaving you so abruptly this afternoon—’
‘I must?’ The challenge flew from Katie’s blunt mouth before she could stop it, which made Antonia laugh.
‘It seems to me, you have met your match, Rigo,’ she told her brother in Italian.
Rigo didn’t look nearly so pleased and Katie took note of the cold look in his eyes. Fortunately, she had the perfect excuse. ‘It’s very kind of you, but I don’t have anything to wear.’
‘Antonia is taking you shopping.’
‘Yes, for a toothbrush.’
And now Antonia was looking at her as if she had gone completely mad.
‘I really don’t need anything special to wear for a night in at my hotel…’ Seeing Antonia’s disappointment, Katie knew she had to backtrack. ‘But I do need a really good toothbrush…’
‘And I know every toothbrush shop in Rome,’ Antonia assured her, smiling again now she had got her shopping companion back onto the right track.
It was easy to see why Antonia was spoiled, Katie concluded. Antonia had her brother’s charm, only with Antonia that charm didn’t have an off switch. But there was another look in Antonia’s eyes—a defensive look, almost as if the young girl was used to being let down.
‘And if we should see some lovely dresses on the way?’ Antonia pressed, glancing anxiously at her brother.
Katie tensed. Shopping for clothes was an absolute no. What if Antonia saw her scars? What if, in her enthusiasm, Antonia burst into the changing room and screamed? She couldn’t do that to such a vulnerable young girl. She couldn’t risk it. She had to renege on her promise, even with Antonia smiling hopefully at her.
She would have to tread very carefully here, Katie realised with concern.
She was barely given time to worry before Rigo offered her a way out. ‘Buy something nice for both of you,’ he said, glancing at Katie as he pressed a pile of money into Antonia’s hand.
‘Oh, no.’ Katie held up her hands. This was something she drew the line at. ‘I couldn’t possibly accept your money—’
‘But I can,’ Antonia said, quickly securing the wad in her super-sized handbag.
‘Please,’ Rigo insisted. ‘It’s the very least I can do after treating you so badly, Signorina Bannister—’
‘The very least,’ Antonia assured him with a frown.
‘So…dinner at eight?’ he said, turning to Katie. ‘Don’t forget—I’ll pick you up at your hotel.’
This was a man to whom no one had ever dared to say no, Katie concluded. ‘I’ll be eating in my room tonight,’ she reminded him pleasantly.
‘After you go shopping with me,’ Antonia insisted.
‘Of course,’ Katie reassured Antonia with a smile. She was beginning to feel like the bland filling in a particularly glamorous sandwich. ‘I can’t wait to go shopping…for a really good toothbrush,’ she added for Rigo’s benefit, ‘and I look forward to concluding our business tomorrow morning,’ she finished with absolute honesty. How much more of this high-octane challenge could she take? To make the point that she wasn’t the type to take advantage, as the waiter threaded nimbly past she picked up their bill from his tray.
Which Rigo stole from her hand with a warning glance.
The shopping trip with Antonia exceeded Katie’s wildest expectations.
Did it come any wilder? She had no idea how to rein in Antonia’s enthusiasm—this was shopping on a heroic scale. Just as she had anticipated, Antonia ignored her insistence that Katie only needed a toothbrush and, as everything in the shops was so stylishly arranged…
But Katie knew she’d reached her boundary when Antonia called her over to look in one particular window. Katie had never seen so many exclusive boutiques in one place and had been lagging behind. The specialist shops they were browsing now sold everything under the sun and more besides—things that should only come out at night, like garments of a frilly nature, for example…
Katie stood awestruck, taking in the breathtaking display. Cobweb-fine lace and slinky satin vied with cotton so delicate you could see through it—and many of the items were trimmed with eye-catching diamanté and pearl. ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t,’ she said when Antonia tried to persuade her to go with her into the shop. ‘You go in if you want to,’ Katie said, hanging back.
‘Not without you,’ Antonia insisted, taking hold of Katie’s arm. And before Katie knew what was happening Antonia had marched her into the shop, announcing, ‘It’s time you spoiled yourself.’
Antonia immediately summoned assistants over to help them. ‘Not with Rigo’s money,’ Katie said, determined to resist Antonia’s enthusiasm.
‘But you’ve got your own money, haven’t you?’
How to say, yes, but I need it for bills? Though she could do with some pyjamas for tonight, Katie conceded, mouth agape as she stared around. Did people wear these things?
‘Well, that’s a start,’ Antonia approved when Katie suggested that perhaps pyjama trousers and a vest to sleep in that night might be a good idea.
What the assistants brought them was the furthest thing from Katie’s mind, but as she handled the delicate garments her longing for them grew. They were in such glorious colours—turquoise, cerise, lemon and lavender trimmed with baby-pink. It went without saying that she would never find anything like this at home.
Did she have to wear winceyette all the time? Katie wondered, staring at her plain face in the mirror. As no one else was going to see the satin shorts and revealing strappy top she liked, surely it wouldn’t hurt to buy a set…or two?
Giving herself the excuse she wouldn’t risk offending Antonia, she asked the assistant to wrap them up.
‘And what about these?’ Antonia cut in, pointing out some racy underwear.
‘Oh, no…’ Shaking her head, Katie blushed furiously, knowing she would never have the opportunity to wear it. She had only seen underwear like that in magazines before.
‘You can’t wear white cotton all your life,’ Antonia observed, staring frankly into Katie’s eyes.
‘How do you…’ Katie’s words froze on her lips. Was she that obvious?
‘They are expensive,’ Antonia continued thoughtfully as she studied the set, ‘so you really should try them on before you buy them.’
Alarm bells rang in Katie’s head. She had pushed all her hang-ups to the back of her mind, s
he realised as Antonia waited for her to do the obvious and ask to use the changing room. ‘No,’ she said firmly, knowing she had to get out of this somehow. She’d say she’d changed her mind. ‘There’s no need…’
‘Oh, well, if you’re sure,’ Antonia said, completely misunderstanding her. ‘We’ll take these too, please—’