By then the senior partner had retired and David had taken over the position. Now he no longer needed his father-in-law’s influence, although it was only ill-natured people who openly made a connection between that and his divorce.

Alex had worked as hard on transforming herself as she had on her job. Her body represented the triumph of the workout. Her legs were long and slender enough to risk the shortest skirts. The tightest of dresses found no extra pounds on her.

Her fair hair was short, expertly cut and shaped, nestling close to her neat head on top of a long, elegant neck. She was a highly finished work of art, her mind as perfectly ordered as her appearance.

She and David became an item, and everyone knew that soon the firm’s two stars would link up and run the place together.

Now it seemed that nothing could be better structured. Her inheritance would be followed by her partnership, and then by her marriage.

‘Of course it might take a little time to arrange,’ David mused now. ‘You haven’t actually inherited part of the property, have you?’

‘No, just the money that was loaned against it. Enrico assigned the debt to me in his will. So the Farnese brothers owe me a large sum of money, and if they can’t repay in a reasonable time, that’s when I can claim some of the actual farm.’

‘Either that or sell your interest to someone else, which would make more sense. What would you want with one third of a farm?’

‘Nothing, but I’d feel uneasy about doing that. I have to give the Farneses every chance to pay me first.’

‘Sure, and, as I said, it may take time. So don’t rush back. Take as long as you need and do it properly.’

Alex smiled, thinking fondly how understanding he was. It would make everything easier.

‘You haven’t seen much of your Italian relatives, have you?’ David asked now.