‘How do you speak my language so well?’ Alysa asked, for something to say.

‘Mamma taught me. She was bi-bi-’

‘Bilingual,’ Drago supplied. ‘Some of her clients were English, as are some of mine. We’re all bilingual in this family. Tina learned both languages side by side.’

‘Do you speak Italian?’ Tina asked her.

‘Not really,’ Alysa said, concentrating on her food so that she didn’t have to meet the innocent eyes that were turned on her. ‘I learned a little when I was researching someone on the internet.’

‘An Italian someone?’

‘Er-yes.’

‘Was that someone there today?’

‘No.’

‘Are you going to see them tomorrow?’

Her hand tightened on her fork. ‘No, I’m not.’

‘Will you-?’

‘Tina,’ Drago broke in gently. ‘Don’t be nosey. It isn’t polite.’

‘Sorry,’ Tina said with an air of meekness that didn’t fool Alysa. Even hidden away inside herself as she was, Alysa could see the enchanting curiosity in the little girl’s eyes, and understood why Drago was determined to protect her at any cost to himself.

That’s how I would feel, she thought, if I had a-She blanked the rest out, and fixed her attention on drinking her coffee.

CHAPTER TWO

FOR the rest of the meal Alysa forced herself to act the part of the ideal guest, assuring herself that it was no different from concentrating on a client. You just had to focus, something she was good at.

She became sharply aware of tensions at the table, especially between Drago and his mother-in-law, whom he always addressed as ‘Elena’. For her part she looked at him as little as possible, and talked determinedly about Carlotta, who had, apparently, been a perfect daughter, mother and wife. Drago had spoken truly when he’d said his mother-in-law had no idea of the truth-or, if she had, she’d rejected it in favour of a more bearable explanation.