“Why do you love me, Major?” She looked strangely old and wise and sad as she asked.

“I'm after your money.” He grinned at her, looking very handsome and younger than his years.

“I thought so. Do you think I have enough?” She smiled into his eyes.

“How much have you got?”

“About twenty-two dollars after last payday.”

“That's perfect. I'll take you. That's what I want.” But he was already kissing her, and they both wanted something else first. And after they had made love again, he held her and said nothing, thinking back to what she had gone through, how far she had come, just to come home, to return to the palazzo, where, thank God, he had found her. And now he would never let her go. But just as he thought that about Serena, his eyes drifted across to the photograph of a smiling dark-haired young woman in the silver frame on the marble-topped table beside his bed. It was as though Serena sensed where he was looking and she turned to see the photo of Pattie, smiling down at them both. She said nothing, but her eyes went to the major's and there was a question in them and he sighed softly and shook his head. “I don't know, Serena. I don't have the answer to that yet.” She nodded, understanding, but suddenly worried. What if she lost him? And she knew that she had to. The other woman was part of his world in a way that Serena wasn't, and perhaps could never be.

“Do you love her?” Serena's voice was gentle and sad.

“I thought I did. Very much.” Serena nodded and said nothing, and he gently took her chin in his hand and made her raise her eyes to his again. “I will always tell you the truth, Serena. I won't hide anything from you. That woman and I are engaged to be married, and I have no idea what in hell I'm going to do. But I love you. I honestly, truly, love you. I knew it the first minute I laid eyes on you, tiptoeing through my office in the dark.” They both smiled at the memory. “I have to think this thing out. I don't love her the way I love you. I loved her as part of a familiar, comfortable world.”

“But I'm not part of that world, Brad.”

“That does not matter to me. You are you.”

“And your family? Will they be satisfied with that too?” Her eyes said that she doubted it.

“They're very fond of Pattie. But that doesn't mean a damn thing.”

“Doesn't it?” Serena tried to look flip as she slid out of bed, but he pulled her back.

“No. I'm thirty-four years old. I have to lead my life, Serena, not theirs. If I wanted to lead their life, I'd already be out of the army, working for one of my father's friends in New York.”

“Doing what?” She suddenly had an insatiable curiosity about him.

“Working in a bank most likely. Or running for office. My family is very involved in politics in the States.”

She sighed tiredly and there was a cynical smile in her eyes. “My family was very involved in politics over here.” She looked at him with sorrow and wisdom and a hint of laughter, and he was glad to see that she could see the irony in the situation. “It's a little different there.”

“I hope so. Is that what you want to do? Go into politics?”

“Maybe. To tell you the truth I'd rather stay in the army. I've been thinking of making that my career.”

“How do they feel about that?” It was as though she had instantly sensed how great a power they wielded over him, or attempted to. And there were times when it was a battle royal. “Do they like that idea?”

“No. But that's life. And this is my life. And I love you. So don't you forget that ever. I'll make my own decisions.” He glanced at the photograph again. “About that as well. Capisci?”

She grinned at his American-accented Italian. “Capito.”

“Good.” He kissed her then, and a moment later he made delicious love to her again.





8

“Relax, for heaven's sake. I told him. That's all.”