It was dark in the calles. With only one light halfway along each one it was easy to stay out of sight, so she flattened herself against a wall, and stayed there as couples drifted past in the gloom, heard rather than seen, their voices low and full of emotion, fading into silence.

The city of lovers…

And she’d tumbled into its trap like a green girl who knew no better. Forewarned, forearmed, she’d still tumbled giddily into love while kidding herself that she was safe. Fool! Fool!

Serve me right, she thought defiantly. I’ll know better next time.

But there couldn’t be a next time, not quite like this. There might be other relationships, but never again would she feel the happiness and safety that had been like a blessing while he tended her. All an illusion. That was what hurt the most.

She moved further into the shadows, wondering if she would ever see a way out.

From his vantage point at a little bar across the Grand Canal Guido was able to watch Dulcie’s departure. He leaned his arms on a rail as she went past in the boat, thinking how tragic it was to be so near and yet so far.

He allowed half an hour for safety before returning home, even managing to whistle as he entered, only slightly out of tune.

So far, so good, but had his cover been blown? Liza had promised to ‘lose’ the key to the cabinet where the albums were housed, but suppose his uncle had a spare and had managed to take out the family snaps? There would be his face for Dulcie to recognise. Then she would have said-and Uncle Francesco would have replied-and there would have been a row-Leo and Marco would have roared with laughter-and now here he was heading for another row.

He considered emigrating. A snake-infested swamp might be nice. Or anywhere that was a long way away.

‘There you are, you villain!’

The voice echoed down the long marble hall, followed by Francesco with a face like thunder, then Leo and Marco, determined not to miss the fun.

‘Uncle, I can explain-’ That was safely vague when you weren’t quite sure what you were supposed to be explaining.

‘Certainly you should explain, not to me but to that charming young lady. The way you’ve treated her is abominable.’

‘That-depends on how you look at it,’ Guido said, carefully feeling his way.

‘That any nephew of mine-’ Francesco broke off, fulminating, leaving Guido as much in the dark as ever. ‘Get yourself in here.’ He indicated his study which struck Guido as ominous.

The study was unrevealing. Wine glasses stood about, suggesting that everyone had spent some time in here, but the count took up his position in front of the cabinet, hiding the contents.

‘She’s a lady, do you realise that?’ the count boomed. ‘And you’ve behaved as though she were no more than-well, I don’t know what to say!’

I wish you’d say a lot more, Guido thought. Then I might get a clue.

‘She was charming about it,’ Francesco went on. ‘Oh, yes! Breeding tells, although she probably wants to hang you from the highest lamppost after what happened tonight.’

‘What-exactly-happened tonight?’ Guido asked.

‘You ask me that?’

‘Yes, I did actually. And you two-’ Guido whirled on Leo and Marco ‘-can stop grinning or I’ll have your hides.’

Had she seen the pictures or hadn’t she? If he didn’t find out soon he’d have a nervous breakdown.

‘Scusi signori.’ Liza had glided in like a ghost and began gathering wine glasses. Moving directly in front of Guido she gave him a brief thumbs up sign. He relaxed, but only a little.

‘I’m sorry about tonight but something came up,’ he said. ‘And if, as you say, she was charming about it-’

‘Lady Dulcie,’ Francesco said with awful dignity, ‘was naturally very disappointed not to have met you. She particularly asked me to tell you that.’

‘Did she?’

‘I also assured her that you would be at the masked ball, and she said how much she looked forward to meeting you there. She stressed that this meeting meant a great deal to her.’

In his eagerness to bring Dulcie and Guido together the count was gilding the lily, giving Dulcie’s polite words a meaning they were never meant to bear. To Guido, his nerves already jangling, they sounded ominous. Clearly Dulcie had discovered the truth, but instead of denouncing him she was keeping her wrath for their next meeting. This was her message to announce the approach of doom.

‘Er-I think perhaps-excuse me, Uncle, something else has come up.’

He got out as fast as he could.

CHAPTER EIGHT

IT WAS a mile to the Vittorio if you knew the backstreets well. Guido dodged and dived, taking a short cut that led through the house of a friend called Enrico, pilfered a glass of Enrico’s wine and a kiss from Enrico’s wife, before vanishing, calling his thanks over his shoulder.

A few minutes short of the hotel he found himself beside a small canal. Hurrying along, he nearly collided with a woman coming the other way.

‘I’m so sorry-Dulcie! I-’

But her face told him the worst, and her words confirmed it.

‘You are the lowest of the low,’ she flung at him.

‘If I could just explain-’

‘What is there to explain? Only that you’re a devious rat, and that I know already.’

‘Dio mio! You did see them.’

‘See what?’

He tore his hair. ‘I wouldn’t have had this happen for the world-’

‘Then why do it? Oh, of course, you meant being found out. I suppose you thought I’d never discover the truth about you-’

‘I was going to tell you myself, I swear I was.’

‘And that was going to make it all right?’

‘Of course not but-if I could make you understand how it came about. It was an accident. I know I should have told you everything from the start, but does it really matter so much. Just one tiny little deception-’

‘One tiny little-? I don’t believe you said that. I should have known when you stood me up tonight, giving a very fishy excuse, in fact no excuse at all. Something came up! Surely you could have managed something better than that?’

‘I couldn’t think of anything,’ he admitted. ‘But now you know, can’t we start again?’

‘Am I hearing things? Even you couldn’t be so devious and unscrupulous-’

‘Cara, please, I know I don’t measure up to your high standards, but I will. I swear I will. Did I really do something so terrible?’

‘If you have to ask that you wouldn’t understand the answer. There’s no point in talking any more. Goodnight, and goodbye.’

‘You mustn’t leave now. Stay and listen to me.’ In his eagerness he took hold of her shoulders.

‘I don’t want to stay, and please let go of me.’

‘I can’t just let you go.’

‘You can’t do anything else. Take your hands off me.’

‘Just another few minutes,’ he begged.

‘What kind of fool do you take me for? Let go.’

She tried to thrust her way past him, but he dropped his hands to her waist and drew her close.

‘I’ll let go,’ he said firmly, ‘when I’ve explained this.’

She tried to escape. This kind of ‘explanation’ was too dangerous. But his lips were unexpectedly fierce on hers. He was kissing her like a man whose life depended on it, as if he feared he might never get the chance again, and there was a forcefulness in his lips and his arms that thrilled her even while she fought to stay aloof.

She could feel the treacherous excitement creeping through her. Her heart and sensations cared nothing for the warnings of her head. They wanted him, wanted what was happening now, wanted it to continue…

‘Let me go,’ she gasped, managing to free her mouth.

‘I can’t do that,’ he said, also gasping. ‘I daren’t in case I never find you again. I won’t risk that.’

‘You’ve already lost me. I was never yours in the first place-’

He silenced her in the only way possible. It wasn’t fair, she thought wildly. She’d fought this temptation since the moment she’d met him, and now he was forcing her to feel it when he’d just come from Jenny.

The thought of Jenny gave her the courage she craved. Putting out all her strength she managed to free herself. He took a step back, fighting to keep his balance while she fended him off. Neither of them realised they were standing so close to the water until he toppled in with a yell and an almighty splash.

Venetians live in and out of the water from their earliest years, and for one of them to fall into a canal is no big deal, except for the pollution. Guido kept his mouth firmly closed until he broke the surface, then rubbed his eyes and looked around for steps. But there were none in sight, and since it was low tide the stone bank was too high for him to climb out.

He reached up his hand, calling, ‘Help me out, cara.’

Dulcie had dropped to one knee and was regarding him anxiously. ‘Are you hurt?’

‘No, but I’m wet. Help me out.’

‘Why? You can swim!’

‘Sure, I’m a great swimmer-’

‘Good. Then swim home.’

She rose to her feet and turned away.

‘Cara!’

Before his horrified eyes she vanished into the darkness, leaving him bobbing in the water.

It took another hour’s walking before Dulcie had talked herself back into a sensible frame of mind. So he was a treacherous creep. She’d always known that. It was what she’d come here to prove. Now she’d done so, earned her fee, and she was very happy. The feel of his lips was still on hers, telling her she was lying to herself, but she would be strong-minded about it.

In this mood she returned to the Empress Suite, having made up her mind to warn Jenny about him. She’d waited too long already. Firmly she knocked on Jenny’s bedroom door.