A Ring For The Pregnant Debutante. Laura Martin

Trowridge had got a pretty young bride for the last months of his life and now Caroline was in charge of her son’s upbringing and the entire Trowbridge estate until Rupert came of age.

      ‘I’ve informed her of my plans to return to England and asked for her help when we arrive.’ Rosa took a breath, then pressed on. ‘I’m sure she would be happy to lend me the money to reimburse you for the travel expenses.’

      Thomas shrugged. ‘It doesn’t cost that much for a passage from Italy to England, I’m sure I can afford it. We can find another way for you to repay me.’

      Rosa’s eyes widened and she felt the blush begin to creep into her cheeks.

      Thomas threw his head back and laughed heartily at her expression. ‘I meant you can cook me another one of those delicious meals.’

      Rosa’s blush deepened, but she resisted the urge to cover her face with her hands. Of course Thomas wasn’t proposing she repaid his kindness with intimacy. Throughout the week she had stayed with him there hadn’t been even a flicker of flirtation from him. He had meant it when he’d told her that her virtue was safe with him on the first evening of their acquaintance, he hadn’t behaved improperly once. Rosa knew she should be thankful, especially after her awful experience with David, but she felt a tiny surge of disappointment every time Thomas didn’t take an opportunity to get closer to her.

      Gaining back control of herself, Rosa smiled. ‘Next time I’ll add less garlic.’

      It wouldn’t be quite so galling if Rosa didn’t feel her heart start pounding in her chest every time Thomas stepped in close to her. He was an attractive man, his body toned and muscular from the early morning swims and his eyes full of mischief and laughter. Rosa knew she never wanted to get involved with a man again, but Thomas tested her resolve sometimes. At least when he wasn’t ordering her around or teasing her.

      ‘Signora Felcini is coming to cook tonight,’ Rosa said. ‘So I’m sure I can persuade her to give me one last lesson before we leave.’

      The elderly Italian woman who came in to cook and clean for Thomas a few times a week had taken Rosa under her wing. She ordered Rosa around in rapid Italian and expected her to chop and help with the evening meal, but in return Rosa was treated to a lesson in rustic Italian cookery. In Rosa’s mind it was a fair exchange.

      ‘I have made arrangements for us to leave first thing tomorrow morning. Your family are causing a bit of a stir searching for you nearby, so I think it would be prudent to leave as soon as possible.’

      ‘Thank you,’ Rosa said quietly.

      She still wasn’t quite sure why Thomas was helping her, it wasn’t as though he got much out of their arrangement, just trouble from the Di Mercurios and the expense of transporting her to England. Whatever his motivations Rosa was keen not to examine them too carefully; Thomas was her only hope now she was penniless and stuck so far from home.

      * * *

      Thomas wiped the sweat from his brow, adjusted the bandages on his hands and squared up to the punch-bag hanging from the branches of the sturdy olive tree. Quickly he hooked and jabbed, dancing lightly on his toes around the inanimate opponent.

      He’d learned to box at school, along with all the other sons of the gentry, classes where their wiry games master instructed the small group on the basics of boxing. Of course that had been no use for the real world and nearly four years ago, when he’d first been beaten and robbed on his journey through Europe, he’d vowed to learn to defend himself better. The first year of his travels he’d been attacked five times. It was unsurprising really. He was a well-dressed young man who needed to carry money with him—a prime target for any ambitious criminal. After each attack Thomas had retreated for a while, licked his wounds, then restarted his training with renewed vigour. He picked up techniques from the countries he visited, practised his defensive and attacking modes every day, and soon he no longer had to hide his modest purse on his person or avoid the more unsavoury areas of the cities he visited.

      Now training every evening had become part of his daily routine, just like the refreshing early morning swim in the lake.

      With one last high kick Thomas began unwrapping the bandages from his hands. He loved this feeling just after he’d exercised, the heady mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. Over the years he’d developed a deep-seated respect for his body and worked hard to keep it in top physical shape. Too many people took their physical health for granted, but he’d seen how quickly a man could be robbed of his ability to control his limbs, to walk, to run, to jump. He was determined to enjoy every minute he had conscious control of his muscles so he would regret nothing if and when the Hunter family curse struck.

      ‘Do you think...?’ Rosa said as she rounded the corner of the villa and came into view. ‘Oh.’

      Thomas had to hide a smile. She became so flustered whenever she caught sight of his bare skin, a deep flush spread across her cheeks and she seemed to lose her ability to speak for a few seconds. He liked to watch her rally, to refuse to give in to her embarrassment and try to continue as if nothing was amiss.

      Nonchalantly Thomas pulled on his shirt. No need to make the poor girl suffer any more than was necessary.