The Sicilian’s Stolen Son. Lynne Graham

shrugged a broad shoulder without interest. ‘You convinced a psychiatrist that you knew what you were signing up to do and could cope with it.’

      Desperation slivered through Jemima’s taut frame. ‘Things change...’ she whispered.

      ‘I want my son,’ Luciano told her bluntly.

      The germ of a wild idea burst into being inside Jemima and flew straight from brain to tongue without the benefit of any filter or forethought. ‘Couldn’t I be your nanny? Even for a little while?’

      Luciano studied her in disbelief. ‘My nanny? You? Are you crazy?’

      ‘Only until he settles into his new life. You’d be getting a trained infant teacher to look after him. I’m well qualified with young children.’

      ‘But you’ve never worked with them?’

      ‘Of course I have work experience.’

      ‘Before you decided that you much preferred earning easy money as an escort?’

      Jemima froze. ‘An...es-escort?’ Her voice stumbled over the mortifying word. ‘That’s a dreadful—’

      Luciano sighed. ‘I know everything about you. You can’t lie to me. You were working as an escort in London and you were very popular with older men until you began to steal their wallets. I spoke to the agency that made your bookings for you before deciding to dispense with your services.’

      Her lips parted and then closed again. She had turned white as snow, shock thudding through her, her heart thumping loudly in her eardrums. She didn’t want to believe him but she did because Julie’s love of money had been much stronger than her self-respect. An escort? An escort offering extras? Jemima squirmed, raw humiliation bowing her head. Working as an escort had given her twin the chance to steal. And sadly, the stolen credit cards had only been the tip of the iceberg, she acknowledged wretchedly. Seemingly Julie had been as willing to sell herself as she had been to sell her son.

      ‘It was an exclusive escort service,’ Luciano conceded, recognising her mortification and less gratified by it than he had expected to be.

      ‘So I wouldn’t be quite what you want in a nanny,’ Jemima breathed, stricken, receiving that message loud and clear from his attitude.

      ‘I’m afraid not. My security team will pick Niccolò up tomorrow and bring him up to London for the day. I’ll send the nanny with them.’ Luciano read her consternation with ease. ‘Naturally I want to spend time with my son.’

      ‘Before you do...what?’ Jemima pressed helplessly.

      ‘Before I take him home to Sicily with me,’ Luciano fielded. ‘You know how this must end, Jemima. Why make it more difficult for all of us?’

      Jemima subsided like a pricked balloon. Julie had accepted payment and signed the agreement. There was no escape clause unless she was willing to run screaming to the media with her sad story. And where would that get her? More importantly, what would it gain Nicky? Notified of the circumstances of Nicky’s birth, the social services would probably step in to take charge of Nicky and decide his future and there was no guarantee that Luciano would get him either. In fact there was every chance that Nicky would be placed in an adoptive home and neither Jemima nor Luciano would ever see him again. Seeking outside help would be the wrong thing to do, she decided in despair. The very fact she had lied and faked being Julie to hold on to her nephew would be held against her by the authorities...and by Luciano if he ever found out the truth.