One Passionate Night's Miracle: One-Night Baby / The Surgeon's Miracle Baby / Outback Baby Miracle

‘Kate?’

‘Meredith, I’m so sorry … I haven’t even said hello to you.’ She’d hardly acknowledged her at all, Kate realised, giving her favourite aunt a distracted hug. ‘Do you think you could look after Francesca for me for a few minutes while I talk to Santino?’

‘I’d be pleased to …’ Meredith took a closer look at Kate. ‘Kate, what’s wrong?’

‘Nothing,’ Kate lied shakily. ’Santino wants to speak to me in private.’

‘That’s good news, isn’t it?’ Meredith put a comforting hand on Kate’s arm.

Meredith was so naïve; she always thought the best of everyone and Kate couldn’t ever be angry or impatient with her. ‘Yes, I’m sure it’s an excellent sign,’ she said with a smile to reassure her aunt.

When Kate and Meredith arrived back at the table they found Francesca asleep in Santino’s arms. The sight stunned Kate. She wondered if she had ever felt quite so cold, or so heartsick and threatened.

‘The travelling must have exhausted her,’ Meredith exclaimed fondly, holding out her arms to take Francesca.

‘We have a lot of catching up to do, piccola,‘ Santino murmured as he handed a sleeping Francesca over with the greatest care to Meredith.

Catching up to do … Santino’s words echoed eerily in Kate’s head, and made her fear for the future. He was right—Santino did have a lot of catching up to do and so did Francesca. And how could she deny them time together? She couldn’t forget the influence Santino wielded, or the fact that she had no contacts in Rome or in London. She had no one she could call on in a tug of love situation. She would have to pick a lawyer out of a book like pinning the tail on a donkey … taking her chances that she picked a good one like the rest of humanity.

Kate couldn’t fail to be moved by the depth of emotion on Santino’s face as he watched Meredith carry Francesca away, but it was that same reflection of possession and entitlement that filled her with dread. She wasn’t frightened of Santino in a physical sense, but as he rose to his feet and towered over her she felt herself shrink inwardly.

He stood looking down at her in silence, and when he spoke his voice was low and full of menace. ‘How could this happen, Kate?’

‘Please, Santino, not here …’ She found it hard to vocalize, her throat had seized up so badly with fright. She wasn’t even certain that Santino heard her as she started for the door.

‘Kate …’

Sensing Santino behind her, Kate was suddenly consumed by a primeval fear. She started running, her feet drumming on the wooden floor, adding to the noise in the room, and that noise reverberated in her head, driving her feet, stealing her breath until she was almost blind with panic by the time she reached the exit. She had to fight her way through the crowd to get out, but people coming into the restaurant hardly noticed and were still smiling as she jostled them. They had a party to go to, friends to meet, food to eat, wine to drink, while Kate was lost in a nightmare without end.

As she burst through the door she was sobbing and had to pause for breath before she could set off again and run down the path. Clutching her throat, she gulped in the warm clean air, but Santino caught up with her too quickly before she could compose herself.

‘Please, Santino, please …’ His grip on her arm was remorseless.

‘Let’s get one thing straight before we go any further.’ He thrust her in front of him and his eyes were molten with rage as he stared down at her. ‘Francesca is my daughter.’

It was a statement, not a question, Kate realised, and one prompted entirely by male pride. But she had pride too and she was incensed on Francesca’s behalf that her parentage should be drawn into question. ‘Yes, of course she is!’ She answered him back furiously. ‘Any fool can see that.’

Santino stiffened, causing Kate to jerk back, but there was only disgust on his face.

‘No need to ask who’s been the fool,’ he said icily.

‘All I’m trying to say is there’s no mistaking the fact that Francesca is your child. You must know she is.’

‘As you have known for four long years. And must have known you were pregnant five years ago—’ Santino broke off with a sound of contempt and walked away as if he couldn’t bring himself to look at her a moment longer. He didn’t stop walking until he reached a place that was shaded by the overhanging branches of an ancient tree. And then he turned and Kate was shaken by the force of his venomous stare.

‘Non posso crederio, Kate! I can’t believe it!’ Santino’s voice was harsh, his gaze impenetrable. ‘I can’t believe you would do this to me!’

Kate had never heard a voice made so ugly by emotion, or seen a face so deeply wounded she had no option but to look away. This was Santino in the raw, with all semblance of civilisation stripped away from him. The charm and civility he was renowned for were nowhere to be seen. The consideration for her sex had utterly deserted him. Santino had never seemed more dominant to her than he did at this moment, or more intimidating. She could see now that he posed a terrible threat to the simple life she enjoyed with Francesca, and would remain a threat unless she could find some way to placate him.

He levelled a steely gaze on her face. ‘I asked you a question, which as yet you have not seen fit to answer. I can guess your reply … you’ll find some excuse.’

‘If you’d only let me explain …’ She reached out to him. ‘Please, Santino, why won’t you listen to me?’

‘So you can tell me more lies? I’m done with listening to you, Kate. It’s your turn to listen to me. And I’m telling you …’ his voice dropped to a menacing whisper … ‘you … owe … me … the truth.’

‘I realise I should have told you before, but—’

‘But?’ Santino bit out. ‘I asked you how could this happen and you prepare to feed me some excuse?’ His voice was like a shard of glass, cruel and sharp. ‘How long have you been in Rome, Kate? How many times have we sat together? How many opportunities have there been when you could have told me about Francesca? How many chances have you ignored? You could have told me today. You could have told me five years ago. You could have found me then if you had really wanted to.’

‘I was eighteen.’

He gave a contemptuous laugh. ‘Don’t plead your age as an excuse. You were old enough to go to bed with me—and as I remember you didn’t take much persuading.’ Turning his face to the sky, he exhaled raggedly as if he had hoped to find the answer there.

There were no words to touch Santino’s grief and nothing Kate could do to stop the memories flooding into her mind, memories that only reminded her in the cruellest way possible that Francesca was all she had left now. Meredith and Caddy were wonderful, but the bond between a mother and child was like no other. It could fill you with the most tremendous joy, or break you with unimaginable sorrow. But she couldn’t think about that now. She had to find a way to reach Santino or risk losing Francesca.

Even as Santino brutalised her with words there was so much she wanted to say to him, so much she wanted to share, so much he should be told. So much that tragically, now, would always be left unsaid. What was the point in heaping more pain and grief on top of the rest? What was the point in confiding in a man who didn’t want to hear what she had to say? She had known too much loss to risk more. She had to think about Francesca now and remember how lucky she was, and not stare backwards into the past longing for what was lost.

Kate’s anxiety levels rose as Santino started walking away. ‘Where are you going?’ But she could see where he was going. He was heading back towards the restaurant where Francesca was waiting. Who knew what he might do? Anything was possible. She ran after him and grabbed his arm.

He shook her off angrily. ‘Don’t try to stop me going to my daughter. Just get away from me.’

She was no longer required, here, or in his organisation, or in his life. But retreat wasn’t an option and so she ran after him again. ’Santino … Please, I know how hurt you must be—’

‘You have no idea,’ he assured her without breaking stride.

‘Please, Santino, for Francesca’s sake, we must—’

‘We?’ He stopped dead. ‘There is no we. Surely you don’t imagine I would trust you with the smallest decision where my daughter is concerned?’

Kate had started to shake uncontrollably. ‘You have to listen to me, Santino. You have no choice.’

‘No choice?’ He smiled at her in a way that made her quake. ‘Is that a fact?’

‘I am Francesca’s mother—’

‘Yes, her mother?’ Santino declared with scorn. ‘And like all mothers you think only of yourself.’

His comment filled Kate’s mind with unanswered questions. As he started to walk away she ran and stood in front of him again.

He made an angry gesture as if to brush her aside. ‘Like all women, you think you can lie and cheat and get away with it, don’t you, Kate?’

He gave her no chance to respond. But as each cruel accusation rained down on her Kate found that, instead of being frightened, she was filled with the unnatural calm of a person who had nothing left to lose. ‘Is this what you’ll tell our daughter when Francesca grows to be a woman?’ Kate’s voice was laced with sadness and for the first time she noticed Santino’s gaze shift uncomfortably. ‘You asked me how this could happen.’ Kate took a deep breath. The last thing she wanted was Santino’s pity, but for Francesca’s sake she had to do this. ‘When my parents discovered I was pregnant they threw me out of the house. Aunt Meredith took me in—’

‘And still you didn’t think to try and find me?’ Santino swiftly returned to the attack. ‘Even when you were safe with your aunt you didn’t think to tell me I had a daughter? No, why should you? You had assumed that I was the worst type of man. You had decided I would turn my back on you. You didn’t give me a chance. Why should you tell me anything when your life with Meredith was so comfortable?’

‘Don’t bring Meredith into this,’ Kate warned. Fire flooded back into her veins as she leapt to her aunt’s defence. ‘Meredith has never done you any harm and she is a most wonderful grandmother for Francesca. I won’t have you run her down—’

‘You’re in no position to make demands on me, but I apologise to Meredith.’ Santino’s tone left Kate in no doubt that she was excluded from his magnanimous gesture.

How could she have done things any differently? Should she have told Santino about Francesca five years ago when the gossipmongers had still been chewing over the latest woman to accuse him of fathering her child? Should she have exposed Francesca to the repercussions of that in later life when she might be taunted by old newspaper accounts? Should she have thrown herself on the mercy of a man she didn’t know? Should she have run the risk that Santino would claim Francesca and turn his back on her, as her own parents had done?

Kate still believed she had done the right thing, because whatever she had done wrong or imperfectly she had maintained stability in Francesca’s life and she wouldn’t apologise for that. ‘I didn’t think you’d want to know, and so I made the only decision I could under the circumstances.’

‘You made decisions that weren’t yours to make. You set yourself up in judgement over me. What gave you that right? Who are you to decide if I should or shouldn’t be told that I have a child? I had a right to know about Francesca, and she had a right to know I am her father. You should have tried to find me immediately. You should have appointed a legal representative to raise the matter at a court of law in Rome—’

‘A court of law in Rome?’ Kate cut across Santino, shuddering inwardly as she imagined the outcome if she had tried to do so. She only had to look into his cold, dark eyes to know she wouldn’t have stood a chance. ‘Are you suggesting a single mother without money or influence should have tried to take on the Roman establishment? Can’t you understand that all I was interested in was keeping my baby safe?’

‘And I would have harmed her?’ Santino’s expression grew blacker than ever. ‘You’re full of excuses, but all I can see is that you cheated me of my daughter and you cheated Francesca out of her father—’

‘That’s not true!’ Kate was stung to the quick by Santino’s accusation that she would do anything to hurt Francesca. ‘It wasn’t like that! I didn’t know you, Santino. I didn’t know what type of man you were—’

‘You weren’t so scrupulous five years ago in my bed!’

They both stiffened and turned reluctantly as Caddy came outside to look for them.

‘Diane Fox,’ Santino remembered, cursing softly under his breath. ‘We have to go back inside. We have to make everything seem normal. We have to be civil to my new director and make our introductions as if nothing had occurred.’

‘No, Santino, I can’t.’

‘You must,’ he insisted harshly.

In this he was right, Kate accepted. The last thing Francesca needed was the whole world knowing that Santino Rossi and Kate Mulhoon shared a colourful past. Kate knew it was imperative she put all this to one side and act as if there were nothing between them other than a working relationship. And so when Caddy waved and called out to them she smiled, and when they walked inside together she and Santino greeted everyone with practised charm and total professionalism.

Kate was on automatic pilot for the next few hours, maintaining the smile on her face and pretending interest in everything and everyone. But she couldn’t forget Santino’s bitter words or the threat behind them, and they continued to override everything else in her mind. She had to remind herself time after time that she had a job to do. Caddy needed someone to take care of the minutiae of her life so she could shine more brightly and Kate had always been happy to do that. Nothing had changed, she told herself firmly. Santino couldn’t take Francesca away from her. There wasn’t a court in the world that would allow him to do that.

Kate was relieved to find her first impression of the new director was positive. Diane Fox had a firm handshake and a warm smile, but when she turned to reassure herself that Francesca and Meredith were still where she had left them Kate saw Santino standing with them … and Francesca had woken up … and now Santino was leading them to a secluded corner where he could hold a conversation with his daughter in private. The two of them were animated and obviously enjoying each other’s company … Meredith was trailing behind … smiling, unaware of the threat. Excusing herself from the group that had gathered around Diane Fox, Kate hurried over to them.

‘And then I fell off …’ Seeing Kate, Francesca held out her arms automatically, waiting to be lifted into her mother’s arms. ‘The naughty pony bucked me off, Mummy,’ she explained, bringing her face close to Kate’s ear.

It was a simple admission and probably a tall story, for surely Meredith would have said something, but it was enough to make Santino look at her as if Francesca’s innocent explanation was further proof that Kate was unfit to be a mother. Bringing Francesca into her arms, Kate was overcome by fear that if a custody battle reached court it might not have the outcome she hoped for. Burying her face in Francesca’s fragrant, silky hair, she held her daughter close as if she would never let her go.

CHAPTER TEN

SANTINO glanced at his watch. ‘We should be going home, Francesca.’

‘Oh, will you be taking us back to the hotel?’ Meredith chipped in, oblivious to the undercurrents. ‘That is kind of you, Santino.’

‘My home,’ he emphasised.

Meredith looked bewildered, and Kate felt the chill in Santino’s gaze as he stared her down.

‘Please don’t do this,’ Kate urged softly, transferring Francesca to Meredith’s arms. ‘Let’s not argue about where we go from here, Santino.’ Kate quickly added a small laugh for Francesca’s sake, though her words were loaded and all the adults present knew it.

A flash of alarm crossed Meredith’s face, but she quickly controlled it and adapted to the situation, lifting Francesca high in the air to distract her. ‘Let’s go, pigeon. I’ll take Francesca to get her coat while you two sort out your business.’

Full marks to Meredith, Kate thought, relieved to see Francesca was still smiling and completely unaware of the tension between her parents.

‘Santino, please,’ Kate said the moment they were out of earshot. ‘Don’t try to take Francesca from me now. Can’t you see how happy she is? Do you want to upset her?’

‘Of course I don’t.’ Santino’s face turned from cold to gentle in the time it took him to turn his head to watch Francesca walking through the lines of tables hand in hand with Meredith. He even smiled when Francesca turned to wave at him, but where Kate was concerned, she might not have been there.

Something terrible must have happened to him in his youth and she should try to understand so she could find a way to touch his heart. But softening towards a man who planned to take Francesca from her was a terrible risk.

Meredith and Francesca had just disappeared into the cloakroom and Santino watched every step they took intently. This was not the man she had been learning to like and trust Kate realised, the man she had harboured dreams of falling in love with. This was another man, another Santino. This was the ruthless businessman, the warrior who must win every battle at whatever cost. How could she fight a man like that?

‘Francesca will be coming home with me.’

‘What do you mean?’ Kate’s heart stopped. She knew what he meant. Santino was talking about his home. And how could she stop him? She couldn’t fight him. She couldn’t risk Francesca being subjected to an ugly scene between her parents. The only thing she could do was appeal to Santino’s better nature and hope he had one. ’She’s a little girl, Santino. Don’t make her part of this fight between us …’

His mouth flattened with determination. ‘You don’t seem to understand. I’ve got almost five years to make up for. I want to see my daughter when she wakes in the morning.’

Even now with all the enmity rising between them there was something in his eyes, and in his voice, that cut Kate to the bone, but then his voice hardened to something that inspired fear rather than sympathy.

‘I’m surprised that you of all people can’t understand what I’m trying to say. And you a mother.’

He made the word mother sound so ugly Kate knew it threatened everything she held dear.

‘I’m going to be with my daughter. I’m going to see her every moment of the day. I’m going to laugh with her and have fun with her. I’m going to have a life with her.’ Santino’s eyes were flint hard when they turned on her. ‘Or would you deny me that as well?’

She couldn’t help herself and reached out, but he backed away as if he couldn’t bear her to touch him. ’Santino, please. If you take Francesca away from me now it won’t help your cause if she wakes up tomorrow in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers—’

‘I’m her father, not a stranger.’

‘And Francesca’s a little girl who is half asleep after a tiring journey. Are you prepared to take the risk that she’ll remember you when she wakes up tomorrow? Please let her stay with me tonight, and I promise I’ll bring her to you—’

‘Like you did before? Am I supposed to trust you now?’

The fight went out of Kate as the past came back to haunt her. ‘Don’t do this to me, Santino. Not again … please … I’m begging you. Don’t take my baby. She’s everything to me—’

‘Your tears are wasted on me.’

‘I promise you—’

‘You promise me?’

‘Please don’t take my baby, Santino.’ Kate grabbed his arm as he moved away. ’She’s all I have—’

‘Then you have more than I do,’ he assured her coldly. ‘Now please take your hands off my sleeve.’

Santino’s arm felt rigid beneath her touch as Kate pulled her hands away. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘You will be,’ Santino promised her.

She scrambled after him, terrified to think that Santino didn’t trust her and never would again. ‘I can’t blame you—’

‘Spare me your pity!’ He brushed her aside and walked on.

‘I’m the one asking for your pity …’ Remembering what was at stake, Kate ran after him. ‘For our daughter’s sake, Santino, I’m pleading with you—’

‘You’re making an embarrassing show of yourself.’ Santino halted abruptly, turning to confront her. ’Shake yourself out of it before anyone notices.’ His mouth curled with disdain as he stared down at her. ‘And then stay away from me.’

But she couldn’t do that. She wouldn’t do that. Kate stood her ground. A couple of people had glanced their way, then looked away again. This was the film world where high drama was an everyday occurrence and everyone was having too good a time at the party to pay much attention to the isolated drama being played out on the fringes. ‘You’re not taking her from me. You can’t—’

‘I shall be applying for full custody of Francesca …’ Santino’s voice held a note she had never heard before. ‘If you want to see more of your daughter you have two choices. You either see her in the school holidays, or you move to Italy where access will be easier for you. But don’t think for one moment that this is a battle I intend to lose. No court in the world is going to refuse me when I point out how irresponsible Francesca’s mother has been … how reckless she was when we first met, and how reckless she is now … staying away, leaving our child in the care of an elderly aunt.’ He held up his hand when Kate’s ashen lips began to move. ‘Yes, Kate, everything they say about me is true. I stop at nothing to get what I want. And where my daughter’s concerned you can expect me to pull out all the stops.’

‘You’re a monster,’ Kate managed faintly.

‘A monster?’ Santino appeared to find her accusation amusing. ‘Come now, Kate … Any judge would recognise me as a father who loves his daughter and wants to protect her from harm … a loving father who wants to make up for all the lost years denied to me by her mother.’

As she saw the truth in his words he could sense her defeat. He would make one concession, and only because Francesca might be alarmed by the sudden loss of her mother. He would not subject his daughter to the pain he had known as a child, therefore any parting would have to be gradual. Decision made, he found Kate’s continued dejection irritating. ‘Try to remember you still work for me. I need you to make a phone call.’ He exhaled with impatience when she didn’t respond. ‘For goodness’ sake, pull yourself together. While I spend a few moments with Diane Fox I need you to telephone the hotel—’

‘The hotel?’

She looked up at that and he saw the pain in her eyes. She was still reeling from the news that he intended to take Francesca away from her, but this was no time for misplaced sympathy. She’d had five years on the run before he’d caught up with her and now she could pay the penalty. ‘You will ask if they have another suite available. Call them,’ he said brusquely. ‘Tell them who it’s for, and that we need two bedrooms.’

‘We? I thought there was no we,’ she managed faintly.

Barely any sound came out of her mouth, but she was still fighting him. Part of him admired that, but the more dominant part of him rolled on seamlessly with his plan. ‘I require a twin-bedded room for you and Francesca, and another room for me.’

Hope flared in her eyes as he mentioned the room she would share with Francesca and died again the moment she realised that he would be standing guard.

‘This is not for your benefit,’ he confirmed, content to see despair replace the brief flash of hope in her eyes, ‘but for Francesca’s sake. I intend that any parting from you will be gradual.’

‘You’re very kind.’

Her dumb insolence infuriated him. She was letting him know that as far as she was concerned the torture he intended to inflict upon her would only be prolonged.

‘I doubt the Russie is full,’ she said, slowly recovering. ‘I’ll ring them now and ask if another suite could be made available.’