Venetian's Midnight Mistress Read online

  ‘The meeting I told you I had in London yesterday evening was with Philip Maddox,’ Niccolo continued, his eyes narrowed intently as he recalled that meeting.

  ‘You went to see Philip?’ Daniella gaped.

  ‘I certainly did. And I cannot believe that any man could have treated you in that way. He was your husband, and had only just promised before God to love and protect you!’

  He shook his head in disgust as he thought of his conversation the evening before with Daniella’s ex-husband. The sorry excuse for a man had admitted that, in a fit of uncontrollable jealous rage, he had all but raped his own wife on their wedding night.

  Niccolo had already guessed that it had to be something as awful as that after sensing Daniella’s aversion to even the idea of marriage. A few minutes’ conversation with Philip Maddox had confirmed his own worst fears.

  He looked at Daniella with concern now as she moved to one of the chairs to sit down heavily, her face very pale. ‘I don’t understand. What made you go and see Philip in the first place?’

  ‘You did, cara mia,’ Niccolo confirmed as he went down on his haunches beside her chair, his gaze intent on hers. ‘These last two days in Venice, you several times looked at me warily, almost with fear, when you thought you might have angered or displeased me, as if you were frightened of what my reaction might be. But please believe me when I tell you I would never force you to do anything you did not want to do, Daniella.’

  She already knew that!

  Just as she knew—had always known—that Niccolo was nothing like Philip. Niccolo was strong where Philip was weak. Niccolo was honourable where Philip was selfish. Niccolo would never use physical force on any woman. Because Niccolo was—well, Niccolo!

  The man she loved.

  Enough to marry him? Enough to forget the aversion to the commitment of marriage that Philip had so forcefully instilled in her? Enough to entrust her love, the rest of her life, into Niccolo’s hands?

  God, yes!

  Loving Niccolo and knowing that he loved her in return, wiped away any doubts she might have had about marrying again. Because, she realised wonderingly, loving Niccolo, knowing that he loved her, made her strong, not vulnerable.

  Niccolo clasped one of her hands tightly in his. ‘I will never allow anyone to harm you ever again, Daniella,’ he vowed passionately. ‘Not Philip Maddox. And certainly not your grandfather,’ he added grimly.

  Dani felt some of the tension of the last few minutes leave her as she looked ruefully at Niccolo. ‘What did you say to him just now?’ she asked.

  Niccolo shrugged. ‘I merely explained that I was thinking of setting up my own stables and going into the horse-training business, and that Jeffrey would be the perfect partner for that business. A move that would, of course, necessitate Beatrice and Jeffrey moving from Wiverley Hall to the more modern facilities I intend purchasing. I explained how sorry I was that this would mean he would lose his unpaid housekeeper as well as a source of income, but that I believed the move to be necessary for the happiness of my future wife.’

  ‘It is,’ Dani assured him happily.

  ‘I also informed him, without telling him that you are already pregnant, that it is our intention for any children you may or may not have in the future to be D’Alessandros and not Bells. It is our intention, is it not…?’ Niccolo prompted, suddenly touchingly uncertain.

  ‘It most definitely is,’ she breathed shakily, her fingers tightening about his. ‘But—Niccolo, earlier in the car, when I told you about my grandfather’s will, I thought you were angry with me because you believed I had deliberately set out to become pregnant by you.’

  ‘The anger I felt at that time was directed solely towards your grandfather, for threatening you and your parents in this despotic manner,’ he corrected with an impatient shake of his head. ‘No man has the right—and especially not a father and a grandfather—to use emotional and financial blackmail in that way.’ He raised one dark eyebrow. ‘If it is any consolation, I do not believe, once your grandfather has thought the situation through, that he will carry out any of his threats.’

  Dani had a feeling that Niccolo would turn out to be right—that her grandfather really had no wish to end up alone and lonely at Wiverley Hall.

  Just as she appreciated that it was Niccolo, in his desire to protect her and all she loved, who had made all this possible…

  Because he loved her.

  Niccolo loved her!

  She swallowed hard. ‘You can go down on one knee and propose now, Niccolo,’ she encouraged throatily.

  Niccolo looked at her intently and saw the slight flush on her cheeks, the smiling curve to her lips, the warm glow in her eyes.

  He moved down onto one knee, her hand held tightly in his. ‘Daniella, I love you. I will always love you, and only you, with all of my heart. You are the woman I adore, the body I worship—that I will desire even when you are big with our child,’ he added teasingly. ‘Will you please marry me and so make me the happiest of men?’

  Dani heard every wonderful word of his proposal, cherished every syllable. ‘Niccolo,’ she began shakily, ‘I love you. I will always love you, and only you, with all of my heart. You are the man I adore…’ her voice strengthened as she echoed his words ‘…the body I worship—that I will desire even when I am big with our child,’ she added ruefully. ‘Yes, I will marry you—and gladly make you the happiest of men, as it will make me the happiest of women to be your wife!’

  ‘Daniella…’ Niccolo groaned even as he reached up to take her in his arms and claim the warm invitation of her lips with his own.

  She was finally his!

  And she would remain his for all time, to be loved and adored as she so deserved to be loved and adored. And he knew Daniella would love and adore him in return.

  Niccolo asked for no greater happiness….

  EPILOGUE

  THEY were married only three weeks later, in a wedding—despite the speed with which it had been organised—that was every bit as beautiful as Eleni’s had been the previous year.

  All of the D’Alessandro family was present, with Eleni herself beaming proudly at Dani and Niccolo throughout the service as she watched her beloved older brother marry her beloved best friend.

  All the Bell family were there too. Dani’s happily proud parents. Her grandfather too. Even if he was a little more subdued these days than he’d used to be.

  But Dani had no doubt that he would soon bounce back to his normal obnoxious self. Once he got over the fact that his new grandson-in-law could buy him out a hundred times over, and was a man who wouldn’t allow anyone to bully or threaten the people he loved—namely Dani and her parents.

  And during the months following the wedding, after Dani moved to Venice to live with Niccolo and the two of them eagerly anticipated the birth of their child, Dani knew herself to be very much loved and adored. Their love for each other became deeper and stronger as the two of them came to know each other more intimately.

  Seven months later Niccolo cried unashamed tears of pride and happiness, with Dani’s hand tightly clenched in his, when their daughter, Sofia Beatrice D’Alessandro, entered the world and claimed their hearts.

  A child created by their love.

  A cherished and beloved daughter who would one day be joined by two younger brothers: Daniele Niccolo D’Alessandro and Pietro Cesare D’Alessandro.

  The D’Alessandro heirs….

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-4093-7

  THE VENETIAN’S MIDNIGHT MISTRESS

  Copyright © 2008 by Carole Mortimer.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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