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The Italian's Cinderella Bride. Lucy Gordon
Читать онлайн.Название The Italian's Cinderella Bride
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781408950029
Автор произведения Lucy Gordon
Жанр Современные любовные романы
Издательство HarperCollins
He called the palazzo, giving Minna the night off preparing his meal, and on the way home he stopped in several food shops buying fresh meat and vegetables.
‘Tonight I do the cooking,’ he told Ruth. ‘And if that doesn’t scare you, nothing will.’
‘But Gino said you were a wonderful cook.’
‘Compared to him, I was. I enjoy it. And I enjoy surprising people who don’t expect me to be able to do it.’
Toni came to meet them as soon as they entered, paying particular attention to Ruth, whom he seemed to consider his particular concern after having guarded her on the first night.
There was a note from Minna on the table, to say that she had taken Toni for a walk and seen him settled before going out for the evening.
‘I’d better give him his medication before I start cooking,’ Pietro said. ‘Can you hand me the little brown bottle on that shelf behind you?’
Ruth glanced at the label before handing over the bottle, and without thinking, she said, ‘Good stuff.’
‘You’ve come across these pills before?’ Pietro said quickly. ‘When?’
‘I—don’t know. I just know them. You give them to a dog who has petit mal, mild epilepsy.’
‘That’s right. Perhaps you had a dog of your own?’
‘No, I don’t think so. My aunt didn’t like animals. How often does he have these?’
‘Just one a day. Perhaps you can give it to him while I start the food.’
He retreated to the kitchen, but lingered in the doorway, watching as Toni nestled against her, clearly content to trust her. In a few seconds the pill was down.
Her offer to help with the meal was met with lofty dismissal. Women, Pietro gave her to understand, did not belong in the kitchen. While she was still trying to puzzle this out he indicated the china and gave her permission to lay the table.
‘Cheek!’ she said amiably, and got to work.
Ruth had to admit that he served up a fabulous meal, starting with risi e bisi, rice with peas, assuring her that it had been a big favourite with Giovanni Soranzo.
‘Oh, yeah!’ she said sceptically.
‘Listen, you’re not talking to Gino now. If I say it, it’s true. Well, sort of. Traditionally it was the starter on the Doge’s lunch menu every year, during the feast of St Mark.’
‘Ah,’ Ruth said cunningly, ‘but is there any evidence that he actually liked it?’
‘He ate it, and it never killed him,’ Pietro hedged. ‘Why don’t you open the wine?’
Although she’d known him such a short time Ruth was coming to treasure these moments of bantering, which took her mind away from problems. She wondered if it did the same for him.
The meal continued with pasta in olive oil, followed by cream cod mousse and sweet biscuits, washed down with light, delicious wines.
Suddenly she said, ‘I was going to ask if you’ve been in touch with Gino since I arrived. But you must have been, and, since you haven’t mentioned it, I guess he doesn’t want to know.’
Pietro was taken by surprise, but realised that he shouldn’t have been. He was getting used to her sharp wits.
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