"In control!" He gave a breathless laugh. "With you I am twenty again, with no control at all." He trailed his lips over her eyelids and down her cheeks, pressing light, tantalising kisses which left Jess wanting more. She wound her arms round his neck, kissing him with a passion she'd never known she was capable of, and reaped a reward which transcended anything she'd ever imagined.

It was a long time before Lorenzo let her go. "Tomorrow," he panted at last. "How soon can we meet?"

"How early do you want me-?" She bit her lip as he laughed deep in his throat.

"I want you now, Jessamy. So much I ache with longing. You know this." He kissed her nose and settled her back in her seat, reaching over to do up the seat belt. When it was fastened he stayed arched over her, looking down into her eyes. "If I come early in the morning, would your family find this strange?"

Jess gave him a demure little smile. "How early?"

"Ten?"

"Done. What do you want to do?"

"I have come to explore your beautiful countryside, so you shall be my guide. We shall spend the day together." He stretched out a hand to the ignition key, but Jess put a hand on his arm.

"Don't start the car yet Before we get back there's something I forgot to tell you."

"What is it?" he demanded, his voice harsh with sudden tension.

"I meant to bring the subject up earlier," said Jess ruefully, "but it-it went out of my head."

"What is this subject?" he asked very quietly.

"This afternoon, at the reception, you were a bit remote after you saw Fenny with Jonah."

Lorenzo let out a deep breath, and settled back in his seat.

Jess could tell he was relieved. What had he expected ner to say?

"I was a jealous fool," he said with remorse. "I soon realised that the child could not be yours. Forgive me, Jessamy, I had no right to intrude on something so personal to your family."

"I knew you were coming to all the wrong conclusions, so after you left this afternoon I asked permission to tell you Fen's history." Jess sighed. "Poor unsuspecting mite-she's caused enough trouble already."

"Trouble?" queried Lorenzo, frowning. "In what way?"

"Leo broke her engagement to Jonah all those years ago because she thought he was the unborn Penny's father."

"Dio!" he said, startled.

"My father's sister Rachel was in her early forties, working as personal assistant to Jonah's father, when she met the love of her life at last. Leo overheard Rachel telling Jonah she was pregnant, begging him never to reveal the truth to her. She assumed he was the father, of course, flew back to Italy, and broke up with Jonah, refusing to give any explanation. And because Rachel was Dad's much-loved sister Leo couldn't tell my parents why, either."

Lorenzo shook his head in amazement "I confess I am curious." He eyed her questioningly. "Who is the little one's father?"

"Richard Savage, Jonah's uncle. You met Richard's wife, Helen, today. She was the one Rachel was desperate not to hurt, not Leo." Jess sighed. "Richard looked a lot like Jonah, especially the hazel eyes he handed down to Fenny."

Lorenzo smoothed a caressing hand down her cheek. "Will you forgive me for my wild imaginings, Jessamy?"

She smiled wryly. "Wild imaginings are right. Jonah never had eyes for anyone other than Leo from the first moment they met."

"This I can believe!"

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"True." He lifted her hand to her mouth. "But you mistake me. I also know how one look is enough to recognise one's fate."

Jess looked away, her heart thumping, and went on with her story. "Helen's brain tumour resulted in paralysis, which ended the physical side of her marriage, but Richard never looked at another woman until he fell madly in love with Rachel. He was killed in a car accident before she could tell him she was pregnant Rachel was so heartbroken she died giving birth to Penny."

Lorenzo flinched. "Che tragedia!" he said harshly. "Does the little one know tins?"

"No. Not yet My parents intend telling her as soon as she's old enough to understand."

"And for one crazy moment I suspected you, Jessamyi" Lorenzo threw out his hands in appeal. "Forgive me, tesoro. I have not experienced jealousy before. It seems it deprives a man of his wits."

Jess smiled at him, beginning to think she could forgive this man anything. "It's late. Time I was home."

"You are right I have no wish to anger your charming parents. It is most necessary mat they approve of me."

"Why?"

Lorenzo smiled into her eyes. "I think you know the answer very well, Jessamy Dysart."

When they arrived at Friars Wood, to the sound of music thumping from the Stables, Jess exclaimed in surprise when Adam came hurtling from the party to intercept them.

"Sorry to interrupt," he panted.

"What's wrong?" demanded Jess in alarm. "Not Leo-?"

"No, it's your pal Emily. She rang from Florence about an hour ago. In a right old state, apparently. Mother's hoping you can help out Lorenzo."

Chapter five.

Tom Dysart opened the door to them in obvious relief. "Come in, come in, Lorenzo. Are we glad to see you. If we'd known where you were, Jess, we'd have contacted you before."

"What on earth's happened, Dad?" said Jess anxiously. "Is it something to do with Emily's sister?"

"No, darling," said Frances. "Celia never made it after all. The children went down with chicken pox."

Jess eyed her in consternation. "Emily's on her own? Don't say she's had an accident!"

"No, no, nothing like that. She's feeling very unwell, poor dear."

"In what way can I help, signora" asked Lorenzo swiftly.

Frances smiled at him gratefully and handed him a card with a number. "Would you ring the hotel and find out what help we can arrange for Emily?"

"I'd have had a shot at it myself if it had been France," said Tom apologetically. "I could have managed in French-just. But not Italian."

"First, I think, Jessamy must speak with her friend and discover the problem." Lorenzo keyed in the number, waited for a while, then conducted a quick-fire exchange in Italian and handed the receiver to Jess. "They are putting you through to your friend's room."

Jess waited a moment, then heard her friend's hoarse, fearful response.