which she did not understand.
She was glad when they finally went in to dinner. As if he had taken notice of her earlier comment that she found the dining room depressing, the table was a mass of flowers and several dozen red candles in silver candelabra gave a soft radiance around them. Carlo sat at the head of the table with the two women either side of him, and each time Juliet looked up she saw Elvira’s eyes upon her. At their first meeting she had suspected the girl of not liking her, but now she was certain of it. It could only steam from jealousy, and this could only come from her insecure position with Carlo. But if Carlo was not serious about Elvira why did he see so much of her? He was too astute not to realise that their names would be coupled together. She listened quietly as Elvira amused Carlo with a lighthearted account of an American couple with whom she had spent the day.
Both by birth and breeding the Italian girl was fitted for the role of the Contessa Malvani, and it was surprising that Carlo should still be hesitation. Obviously his freedom meant a great deal to him, and since he regarded marriage as sacrosanct this made him cautious.
Still, being so family-orientated he must be concerned with a continuance of the line; after all, he could not let it rest on the shoulders of a seven month-old child. No, Carlo must start to think seriously of marriage, and when he did, Juliet was sure Elvira would be the one he chose. The thought was disturbing and she wondered why she should care whom he married.
As if aware of what she was thinking, Carlo gazed at her. Hastily she looked away. Of course it mattered to her whom he brought up to the Palazzo. This was her home too, and the thought of sharing it with Elvira was not a pleasant one. But then sharing it with any woman would be unpleasant. The old Contessa did not count. She was Carlo’s mother and was not a rival. Juliet sat
