If things worked out as she desperately hoped they would, they would attend the ball together. Afterwards…Vina drew in a determined breath…afterwards, she was going to do everything within her power to seduce Travis Malone into her bed. And if it turned out he didn’t love her…at least she would have that one night with him to cherish forever.
Chapter 13
Vina surveyed the bandage on her ankle with a frown. After returning to the manor the night before, both Max and Stefana had been alarmed to see how swollen it was. While Max carried her into the living room and settled her on the sofa, Stefana called the Andollina’s physician and arranged for him to come to the manor. When he finished examining her ankle and determined there were no serious injuries other than a bad sprain, he’d given Vina a pain killer and ordered her to stay off her foot for twenty-four hours.
“I’ll make sure of it,” Max told the doctor, his expression stern.
Vina waited until after the doctor left to address Max’s comment. “You don’t have to take me back to the Palazzo, Max. I’m sure Cayo can help me up to my room.”
“I hadn’t planned on taking you back,” he informed her. “You’ll stay in one of the guest rooms here so we can keep an eye on you and make sure the doctor’s instructions are followed.”
“But I have to go back to the Palazzo! Max, you don’t understand,” she pleaded, her voice growing frantic. “If I stay here, it will only confirm what Travis already believes.”
“And what is that? That we are having an affair? That you’re spending the night in my bed while he’s off licking his wounds? He should have stayed and demanded to know what was going on,” Max asserted. “Malone doesn’t deserve you if he’s not willing to fight for you.”
“You don’t know him like I do,” she said heatedly. “He’s a good man…the best. It’s just…why would he fight for a woman he believes is having an affair with someone else?”
“You think it’s proof that he doesn’t love you, don’t you?”
Vina nodded solemnly. “At least I didn’t make a fool of myself by telling him how I felt.”
“It seems to me both of you would benefit from being honest about your feelings for each other. Cara, maybe there was another reason he walked away.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you assumed he left because he doesn’t love you, but now I have to wonder why seeing us together would bother him if that was the case. Maybe you should consider the possibility that it’s just the opposite; that Travis loves you so much he’s willing to let you go because he places your happiness above his own.”
Vina wanted so badly to believe it was true. She was still pondering what Max had said when Stefana returned, but the medication she’d taken made her so groggy her thoughts became fuzzy and disjointed. After getting settled into one of the downstairs bedrooms, Vina declined Max’s offer to talk about it and quickly succumbed to the allure of sleep.
Hours later, she awoke and lay in the darkness, agonizing over what she should do. As much as Vina wanted to, she couldn’t very well call Travis in the middle of the night and beg him to hear her out. And what if Max was wrong? If only she could talk to Sophia or one of her other sisters. But of course she couldn’t, not without breaking the stipulation in her their parents’ Will about not communicating with each other during their month abroad. With an unhappy sigh, Vina closed her eyes and fell into a restless sleep.
Early the next morning, the Marchesa came to see her. “I’m so sorry to hear about your accident,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “I’ll send someone in to help you to the restroom and bring a change of clothes. I’m afraid the choice was limited to something from Stefana’s wardrobe so they may be a bit flamboyant for your taste. But don’t worry, my dear, the doctor assured me you should be able to return to the Palazzo this evening as long as you remain on bed rest today.”
“Thank you,” Vina replied, biting back the urge to ask if she could have access to a phone.
“Once you’re dressed, I’ll get one of the boys to carry you outside. The fresh air will do you good and breakfast will be served on the terrace shortly so you’ll have the company of the family for a while. Max was more than happy to volunteer his time to stay with you today, although…” the Marchesa’s eyes sparkled with amusement, “the other two boys pitched a fit about being elbowed aside.”
“Wh-what about Stefana? Will she be here today?”
“No, Stefana asked me to apologize. She left about an hour ago but said she would see you at the ball tonight. I’ve barely seen her at all this past week, but I expect that has a lot to do with the young man she’s been seeing.”
Vina went numb inside. “It’s…serious then?”
“Oh, Stefana hasn’t confided in me yet, but when a young woman walks around with her heart in her eyes, it isn’t difficult to figure out she’s fallen in love.”
Disheartened by the Marchesa’s revelation, Vina merely nodded and was relieved when the older woman left to fetch her assistant. Thankfully, the assistant was an Italian woman who spoke very little English so the only thing required of Vina was a polite grazie before the woman left. A few minutes later, Max strode into the room, leaning down to brush a kiss to her cheek before scooping her up in his arms.
“I’m so embarrassed about this,” Vina admitted.
“Don’t be. Personally, I like the idea of playing the Knight in shining armor. And what better way to start the day than to have a beautiful woman in your arms?”
“It’s not just that you have to pack me around,” she said as he carried her out of the room. “It’s the fact that I injured myself chasing after a man who didn’t even care enough to see if I’d made it back to the Palazzo last night.”
“Don’t do this, cara. Spend this time trying to figure out a way to tell him how you feel instead of brooding over yesterday’s misunderstanding. If it turns out he feels the same, you will have a lifetime to make it up to each other.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Max stopped and met her tearful gaze. “Then I will be here for you.”
“You’re a very nice man, Max Andollina.”
He continued walking. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what I was thinking right now.”
Vina smiled despite the turmoil playing havoc with her emotions. “For both our sakes, I’ll refrain from asking you to voice your thoughts.”
“Smart girl,” Max chuckled.
***
Travis checked his appearance in the full length mirror, idly wondering if men all over Venice were eying their own costumes and feeling as foolish as he was. He’d chosen the attire of a nobleman, but even the rich fabric didn’t make up for the questionable fashion. The deep blue Venetian breeches were made from a shiny satin material that should have been reserved for pajama bottoms, but he decided they didn’t look half bad tucked inside the knee-high black boots.
The crisp, white shirt had lace for cuffs and was worn beneath a jerkin – a sleeveless vest with a brocade pattern. The finishing touch was a velvet jacket designed to hang open that had wide, quilted cuffs and the same ornate pattern as the jerkin. Hats, he’d been told, were mandatory in public during that period so Travis had selected a tall hat typically worn by noblemen, complete with light and dark blue feathers.
With his mask in place, he was barely recognizable. In the softer mood lighting of the ballroom, Travis imagined everyone was cloaked in mystery. That was, of course, the purpose of a masquerade ball; the masks were worn to conceal a person’s social status and encourage anonymous flirting as well as gambling. The anonymity wouldn’t have been a problem had he been escorting Vina as planned. As it was, Travis felt a twinge of apprehension because he had no idea what she was wearing or whether he would be able to pick her out of the crowd.
His saving grace was Stefana. She would be instrumental in pointing out her brothers, and since Max was accompanying Vina, they were bound to run into one another eventually. Travis had no inte
ntion of spoiling the ball for her, but one way or another he was going to corner Vina and extract a promise to have that talk. He wished there was a way to accomplish that before he and Stefana dropped the bomb on her brothers about the wedding. He had an uneasy feeling they weren’t going to be pleased and if they stormed out of there, Vina would no doubt go with them.
If nothing else, this was certainly going to be a night to remember.
Entering the Palazzo Pisani Moretta, a 15th century Venetian palace on the Grand Canal where Il Ballo del Doge was held, was like stepping into another world. Every year, the ball followed a new theme. This year it was Because Life is Magic. There was definitely something magical about the splendor of the palace, the dazzling costumes, music and dance performances, as well as the elegant dining rooms where a sumptuous Venetian cuisine was served. Among the guests were celebrities from different countries, leaders in the business and financial world, and even members of royal families; none of which could be distinguished from an average person, such as himself.
They’d been at the palace for nearly two hours when Stefana spotted her brothers. “They’re all together,” she said, the quiver in her voice giving away how edgy she was. “I guess if we’re going to do this, we might as well do it now.” Stefana held out her hand, admiring the glittering diamond ring on her finger for a moment before letting her hand drop to her side. “I should probably take it off until after we tell them, but…” she shrugged, “I guess it won’t matter in a few minutes anyway. Besides, it’s so beautiful, I can’t bear to take it off.”
“Are you sure you want to do this now instead of waiting until tomorrow so you can tell your parents at the same time?”
“No. My parents won’t object, not when they’re so fond of my husband-to-be. As for my brothers…they’re less likely to get aggressive or cause a scene in public. Sometimes it’s difficult for them to see past the fact that I’m their baby sister and realize I’ve become a woman capable of making my own decisions. We’d better go before we lose sight of them,” she said, already weaving her way through the crowd.
Stefana led the way, but Travis was only vaguely aware of the way she squared her shoulders as if preparing herself for battle. His attention had been drawn to the two elegantly dressed women standing alongside her brothers. Dressed as they were, it was impossible to tell which one was Vina, although he presumed it was the one wearing a billowing red gown because she was the closet to Max. Travis didn’t have any trouble picking out the eldest of the Andollina brothers; he was a good three inches taller than the other two.
“I’m glad we finally found you,” Stefana said, showing no sign of the trepidation Travis knew she was feeling. “I have something to tell you and hope you’ll all be as happy about it as I am.” Stefana held out her hand, displaying the enormous solitaire diamond ring Travis had helped her pick out. “I’m engaged,” she announced with a radiant smile.
***
Vina was standing a few feet away, chatting with a couple of young women Max had introduced her to earlier in the evening. She had her back to him and didn’t see Stefana approaching, but recognized her voice immediately. Butterflies twirled in Vina’s stomach as she turned around, anticipating seeing Travis and praying with all her heart that this night would end with her in his arms. That was when she caught the flash of light from the sparkling diamond ring on Stefana’s finger.
Engaged? Travis asked Stefana to marry him? Vina clutched at her stomach as a wave of nausea swept through her. He didn’t love Stefana, he didn’t, he didn’t, he didn’t. The room began to sway as she envisioned the elaborate wedding the Andollina’s would provide for their only daughter. A wedding where Vina was forced to be a spectator while the man she loved married someone else.
A strangled sob hitched in her throat when Travis curved his arm around Stefana’s waist and pulled her close to his side; a protective gesture in response to the open hostility of the three Andollina men. Vina wanted to turn around and flee from the nightmare unfurling before her, to lose herself in the crowd while she still had the strength to push her way through. How was it possible to hurt this much without crumbling to the ground in a broken heap?
She understood now why Maria had grown so sullen after her breakup with the man she’d given her heart to and regretted all the times she’d berated her sister for not getting on with her life. Maria knew, just as Vina did, that there can only be one true love in your life, one man with the ability to make you soar to the stars with nothing more than a smile or a touch. Travis was it for her; Vina felt it with every beat of her heart, every breath that she took. If she didn’t step up to the plate now while there was still a chance, her life would be as empty and colorless as a desert wasteland.
Ignoring the nagging voice in her head that told Vina she was about to make a complete spectacle of herself, she darted through an open space between the few people that separated her from Travis. Angling around the Andollina brothers as fast as her high heels and sore ankle would allow, she planted herself in front of Stefana and Travis and launched into a frantic plea without regard as to how desperate she must sound.
“Forgive me, Stefana, but I have to say this. You can’t marry him! I know you think he’s in love with you, but you barely know each other and he’s not the type of man to give his heart so easily. A marriage between the two of you will only make both your lives miserable.”
Stefana gaped at Vina as if she’d lost her mind. “Vina, I think there’s something I…”
“No! You have to listen to me. He’s wrong for you, Stefana. You’re wrong for each other. He…he’s a notorious womanizer,” the lies tumbled from Vina’s mouth, “he uses women for his own selfish needs and then heartlessly discards them when he gets bored. And he could never be faithful to you. In fact,” she continued, carefully avoiding making eye contact with Travis, “since we’ve been here, he’s slept with me twice and…”
“Please…no more,” Stefana cut her off. “I appreciate your concern but you’re worrying for nothing. Vina, he is not the man you think he is.”
Vina’s heart went out to her, but the fact that Travis made no attempt to stop her from saying such wicked things about him only proved she was right; he didn’t love Stefana.
“I know him better than anyone,” Vina argued passionately. “Believe me, he’s never been in a serious relationship in his life. Stefana…you’re a beautiful woman with a kind heart. It’s easy to see why he’s attracted you, but you’re confusing lust with love.”
Travis finally spoke up, but it wasn’t Vina he expressed concern for. “Stefana, che è il problema?”
He and Stefana conversed in rapid Italian for a few minutes, which hurt almost as much as Travis’ obvious desire to console Stefana. He’d deliberately shut Vina out by speaking Italian. And with every glance he cast her way, he gathered Stefana a little closer, as if Vina posed a physical threat he needed to protect her from. Something deep inside began to wither and die when Travis murmured what sounded like an endearment as he lowered his head to give Stefana a brief but tender kiss.
These were not the actions of a man with superficial feelings, and as difficult as it was to acknowledge, Vina was forced to accept that she’d been wrong. Travis really was in love. All around them, people were chatting and laughing, oblivious to the drama unfolding before them, or how tragically her life was affected by the turn of events. Vina was glad she had a mask to hide behind, although the raw edge to her voice left little doubt as to the depth of pain it inflicted.
“I’m…sorry,” her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I never meant to…” Yes, you did. You had every intention of destroying whatever feelings Stefana had for Travis. What kind of person did that make her? They were her friends, both of them, and she’d done her best to drive a wedge between them. “I hope you’ll be very h-happy together,” she said, choking back her tears.
A pair of warm hands gently gripped her shoulders. It would have been easy to lean back against the solid se
curity of Max’s broad chest, but somehow she managed to hold her own. Vina’s heart thudded dully in her chest, while the mantra inside her head kept tempo with the music from the live band; he doesn’t love me, he doesn’t love me, he doesn’t…
“Cara,” Max said, his mouth close to her ear. “What my sister is trying to tell you is that this seems to be a case of mistaken identity.”
“What…?” Vina’s breath locked in her lungs as a tall figure moved from his position behind Travis and closed the distance between them to tower over her.
Elegantly dressed in a blue velvet jacket that matched his pants, he looked every inch the nobleman. Even better than Travis, the traitorous thought entered her head. Her pulse raced as he reached out and took her trembling hand in his. For a moment, her eyes strayed to the man beside Stefana. Tall, broad shoulders, impossibly long legs, clad entirely in black…he could easily be mistaken for Travis. Vina drew in a shaky breath and brought her gaze back to the masked man standing before her. She didn’t need to see his face to know who he was; her heart recognized him the second his hand touched hers.
VINA IN VENICE (THE 5 SISTERS) Page 18