Carefully she surveyed him and once more glimpsed a different man. One who wasn’t hard or brooding.
What had he been like when they’d first met? Surely not so dour. Had he been charming? Seductive?
Had she fallen in love with him five years ago?
She blinked as the suspicion took hold. Could that really be why she’d behaved so appallingly?
It might explain why she was attracted to him now, when everything she knew about their past made her cringe with shame. Was it some subconscious recollection of her deeper feelings for him?
Ally’s breath seized. She only remembered to breathe when she caught movement in her peripheral vision and noticed Rosetta in the doorway. The housekeeper’s expression was blank but her eyes burned. With suspicion?
Hurriedly Ally stepped away from Angelo as the other woman said something in Italian.
‘Excellent,’ Angelo said. ‘Bring them in.’
Her face set, Rosetta moved closer and Ally realised the woman understood English. Communication between them had been limited, the other woman choosing not to speak, and Ally had assumed it was because of a language barrier.
Heat flushed her cheeks as she realised Rosetta had simply preferred not to talk to her. Because of what had happened before. The skin across Ally’s shoulders and nape crept tighter as if skeletal fingers pinched her there.
Had she really been so appalling?
She let out a shuddering breath. The answer to that was clear.
The woman held out two big shopping bags to her.
‘Rosetta went to the mainland to get you some clothes.’
‘You did?’
She needed clothes, badly. All she had was a T-shirt and bikini. And the use of this robe and some shirts for sleeping that must be Angelo’s. She’d recovered enough to find that disturbing. Though they smelled of sunshine and fresh soap rather than potent male, she couldn’t help being aware of whose they were as the cotton brushed her skin.
‘Thank you so much, Rosetta. That was good of you. I appreciate it.’
She guessed the other woman had a busy schedule given the pristine state of the mansion and the exquisite food she prepared.
‘You’re welcome.’ Ally caught her surprise, quickly masked. ‘You needed something decent and my clothes wouldn’t fit you.’
At the worddecentAlly felt her blush intensify, conscious of the robe that gaped a little as she bent to accept the bags. Rosetta barely came up to her shoulder. No wonder Ally had been given Angelo’s shirts in lieu of pyjamas instead of borrowing something from her.
‘Aren’t you going to look at them, to see if they fit?’ Angelo asked. ‘Rosetta took your swimsuit as a size guide but still...’
‘Of course.’
Yet she felt self-conscious as she put the bags on a chair and plunged her hand into one. She withdrew it to discover she’d grabbed a handful of black lace, a see-through bra and G-string, not the T-shirt and shorts she’d expected.
Hurriedly she shoved them back down, feeling the tips of her ears burn. She wasnotholding those up against herself.
Interesting, though, that Rosetta had chosen that underwear. What had Ally expected? Cotton? Something plain and practical? If so, what did that tell her?
Putting the idea aside, she delved into the second bag and withdrew a strappy sundress in a delicate floral print of pinks and lavender blue.
‘Oh!’ She held the fabric against her. ‘How pretty. Thank you, Rosetta.’ The material was a soft cotton that draped beautifully. ‘I love it.’
She looked across to find two sets of eyes fixed on her, both looking startled.
What had she said? Ignoring the puzzle, Ally smiled at the housekeeper. ‘I’m sure it will be a good fit and if it needs adjustment maybe I could borrow a needle and thread?’
Rosetta nodded slowly. ‘Of course.’