Read Online Behind the Castello Doors by Chantelle Shaw - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chantelle Shaw
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sound of a baby’s cries.
Her brow wrinkled. ‘How can I hear Sophie when she is in the nursery?’
‘I switched on the baby monitor.’ Cesario nodded towards the device plugged into a wall socket. ‘I always used it when Nicolo was … here.’ He had been about to say alive, but the stark reminder that his son was no longer alive caused a shaft of pain inside him. ‘I knew you were tired and I thought if you were deeply asleep you might not hear Sophie if she stirred.’
‘I always hear her, so you needn’t worry.’
Beth stared at Cesario and caught her lower lip with her teeth. She did not know what to make of him. His concern for Sophie was unexpected, and did not fit in with the man she had supposed him to be. A few hours ago he had been unaware that he might have fathered a daughter. But, far from rejecting Sophie, he had made it clear that if she was his child he would take responsibility for her.
But what about her ? Beth wondered fearfully. What place would she have in Sophie’s life if Cesario decided he wanted the baby to live here at his castle? She wished now that she had not come to Sardinia—wished that she had kept Sophie’s existence a secret. But it was too late for regrets. A DNA test would determine the truth, and if necessary she would fight for her right to be Sophie’s mother—as Mel had wanted.
Another wail from the baby monitor jerked Beth into action. ‘I must go to her,’ she muttered, and hurried from Cesario’s room, thankful to escape his brooding gaze.
What in hell’s name was the matter with him? Cesario asked himself furiously as he stood staring through the doorway long minutes after Beth had fled from him, a fragile wraith in her wispy nightgown that did little to conceal her slender figure. Why had he come on to her like that? No wonder she had looked at him with such wariness in her wide green eyes.
But it had not been fear that had made her tremble for those few moments when he had stood so close to her that he had been aware of the erratic thud of her heart. There had been a fierce, inexplicable connection between them, and he knew she had felt it just as he had. He swore savagely. He had not desired a woman for months. So why was his body burning up for a pale, elfin woman whose reasons for seeking him out were highly suspect?
First thing in the morning he would arrange for the DNA test to be done and determine if the baby that Beth had brought to the castle was his, he decided as he strode into his en-suite bathroom and set the shower setting to cold in the hope of cooling his heated flesh. He did not share Beth’s conviction that he had slept with her friend—it seemed unlikely that he had retained no memory of having sex with Melanie Stewart, however drunk he had been.
There was a good chance Sophie was not his child. If that was the case he would ensure that Beth Granger and her tiny charge were on the first flight back to England, and he would no longer be disturbed by the slanting green eyes that he was convinced had cast a spell over him.
He frowned as he recalled how she had told him she worked an early-morning shift as a cleaner and left Sophiewith a neighbour. It was obvious from her shabby clothes that she had little money. His thoughts turned to the beautiful baby girl in the nursery and something tugged on his insides as he remembered Sophie’s gummy smile. If she was not his child perhaps he would make a financial arrangement so that Beth could give up her job and concentrate on caring for the baby, he brooded. After all, he had more money than he knew what to do with, and losing Nicolo had made him realise that he cared nothing for the things that had once been important to him, such as wealth and power. Everything seemed meaningless—including his own life.
The hands on Beth’s watch showed that it was nine o’clock, and the stream of light filtering through the gap in the curtains indicated that it was morning—which meant that she
Her brow wrinkled. ‘How can I hear Sophie when she is in the nursery?’
‘I switched on the baby monitor.’ Cesario nodded towards the device plugged into a wall socket. ‘I always used it when Nicolo was … here.’ He had been about to say alive, but the stark reminder that his son was no longer alive caused a shaft of pain inside him. ‘I knew you were tired and I thought if you were deeply asleep you might not hear Sophie if she stirred.’
‘I always hear her, so you needn’t worry.’
Beth stared at Cesario and caught her lower lip with her teeth. She did not know what to make of him. His concern for Sophie was unexpected, and did not fit in with the man she had supposed him to be. A few hours ago he had been unaware that he might have fathered a daughter. But, far from rejecting Sophie, he had made it clear that if she was his child he would take responsibility for her.
But what about her ? Beth wondered fearfully. What place would she have in Sophie’s life if Cesario decided he wanted the baby to live here at his castle? She wished now that she had not come to Sardinia—wished that she had kept Sophie’s existence a secret. But it was too late for regrets. A DNA test would determine the truth, and if necessary she would fight for her right to be Sophie’s mother—as Mel had wanted.
Another wail from the baby monitor jerked Beth into action. ‘I must go to her,’ she muttered, and hurried from Cesario’s room, thankful to escape his brooding gaze.
What in hell’s name was the matter with him? Cesario asked himself furiously as he stood staring through the doorway long minutes after Beth had fled from him, a fragile wraith in her wispy nightgown that did little to conceal her slender figure. Why had he come on to her like that? No wonder she had looked at him with such wariness in her wide green eyes.
But it had not been fear that had made her tremble for those few moments when he had stood so close to her that he had been aware of the erratic thud of her heart. There had been a fierce, inexplicable connection between them, and he knew she had felt it just as he had. He swore savagely. He had not desired a woman for months. So why was his body burning up for a pale, elfin woman whose reasons for seeking him out were highly suspect?
First thing in the morning he would arrange for the DNA test to be done and determine if the baby that Beth had brought to the castle was his, he decided as he strode into his en-suite bathroom and set the shower setting to cold in the hope of cooling his heated flesh. He did not share Beth’s conviction that he had slept with her friend—it seemed unlikely that he had retained no memory of having sex with Melanie Stewart, however drunk he had been.
There was a good chance Sophie was not his child. If that was the case he would ensure that Beth Granger and her tiny charge were on the first flight back to England, and he would no longer be disturbed by the slanting green eyes that he was convinced had cast a spell over him.
He frowned as he recalled how she had told him she worked an early-morning shift as a cleaner and left Sophiewith a neighbour. It was obvious from her shabby clothes that she had little money. His thoughts turned to the beautiful baby girl in the nursery and something tugged on his insides as he remembered Sophie’s gummy smile. If she was not his child perhaps he would make a financial arrangement so that Beth could give up her job and concentrate on caring for the baby, he brooded. After all, he had more money than he knew what to do with, and losing Nicolo had made him realise that he cared nothing for the things that had once been important to him, such as wealth and power. Everything seemed meaningless—including his own life.
The hands on Beth’s watch showed that it was nine o’clock, and the stream of light filtering through the gap in the curtains indicated that it was morning—which meant that she
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