Free From Venice With Love by Alison Roberts Page A

father had given his mother. The one she’d left behind when she’d broken the marriage and Nico’s true family. Maybe it was better if it got left behind at the bottom of a Venetian canal. Drowned and lost. Like his belief in true love and marriage and happy families for ever had been lost so many years ago.
    But no. This ring was the only thing his father had left him as his inheritance. The only link he could touch that went back to his early childhood. It was important. Nico ignored Charlotte and his gaze raked the rough stones as he searched for what he’d dropped. It must have come out of his pocket at speed, propelled by being caught in the folds of the handkerchief. Had it already bounced irretrievably into the waters of the canal?
    Like Charlotte’s laptop?
    No. There it was, precariously balanced right beside a stone balustrade on the very edge of the balcony. He would have to be careful not to nudge it over the edge, he realised as he stooped. Trying to slow his movement, Nico dropped to one knee and reached for the ring.
    ‘What on
earth
are you doing?’ Nico could see the ripple of the long, silver dress as Charlotte stepped closer. He sighed and held the object up to show her.
    ‘It’s my grandmother’s ring,’ he said heavily. ‘It’s a long story…’
    He wasn’t going to get a chance to tell her any of it, however. A startling shriek cut through the night air.
    ‘Charlotte! Nico! Oh, my goodness…’ Lady Geraldine had come out through the restaurant doors and was standing there, her hands clasped in front of her as though in prayer. ‘Is this…? Are you…? Oh…how
romantic
. A proposal. In Venice, of all places…’
    It took a long moment for the full horror to sink in but, yes…here he was, on one knee. Kneeling in front of a beautiful woman with a backdrop of a Venetian canal, holding up what was obviously an engagement ring in his hand.
    He bought a fraction of time by getting to his feet somewhat awkwardly. He caught the panicked look in Charlotte’s eyes. They were going to have to confess now, weren’t they? Ruin the happiest night of this sick old lady’s life.
    No. He could fix this.
    With the ghost of a wink to let Charlotte know he had things in hand, Nico grabbed her hand and shoved the ring onto her finger. It was a tight fit but he gave it an extra push to get it over her knuckle. Was it pain that made Charlotte gasp? Maybe it was the shock of how fast he’d moved or this unexpected twist in the show they were putting on. That didn’t matter either. Maybe people would think she was simply shocked at how quickly he had managed to sweep her off her feet.
    He kept hold of Charlotte’s hand and gave it a squeeze. She dragged her gaze up from the ring and met his eyes and he tried very hard to give her a silent message.
    Trust me. We can get through this without hurting anybody
.
    And then he turned and pasted a smile onto his face.
    ‘Jendi…What wonderful timing. We wanted
you
to be the first to know.’

C HAPTER FIVE
    ‘I KNEW ALREADY .’ Lady Geraldine was coming towards them with surprising sprightliness given her age and state of health. ‘Nobody can hide the glow of true love…’ Tears were running down her wrinkled cheeks as she got close enough to embrace Charlotte. ‘Oh, my dear…I’m
so
happy for you.’
    She must feel like she was hugging a tree, Charlotte realised, but she couldn’t make her body soften. Or even raise the arms now hanging by her sides like dead branches. One of them was even weighed down with an enormous rock. No…She had to be dreaming. He couldn’t
really
have shoved that ring on her finger, could he?
    Still dazed, Charlotte lifted her left arm. It looked like she was returning her grandmother’s effusive hug but, in reality, she was getting her hand to a position where she could see it.
    Yep. There it was. On her third finger. A quite respectably sized solitaire diamond in an antique gold setting. Definitely an engagement