When she sensed someone was looking at her with open curosity . Tasha thought about making an escape when she felt someone tap her shoulder as she turned around to see that it was none other than Floriana standing there . Up close she looked like a mannequin - prefectly dressed mannequin but then Tasha thought the bride too be looked positively unhappy , pushing her thoughts aside Tasha forced a smile ," It's a lovely party", she said.
"Thank you ", said Floriana but her smile didn't meet her eye . "Tasha , would you like to come and see my wedding dress?"
" Me??", questioned Tasha in surprise.
" Please . You'd like to, wouldn't you ?.I thought all women liked wedding , specially wedding dresses.."
Tasha was flattered by the offer and nodded ," of course , I'd love too".
"Then lets go - but lets make it quick , before Romano accuses me of neglecting my guest ", linking their arms Floriana led her along one of the corridors that led to another staircase at the end was Floriana's bedroom . As Floriana showed her the wedding dress ,Tasha felt it was something that she would love to wear as her wedding dress.
" It's beautiful ", she exclaimed walking over to where the gown was hung, marvelling at the delicate fabric as the satin gleamed beneath chantilly lace.
" Isn't it ?", said Floriana but her voice was flat as she shut the door and angie turned around her eyes narrowing with concern.
" Floriana ...... is something wrong ? with you ? or the wedding ?"
There was a pause as she was worried about something but finally she said ,"I can't marry Aldo , I just can't do it ", she breathed .
Realising that the girl was trembling Tasha walked over to her and put her arm around her shoulder thinking how pale and bony she looked. " Look every body gets nerves , it's natural ".
" No !!! . It isn't that believe me . People keep telling me it's nerves but it's not. I've allowed myself to get into a situation which should never have happened . I feel like as if I have sleepwalked my way into a nightmare ..... , Tasha , I can't go through with it ."
Tasha stared at Floriana ," But why are you telling me this ?".
" Because you are an outsider ", said Floriana staring aat her wedding gown.
Tasha flinched by her remark but she knew it was true she didn't belong here .
" You must sensible and trustworthy if Liam appointed you as his secretary for all this years. Please don't tell me what everyone says , tell me what can I do to get out of this mess ", Floriana pleaded in a sad tone.
" That's too big of a responsility " , Tasha protested.
" Please Tasha help me..."
" Go talk to your brothers , can't you confide your fears in them ?", questioned Tasha.
Floriana bitterly said , " In them ?, you have to be joking . They both are so keen for this marriage to happen . If I say something now they will march me down the aisle. They both are nothing but tyrants".
There was a long pause while Tasha considered what to say . " Does Aldo - the Duca - does he know that you don't want to marry him ??".
" I have tried speaking to him but he won't listen ", whispered Floriana . " His mind is set on the wedding . He won't allow me to cancel it , every time I , say something eveyone behaves as if I , have not spoken at all . For I am his trophy - innocent virgin wife - or that's what he thinks about me".
Tasha's eyes narrowed with comprehension as she realised what Floriana had just told and it's future implication . Was being virgin such ann essential factor in this marriage ? . She remembered what Liam had said about his desire to marry a virgin and a younger girl .....
"Are you afraid that you being a virgin and your lack of sexual experience will disappoint your husband ? Is that your main concern Floriana?", Tasha enquired
" No , that's not the reason you see ..... The main reason is that I, don't love Aldo . I don't love the man - like a wife should love her husband ".
For a moment Tasha said nothing because what could she say ? she was suprised to hear what Floriana just said. Gently she placed her hand on Floriana's arm ," Then ypu must have courage to tell him the truth and you must ", Tasha said that in a whispering tone.
Leaving Floriana alone in her room Tasha somehow managed to walk to her own room without returning to the party. Stripping off her gown , she took a bath climbing into the bed , bone tired now the comfort of the bed soothing her troubled senses as she lay there thinking about Floriana revelation.
Should she tell Liam ? as she lay there she thought about the conversation with Floriana would Liam and Romano do that to their sister ??. Her mind buzzed uncomfortably but the day was tiring and she dozed off. A naked warm body beside her woke her up as she felt someone luxuriously enjoying ovr her breast.
" Liam ?", she murmured sleepily.
" Where you expecting someone else in your bed ?"
" I ...... oh "
" I .... oh what piccola ?"
" I want to talk to Liam ", struggling against the blissful sensation of his tongue trailing down over her bare skin . Tasha's hand moved up to his shoulder ," Liam please let's talk............"
"Not now", he replied in a demanding tone.
" But...."
" I said not now", he growled " I have been dying to do this all night".
She told herself that there no point bringing this matter up as nothing could be done. Sex was pure bliss with him she didn't wanted it to stop . She kissed him back to show she too wanted him ...... Beside him Tasha stirred murmuring something in her sleep . He knew he must leave the comfort of her bed , before he was tempted to stay and ravish her all night. He didn't want the staff to spread rumours about their affair . He pushed aside the cover and made sure that Tasha was still asleep , dressed and made his way back to his room . It was cold outside as he tried to sleep in his own bed , he woke up to the loud banging on his bedroom door which he thought was strange .
"What the hell is going on here?", Liam demanded.
Romano appeared in his doorway , his face angry as he shot few terse Italian words towards Liam and minutes later Liam was dressed and storming to the castle toward's Tasha's room.
She had just stepped out of shower - wrapped in a towel with her hair wet and sitting by the window reading a book with innocent look . He felt the twist of lust and anger towards her.
" Liam , what are you doing here?", she questioned when she saw the look of anger on his face.
" You tell me, exactly what did you say to my sister ? and are you a part of her disappearance?"
" Her disappearance ? Why what happened ?", the book slid from her fingers and fell down on the carpet .
"That is what I intend to find out. My brother told me yesterday you both left the party togother . What the hell happened?".
Tasha swallowed and said ," She told me that she couldn't bear to go through the wedding and she didn't love Aldo".
" She confided in you ?".
" Yes she did yesterday night".
" Why you ...... a stranger?".
"Because she thought nobody else would listen to her ", she told him flatly.
His face remained cold and obdurate , " So what did you say to her?".
" I told her it was better to speak to Aldo about it and sort it out . Has she done that ?"
He gave her a bitter laugh . " No Tasha she didn't do it . What she has done is to have left a note which currently has my mother in hysterics and the castle in chaos. And she has taken her damned passport and is on her way to England with that dumb bridesmaid of her unless I and Romano can stop them".
"Oh my god ", was all Tasha said.
" Didn't you realise that my sister has a history of this kind of behaviour ? that there was a man in her past some englishman she thought she was in love with him when she was in school . Who has appeared now and made her believe that he too is in love with her and my crazy sister believes that she still belives him and loves him ?"
" No I didn't knew about your sister's past , but that shouldn't make any difference it's her life . She is old enough to make her own mistakes. But it is not even a mistake because you and your brother don't want it to happen . You both should'nt force her to marry Aldo if she dosen't want to "., Tasha defended Floriana.
" Didn't you think - ?", he took a step forward and saw her bite her lower lip but he was so angry now that he couldn't think straiight. "Didn't you think you should have atleast spoken to me about it?"
"I was going to tell and I tried too".
" But you didn't tell me".
" It was late and you were tired ".
"And you my cara , all you were thinking was about your own damned pleasure", he finished and saw her flinch.
"Actually I was going to tell you but what you had to slip off like a thief", she retorted " But now i feel what were going to do Liam even if I ,would have told you?. Because when a girl like Floriana is in some kind of emotional turmoil why even try to involve someone like you - who has a emotional capacity of a gnat ?"
His fist cleanched " How dare you speak to me in that manner ?".
"And don't you dare pull rank on me at this time ", she stormed back at him . " Either Floriana is old enough to be married or she isn't . If she is then she has to stand on her two feet and not take orders from her two brothers who are treating her like some kind of puppet and try to control her world and people in it".
Liam's nostrils flared in disdain ," That's enough", he said. " You know nothing of these matters - Tasha you are member of my staff who is here as a guest ".
" Not anymore I am not - I resign as of now !".
His eyes were cold ." You better pack your stuff and someone will drive you to the airport . This place is in chaos and there's no point in you staying here."
Tasha swallowed down the great lump which had lodged in her throat ," I will clear my desk by monday - before you come back to London".
At this he stilled and said ," Spare me the melodrama , cara . You will clear your desk when I tell you too".
"But you said if I come with you to Tuscany , I would leave with a six months pay and leave straight away ", her breathing short as she stared at him.
" Did I ?. Well in view of your behaviour - I have changed my mind". He gave her a arrogant smile . " Such a verbal agreement between two lovers simply boils down to your word against mine . Next time if I were you I'd get something down in writing ".