Love Play by Rosemary Rogers Read Free Page A

too, I guess it's a custom or something, but no one ever calls him
anything but Carlo, and it suits him. It's a beautiful name and he's a
beautiful person, unlike his brother who lords it over everyone just because he
happened to be the firstborn and a conte or a duke or something equally silly —
I mean who gives a damn about titles any more? And everyone knows that Italian
titles are a dime a dozen, some stupid society woman is always marrying one and
I mean . . . what was I saying?'
    'You were saying that this ... big bad Marco or whoever had to approve
of you before he gives Carlo permission to..." Sara sat up straight,
brushing her hair away from her eyes, which had begun to flash angrily. 'Why
does Carlo have to have his brother's permission for anything? How old is he
anyway? Isn't he man enough to stand up for what he wants?'
    'I was just telling you, they're Italian, and Giovanni Marco - they call
him Marco within the family, how'd you guess? - as the head of the family runs
the whole show. He's the one who made most of the money, you see, and he
controls everything. He's into automobiles and shipping and... you name a pie
and he has a finger in it! He's rich, and Carlo works for him. He's also quite
ruthless . . .' Delight gave an exaggerated shiver as she lowered her voice
dramatically. 'In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's even mixed up
with the . . . you-know-who. The mob.'
    'You mean the Mafia? Oh, no, Delight, surely not!'
    'I'm not sure at all... and of course Carlo would never say anything,
and it's the one thing I'd never dare ask him about. But I have my suspicions
... and he did tell me once that his brother would stop at nothing to gain his
ends. So you see what we're up against, and why you've just got to help? Sara,
I'm afraid he's going to try and break us up, and I'd just kill myself if that
happened, and so would Carlo!' Delight's huge emerald eyes that were so like
Mona's filled with tears.
    'But why would he want to break you up, even if he could?'
    'Because . . . because he's a straitlaced prigl' Delight wailed.
'They're strict Catholics, of course, the whole family, and Marco's the type who
believes in work, work, work and no play, and when the time comes around - and
that'll be when be says so, of course - then Carlo will be expected to marry
some stupid cow of a girl his brother will choose for him from one of the right
families, with money, of course, and without - ' her voice quivered over ar?
incipient sob - 'without my lurid past! Everything I've done - all that stuff
in those nasty rags and the gossip columns and the pictures ... oh,you know
what I mean, Sary, and you know I only did it all for kicks and for experience,
but he'd never buy that! Carlo understands and doesn't care, but his brother
never would! So you see why I do need you so!'
    'No, I don't, not really!' Sara objected reasonably, trying not to let
Delight notice that the use of the old childhood name 'Sary' had got to her.
She had to blink her eyes in order to focus them on Delight, sitting
cross-legged so easily without any sign of strain; two large tears trickling
forlornly down her face. Poor, darling Delight! Of course she was reckless and
a little bit wild and wayward, but that was part of her nature and part of her
charm - she just did things without thinking of the consequences, but that
didn't give any stuffy, arrogant outsider the right to look down on her either!
    Wrapped up in her own thoughts, Sara hadn't been paying attention to
what Delight was saying until her sister said urgently: '. . . so you see why
Carlo and I have to run away and do it secretly, to throw him off the track!
And if you'd just cover for me . . .'
    I really feel quite strange! Sara thought dazedly. Not bad strange but
funny strange. Kind of floaty . . .
    Aloud she said stoutly, hoping she wasn't slurring her words, 'Of course
you know you can count on me, darling! I' ll take care of Mr High-and-rnighty
Marco ... yes, and I'll give