For her.
‘What’s an olive branch, Daddy?’ Matt asked.
‘It’s the gift of love, Matt. Your mother is telling your grandfather how much she loves both of us. And I hope he understands it.’
‘Do you, Nonno?’
‘Yes, I do, Matteo.’
‘Mummy could love you, too.’
‘That, my dear child, would be a miracle, but since it’s Christmas Day, miracles can happen.’
‘Indeed, they can,’ Flavia breathed in relief. Then quite briskly, ‘Come, Matteo, we’ll go and wash your hands before lunch. Maurizio, you’d best check the wine with Kirkwood.’
Which neatly left Luc and Skye alone to have some private time together. He turned her to face him, gently tilting her chin up to look into her eyes. ‘Are you really okay with this, Skye?’
‘No. Not yet. But I’ll get there,’ she answered shakily.
‘You’re determined on it?’
‘So long as you hold my hand.’
‘All my life,’ he promised.
And she knew he would keep that promise, regardless of whatever happened today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, all their future together.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE wedding day…
Skye sat quietly in the white limousine as it was driven to the city centre. Opposite her sat Karin Holmes, the wedding planner Flavia had hired to ensure everything was done to perfection—a very pleasant woman who took all the angst out of getting things right. Skye was intensely grateful to her for all her instructions and advice.
Luc’s mother sat beside Karin, facing Matt who was delighted to be riding in this very long car, chattering away to Nonna without the slightest sign of being nervous about this highly momentous occasion. His Nonna was clearly enjoying the conversation she was having with her grandson.
Skye reflected on how amazingly well Matt connected with both his grandparents. She had no worries about leaving him with them while she and Luc were away on their honeymoon, no worries about accepting Flavia’s offer to collect Matt after school and mind him on the days she’d be at university this year, finishing her physiotherapy degree.
Luc had withdrawn his resignation and was staying on as head of his department in the Peretti Corporation. Where he truly belonged, Skye thought. And they’d purchased a house at Rose Bay, with a backyard for Matt to play in and a boathouse for the sailing yacht Luc wanted to buy. Living in his parents’ mansion, as Roberto had with his wife, was not an option to be considered as far as Luc was concerned, much to Skye’s relief.
It was only two months since Christmas and she was still getting used to the turnaround from Luc’s father. She found Maurizio Peretti perhaps too much like Luc in some ways. Once he set his mind on a course, there were no holds barred. As Luc’s fiancée, she was treated like an honoured princess in public, possibly an exercise in saving face. In private, he was still getting to know her. Cautiously. Occasionally testingly.
It had been the right decision to take the chance, Skye thought with satisfaction. So much had changed for the better. Luc was more relaxed now. She was more relaxed. They were even going off on a honeymoon together. To Italy. The romantic island of Capri.
And today she truly did feel like a bride. She loved her dress—a stunning beaded gown in blush silk and ivory French lace. With it, she’d bought a matching beaded lace skullcap to sit over her forehead and frame her face. Her hair was pulled back and woven into elegant loops at the back, under which her veil was cleverly attached to the cap—a wonderful long veil that extended into a lace-edged train. Even her shoes were special, high-heeled pearl sandals, glittering with the same beads used on the dress.
Flavia had taken her to her hair stylist, hired a beautician to do her make-up, and a manicurist to buff and varnish her nails with a dusky pink polish. ‘A perfect bride!’ her future mother-in-law had happily declared, looking Skye over before they’d stepped into the limousine. Which was now pulling up outside St Mary’s Cathedral.
No ordinary church for a Peretti marriage. No ordinary celebrant to conduct the ceremony, either. The Archbishop of Sydney was officiating, and inside were four hundred guests, many of whom were very prominent people far beyond the close Italian community that mainly formed the Peretti social circle. Skye had been amazed at some of the names on the wedding list.
It had struck her forcibly that this was what she was marrying into. This was Luc’s heritage, what he would have given up for her—a nobody on any social scale. It also gave her more understanding of why his parents had been against the relationship, and how far they’d had to bend to accept that she was the woman Luc had chosen as his wife.
Background was important.
But love was more important.
Love was what held it all together, despite the differences.
Skye was very conscious of this as Karin Holmes helped her out of the car. Now that they were here, Luc’s mother was to go ahead into the cathedral first, taking Matt with her. Skye gave her bouquet to Karin to hold and took Flavia’s hands in hers, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek.
‘Thank you for all you have done for me. My own mother could not have done more,’ she murmured gratefully.
‘My dear…you do Luciano proud. You go to him now with my blessing. And his father’s.’
Flavia Peretti left Skye to the wedding planner’s competent handling, took her grandson’s hand and entered the cathedral. Heads turned to watch the two of them walk down the aisle. She heard the whispers, knew tongues were wagging about Luciano’s illegitimate child, but she refused to care what anyone thought.
Matteo was a wonderful little boy. She adored him. And she now had him firmly in her life. Perhaps more grandchildren, as well, further down the track—babies whose births could be celebrated with Luciano and Skye properly married. The empty future would be filled as she needed it to be filled.
She had no quarrel with Skye any more. Flavia was sure she would be a good daughter-in-law. Her giving nature made everything much easier than she had anticipated, thank God! And Maurizio…finally understanding what a husband should understand for his wife. It was all very well, being a big businessman and accumulating a great deal of wealth, living in a fine house, but without family…yes, he finally understood.
Maurizio Peretti smiled at the child who had walked into his life and grabbed his heart. Flavia seated them both beside him in the front pew, their grandson between them.
‘Mummy looks beautiful, Nonno,’ Matteo whispered.