Eloise pulled out the beautiful blue satin gown that brought the colour of her eyes to life. The woman in the charity shop had assured her that it had only been used once and the name on the label was one that even Eloise, who couldn’t care less about fashion, recognised. Lenore stuck her fingers in her mouth to fake vomit when she saw it.
“Seriously Eloise,” she said in her big sisterly tone. “Are you TRYING to embarrass me? This dress is from last year. We’ll be a laughing stock if you wear it. Oh God! I don’t have time for this!”
Lenore picked up her mobile phone and dialled a number. When the person on the other end answered she started rattling something off in Italian. Soon a tall and thin woman appeared and cast a critical eye on Eloise. Lenore and the woman had a heated discussion and then the woman got on the phone.
“Grazia is my dresser. She doesn’t have anything your size but she’s calling her assistant to get him to bring something for you to wear. Now I need to go and have a word with Marco before he leaves on his stag do. My bridesmaids and I are going out on my hen night so you’ll be able to have an early night and be all refreshed for the rehearsal tomorrow. You look like you need a good night’s sleep. And don’t charge anything to the room unless you know you can afford to pay for it, this is a very expensive hotel.”
Eloise watched her sister and the Italian woman leave and shook her head. How was it possible that they shared the same genes? Not only was she cut out of the wedding party, she was obviously not invited to the hen night either. Part of her started to wish that she’d taken Peter up on his offer. She knew fine well that Lenore and her husband-to-be were making more on their wedding photos than they had to pay to arrange it, so why shouldn’t Eloise cash in on the fame of a sister who cared so little for her? Because she had morals, that was why…
She spent the afternoon reading on the balcony. It was still cold back in London, but here spring was in full bloom and Eloise made the most of it. She didn’t fancy eating on her own in the restaurant so she ordered a bowl of pasta to her room. Lenore had been right. The prices were extortionate. No doubt their normal clientele could afford to pay. She received a complimentary bottle of wine with her meal and enjoyed it immensely. She drank two thirds of it and felt all warm and relaxed inside.
It was a beautiful evening so she decided to go for a walk in the grounds. She put on her jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt and her old running shoes and went outside. The air was full of beautiful fragrances and exotic sounds of the night. There was no traffic to be heard. It was all so different to what Eloise was used to. She walked up and down paths, always making sure that she knew where the big house was. She came to a pond with a bench under a pergola. She decided to sit down for a while and simply enjoy the night. This was the kind of place she would love to choose for her own wedding, not that she’d ever be able to afford anything more flash than the Wandsworth registry office.
“I thought you’d be out with your sister and her friends tonight,” said a masculine voice that woke her up from her thoughts. She soon saw Vincenzo step into the moonlight. “May I?” She nodded and he sat down next to her.
“I don’t exactly move in the same circles as my sister,” Eloise smiled. “I’d only be cramping her style.”
Vincenzo shook his head. “Cramping her style? Bella, you’re 10 times as beautiful as she is. None of the men would look twice at her after seeing you.”
Eloise laughed at his Latin charm. “Vincenzo, I’m afraid that you might need new glasses. I’m the fat and frumpy sister. Lenore is the beautiful one. That’s why she’s the model and I’m just a PA.”
He placed a hand on her thigh and sent a shockwave of electricity through her body. “I’ve known many women like Lenore. They play on their looks and don’t care who they hurt along the way. They may have a beautiful exterior, but behind their eyes there’s nothing. They don’t care if they hurt everybody along the way as long as they can keep feeling superior to everybody. You on the other hand have a natural beauty. And your beauty isn’t just skin deep. I saw it in your eyes this afternoon. Not only are you a very desirable woman, you also have a beautiful soul.”
Eloise listened breathlessly. She’d never been told that she was beautiful. All her life she’d been compared with Lenore and been told that it was a shame that she wasn’t as attractive as her sister, but she had a great personality. But she didn’t quite believe him. Vincenzo was Italian. Seducing women was in his blood, right?
Vincenzo could see the doubt in Eloise’s eyes. “I’ve wanted to do this since I first laid eyes on you.”
He leaned forward and caressed her lips with his. It felt like magic. She responded to his kisses and started kissing him back. Soon he’d wrapped his arms around her and held her head as his tongue invaded her mouth. She felt his heartbeat through his shirt as she caressed his chest and then his hand cupped her breast through her t-shirt and caressed the hardening nipple. Somewhere in the back of her head a little voice started making itself heard. Don’t do this, it said. He probably charms a new guest every weekend. You haven’t hung on to your virginity for this long only to lose it to some sweet talking Italian receptionist guy.
“No,” she pulled herself away from Vincenzo’s kisses. “This isn’t right. I can’t do this.”
“What’s wrong, bella?” he asked, taking her hands in his.
“I know I’m not as beautiful or sophisticated as my sister and her friends, but I do have feelings. I’m not into one-night stands.”
Vincenzo smiled and caressed a loose strand of hair away from her face. “Was I coming on too strong?” She nodded. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. It’s just that… Never mind. Shall I walk you back to your room now? I promise you that I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
Eloise agreed to let him accompany her back. She suspected that he was leading her back the long way, but she didn’t mind. He proved to be utterly charming company and kept her entertained with his conversation. As they neared the house she suggested that she could find her own way as she didn’t want him to get into trouble with the hotel management if they were seen together. He brushed off her concerns and walked her to her door where he kissed her hand and left.
She brushed her teeth and changed into her night clothes. Then she opened the balcony doors before going to bed. It was such a mild night and it would be a delight to fall asleep with the fresh air in her room. Not that she found falling asleep very easy. All she could see was Vincenzo’s face and she kept playing back his words in her mind. Could he really have meant them? No, she wasn’t beautiful. She was kind to people, but he couldn’t see that. He’d looked and sounded sincere, but her last thought before she fell asleep was that she’d probably be best off staying away from him and then returning to London with her virginity intact. A young man at her church had been paying her a lot of attention lately. He didn’t make her feel the way Vincenzo did, but he was probably a lot more suitable for her. He would make a reliable husband and that was what Eloise wanted. A husband and a family of her own.