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About This Book
Allegra Singleton is surprised when on returning to her London home she finds that her flatmate cousin Christie, a highly paid photographic model, is leaving for Barbados; Christie is supposed to be travelling to an island in the Venetian lagoon to help the family of Lennox Walpole, the man she is to marry. Lennox, Christie tells Allegra, won't think it's funny when he finds out she's not arriving, and because of that she would rather Allegra didn't say where she was. Allegra agrees, only to be telephoned by Clara Forlati, the housekeeper at the island villa; Clara explains that she had promised to look after the child that Mr Lennox Walpole has entrusted to her, but that her sister has been taken ill and now she does know what to do.
Without hesitation Allegra says that Clara must go to her sister and that she herself will be in Italy as quickly as she can; she arrives to be welcomed warmly by Tim Walpole, the small son of Lennox's brother, and Reuben Whitworth, Tim's grandfather. Allegra in her turn explains that she is there instead of Christie, whom they have never met. For Allegra, Tim and Reuben there follow days spent happily exploring the fields and the canals of the island and on excursions around the lagoon.
It is after dinner one evening that Allegra, by chance going back downstairs, finds herself crushed hard against the chest of a dark-suited man; it is clear that whoever it is - and it is Lennox Walpole - thinks she is Christie, and when he discovers his mistake he is not amused.
Allegra finds him cold and suspicious but also very attractive, and though she is ill at ease she is mindful of promises she made to her cousin and does her best to convince him of Christie's good will; committed to staying on the island with Tim and Reuben, and increasing attracted to Lennox, she is nevertheless unwilling to play any part in the breaking up of her cousin's marriage plans, while Lennox, who has been to the Caribbean to break with Christie completely, is on his return, concerned only with Allegra . . .
Without hesitation Allegra says that Clara must go to her sister and that she herself will be in Italy as quickly as she can; she arrives to be welcomed warmly by Tim Walpole, the small son of Lennox's brother, and Reuben Whitworth, Tim's grandfather. Allegra in her turn explains that she is there instead of Christie, whom they have never met. For Allegra, Tim and Reuben there follow days spent happily exploring the fields and the canals of the island and on excursions around the lagoon.
It is after dinner one evening that Allegra, by chance going back downstairs, finds herself crushed hard against the chest of a dark-suited man; it is clear that whoever it is - and it is Lennox Walpole - thinks she is Christie, and when he discovers his mistake he is not amused.
Allegra finds him cold and suspicious but also very attractive, and though she is ill at ease she is mindful of promises she made to her cousin and does her best to convince him of Christie's good will; committed to staying on the island with Tim and Reuben, and increasing attracted to Lennox, she is nevertheless unwilling to play any part in the breaking up of her cousin's marriage plans, while Lennox, who has been to the Caribbean to break with Christie completely, is on his return, concerned only with Allegra . . .
