CHAPTER TWOJaela tucked Kathy up in her bed and then bent down to kiss her goodnight.
To her surprise, the child hesitated.
Then she asked,
“Is it safe to kiss you? I was not allowed ‒ to kiss Mama.”
“It is quite safe,” Jaela replied, “but only if you want to.”
Kathy looked at her and then she said,
“I want to, I want to, you are so very nice and kind and you are going to tell me lovely stories.”
She put her arms around Jaela’s neck and kissed her on the cheek.
Jaela held her closely and she could not help feeling sad that the little girl had been kept away from her mother.
The Contessa was, she realised, the only person of importance in the child’s small life.
She cuddled Kathy and felt her warm little body clinging to her.
She told herself that she would do everything she coul
