Robert flatly. ‘I’m not going into it.’
Elisabeth had more to say. ‘But there was one person who didn’t let me down. One person who cared, who believed in me.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Alberto Bellini.’
Bernstein stepped forward. ‘You two have no idea what you’ve done.’
Alberto gave a very Italian shrug. ‘What can I say?’ Sensing this wasn’t quite enough, he elaborated. ‘Love–it is never deliberate. It cannot be planned. It cannot be controlled. It runs its own course and all we can do, my friends, is follow.’
Elisabeth smiled at him.
Robert cut in. ‘Get a grip, Bellini. You’ve been sleeping with my fiancée. My fiancée. You work for me, or did you forget that? Never mind love–have you tried controlling yourself?’
Alberto raised his chin, his watery eyes shining. ‘I work for you no longer, St Louis.’
Robert laughed, shook his head. ‘Excellent. Now I don’t have to fire you.’
‘I am finished with this city,’ Alberto announced dramatically, gesturing to the stage as if his life had just been played out on it. ‘There is only one thing I want for the rest of my days, and that is this woman.’
‘Over my dead body, Bernstein gasped, his mouth set in a grim line.
Elisabeth took his hand. ‘I’m sorry you found out like this. I was going to tell you. I know that sounds doubtful, but it’s the truth. You see, I had to.’
Robert realised she was addressing him. It still shocked him to think of her, to see her, with this old man. Yes, he had cheated emotionally with Lana, and who knew, maybe that was worse. But even on the last day of her visit, when he had wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and love her again, he had reined himself in.
‘I had to tell you because …’ This time she looked at her father. ‘We’ve been threatened. Alberto has received—’
‘My darling, wait.’ Alberto wiped a hand wearily across his brow. ‘It is not necessary.’
She turned to him. ‘Yes, it is.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Robert demanded.
‘Elisabeth,’ said Alberto, eyes pleading, ‘there is something I must tell you.’
Bernstein looked sluggishly between them, bile in his throat. ‘Listen to me,’ he commanded.
Nobody listened.
Elisabeth withdrew her hand. Alberto had a horribly guilty look about him. ‘What is it?’
He smiled weakly. ‘I must be honest with you. You see, my love, I.I have told a terrible lie.’
She shook her head.
‘You must let me explain, darling …’
‘I am. Get on with it.’
Alberto braced himself for the confession. ‘The blackmail. It was a lie, every last bit of it. There was no blackmail. I invented it so that you would tell St Louis’–he nodded at Robert–’So you would tell him about our love for each other.’
Elisabeth was outraged. ‘You did what?’
‘I am ashamed.’ He looked at the floor. ‘Forgive me. Many nights I lie awake and I wonder what it is you see in Alberto Bellini–I am old; my body is failing. What can I give you that you don’t already have? The answer I cannot find. Elisabeth, you are beautiful; you are young and full of life. Me? I have none of this. And yet I cannot lose you. I will not let you go, I will not take that risk. I had to act. If you married St Louis, you would never have been mine.’
A silence. ‘So you lied to me? You frightened me? Alberto, I feared for my life!’
‘I did not intend for it to go this far,’ he said simply. ‘I am sorry.’
She blinked. ‘I can’t believe you would do this.’
Alberto nodded. ‘I was blinded by fear,’ he said. ‘Fear that I do not have time left to wait. And I was blinded by desire, bellissima; my desire for you.’ He looked at her. ‘Elisabeth, I want you. I want to love you the rest of my life, however long that may be.’
In a flash Bernstein was on Alberto, knocking the old man to the floor. Elisabeth’s hands flew to her face.
‘You dirty fuckin’ goddamn motherfucker, Bellini!’ He slammed the old man’s head and stomach. ‘You sick fuckin’ prick, you dirty filthy fuckin’—’ Another punch before Robert hauled him off.
‘Take it easy.’ Robert secured Bernstein’s arms behind his back, the older man’s chest rising and falling.
‘Let the hell go of me,’ he choked. ‘Right now. You haven’t got a fuckin’ clue, St Louis.’
Elisabeth was on the floor, kissing Alberto’s crumpled face. It was with such tenderness that Robert felt sad at all of her that he had