The Italian's Rightful Bride - By Lucy Gordon Page 0,14

conversation had been stilted and uneasy.

Suddenly the beauty of the night was irresistible. It called to her, promising at least a kind of peace after the tensions of the day. She hurried out into the corridor, down the stairs and out onto the stone terrace.

Does nothing about this place ever change? she thought. Then, now—it might be the same night.

But one thing was different, she realised as a sound from the corner made her turn her head in time to see the shadow sitting there unfold, stand and approach her.

‘Ciao,’ he said softly.

‘How did you—?’

‘How did I get here so quickly? I came down the back stairs. It was you in the corridor, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes, I’m sorry. I wasn’t prying. I’d just been in to say goodnight to Billy and—’

‘It’s all right. You need not explain. I hoped that since I’d been away she might—well…’ He shrugged.

Now she could see better in the darkness and she realised there was a low table with a bottle of wine and two fluted glasses. He filled one and handed it to her.

‘Were you expecting someone?’ she asked.

‘Yes. You.’

She didn’t waste time with arch questions. Of course he had known she would be here.

‘It was so hot inside that I had to come out for some fresh air.’

Gustavo nodded. ‘I come out here every night to sit quietly and let the cares and strains of the day fall away. They’re always there again tomorrow, but this gets them into perspective.’

‘Renata blames you for everything, doesn’t she?’

‘Is that a guess or do you have inside information?’

‘Well, she talks to Billy a lot—’

‘I thought that might be it, from the wary way he looked at me.’

‘I’m sorry, he doesn’t mean to be rude—’

‘Don’t be sorry. If she’s got a friend she can talk to that’s the best thing that could happen. I know she doesn’t talk to anyone else, even Laura. And she needs someone because her life has been turned upside down in so many ways. I expect you know all about it by now.’

‘I’d heard that you and Crystal weren’t together any more.’

‘Did you also hear that she bore a son by another man?’

‘Yes,’ she admitted.

‘Well, then, you know everything,’ he said heavily.

‘Gustavo, I wish I knew what to say. It must have been terrible for you—’

But he shook his head. ‘I don’t matter. Renata loved her little brother. A lot of children would have been jealous, but she has a loving heart and she adored him. Then it was all taken away, mother, brother, the home life she’d known. She has to lash out at someone, and I’m the nearest, so I’ve become the biggest monster in creation. What am I supposed to have done?’

‘Prevented Renata’s mother taking her when she left,’ Joanna said sympathetically.

Gustavo’s lips twisted in mockery, perhaps of his ex-wife, perhaps of himself.

‘Did Crystal plead with me to release her darling child, and I cruelly broke off all contact between them?’

‘Something like that.’

‘God, what a mess! Do I have to tell you that Crystal could have taken her if she’d wished, but she didn’t? The clown she’s living with doesn’t want Renata hanging around, and Crystal didn’t put up a fight. She dumped her daughter and left without a backward glance.

‘She doesn’t even keep in touch. She’s supposed to call Renata, but she doesn’t bother. If I call her she makes an excuse and hangs up.’

‘I see,’ she said slowly. ‘It’s just that Renata told me—’

‘What? It’s best if I know. What has the poor little soul told herself now?’

‘She says Crystal bought her a cellphone and they talk every day.’

Gustavo dropped his head into his hands.

‘She does have a cellphone,’ he said at last. ‘I bought it to help them stay in touch. And I can tell you, Crystal never calls on it. What’s more, she keeps her own cellphone switched off, so Renata can’t get through. I get the phone records sent to me every week so that I can tell what’s happening.’

He gave a grunt of harsh laughter, then said with terrible bitterness, ‘It would be nice if my child confided in me, but since she doesn’t, the phone records keep me up-to-date.’

‘Oh, heavens!’ she breathed. ‘I wish I knew what to say.’

‘Saying things is useless. It doesn’t make anything better. I found that out long ago.’

‘And Renata blames you for all this?’

‘Of course. It’s that or admit that her mother doesn’t want her. What is the poor little thing to do? I long to help her,