refused to believe what she could see, because it simply wasn’t possible that after the night they had spent together he should walk out and leave her to wake alone.
She thought of that night, the passionate giving and taking, the fevered, incoherent words, the hot silences. He was a generous lover, inciting her gently, lovingly. His passion had inspired her own, taking her to heights she’d never known before.
The descent had been melancholy, but it would have been forgotten in the joy of waking in his arms.
Of course, he’d left early to avoid being seen. But why hadn’t he known that she would want him to wake her first?
Stop being childish, she reproved herself. It’ll be all right when you see him.
Slipping out of bed, she pulled on a robe and went to the window, looking out over the rear lawns stretching away, and there, in the distance, Gustavo’s tall figure wandering under the trees.
It seemed as though he had put as much distance between them as possible.
She turned away, unable to see him through the sudden blurring in her eyes.
Downstairs she found everyone cheerful. Freddy was planning to spend the day at the dig, which was going well.
Gustavo looked up when Joanna came into the breakfast room, and gave her a brief smile, with a shadow of constraint. Frowning, she made her way over to him by the window.
‘I had to leave early,’ he said quietly. ‘I didn’t want to be found walking the corridor in the early hours.’
‘Like you found me, at Rannley Towers?’ she said, with an attempt at teasing. ‘Only you got the wrong idea.’
‘Yes, I did, didn’t I?’ he said with another attempt at a smile. ‘I’m sorry about that.’
‘Gustavo—’
‘At least it can’t happen again. You wouldn’t like that.’
‘No, but—’
He looked at her, and for a moment she saw something in his face that conflicted with his words. But then he was in command of himself again.
‘Is everything all right with you?’ he asked.
‘No, it isn’t,’ she said indignantly. ‘I thought we’d have more to say than this.’
‘Yes, we must talk, but not here and now. Later there are things I must say to you.’
Her temper flared. ‘Perhaps you need not bother. I’m beginning to think it’s all been said.’
‘Joanna—’
She heard the plea in his voice but was too angry to heed it.
‘All right, gang,’ she said brightly, approaching them. ‘Let’s get to work. Billy, what are you doing?’
‘Renata and me are going riding with Luca,’ he said, and she nodded, satisfied. Luca was the head groom, and reliable.
After that she gave all her attention to her work. Hal had discovered a hollow sound in one of the foundation walls, suggesting a hidden chamber behind it. Everyone was excited. By concentrating hard she was able to push thoughts of Gustavo aside, until Hal said, ‘Look who’s here.’
Gustavo was standing just outside the tent and he glanced aside, indicating for her to come out and join him. As she stepped into the sun he began to walk away.
‘I have to talk to you,’ he said. ‘I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and there are things—I wasn’t sure whether to tell you this, how you’d react—’
A deep apprehension was growing in her. ‘Is this something you ought to have told me before last night?’ she asked calmly.
‘Yes,’ he said after a moment. ‘I think perhaps I should have done that.’
‘Well, better late than never,’ she said, smiling to cover her feelings.
‘I’m so afraid that you’ll misunderstand, and think I behaved badly.’
‘Did you?’
‘In a manner of speaking,’ he sighed. ‘I should have thought before—when I saw Crystal last night—’
He stopped because a distant sound was rapidly growing nearer.
‘What’s that?’
‘It sounds like someone galloping hell for leather,’ Joanna said, looking into the distance.
The next moment a horse came into view, ridden by Luca, the groom who had accompanied Renata and Billy that morning. Now he was alone.
Gustavo drew a sharp breath and ran towards him, followed by Joanna. As they hurried across the grass she asked, ‘Why is he alone? Where are the children? Oh, God—’
‘What’s happened?’ Gustavo called as Luca reached them.
‘An accident—’ he said breathlessly.
‘Billy!’ Joanna cried.
‘No, no, it’s the little girl. She fell. I think her shoulder is hurt. Billy is fine, but he has stayed to comfort her.’
‘Where?’ Gustavo rapped out.
Luca described the place and Gustavo strode off to his car, pulling out his cellphone to call an ambulance as he went. Joanna got in with him and they were on their way, with