The Italian's Rightful Bride - By Lucy Gordon Page 0,49

Luca in the back.

‘Her head,’ Gustavo snapped over his shoulder. ‘Is her head injured?’

‘I don’t think so, signor,’ said the wretched Luca. ‘Just her shoulder.’

‘Are you sure Billy isn’t hurt?’ Joanna urged.

‘He didn’t fall, I swear it,’ Luca insisted.

At last the place came in sight, near a stream. There were a few trees, one of which had come down and lay on the ground. Renata, supported by Billy, was sitting up, holding her arm and sobbing.

‘Piccina…’ Gustavo dropped on his knees beside his daughter. ‘It’s all right. Papa’s here.’

He reached out to her but then drew his hands back, afraid of hurting her.

‘I’m here, cara,’ he said again.

But his presence brought her no comfort. Instead she leaned against Billy, wailing, ‘Mamma! Mamma!’

Gustavo got to his feet and turned away.

‘I hope the ambulance won’t take long,’ he said in a carefully controlled voice. It gave no hint of his feelings, but she knew, without words, and placed a hand on his arm.

‘Every child wants her mother at a time like this,’ she said. ‘Surely she’ll come now?’

‘You’re right,’ he said curtly, and began to make another call. But after a moment he hung up and said in frustration, ‘Her phone is switched off.’

‘What about her home telephone?’

‘I don’t know her number now she’s moved back to Rome. I’ll have to call her lawyer— Thank God! There’s the ambulance.’

‘Can’t we come to the hospital with you?’

‘Thank you, but no.’

She understood. He wanted to be alone with Renata, and seize the chance to grow closer to her.

She felt stunned by the suddenness of events. There was nothing for her to do but watch as the ambulance arrived and departed a few minutes later.

‘Are you sure you’re all right?’ she said to Billy.

‘I’m fine, Mum.’

‘I’ll drive you back to the dig,’ Luca said.

She’d thought that Gustavo might call her with news, but hours passed with no word from him. Then, in the late afternoon, a taxi drew up, and Gustavo and Renata got out. He carried her up the steps in his arms, and Joanna saw that she seemed to be asleep.

‘Just a broken arm,’ he told Joanna and Laura. ‘They didn’t even want to keep her in overnight. They gave her a light anaesthetic and she’s still a bit dopey, so she needs to go straight to bed.’

‘I’ll take her,’ Laura said, reaching out.

‘No, I’ll carry her up,’ he said.

Joanna went up the stairs ahead of him, reaching Renata’s room first, opening the door and waiting as he walked slowly along the corridor. She had a glimpse of his face as he looked down at his child, and saw there everything he dreaded the world knowing, his shattering love for his child and his heartbreak at her rejection.

‘I’ll help you undress her,’ she told Laura as Gustavo laid Renata on the bed.

‘I’ll wait outside,’ he said.

Renata remained drowsy until almost the last minute, but then she awoke suddenly and began to cry.

‘Mamma,’ she wept. ‘Mamma, Mamma.’

Joanna opened the door. ‘Did you manage to contact Crystal?’

‘No. I got her new address from the lawyer but when I call I get the answerphone.’

He went to the bed and tried to take his daughter in his arms, but she pushed him away with her one good arm, then buried her face in the pillow and sobbed.

‘Renata, carissima,’ he begged, stroking her hair. ‘Please—’

‘I want Mamma.’

Suddenly a thought came to Joanna, so startling that she moved away to the window, where Gustavo couldn’t see her face.

This might be the thing that would bring Crystal back, perhaps permanently. Was that what Gustavo secretly wanted, both to save himself from ruin and for the little girl’s sake?

She tried to resist the idea, but she knew it would explain his uneasiness about last night. And what else could explain it?

But it wouldn’t happen, she assured herself, because Crystal would never willingly return.

She went back to the bed where Gustavo was still sitting, his head bent in anguish at his inability to comfort his daughter. Renata’s cries had gone beyond words. The noise that came from her now was a soft wail of endless despair.

Joanna took a deep breath. There was no decision to make. It had already been made by forces beyond her control.

‘Gustavo,’ she said, ‘you’ve got to get Crystal. I don’t care what it takes but get her here.’

He met her eyes for just a moment. ‘You’re right,’ he said briefly.

For a moment she thought he would kiss Renata, but he stopped himself, looking at her sadly. Then