‘Your nakedness concerns every man in the room, and if you don’t believe me, look at their faces. There isn’t one of them who wouldn’t take you here and now if he could.’

‘But that’s what you wanted-that they should envy you.’

He’d thought it was, but now he was ready to kill any man who dared turn his eyes on her. Like a malign spell, the words she’d once spoken from the depths of hatred streamed into his mind:

‘…there are going to be others, make no mistake… Are your special little touches yours alone, or do other men know them?…Never mind. I’ll have fun finding out.’

‘Not in a million years,’ he murmured.

‘What did you say?’ she asked.

‘Nothing. There’s such a thing as propriety. Try to remember that.’

‘You mean, us being such a respectable married couple. I’ll do my best.’

She laughed up into his face, knowing that she had him on the rack, and the onlookers smiled fondly to see newly-weds so adoring.

As the music slowed Vansini pounced, detaching Elise from Vincente’s arms almost by force and whirling her away. The orchestra struck up again and suddenly the floor was filled with couples.

For several minutes Vansini entertained her with outrageous compliments, while also praising himself.

‘I make love magnificently,’ he proclaimed. ‘No man is my equal, not even Vincente. Say the word and we’ll put it to the test.’

‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Any time you want my husband to bring your life to a sudden end, just let me know.’

He roared with laughter and she joined in. The onlookers murmured about how lucky Vincente was to have a wife who could get on the right side of such a useful man. They also made a pretty accurate guess at the conversation.

But then Vansini’s manner changed as he noticed somebody arrive. ‘My son!’ he exclaimed, beaming with pride. ‘At last. Come and meet him.’

He drew her across the floor to introduce her to the most astonishingly handsome young man Elise had ever seen. Carlo Vansini was tall and lithe, with a gentle charm that won her over in the first minute. She danced with him and later in the evening they fell into conversation as they ate from the buffet.

She was aware of Vincente watching her, but she pushed the thought aside. Carlo was saying things that greatly interested her. When he leaned down to speak in her ear she smiled and nodded at the thoughts he was putting into her head.

‘We must meet again,’ she said thoughtfully, ‘and discuss this further.’

‘I live for that moment,’ he said gravely.

She laughed, conscious of Vincente’s burning eyes on her, and returned to her other guests.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ELISE knew that she’d done well at the ball and when it was finally time to bid everyone goodnight and retire to her room she wore a smile of pleasure. There had been a development this evening that greatly pleased her. Things were looking up.

‘Have you come for the diamonds?’ she asked as Vincente appeared. ‘It’s best to lock them away as quickly as possible.’

She was removing them as she spoke, but he whisked them out of her hands and tossed them on to the bed. His face, she was delighted to notice, was that of a man at the end of his tether, and it was no surprise when he seized her in his arms.

‘Shut up,’ he said.

His kiss was everything she wanted-fierce, furious, desperate. She returned it, but only so far.

‘Aren’t you pleased with me?’ she asked when she could speak. ‘Did I impress your guests?’

‘Too damn much,’ he said against her lips.

She laughed and he released her mouth abruptly.

‘I enjoyed myself,’ she said. ‘We have lots of dinner invitations. They all want you to take me to visit them.’

‘They can want.’

‘Nonsense! I’ll be a prize asset. Think of how much business you can do.’

This was true, and the knowledge inflamed him further. How dared she talk to him of business?

‘Unzip me,’ she said, turning away.

He pulled the zip down, down, right down to the swell of her hips and beyond. The gorgeous black dress fell away, revealing her body to his furious eyes. She seemed unaware of his reaction, unaware of him, as she stepped out of the gown.

‘I am really ready for a good night’s sleep,’ she said. ‘Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight?’ he said, pulling her around. ‘Am I expected to just go away after the performance you put on tonight?’

‘That’s just it. It was a performance, nothing more. To please you, I’ve let men fawn over me, hold me too tight, kiss my hand, but all I felt was boredom. It’s amazing how boring a man can be.’

‘And you’re very good at the performance, aren’t you?’

‘As good as I have to be. I’ve had a lot of practice.’

‘But it’s not always a pretence, is it. You and I both know that.’

He was reminding her of the time he’d incited her blazing passion only to disappoint her. She hadn’t been pretending then, and the knowledge lay between them now.

Vincente moved gently, laying his hand over one breast, challenging her to feel nothing. His caress was soft, almost tender, and it nearly weakened her. This was dangerous. It brought him too close to being the man she loved, and she would banish that man at all costs. He no longer belonged in her life.

‘Can we have nothing for ourselves?’ he whispered against her neck.

Smiling, she played her ace. ‘But we do have something,’ she said.

She took hold of his hand and moved it from her breast, sliding it down to lie over her stomach.

‘We have this,’ she said. ‘Have you forgotten?’

It was true that he had forgotten. Dazzled by her, tense with frustrated desire, maddened by her elusiveness, he’d lost sight of her as a mother. Now the simple action shocked him into stillness.

The moment was gone. She was a conjurer again, waving a wand and changing herself in a flash from a siren to a matron, carrying his child. Whatever he’d been going to do, he wouldn’t do it now.

‘You’re quite right,’ he said raggedly. ‘I’ll leave you in peace.’

He gathered up the diamonds. Before leaving, he paused to say, ‘You need not worry about my troubling you again. Goodnight.’

Elise stared at the closed door as though expecting it to open again. But it wouldn’t, she knew. She’d defeated him.

‘I’m winning,’ she said to herself. ‘I’m winning.’

But it was a hollow victory.

Vincente returned home early the next day to find that Elise was missing and nobody knew where to look for her. Mario, the chauffeur reserved for her and Mamma, knew little.

‘I drove the Signora into town, as far as the Vatican. Then she sent me away and said she’d call when she wanted to be collected. That was four hours ago and she hasn’t called.’

‘She’s probably just sightseeing,’ Mamma tried to reassure him. ‘The Vatican’s a big place.’

‘Of course, Mamma.’

He smiled and spoke reassuringly, but inwardly he was in turmoil. Not for one moment did he believe that Elise was sightseeing. She’d simply waited for Mario to drive away, then gone to her real destination-wherever that was and whoever she was meeting.

It meant nothing, he told himself. She was teasing him, playing one of her tricks in their private war. At any moment now she would walk in and all would be well.

But the memory intruded of her and Carlo Vansini dancing, sitting with their heads together, smiling with some private understanding.

When she returned-if she returned-she would shrug and refuse to admit that she’d been with him.

And he would murder her.

‘Sorry, Mamma, what did you say?’ he asked, pulling himself back to reality with an effort.

‘I said here she is. I just saw a taxi pull up outside.’

He strode out in time to see her pay the driver. She turned and waved to him, smiling. In a searing moment he took in how beautiful she was, how perfectly presented, how suspiciously content.

‘There’s been a misunderstanding,’ he said coldly. ‘Mario said you were going to call him.’

‘I was, but a taxi was passing and it was simpler to just get in.’

‘Have you had a good afternoon?’

‘Wonderful, thank you,’ she said with a sigh of happiness.

He took her arm in a firm grip, escorted her inside and drew her into an ante-room.

‘I want to know where you’ve been,’ he said through gritted teeth.

‘Boy, you really come out of the nineteenth century, don’t you! Yes, my lord and master. No, my lord and master.’

‘I said I want to know where you’ve been-and who with.’

She gave him a look that, if he hadn’t been so wrought up, he might have recognised as pity.

‘I’ve spent the afternoon in my apartment,’ she said.

‘Alone?’

‘No, with Carlo Vansini.’

His face grew hard. ‘You dare to stand there and admit it in that brazen way?’ he snapped.

‘What’s brazen about it?’ she asked innocently. ‘Selling property is a perfectly respectable occupation.’

‘Selling-?’

‘Oh, Vincente, if you could only see your face! I’ve sold Carlo my apartment. It was exactly what he was looking for. He told me last night he wanted a place where he could have a private life. He finds living with his mother a bit inhibiting.’

Vincente couldn’t speak. Something had caught in his throat.

‘I told him I had a place for sale,’ she went on, ‘and we agreed to meet there this afternoon. He loved it at once.’

‘That’s where you’ve been?’ he asked.

‘Of course. What’s the matter?’

‘You never thought to tell me first?’

‘Why should I? I don’t need your permission.’

But that wasn’t why and they both knew it. She’d put him through hell for the fun of it, or perhaps to make a point.

‘Besides, I didn’t want to risk you putting off another buyer,’ she added.

‘Why should I do that? I know I did last time, but things are different now.’

‘Not really. You’re still trying to control me. The money I’ll get is my independence, and I’m going to have that, make no mistake. Carlo and I went to the agent and told him to put the sale through fast. He’s anxious to take possession at once, so the money should be through in a week. Then I’ll be able to pay off all my debts, including my debts to you.’

‘You owe me nothing.’

‘That’s not true. After that, I went to the lawyer, and he let slip about all the bills Ben left outstanding, that you’ve been paying. That’s very kind of you-’ but she didn’t sound as if she really considered it kind ‘-but you’ll get every last penny back, with interest. I’ll still have enough left to start my own business when I’ve finished my fashion course.’

‘Business? When I can buy you everything you want?’

She met his eyes and said softly, ‘The thing I want most is something you can’t buy me, Vincente. Don’t you know that by now?’

That silenced him.

She moved away, saying, ‘I want my independence, my freedom. I’ll still be here. You’ll have your wife and your child, but I’ll be free.’

He didn’t answer. He seemed to be considering.

To soften the atmosphere, she said, ‘How could you think-what you were thinking?’

‘Because I don’t know you,’ he said simply. ‘I don’t know who you are any more.’

‘You never did. At least now you recognise it. By the way, the estate agent asked me to give you a message. He thinks he has a buyer for your own flat.’

‘Good.’

‘So now we’re even. You didn’t tell me that you were selling, either.’

‘Tell you? And have you crow over me?’ He managed to say this with a very faint glimmer of humour. Inwardly, relief was sending him slightly crazy.

‘I wouldn’t do that. When did you put it on the market?’

‘The day you agreed to marry me.’

‘There was no need for you to sell, if it was because of a foolish joke I once made-’

‘About the legions of women I could entertain there? I haven’t the slightest wish to do that.’ In a voice heavy with irony he added, ‘I’m a devoted family man now.’

‘Ah, yes! Ruthless entrepreneur, man about town, the complete many-sided image. But it’s a good idea to adjust one of the sides now and then. I congratulate you.’

His face darkened. ‘You know better than that.’

‘Do I?’

‘Unless you’re very stupid, and I never thought you were. Not before this. All I want now is you and our child.’

‘And you’ve acquired us very thoroughly. Well done.’

It was like trying to argue with steel, he thought grimly. But who could he blame but himself?

Both sales went through quickly. At her insistence Vincente accepted the money she owed him, but there was still enough left to make her feel that she could have a life of her own.