you scared of me, Ellie? Strange that I never noticed. You’re not afraid of anyone.’
‘True. And in my own way I too can be fearsome. I keep my worst side hidden until it leaps out and catches you unprepared. So be very careful.’
‘I’ll bear your warning in mind. As for persuading you to stay with me—I guess I used the wrong method. Perhaps I should try another way.’
‘Such as what?’
‘I could beg you.’ He assumed a slightly theatrical air. ‘Please, Ellie, do this for me. Please. Stay with me for the next couple of days, at least until we can agree on the best way to move forward with this situation.’
Ellie had to concede that he had a point. They did need to sort things out. And maybe a venue more private than a busy hotel was a better place to plan their future. ‘I will stay with you, but only for a few days. And I won’t be sharing your bed.’
He nodded, giving her an unexpectedly warm smile.
‘Whatever you want, Ellie. I only want to make this work. When you’re ready we’ll go up and collect your things.’
‘Let’s go,’ she said.
Be realistic, she told herself. He changed tactics and got his own way again. And he thinks he always will. But he’s got another think coming.
Upstairs, she packed quickly, then let him carry her bags down to the car. A few minutes and they had reached his home. As they approached the front door, a window opened high above them and a young woman looked out, smiling and waving down to them. Leonizio waved back.
The front door was already open as they approached. The young woman stood there, smiling.
‘Mamma indisposta,’ she said. ‘Non puo venire oggi.’
Ellie just managed to understand this as, ‘Mamma is unwell. She can’t come today.’
‘Better speak English,’ Leonizio said. ‘Ellie, this is Corina. Her mother is my housekeeper.’
‘But today she has a bad headache,’ Corina said. ‘So I came instead. I must go now, or my husband will be cross.’ She smiled at Ellie. ‘But first I show you your room.’
The room was large and luxurious, dominated by a double bed.
‘The signore left before I arrived,’ Corina said, ‘but he left a note saying everything in this room was to be perfect for you.’
‘How kind of him,’ Ellie said politely.
So he’d left those instructions before she had agreed to come here, she thought. Just as he’d checked her out of the hotel without asking her. Those were his methods, and she would have to be always on her guard.
Corina helped her unpack, then went out to Leonizio, who paid her and showed her out.
‘Let’s have some coffee,’ he said to Ellie.
He made good coffee, and they sat together in the kitchen.
‘We can make our arrangements,’ he said. ‘You can tell me how you want things to be.’
‘Is that meant to be a joke? How I want things? After the way you’ve controlled me today. You ordered the room to be fixed before I’d even agreed to come.’ She gave a brief laugh. ‘Suppose you hadn’t been able to get me here? You’d have looked foolish in front of Corina.’
‘It wouldn’t have done my dignity any good,’ he agreed. ‘And you’d have enjoyed that. I’m going to have to beware of you.’
‘As long as you realise that.’
Before he could reply the telephone rang. He answered it, spoke tersely in rapid-fire Italian and hung up.
‘I’ve got to go to my office for a couple of hours. Why not come with me and let me show you around?’
‘Thank you but there’s no need. I won’t escape. I promise.’
He made a wry face. ‘I wasn’t exactly thinking that—oh, hell, yes, I was.’
‘I wonder what your employees would think if they saw how easily you get into a panic.’
‘Only with you. You’re the scariest person I know.’
‘Then I’ll just have to stick around for the pleasure of scaring you.’
He smiled suddenly, but his smile was quickly replaced by a frown. ‘I have to be going. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
He departed quickly, leaving her to lean from the window, watching him until he vanished. She had a good view of the neighbourhood, with its expensive shops and elegant roads.
So many roads, she thought. And no way of seeing where they all led.
LEFT ALONE, ELLIE explored the luxurious apartment. Her own room was large with a double bed, extensive wardrobes and bulky drawers. Putting her things away, she couldn’t help noticing how plain and dull they looked in these glamorous surroundings.
If I was in search of a rich husband I’d jump at his offer, she thought wryly. But I’m looking for something else in a husband. Something Leonizio can’t give me. Not that he’ll ever understand that. He’s got money and why should a wife ask for anything else? That’s how he sees it.
She switched on the television and sat watching a news channel, discovering that her understanding of Italian was better than she’d thought.
I could do with something to read, she mused after a couple of hours. That looks like a newsagent just over the road. Let’s see if they’ve got any English papers.
Hurrying downstairs, she crossed the road to the shop, which turned out to be a delightful place, full of foreign publications. By the time she left she had an armful of papers.
But a shock awaited her when she arrived back at Leonizio’s apartment. As she reached the front door she could hear him inside, shouting, ‘Where are you? Where are you?’
There was something in his voice that hadn’t been there before. It was no longer the cry of a bully demanding obedience, but the misery of a man in despair. She thought she could guess the reason. Once before he had gone home to find his wife vanished, taking with her the unborn child on which he pinned his hopes. Now he was reliving that moment, fearing that he was deserted again, seeing his world collapse and everything he valued snatched from him.
‘Where are you?’ came the frantic cry again.
Unable to bear it any longer, she opened the door. At the same moment he strode out so quickly that he collided with her, forcing her to cling to him to avoid falling. He tightened his grip and they stood for a moment, locked in each other’s arms.
‘So there you are,’ he snapped.
‘Yes, I’m here.’
‘Come in,’ he said, still holding onto her as he led her inside. His arms about her were tight, as though he feared to release her.
He saw her onto the sofa, then stood back and regarded her uneasily.
‘Did I hurt you?’ he growled.
‘Not at all. But there was no need for you to get worked up. I just slipped out for a moment to buy a few things over the road. I’m here now.’
He sat down beside her.
‘You should have left a note saying where you’d gone.’ He spoke calmly but his face was tense.
‘Yes, perhaps I should have done that,’ she said, ‘but I knew I’d only be away for a couple of minutes, and I thought I’d be back here before you returned. I’m sorry. I really am.’
She spoke gently, regretting