Well, she wasn’t going to make the first move, she decided, anger still simmering through her.

At the hotel there was the usual obsequious service which Ben seemed to generate out of nowhere. ‘Another bridal suite?’ she asked in the lift.

‘Is there something wrong with bridal suites?’

‘They’re a bit overpowering, that’s all. Fussy.’

The rest of the journey up was accomplished in a silence so heavy you could almost have weighed it.

Their suite was another impersonal essay in opulence and Megan’s nose wrinkled scornfully as she looked around.

‘I don’t understand you,’ Ben said abruptly. ‘I thought you’d enjoy this sort of thing. After all, you’ve had a – well, a rather restricted life so far.’

‘I did enjoy the luxury hotels at first. But now I’d rather have a home of our own.’ And a husband who didn’t have half his mind on business when they’d only just arrived in Australia and she was dying to get out and see something.

‘Have I upset you?’

‘Of course you have! You were treating me like a child, some idiot who could be made happy by presents.’

He ran his hand through his hair. ‘I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean it to sound like that.’

Suddenly he was Ben again, not the cool businessman. And Megan realised how ridiculous she’d been, expecting him to understand instinctively what she wanted. ‘I suppose I was just – well, disappointed that we weren’t going to our home.’

He came across and pulled her towards him, bending his head to kiss her. But this time she pulled back. ‘Don’t!’

‘Why not? You usually like it.’

‘Because it seems to be your answer to everything. Make love to her and then she’ll forget whatever it is that’s upset her.’ Unfortunately, she did forget. In fact, she went into meltdown the minute his lips touched hers. So she wasn’t going to let him do that to her, not when she had a point to make.

He swung away abruptly, his expression grim. ‘I’ve no intention of forcing myself upon you. Perhaps you’ll put up a sign when I am allowed near you!’

She bit back a sharp remark and turned towards their suitcases.

While she unpacked their things and changed, he went through the letters and faxes that were piled near the phone. ‘Nothing here that can’t wait.’ He hesitated. ‘Shall we – would you like to go down and have a cocktail in the lobby? I wouldn’t mind an early dinner. You usually seem to like watching people.’

It sounded like an olive branch and she seized it gladly. ‘I’d enjoy that.’ She went over and linked her arm in his. ‘Come on, then, take your grumpy old wife out and feed her.’

He stared at her solemnly. ‘I didn’t mean to be patronising, Megan. Truly I didn’t.’