‘It is time,’ Gustavo said, appearing beside her, and they walked together through to the front of the crowd.

Gustavo called for silence. ‘Meus senhores, senhoras e amigos. May I thank you for coming and celebrating this great day with us. But now, it is time for me to take my wife’s hand and lead her upstairs.’

A round of whistles and lewd catcalls followed his remark.

‘So, I bid you good evening and goodnight. Come, Izabela.’ He offered his arm to her and she took it. And turning, they walked up the stairs.

This time, once the door to their suite was shut, Gustavo’s approach was not so subtle. Without further ado, he pushed her onto the bed and pinned her wrists against the mattress, covering her face and neck with frenzied kisses and pawing at her beautiful gown.

‘One moment,’ she whispered. ‘Let me turn over and you can undo the buttons,’ she said, relieved that she could roll away from the stench of the alcohol on his breath.

She felt his hands clumsily picking at the tiny seed pearls that held her dress together and felt his frustration as he finally grabbed the material and tore it open.

Pulling the dress away from her body, he undid her brassiere then turned her over, his lips diving straight to her nipples. A hand travelled up her stockinged inner thigh and then ventured beneath the triangle of silk that covered her innermost part.

After a few seconds of further fumbling, he ripped the silk away, then knelt up to undo his own trouser buttons and release himself. Still fully dressed, he pushed his hardness against her tender skin, moaning in frustration when it could not find entry. Finally, using his own hand, he manoeuvred himself to the opening he sought and thrust himself into her.

Bel lay beneath him biting her lip from the pain. The world was black above her as she closed her eyes and took deep breaths to stop the panic. Thankfully, after only a few seconds, he gave a strangely feminine high-pitched scream, and collapsed on top of her.

Bel lay still, listening to the heavy breathing in her ear. His head was next to hers, face down on the counterpane, his entire weight upon her so that she was pinned beneath him, her knees bent over the edge of the bed. Finally, when she made a move to disentangle herself, he raised his head and looked at her.

‘At last, you’re truly mine.’ He smiled as he touched her cheek. ‘Now, you must go and clean yourself up. You understand that the first time—’

‘I know,’ she said quickly, making swiftly for the bathroom before he had a chance to elaborate.

Bel was glad that she and her mother had had the conversation the night before the wedding. For even though her insides ached, when she wiped herself, the tissue remained clear. Taking down her hair, she changed into the nightdress and peignoir that a hotel chambermaid had thoughtfully hung on the back of the door earlier. When she returned to the bedroom, Gustavo was already lying naked in bed. His face wore a puzzled expression.