‘Yes, Luiza.’

Bel refrained from pointing out that her father was paying for their family home to be renovated. And had, she knew, granted a very generous sum of cash to Gustavo on their marriage, which was meant to cover such things as their living expenses and her wardrobe.

‘Time for bed, my love,’ Gustavo said, and Bel’s heart began to beat uncomfortably fast at the prospect. The heavy, salty meal which the ageing cook had prepared sat uneasily in her stomach as Gustavo signalled for her to rise.

‘Goodnight, Mãe and Pai.’ He bowed slightly to them. ‘We will see you in the morning.’

With Gustavo leading her by the hand up the stairs, Bel took a deep breath and followed her husband into their bedroom.

‘Querida,’ said Carla as she greeted Bel at the front door. ‘I have missed you. Come inside and tell me all about your honeymoon. Was it wonderful?’

The comforting sight of her mother made Bel want to throw herself into her arms and weep on her shoulder.

‘Yes,’ she agreed quietly as Carla led her through to the drawing room. ‘Gustavo’s relatives were most kind to me.’

‘Good, good,’ she said as Gabriela brought them some coffee. ‘And Gustavo? He is well and happy?’

‘Yes, he has gone to his club this afternoon. To be quite honest, I’ve no idea what it is he does there.’

‘Gentlemen’s business,’ Carla replied. ‘Probably checking his stocks and shares. Which, if they are anything like your father’s, are doing very well at present. The coffee trade continues to boom. Only last week your father bought another two farms. Which one day you, and therefore Gustavo, will inherit. So, tell me, how is married life?’

‘I’m . . . adjusting.’

‘"Adjusting"?’ Carla frowned. ‘Izabela, what does that word mean? You’re not happy with your new state?’

‘Mama,’ Bel said, reverting to her childhood word, ‘I . . .’

‘Please, Izabela, continue with what you wish to say.’

‘I . . . need to know if, well, Gustavo will always wish to have . . . activity . . . in the bedroom every night?’

Carla studied her daughter, then chuckled.

‘Now I understand. You have a husband who is hot-blooded and wishes to enjoy his beautiful new wife. Izabela, this is a good thing. It means he loves you and wants you. Surely you must understand that?’

Bel was desperate to ask her about the other things Gustavo did and wished her to do, but she could not voice the words. ‘But Mãe, I am very tired.’

‘You are not getting much sleep, that is to be expected,’ said Carla, either stubbornly refusing to acknowledge her daughter’s tension or being genuinely blind to it. ‘I remember it is how your father and I were in the days after we married. It is natural, querida, and yes, after a time, of course it will calm down. Perhaps when you are pregnant, which from the sounds of things, you soon will be,’ she added with a smile. ‘I have always longed to be a grandmother.’