‘I am sorry, but tonight we cannot. I have the curse.’

At that, Gustavo nodded briskly, climbed off the bed and donned his robe. ‘Then I will sleep in my old room and let you rest. Goodnight, my dear.’

As the door closed behind him, Bel sat down on the bed and let out a small chuckle at Gustavo’s swift exit. At least, she thought, she’d have a few days every month when she would sleep alone and in peace.

Two days later, as agreed with Carla, Bel arrived at her old house to collect her mother and take her on the train up to the top of Corcovado Mountain. As they climbed into one of the carriages and began to ascend, Carla grasped her daughter’s arm in fear.

‘Is this safe? The incline is so steep, how can it reach the top?’

‘Don’t be frightened, Mãe. It is worth it when we get there and you can see the beautiful view of Rio.’

At the top, they climbed the steps slowly together, Carla needing to pause every so often to catch her breath. Bel guided her mother to the viewing pavilion. ‘Isn’t it beautiful?’ she smiled. ‘And of course, they are building the structure for the Cristo over there. It is so strange to think that I saw the sculpture being designed and made with my very own eyes in Professor Landowski’s studio. He actually took a mould of my hands to perhaps use as models for the Cristo’s . . .’

As Bel turned from the view below her to the Cristo structure, she saw two men walking from it, deep in conversation. She stared in disbelief, her heart almost stopping as he glanced upwards and saw her.

They gazed at each other for a few seconds, then he smiled at her and turned his attention to the steps. And following his companion down them, he disappeared from view.

‘Who was that?’

Carla was watching her daughter with interest.

‘I . . . it was Senhor Levy, Heitor da Silva Costa’s project manager.’

‘Yes, I recognise him from his photograph in the newspaper. But what about the other man?’

‘Oh, I couldn’t tell for definite, but I believe it was an assistant of Professor Landowski’s.’

‘I see. Well, he certainly seemed to know who you were.’

‘We did meet in Paris, yes,’ Bel said as she tried desperately to compose herself. Every nerve ending in her body was telling her to run from the pavilion, hurtle down the steps and fall into Laurent’s arms. And it took every ounce of restraint to prevent herself from doing so.

Fifteen minutes later, when Carla had said she’d had enough of the blistering heat and they walked slowly back down the steps and onto the platform to wait for the train, the two men were nowhere to be seen.

When they arrived back at the house, Carla asked her if she wanted to come in for some refreshment, but Bel declined and told her driver she must go straight home. She needed some time alone to collect herself, and she knew if she stayed with her mother, she might give herself away.