‘Please don’t cry. Surely you must be a little happy he has come to Brazil?’

‘Yes . . . no . . .’ Bel looked up at Loen. ‘I’ve done something very silly,’ she admitted. ‘I told him I’d meet him at his apartment in Ipanema this afternoon.’

‘I see.’ Loen nodded calmly. ‘Will you go?’

‘How can I? I am married and I have agreed to meet another man! What would you do, Loen? Please, tell me.’

‘I don’t know,’ Loen sighed. ‘I want to tell you that of course it would be wrong to meet with him. But if it was Bruno, I doubt I could stop myself. Especially if I knew he might only be here temporarily.’

‘You’re encouraging me, Loen,’ Bel said as she eyed her maid, ‘when I need to be told that it’s madness.’

‘It is,’ Loen agreed, ‘but you know that anyway. Perhaps it would be best if you met him just this once and told him that you can’t ever see him again. And said a final goodbye.’

‘And how would I do that? Senhora Aires Cabral watches my every move.’

‘You have a fitting in Ipanema with Madame Duchaine at two o’clock this afternoon for your new season’s wardrobe,’ Loen replied. ‘We can attend, then perhaps you could say you felt unwell and leave your fitting, giving you enough time to meet with your sculptor. It would give you at least a couple of hours together.’

‘Loen, what are you doing to me?’ Bel said despairingly, knowing her maid’s plan was all too easy to execute.

‘I’m being your friend, Bel, as you have been mine. I’ve seen the misery in your eyes every day since your marriage. I want you to be happy. Life is very short, and marriage to one you don’t love is very long. So,’ Loen said, rising from the bed, ‘you make your decision and I will do whatever you wish to help you.’

‘Thank you. I will think,’ Bel agreed.

‘Good morning,’ Luiza greeted her as she arrived at the table. ‘Did you sleep well, my dear?’

‘Yes, I did, thank you.’

‘I’ve had a note this morning from a friend of mine. They are looking for young ladies to assemble at Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro, the church not far from your parents’ house. Senhor da Silva Costa, the engineer on the Cristo project, has decided he will decorate the statue with a soapstone mosaic. He’s looking for a large number of willing hands to stick the soapstone on the netting, triangle by triangle. It will be a long job, but from what my friend tells me, it will be performed by women from the best backgrounds. I have noticed you don’t seem to have many suitable female acquaintances in Rio. This would be the perfect way for you to make more friends.’

‘Yes, of course, I’d be glad to help,’ Bel agreed. ‘Especially as it’s for such a worthy cause and a project close to my heart.’