‘I see.’ Bel noted the new determination in his voice and wished that she could find comfort in it.

‘So, later than it should have been, we will finally be in joint control of our own household. As for my drinking, I know it has been excessive recently, Izabela, and I swear to you that for the past few weeks I have only been taking a little wine with dinner and no more. Can you forgive your husband for not acting sooner? I can understand how difficult the past few months must have been for you. But as you have just heard, I am determined to make a fresh start. I hope you can too, because I love you so very much.’

‘Of . . . of course I can forgive you,’ she stammered, unable to utter any other response to his heartfelt words.

‘And from now on, there will be no more forced’ – Gustavo searched for an appropriate phrase – ‘bedroom activity. If you tell me you do not wish to make love with me, I will accept it. Although I hope that sometimes in the future, once you have seen how I mean to continue, you will wish for it.

There, that is all I have to say. And now, querida, after the dreadful few weeks you have had, I hope I can hold you in my arms until you fall asleep.’

A few minutes later, Bel heard Gustavo snoring gently and moved out of his arms to roll onto her side. Her heart pounded and butterflies circled around the pit of her stomach as she contemplated her situation. Was there any chance this baby could be her husband’s? She thought back desperately to the last time they had successfully made love, and knew there was not.

As the night hours dragged on and she tossed and turned in misery, Bel knew she must make an immediate decision. After all, Laurent might be horrified if she told him she was pregnant and that the baby was his. This had never been part of the plan for either of them, which was why Laurent had taken all the care he could to protect her from it. Bel’s mind went back to Margarida’s original words of warning: that men such as Laurent did not want or wish for any ties of a permanent nature.

As the dawn began to glow through the cracks in the shutters, all Bel’s old insecurities about Laurent returned with a vengeance. There was only one thing she could do, and that was to see him as soon as possible.

42

‘Where are you off to today, meu amor?’ Gustavo asked, smiling at his wife as he helped himself to more coffee from the silver pot on the breakfast table.

‘I’m going for my final fitting at Madame Duchaine’s before the new season begins,’ Bel smiled brightly. ‘I hope the garments will be ready for me to collect at the end of the week.’

‘Good, good,’ he said.