‘Very complicated,’ Bella said, blowing out a breath. ‘I can’t do anything without Edoardo’s approval. It’s incredibly annoying.’
‘I’m sure he would never stop you doing anything you really wanted to do,’ Rebecca said. ‘Anyway, it won’t be long, and you’ll be free to do what you like. I seem to remember Mrs Baker saying it’s only until you turn twenty-five.’
‘Or until I marry.’
‘Are you planning on doing that any time soon?’ Rebecca asked, glancing at Bella’s left hand.
‘It’s not official as yet,’ Bella said. ‘I’m just waiting until he gets back from a trip abroad before we announce anything.’
‘Congratulations,’ Rebecca said. ‘You must be so excited.’
‘I am,’ Bella said. Or I would be, if it weren’t for Edoardo standing in the way of my plans.
There was the sound of firm footsteps, and Bella watched as Rebecca Gladstone’s cheeks took on a pink hue as Edoardo strode in. He glanced at the dog in the basket before meeting Rebecca’s gaze. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked.
‘I was in the area and thought I’d drop by,’ Rebecca said. ‘I’ve left some vitamins for Fergus. They’ll boost his immune system.’
‘Thank you,’ Edoardo said. ‘How much do I owe you?’
‘Isn’t it me who owes you?’ Bella said with a pointed look. ‘He was my father’s dog, after all.’
‘You don’t owe me a thing, either of you,’ Rebecca said. ‘That’s just a sample pack in any case.’ She smiled up at Edoardo. ‘Want to walk me to my car?’
His expression was as blank as a sheet of paper. ‘Sure.’
‘It was lovely to meet you, Bella,’ Rebecca said. ‘I hope you enjoy your stay.’
‘I will,’ Bella said with a smile that cracked her face.
‘She’s in love with you,’ Bella said as soon as Edoardo came inside a few minutes later.
He reached for a glass and filled it with water from the tap. ‘And you can tell that how, exactly?’ he asked.
‘She blushed as soon as you came into the room,’ she said.
He turned from the sink to look at her. ‘Just because a woman blushes doesn’t mean she’s in love,’ he said. ‘Take you, for instance.’ He let his eyes run over her slowly but thoroughly. ‘I could make you blush within seconds. Does it mean you’re in love with me?’
Bella jerked her chin back against her neck in disdain, her cheeks feeling like they had been too close to a fire. ‘I would never fall in love with someone like you.’
‘That’s very reassuring,’ he said with a mocking slant of his mouth.
‘Rebecca seems a very nice person,’ she said. ‘The least you could’ve done is said a proper hello to her.’
‘I don’t like impromptu visitors,’ he said. ‘If she wanted to see me, all she had to do was call me and arrange a time.’
‘Maybe she doesn’t like being called in the middle of the night to suit your needs.’
He gave a loose shrug. ‘She’s not my type.’
‘No, because she’s got a brain between her ears,’ she shot back. ‘I can only imagine what your type is like: big boobs, toothpaste-commercial smile, long legs and no conversation. Am I close?’
A half-smile kicked up the edges of his mouth. ‘Close enough,’ he said.
‘Have you dated her?’ she asked.
‘We had a drink a few weeks back,’ he said.
‘Have you slept with her?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’ she asked.
He put the glass down on the counter. ‘What’s with all the questions?’ he asked. ‘Are you jealous?’
‘Of course I’m not jealous!’ Bella retorted. ‘I just think you could really hurt her if you don’t do the right thing by her.’
‘It’s not my problem.’
‘It is your problem,’ she said. ‘You should nip it in the bud before she gets too involved. You shouldn’t encourage her to just drop by if you’re not serious about her.’
‘I didn’t encourage her to drop by,’ he said. ‘I’ve given her no encouragement, full-stop.’
Bella folded her arms across her chest. ‘She obviously thinks you have,’ she said.
‘Then she’s mistaken.’
‘Is she who you went to last night?’ she asked.
‘No.’
‘Who did you see?’
He leaned back against the counter in an indolent fashion. ‘Are you sure you’re not jealous?’ he asked.
She rolled her eyes. ‘How could I be?’ she asked. ‘I’m about to get engaged.’
‘It’s not official.’
‘It will be soon.’
‘There’s been nothing in the press about your relationship with your preacher boy,’ he said. ‘Not even a whisper.’
‘That’s because Julian doesn’t attract press attention,’
she said. ‘Anyway, I want to wait until he gets back from Bangladesh before we tell anyone anything. I’m going to meet his family and then we’re going to make a formal announcement.’
‘You’re assuming, of course, that I’ll agree to this match.’
Bella unfolded her arms and clenched her fists. ‘You can’t prevent me from marrying the man I love.’
His blue-green eyes challenged hers. ‘If you love him so much then why aren’t you over there with him?’ he asked.
Bella floundered for a moment. ‘I … I have things to see to here,’ she said. ‘I’d be in the way over there. I need to learn the ropes a bit before I go with him on a mission.’
He made a sound of scorn in his throat. ‘I just can’t see you handing out trinkets to the natives.’
‘That’s not what missionaries do these days,’ she said. ‘They help to build schools and hospitals.’
‘And what will you do when you do accompany him?’ he asked.
‘I’ll support him in any way I can,’ she said.
‘It’s what every man of the cloth needs,’ he said with a curl of his lip. ‘A rich wife to bankroll every do-good project.’
Bella glowered at him. ‘You think I haven’t got a clue, don’t you? You think I’m too stupid to do anything but get my nails done.’
‘You’re not stupid,’ he said. ‘You’re naïve. You’ve lived a sheltered life. You don’t know how the other half lives. You don’t know how desperate and ruthless people can be.’
‘Like you, you mean?’ she said with an arch look.
His eyes glinted as they locked down on hers. ‘I can be very ruthless when I go after something I want.’
Bella felt the skin of her arms lift in a tiny shiver. ‘You can’t always have everything you want,’