She grabbed the robe and pulled it on without managing to show a sliver of flesh. She stood up from the bed. ‘I’ll eat this downstairs … I’d like to see Zac anyway.’
He stopped her just before she went to lift the tray. ‘Let me.’
Rowan felt even more exposed. He must have seen her hands shaking. He took it and walked out, and she followed miserably.
At the bottom of the stairs he turned to her, his eyes guarded. ‘The police are due here in about an hour to take a statement from you. Are you up to it?’
Rowan’s heart contracted. For all the world he sounded genuinely concerned. She nodded. ‘Yes. I’ll be fine.’
When she followed Isandro into the dining room after that she was immeasurably relieved to see Zac playing happily with Ana-Lucía, seemingly suffering no ill effects of the day before.
Isandro disappeared into his office after the police had been and gone. He’d sat by her side throughout the interview, and Rowan had felt his tension growing as she’d related the events. Undoubtedly he must blame her to some extent. How could he not?
After playing with Zac until his nap, Rowan retreated to the walled garden of the private patio outside her room. Under the shade of a huge tree she was trying to read, but gave up when she realised how futile it was. Her cheeks burned again, and her insides twisted in embarrassment when she thought of last night. What was going to happen now?
She would have to call that estate agent and see if he had found anything yet. One thing was clear: she needed to leave as soon as possible. No doubt Isandro would allow her a little grace, considering what had happened, but she couldn’t take advantage of that. She was too volatile around him, barely able to control herself.
The divorce would most likely be through quickly—Isandro would want to be free to get on with his own life, possibly even remarry. The sooner she made the break, got some distance, the sooner she could start to claw back some control … get on with things. Rowan’s fists clenched unconsciously in rejection of her thoughts.
She heard the shrill ring of her mobile phone from inside her room and hurried in to get it. Her heart thumped a little erratically as she realised exactly who it must be. Her past reached out ghostly tentacles to claim her, and she brushed off a feeling of foreboding.
As she’d expected, it was a call to remind her of her appointment. She hung up, and hugged her arms around herself, suddenly feeling cold. At that moment she wished she had someone to turn to, someone who would share her concerns, her worries. For a fleeting moment she wondered wistfully what it might be like to be loved, completely and deeply, by someone like Isandro … to be supported.
Just then a knock sounded at her door. She opened it, and the object of her thoughts and fantasies was standing there, looking grim. She clutched the door. No doubt this was it. He wanted to talk about the arrangements.
‘Can you come down to my study? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.’
‘Of course,’ she said faintly, feeling sick.
In the study, Isandro told Rowan to sit down on the leather couch by the wall-to-ceiling shelves, but she shook her head minutely. ‘If it’s okay, I’d prefer to stand.’
He went and picked up a file from his desk and came to stand in front of her. A long moment stretched as he just looked at her, as if he was trying to figure her out, and Rowan’s nerves screamed.
‘How is your mouth?’ he asked then, innocuously.
Rowan blinked and had to forcibly ignore an image of his head coming towards her, and a kiss so light she almost hadn’t felt it. She touched it gingerly. ‘Fine … much better.’
Her hand dropped. ‘What … what did you want to talk about?’
He glanced at the file in his hand and looked up, a harsh glitter in his eyes. He held it up. ‘This is the result of the investigation I’ve had done into your whereabouts for the past two years.’
He knew? The thought set panic racing through her. This wasn’t what she’d expected. She shook her head, as if to clear it. Had she heard right? ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about … You investigated me?’
He nodded grimly. ‘A little after the fact, I’ll admit, but I didn’t do it at the time because of extenuating circumstances: namely becoming a single parent, and shortly afterwards a stock market crash that threatened the livelihood of millions in Europe.’
The market crash that woman had mentioned at the party …
As if he had read her thoughts, he said, ‘The crash that you appear to know nothing about.’
Rowan wanted to sink onto the couch behind her, but wouldn’t. She wasn’t sure she was ready for where this was inevitably headed, especially in light of her recent phone call. Feeling cowardly she played for time.