Ramon had disappeared to take a phone call. It occurred to Lauren that he had been gone for ages, and she guessed the call was related to Velaquez Conglomerates. She hoped he would not have to rush off to the company’s headquarters in Madrid, as he sometimes did, but even while she was wondering what was keeping him from the party he walked back into the drawing room and strode over to her, a forbidding expression on his face.
‘Why didn’t you just come out with it and tell Juanita that you are not planning on having any more children because your career is more important to you?’ he demanded coldly.
One glance at his dark face warned Lauren that he was furious, but because of the presence of their guests he was fighting to control his temper.
‘For that matter, why didn’t you tell me that you’re going to be working in London for one week a month—or is the welfare of our son so unimportant to you that you didn’t bother to mention it?’
‘Of course Matty is important to me,’ she said sharply. ‘He is the most important person in my life.’ She frowned. ‘How did you know…?’
‘That you have been offered a job with a law firm in England?’ Ramon finished for her. ‘My mother asked to see the photo album of Mateo when he was first born, and I did not think you would mind if I took it out of your bedside drawer. But when I picked up the album I accidentally picked up this letter that was hidden beneath it.’
Lauren stared down at the letter he had thrust into her hand, and acknowledged that there was little point in denying its contents. ‘I can explain—’ she began, but Ramon cut her off.
‘I’m sure you can,’ he said sardonically. ‘But it is Mateo who will want an explanation when he is a little older—as to why you have chosen to leave him for a week or more every month.’
‘I have no intention of abandoning him,’ she said tightly. ‘And can I point out that you were away on business for three days last week, and you didn’t worry too much about leaving Matty.’
‘That’s different,’ he snapped. ‘I am CEO of Velaquez Conglomerates, and sometimes business trips are unavoidable. But there is absolutely no need for you to work. You cannot deny that I give you everything you could possibly want or need.’
It was debatable whether she needed the numerous pieces of stunning jewellery Ramon had given her since their marriage, or the designer handbags and the wardrobe full of more beautiful clothes than she was ever likely to wear, Lauren thought heavily. She could not fault his generosity. But the fact he believed that material things mattered to her proved that he did not know her at all.
‘I appreciate that it is not necessary for me to work,’ she said quietly, ‘but is it really so wrong to want to do the job I spent years training for? To wish for a little independence that will give me a sense of self-worth?’
‘You and your damned independence,’ Ramon growled impatiently. He did not understand what she wanted. He showered her with gifts in an attempt to make her happy, but hearing her bang on about wanting her independence felt like a slap in the face. ‘Your place is here at the castle, as Mateo’s mother and my wife. I will not allow you to leave our son for days at a time just so that you can follow some selfish whim.’
‘You won’t allow? Am I your prisoner, then, Ramon?’ Lauren gave a bitter laugh, the happiness she had felt earlier in the day when he had given her the pearl necklace draining away.
A couple of guests had wandered into the drawing room, clearly intrigued by the sound of raised voices from their hosts.
‘This is not a suitable time for private discussion,’ Ramon ground out tensely—apparently forgetting that he had initiated the discussion, Lauren thought darkly.
‘I think you should know—’ she began, but he swung round and strode away before she could continue, leaving her staring angrily after him.
‘Oh, dear! Do I sense trouble in paradise?’
Lauren stiffened at the sarcastic comment, and turned to see Pilar Fernandez step out from an alcove by the window. It was plain from her satisfied expression that the Spanish woman had overheard her spat with Ramon, but good manners prevented Lauren from accusing Pilar of eavesdropping.
‘Everything is fine,’ she lied, and knew from the arch of Pilar’s perfectly shaped eyebrows that the beautiful model did not believe her.
There was no escaping the fact that Pilar was absolutely stunning, she thought dismally as she made a lightning inspection of the other woman’s scarlet silk dress, which fitted her fabulous figure like a second skin. She already knew the Fernandez family had been close friends of the Velaquez family for several generations, and Pilar had been at school with Valentina. Ramon had explained this when Lauren had questioned why Pilar had been included on the guest list for the christening party. Her father, Cortez, had suffered a stroke six months ago, and since then had become a recluse who never left the Fernandez home, Casa Madalena.