‘I’ve been to hell and back this week, Francesca, but the one thing I know is that I want this baby of ours to have a family.’
‘And if I weren’t pregnant, Angelo? Would you still have taken out an ad in the newspaper letting the world know that you wanted to marry me or would you have counted yourself lucky to have got away?’
‘If you read the article carefully, my darling, you would see that at no point did I mention the fact that you are pregnant. Everything else, yes, but that, no.’
So he hadn’t mentioned anything about being in love with her, but nevertheless a little tendril of hope began to uncurl inside of her.
‘Because…?’
‘Because I want you for my wife, Francesca, whether you happen to be carrying my child or not.’ He looked at her steadily, willing himself to say what he needed to say in a way that wouldn’t frighten her off. ‘When we embarked on this crazy…affair, we both knew the rules. Sex without commitment. We would finish what had been started years ago and emotion wouldn’t get in the way.’
Why was he reminding her of things she didn’t want to remember? After he had called her my darling and looked at her with eyes that promised even if they hadn’t delivered?
‘But emotion did get in the way, after all. At least, it got in my way.’
‘I beg your pardon?’ She leaned towards him, straining to hear every single word he was saying.
‘I thought I was in control, but it turns out I wasn’t.’ He shot her a rueful smile. ‘And, before you say anything, just hear me out and then decide what you want to do. Whatever you want, Francesca, I’ll fall in line with.’ He breathed in deeply and expelled his breath in one long sigh. ‘I know you didn’t choose to become pregnant. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts and then so gutted by what you told me that it never even crossed my mind to ask how you felt about having a baby and for that I’m…I’m sorry. This…is difficult for me…’
He stood up and paced the room, his movements agitated. Francesca had never seen him like this before, and she reckoned she had probably seen him in all his moods. It was a revelation of vulnerability. Finally he returned to the chair and sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. ‘I’ve spent the week going over in my head everything that’s happened between us. You made a big deal of letting me know that you were willing to let me walk away from you, or rather you walk away from me, because you didn’t feel that your background would do me any favours. It occurred to me that maybe I had got it all wrong from the start. Maybe you just didn’t want to be hooked up with me. Maybe behind the smokescreen was someone who just wasn’t willing to spend her life with someone who had all the privileges of wealth. It struck me that you might be physically attracted to a man like me but emotionally attracted to a man like Jack when it came to a permanent relationship.’ He took a deep breath and shook his head. Was he even making sense? He knew exactly what he wanted to say but he could feel that the words were not emerging from his mouth in quite the order he would have liked. For the first time, his formidable grasp of the English language had deserted him. ‘Women are attracted to me. They like the wealth, the power, the status.’ He gave a dry laugh. ‘Georgina being a case in point. Fact is, though, you’re not like other women and so all the usual yardsticks no longer apply. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?’
Francesca nodded slowly. ‘I think so…’
‘I’m glad you’re pregnant, Francesca. I’m over the moon that you’re having my baby but I meant what I said. I want to marry you, baby or not, because I…because I realise that sleeping with you wasn’t enough for me.’ He gave her a crooked smile but underneath she could see that he was drained. ‘Call me a greedy man, but I want more than just your beautiful body. I want your mind, your heart, your soul, because you have mine. All those things. They’re yours. They belonged to you three years ago when you walked out on me and they belong to you now. If you’ll have them. I hope you do and I hope that you’ll marry me even if I have to spend the rest of my days winning your love. Even if, right now, you may not think me the right man for you.’ Over the past torturous week Angelo had figured out what it was about love that set it aside from everything he had ever experienced in his life before. Aside from being the one thing over which he exerted no control, it was also a humbling experience. He was hanging on for dear life to what she would say.
‘That’s a tall order, Angelo.’