Back at the villa she had tried to remain calm, and for the baby’s sake had forced herself to eat something. But tonight sleep had proved impossible, and after tossing restlessly in the big lonely bed for over an hour she had finally got up, slipped on her grey silk robe and walked down to the beach.
She missed Vadim, she acknowledged as she stared up at the crescent moon and the stars that studded the sky like diamonds on a velvet backdrop. Apart from the few days when she had been in Paris, this was the first night they had spent apart since they had become lovers. It was such a short time, really, yet her life seemed to have been entwined with his for ever, and she could not imagine living without him.
Now that she was over the shock of discovering that she was pregnant, she was able to think rationally again. Vadim’s threat to fight for custody of their child was understandable when she knew that he still grieved for the daughter he had lost. But she was certain he would never force her to hand over her baby.
It all came down to trust, she mused as she turned to walk back towards the house. Her father had been a cruel man, who had delighted in hurting her and her mother, but Vadim was nothing like him. She could not deny him his chance to be a father again, and when he returned from Prague she would tell him that she accepted his proposal to share Kingfisher House, so that they could bring up the baby together. It would not be easy, living close to him yet being shut out of his life. But she loved him so much that she was prepared to sacrifice her happiness for his.
Lost in her thoughts, she gave a start when she heard her name being called across the dark beach. Vadim was calling her. But Vadim was in Prague. She gave herself a mental shake, convinced that she had imagined his voice. Loving him was turning her into a madwoman, she thought ruefully.#p#分页标题#e#
‘Ella…’
A figure came running out of the shadows, tearing across the sand towards her. ‘Vadim?’ Even from a distance she sensed his urgency, and without thinking of anything but her need to be with him she began to run too.
He reached her and swept her into his arms, crushing her against his chest so that the breath was driven from her body. The expression on his face was tortured, his brilliant blue eyes blazing with an emotion that made her heart miss a beat. She could not imagine why he was there, and she stared up at him in confusion when she felt a shudder run through his big body. What could have happened to cause him to look so shattered?
‘I thought you had gone-that I had driven you away…’ His voice was muffled against her throat, and her heart turned over when she felt wetness against her skin.
‘Why are you here?’ she asked shakily. ‘Why aren’t you in Prague, finalising your deal?’
‘I suddenly realised what was truly important to me.’ His Russian accent was very pronounced, his voice as deep and haunting as the notes of a cello. ‘I thought I had terrified the life out of you with my unforgivable threat to fight you for custody of the baby. I was sure you had decided to leave me, and when I arrived at the villa and saw your violin was missing I knew I had been the biggest fool on the planet.’
The expression blazing in his eyes made Ella tremble, but she was afraid that her mind was playing tricks, seeing what it wanted to see. ‘I had planned to leave,’ she admitted, ‘but halfway to Nice I realised that I couldn’t go. Our baby needs both its parents,’ she said huskily.
Vadim closed his eyes briefly and sent up a silent prayer. His heart was slamming beneath his ribs as he tightened his arms around Ella and pressed his lips to her brow, utterly undone by the emotions storming through him. ‘When I walked into the empty house I was afraid that I had left it too late to tell you-’ He broke off, his throat convulsing, and Ella stroked a trembling hand over his face.
‘Tell me what?’ she whispered.
Her hair smelled of lemons. He would carry the evocative scent to his grave-a tangible reminder of the woman who had stolen his heart. Taking a deep breath, he stared down into her smoke-soft eyes. ‘That I love you,’ he said unsteadily. ‘With all my heart and everything I am, angel moy.’ He gave a faint smile at her stunned expression. ‘You are my world, Ella, and I am nothing without you.’
‘Vadim…’ Tears blurred her eyes and she placed a trembling finger across his lips, no thought in her head to hold back the words she had wanted to say for so long. ‘I love you too-desperately-and I will do so for ever,’ she added fiercely, realising from his stunned expression that he needed convincing of the depth of her love for him.