The Purest of Diamonds(33)

                ‘I’ll get my housekeeper to help you settle in.’ He pulled away as if he was impatient to go.

                His housekeeper? The castle, Raffa’s whole way of life, only served to emphasise the gulf between them, and she had yet to broach the subject of his child.

                ‘Leila?’

                Having climbed the broad flight of stone steps, they had stopped in front of a huge arched entrance door peppered with iron studs. ‘Yes?’

                She turned, but whatever had prompted Raffa to say her name had died on his lips. She was glad when the door swung open and a smiling motherly woman greeted them.

                ‘This is Maria, my housekeeper, Leila. Maria, may I present Señorita Skavanga.’

                ‘Please, call me Leila,’ Leila insisted as the older woman nodded and smiled.

                Raffa excused himself almost immediately. ‘I have building work to attend to,’ he explained.

                ‘Thank you for picking me up—’ She turned around to say this, but he was already jogging down the steps.

                ‘May I show you to your room, señorita?’

                ‘Thank you, Maria.’ She was glad of the housekeeper’s friendly smile. She had never felt quite so isolated, or quite so far from home.

                * * *

                Leila’s apartment in the turret was like the setting for a fairy tale. Exquisitely furnished in delicate French Empire style, it boasted the most astonishing views over the beautifully manicured grounds to the lush green fields beyond, and on to where a bank of trees faded to a misty purple in the shadow of the rolling hills. Leaning out of the open window, she dragged greedily on the blossom-scented air, but this was no time to be daydreaming. She had to settle in and then find Raffa so they could have that talk. She had never even been late before, and she hadn’t even been sure that the strange feeling that had come over her was significant in any way, until finally she went to the chemist and took a test...several tests. And there was no doubt. She was pregnant.

                The phone rang, distracting her. It was Raffa. Her heart bumped at the sound of his voice. The knowledge inside her made her feel so guilty, but she couldn’t tell him over the phone.

                ‘Can you be ready in half an hour?’

                ‘I’m ready now.’ Did that sound too eager?

                Of course it did.

                Remembering the marble-lined bathroom stocked with fabulous products, she quickly built in time to take a shower. ‘Actually, half an hour should be fine,’ she managed coolly.

                It was only when she replaced the receiver that she realised she hadn’t even asked where they were supposed to meet. She would have to sharpen up her wits if she was going to face Raffa with her news. She couldn’t imagine he would take it well, and she had to be ready for the fallout.

                * * *

                The rest of the day went better than she had expected. Raffa picked her up in the Jeep and took her to one of his showrooms on the island, but he brought a co-worker with him, so once again she couldn’t tell him her news. Would the moment ever arrive? She was keyed up every second of the tour and could hardly concentrate.

                The laboratories were as clean and as sterile as Raffa’s behaviour towards her. They were bright and filled with light and staffed by uniformed technicians. It was that small space thing again, Leila told herself firmly, glancing at Raffa as they travelled down to one of his vaults in a small steel lift. Relax. He can’t hear your heart beating.