The Purest of Diamonds(73)

                ‘I’m ahead of you, Señor Leon. A copy’s already hanging in the entrance hall.’

                ‘I might have known it, Ms Efficiency.’

                She blushed as Raffa’s gaze swept her belly. ‘How many months are you now, Leila?’

                ‘A month or so to go.’ This conversation was so back to front. Her brain was sluggish thanks to pregnancy hormones and still she hadn’t got round to telling him about the twins.

                ‘I thought you had longer than that. By my calculations—’

                ‘Your calculations are off.’

                ‘Oh?’

                ‘There are things you couldn’t possibly know about, Raffa.’

                ‘Such as?’

                Even with that suspicious look on his face Raffa made her heart turn over. Taking a deep breath, she told him, ‘Such as, I’m having twins.’

                ‘Twins?’ Raffa’s voice dropped an octave, and for once he seemed at a loss. Dipping his head, he said, ‘Two babies?’

                ‘That is the usual count,’ she confirmed, trying to appear light-hearted as she waited for his reaction. Double the expected tally could hardly light up the heart of a man who didn’t want children.

                Raffa’s face lit, then darkened dramatically. He might have frightened her if she hadn’t known why. His surprise at what she’d told him had been replaced in an instant by dread at the thought of her giving birth to two babies.

                ‘Your grandmother explained why you feel the way you do,’ she said quickly. ‘Please don’t be angry with her, Raffa,’ she added as he glanced at her. ‘She only did it because she loves you, and because she knows I love you too.’

                There. She’d said it. Her feelings were laid bare before him for him to stamp on if he chose to, but this was too important for her to hold anything back.

                Raffa’s face revealed nothing. Why should it when he had been hiding his feelings all his life, and when she had brought up a past he would rather forget? ‘Your grandmother told me that your mother died giving birth to you,’ she said carefully, feeling it was better to get everything out in the open now. ‘Apart from your feelings when you were old enough to understand what had happened, she also told me that your father and siblings never allowed you to forget what had happened...’

                Reaching out when he still remained silent, she let her hand fall back. Raffa wasn’t ready for sympathy. He never had been. That was why he held his feelings close and why he repelled others, especially those with a claim on his emotions.

                ‘Twins,’ he murmured. His eyes cleared as he looked at her. ‘Really?’

                ‘Really.’ She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but at least he was thinking, rather than expressing some knee-jerk reaction. She’d give him more time. She’d give him all the time he needed. ‘I haven’t asked you if you’d like something to eat or drink,’ she said, striving for normality.

                ‘Sorry, Leila— Have to go. The van’s just arrived. You stay where you are.’ Raffa’s hand on her shoulder was gentle and insistent. Crossing the small room, he shrugged on his jacket. ‘Baby supplies.’ He frowned, as if realising he would have to rethink his plans completely. ‘I didn’t know how you’d be fixed, so, like I said, I brought food too. We can have a picnic.’