page45 (1/1)

‘Who the hell took these pictures?’

Vasos stepped forward ‘Caht on board for the party Crude, but effective’

‘Thank you, Sergio,’ Leonidas breathed rawly

Forty-eight hours earlier, his friend, Sergio Torrente, hadparty on his yacht for Leonidas’ benefit Sergio, who loathed weddings, was now safe deep in the jungles of Borneo on one of the Action-Man trips he enjoyed, well away froroom

‘I’ve taken the liberty of re the daily newspapers from the house,’ Vasos admitted

Dis Vasos, Leonidas snapped shut the laptop He knew Vasos could only be trying to protect Maribel, since nothing shocked the Pallis faand self-preservation came naturally to Leonidas A businessenes of a faes While over-indulgence in the sins of the flesh had proved the downfall of previous generations of the Pallis farounded than most people appreciated

But although plotting and planning were the spice of life to him, he was uneasily aware that Maribel had an intolerant view of such tactics But would she still go ahead and ot the chance to read that tabloid trash? How much faith did she have in him? None, came the answer Maribel didn’t even pretend to have faith in hiuous phone call had been sufficient to e and condemn him out of hand

Leonidas brooded over the problem and, in the interests of fairness, felt duty-bound to ask himself why Maribel should trust him The past three weeks replayed at supersonic speed in his ht he had noticed that she had lost weight He knew that stress was the most likely cause She had loved her job and her home and she’d had to surrender both at short notice Maybe she had been fond of the boyfriend, as well, Leonidas allowed grudgingly He hadn’t wanted to know the details, so he hadn’t asked She had once accused hi what he wanted to do and, in this case, he recognised the accuracy of the charge He had held onto his anger and punished her for daring to stand up to him He had abandoned her to sink or swim in a world that was very new to her and she was naturally showing signs of strain

Another woht have asked him for support, but not Maribel No, not Maribel, as as stubborn as he was Obstinacy was not a good trait for theed, his wide, sensual le request for advice or assistance, one little hint that she regretted challenging him, and all would have been well Generosity in victory was not a problem for hiinning to grasp how Maribel could once have said that she didn’t like hi et But now he had to ask himself: as to like? He had been callous and cold towards her He had been absent when he should have been present And, in refusing to give her a shred of reassurance, he had simply increased her distrust

Maribel ht be as tranquil as a woodland pool on the surface, but she could be arimly She was a firecracker, who tended to shoot first and ask questions second That was not a confidence-boosting attribute on the day that he needed her to go to the altar and say yes with a srasped the reality that, in her eyes, he would always be guilty until proven innocent A refreshing change after a lifetime of women ere too careful to ask loaded questions or make rash demands

As the hazy reen of the ilorious summer day yet to come Leonidas reached a decision He would tell her about the stag-doe fiasco after the wedding A wedding was a once-in-a-lifeti should be allowed to cast a cloud over Maribel’s day Or give her good reason to decide that ht not be in her best interests

CHAPTER NINE

‘REALITY-CHECK here!’ Ginnyat the dazzling contents of the sumptuous leather case that Maribel had opened ‘A dia with your veil’

‘It would look a,’ Maribel pointed out dry- sapphire and diaertip ‘But don’t you think it ht be a touch over-the-top?’