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Standing very still, Gaetano lost colour and watched her intently ‘There probably is But I want very badly for you to stay’

‘No, you don’t, not really,’ Poppy reasoned thinly ‘You think our baby would be the icing on the cake for Rodolfo but you don’t want to be married and you don’t want to be a father’

‘I do want to beback his shoulders and studied her with strained dark eyes ‘And I know that I can learn how to be a good father Iunprepared for a child was a nightood with surprises but I can roll fast with the punches that co you pack to leave me is a hell of a punch’

The firm resolution in that response surprised her She paused to roughly fold up a dress before thrusting it into the case, sending an unilance at his lean, darkly handsoently She had made her decision It was better for her to leave hi him another chancewasn’t it?

‘Is it? Are you really capable of changing your outlook to that extent? Accepting beingfor second best?’ she queried with scorn ‘Accepting our child as the gift that a child is?’

‘I know that I was difficult when Iad but I am adaptable and I do learn from ed most of all’

‘How?’ Poppy pro hi tothat they should stay ain because he felt trapped by the restrictions She had to know and understand exactly what he was thinking and feeling and expecting How else could she make a decision?

His wide sensual mouth twisted ‘I don’t want to discuss that’

‘Why not?’

‘Because so way to go,’ he fra again’

‘But you should be able to tellWe shouldn’t have secrets between us How has your attitude to ed?’ Poppy persisted, curiosity and obstinacy co to push her on

Gaetano glanced heavenward for a brief ed breath ‘I asked you to pretend to be engaged to e embarrassment as a fiancée’

Shock gripped Poppy in a debilitating wave only to be swiftly followed by a huge rush of hurt ‘In ay?’

‘I was the posh bloke who made unjustified assued with regret ‘I assue I expected you to be totally lost and unable to cope in my world In fact I believed that your eccentric fashion sense and everything about you would horrify Rodolfo and put hiement broke down he would be relieved rather than disappointed’

Gaetano had finished speaking but his every word still struck through the fog of Poppy’s shell-shocked state like lightning on a dark storht She felt physically sick

Gaetano had watched the blood drain from below her skin and fierce tension now stauy I really aet to stay married to and the father of your future child I know it’s not pretty but you have earned the right to know the truth about me Most of the time I’m an absolute bastard,’ he stated bleakly ‘I tried to use you in the most callous way possible and it didn’t once occur to me to wonder how that experience would ultimately affect youor Rodolfo’

Poppy wrapped her ar to hold the da its banks She couldn’t bear to look at hier He had seen from the outset hoorthy she was to be even his fiancée and he had planned to use her worst traits and the handicap of her poor background as an excuse to durandfather In short he had handpicked her as the fake fiancée most likely to mortify him

Poppy cringed inside herself His prior assumptions appalled her, for she had not appreciated how prejudiced he had still been about her Shattered by his ad He had seen her flaws right at the beginning and had pinned his hopes on her shaa child with her? Taking her out in public?