Here it came. Just brazen it out. ‘Yes, I was.’
Chiara nodded. ‘It’s a method which wouldn’t work with a lot of men, but, of course, Luca was the perfect choice in more ways than one. He is far too much of a traditionalist to ever allow a child of his to be born out of wedlock.’
‘I don’t think this really is any of your business, do you?’ asked Eve shakily, and hugged Oliviero to her, trying to concentrate on his sweet, baby smell and not the glitter of maliciousness in the actress’s eyes.
But Chiara showed no signs of shutting up. ‘I thought of trying it myself, if the truth be known.’ She turned her huge chocolate-brown eyes up at Eve. ‘But I left it too late and, by then, you had stepped in.’
‘What are you talking about?’
Chiara smiled, as if she was enjoying herself immensely.
‘Oh, didn’t you know that I used to be Luca’s lover?’
Eve’s first reaction was to feel sick, until she told herself to grow up. He was bound to have had lots of lovers and they were bound to have been as beautiful as Chiara.
‘No. No, I didn’t.’
‘In fact…’ Chiara’s manicured fingernails delved into her slim, neat handbag, and she pulled out a piece of newspaper ‘…this was the last photograph taken of us together. Would you like to see it?’
No, Eve would not like to see it, but she was not going to appear to be a totally-lacking-in-confidence kind of wife. She even managed a shrug. ‘Why not?’
Because Eve was still holding the baby, Chiara leaned over with the clipping and held it in front of her and Eve could smell the seductive musk of her fragrance.
‘Here it is!’
If it had been any other couple, it would have been a pretty unremarkable photo, but it was not any other couple—it was Luca and Chiara. The beautiful people, thought Eve, slightly wistfully—with their jet-dark hair and olive skin and clothes which shrieked of wealth and success. Luca’s eyes were narrowed at the camera. She knew that look—caught unawares and irritated. But Chiara was giving it everything she had—her hair tossed back and that big, mega-watt smile showing her perfect white teeth.
And then she noticed the date and her heart missed a beat.
It was the day…
It was the day after Lizzy’s birthday.
The very same day that he had come round to Eve’s house and tried to make love to her and she had very nearly let him. Dear God, he must have flown straight from her and into Chiara’s arms!
In a way, she thanked God that she was holding onto Oliviero, for who knew what her reaction might have been otherwise? She guessed that she must have shown her horror and shock—she could feel all the blood draining from her face and she felt very slightly giddy.
But she somehow managed an equable smile.
‘You make a lovely couple,’ she said blandly.
It was clearly not the reaction that Chiara had expected, nor wanted. She put the clipping back in her bag.
‘Yes,’ she said, in an odd kind of voice. ‘That’s what everyone said.’ She sighed. ‘It was a wonderful night. But then it was a wonderful relationship.’
Somehow Eve got through the rest of the afternoon, but she did it only by avoiding Luca’s eyes wherever possible. She played with the children and she chatted animatedly with the adults, making sure that she was never on her own for him to come and speak to her, and making sure that her face bore a smile of enjoyment at all times.
Even in the car it was easy to maintain the masquerade. She didn’t want a scene when he was driving, not with their son strapped in the back.
Luca frowned. ‘Are you okay?’
Eve shut her eyes. ‘I’m fine,’ she said faintly. ‘Just had a little too much sun and wine, I think.’
‘Go to sleep, then,’ he murmured. The powerful car purred along the rural roads and his eyes hardened as he stared ahead. Why the hell had Patricio invited Chiara? Her eyes had been following him round like some beaten puppy and he had felt sorry for the man who had been her companion.
Eve didn’t sleep, just lay there, her mind going over and over it. There she had been, marvelling at Luca’s restraint. Wondering why a man with such an overpowering sensuality had been able to suppress it.
Well, maybe he hadn’t! Maybe that had all just been a ruse. What about the times when he had to slip out—to the shops or to his bank—was that all he was doing? Or was there some luscious lovely like Chiara, all too willing to give him what his wife was not?