‘What can I do for—’
‘I’d like to leave.’
‘Leave?’
Angelo scowled. It was the last thing he’d expected. Surely her reason for being in the area was to get back into his home? Even if she had amnesia it was the only logical explanation.
‘Yes, please.’ Her gaze flickered and he realised she wasn’t as sure of herself as she tried to project. ‘Now the weather’s improved I can get to the mainland, can’t I?’
Surprise shot through him. ‘You have somewhere in mind?’
Was she finally going to admit to her scheme?
She shook her head, her mouth thinning. ‘No. But I thought, in the circumstances...’ She waved her hand vaguely around his study. ‘You don’t want me here and I can understand, given what you told me.’ Her voice wobbled a little and she swallowed. ‘I’d like to think I had a reason for what I did. That my motives weren’t as simple as you believe. But I just don’tknow. All I know is I hate what you’ve told me and it makes me uncomfortable being here.’
Heat drilled from Angelo’s gullet to his belly.
Shame. A searing streak of fire that made him shift his weight. He had every right not to trust her and everything he’d told her was true, but that didn’t alter the fact she was injured and needed care. Where was his decency? So much for living up to hispapà’s example.
The doctor’s words rang in his head.
Care, rest and quiet. That’s what she needs. No stress.
Yet she was asking to leave because she felt uncomfortable here.
So she should, after the way she’d behaved.
Yet Angelo had to rise above that. He knew his duty to a guest, much less an injured one. Besides, if he wanted to learn the reason for her presence, he needed to keep an eye on her.
‘I’m sorry you’re uncomfortable. But I don’t think you realise the damage done by that storm,’ he said eventually. ‘Many coastal towns were hit. Hospitals are full and emergency services are stretched. If anyone on the mainland has room to spare they’re hosting neighbours whose homes have been wrecked.’
‘I see.’ She swung her head to look out at the garden, her nose wrinkling in that trademark move he’d come to realise meant she was thinking hard.
‘Look, Ally.’ It got easier all the time to use her new name. Maybe because memories of Alexa were so poisonous. The name Ally didn’t have the same negative connotations. ‘You’re welcome to stay here.’
‘Welcome?’ Her eyebrows disappeared under her fringe.
‘Yes.’ He held her eyes, ignoring the throb of energy that passed between them and focusing on what had to be done. ‘There’s plenty of room here and, whatever our past, you’resafe. And it would be better if the same doctor could monitor you, don’t you think?’
He paused to let that sink in. ‘I admit I reacted badly when you arrived.’ With sound reason. ‘But the past is the past. Maybe you’ve done me a favour. It’s done me good to confront that finally.’
He still couldn’t relax around her but he realised, with a flash of insight, hoarding hatred all these years wasn’t healthy. He’d thought of how his mother and sister had been scarred by his marriage breakup. He had been too, becoming suspicious and judgemental. Maybe it was time to cultivate the more generous side of his nature.
‘You’re injured and need help. I can provide that. Then when you’re better you can move on.’
She stared as if she’d never seen him before and Angelo silently acknowledged that it was a significant turnaround, from enemy to ally. But he had an obligation to care for her till she was well enough to return to her normal life. Lashing out over her past actions did no one any good. She needed quiet to recuperate, not his jibes.
‘And what—’ she paused ‘—if I don’t get my memory back?’
Her chin tilted high and she stood taller, as if shoring up her defences against such a possibility. Angelo glimpsed fear in her eyes and felt the hard kernel of bitterness inside him melt a little. She was trying to be strong though she clearly feared the worst.
Angelo moved from behind the desk and walked towards her, stopping at arm’s length. ‘According to the doctor that’s extremely unlikely. He thinks that the best prescription for regaining your memory is rest and a lack of stress, both of which you can get here.’ He breathed deep. ‘I promise to be a better host and—’
‘There’s no need. I understand why you don’t like having me around.’
That wasn’t quite true. Mainly he’d prefer she’d never come. Yet part of him was fascinated and wanted to discover what it was about her that drew him so relentlessly.
‘I haven’t behaved well,’ he admitted, ‘and that pains me.’ He was a proud man but he’d been raised to be decent, not a bully. ‘Let me make it up to you. How about a truce? I’ll try to set the past aside and you try not to worry about the future and we’ll see how we go.’