‘That’s what you said,’ she cried joyfully.
She’d begun by meaning to repeat their first lovemaking as closely as possible, trying to jog his memory, but now there was another avalanche sweeping her away on a torrent of passion and all else was wiped out of her mind.
And then the sweetest thing of all happened. The old connection between their minds was there again, so that she knew what was taking place inside him as clearly as if it were in her own mind. He’d begun with caution, fearful of weakness in his damaged body, but when desire overtook him he forgot everything but the need to love her, claim her.
She gasped with pleasure as he took possession, and she knew him at once. In so many ways he was a stranger, but not now. This was the same man who had loved her two years ago. His touch was the same, his hot breath on her face, the feel of him between her legs, inside her, seeking, finding, demanding, giving.
As he finally drew away she wanted to cry aloud with triumph and delight. At their deepest, most intimate moments, Renzo had made love to her with the same tenderness and consideration she’d known in him before. Which meant that his true self was still there deep within, and only needed her to call him back to life.
Lying on his back, Renzo kept one hand on her body, unwilling to let go.
But she slipped away from him, out of bed, towards the window, opening the shutters just a little so that a soft light came into the room. It was just enough for him to see her there, a shadowy figure with an air of unreality. He held his breath as she moved towards him, swaying a little until she sat beside him on the bed.
She touched his chest where the scar was just visible, then lay across him so that her cheek was against it. Once he would have flinched from that contact, hating to be seen by someone who remembered him as he once had been. But with her there was no longer fear. There was only peace as the locked doors opened in his mind and he saw who was standing beyond them.
‘It was you,’ he murmured. ‘It was always you.’
‘Yes, it was always me.’
‘I told you that I loved you,’ he said, ‘and that I was glad to say it to you and nobody else, that it would always be you, for however long we had.’
‘Then you left me,’ she said, ‘and I thought it was for ever.’
Mandy lifted herself a little and looked down his length, smiling.
‘What are you thinking?’ he asked.
‘What do you think I’m thinking?’ she teased.
‘I never knew that, and I guess I never will.’
‘It wouldn’t be so hard to guess this time,’ she murmured provocatively.
‘Little cat,’ he said, seizing her and tossing her onto her back.
‘You guessed right.’ She chuckled.
Then speech faded and the only sound was a long sigh of satisfaction as she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him as close as she could, until they were both drained.
Despite his exhaustion, Renzo felt mysteriously flooded with strength, something he hadn’t known for two years and which he’d never expected to know again. At some time in the recent past there might have been pain, tension, misery, but he could no longer remember as he sank into sleep.
Somewhere on the edge of his consciousness there was a little black cat, not running away now, but contentedly licking its paws, with the air of a creature who’d come home.
They were awoken by the sound of the bedside telephone. Renzo answered and Mandy saw a horrified expression come over his face.
‘All right, I’ll be down fast,’ he said, getting out of bed. ‘That was Lucia. There are two men waiting in my office, with an appointment. I forgot. Look at the time. I’ll see you later.’
He gave her a quick kiss and vanished into his bathroom. Mandy gave a wry smile. She’d pictured their waking differently, perhaps as the moment she could tell him her secret. But she wasn’t entirely displeased to have this happen instead. She wondered when Renzo had last slept late and forgotten a business appointment. And the vigour in his movements as he headed for the bathroom suggested that he’d benefited from their night together.
As she gathered her things she noticed a photograph on a shelf by his bed, and wasn’t surprised to see Bruno’s face, its likeness to Danny even more pronounced.
She was humming as she gathered her things and headed for her own room.
Downstairs, she found Teresa in an impish mood, pouring coffee with an air of triumph. ‘I told Lucia not to disturb him,’ she said. ‘To hell with business. You’ll do him more good.’
‘Not if he loses a deal,’ Mandy remarked. ‘I hope you don’t get into trouble.’
‘That depends on you,’ Teresa said mischievously. ‘You be nice to him and he won’t be cross.’
When she’d finished breakfast there was still no sign of Renzo, so she collected some papers Ferrini had given her and took them out into the garden. The job was proving more rewarding than she’d feared and she read for an hour, although with half her mind she was wondering how Renzo was faring with his neglected clients.
In fact, he was doing well. If Mandy could have been a fly on the wall she would have appreciated the speed and efficiency with which he charmed them out of their annoyance, wrapped up a big order and sent them on their way. Then he went in search of her, quickly spotting her in the garden.
Something about the sight of her sitting in the sun made him smile. He was still smiling as he moved outside and stood beneath a tree, watching her.
Before he could speak, her cellphone rang. She answered, and immediately joy filled her face.
‘Hello, darling! Oh, how lovely to hear from you! I was about to call you, just to hear your voice. What’s that? Yes, I miss you too. I’m just longing for us to be together again-for always and always. I love you-if only you knew how much I love you. Do you love me? Truly? Say it again-just one more time.’
Renzo, hearing every word, watching her radiant with happiness, felt a slow death creeping inside him. He should move away. It was shocking to eavesdrop. Yet stone weights held him to the spot.
She laughed, and the sound went through him, ripping him apart as it went. Much worse was the way she threw back her head as though yielding to some blissful satisfaction.
In just such a way had she lain beneath him last night, her head tossed back in eager abandon, offering him her very vulnerability as a gift. How he had loved her for that! How easy it had been then to offer his own vulnerability in return, something he’d never done before in his life.
He’d trusted her. And all the time-
The thought that she’d seen him defenceless brought him so close to violent rage that he began to retreat into the shadows, desperate to get away lest he do her harm.
Mandy neither saw nor heard him. All her attention was for the phone and the gurgling voice of her son until the gurgles turned into a shriek of laughter, and Sue took his place.
‘He was talking to me,’ Mandy said. ‘Real words.’
‘Of course he was.’ Sue laughed. ‘I definitely heard “Duh” and “Ugh”.’
‘Oh, ye of little faith. He said he loved me, and then he said it again. Wait until you’re a mother, then you’ll know.’
‘I believe you. How are things going there? Have you told him yet?’
‘No, but I’m nearly there.’
They talked about domestic things for a while, then she hung up and sat contentedly, musing on her happiness. She was close-very close-to her heart’s desire.
Then, as she glanced around the courtyard, something strange happened. Although she was alone she had a sudden irrational conviction that somebody had been standing there beneath the tree. There was nobody there now, yet the conviction persisted.
She went inside to the kitchen, where Teresa was making more coffee.
‘Is Renzo still in the office?’ Mandy asked.
‘No, that’s him in the hall, heading upstairs,’ Teresa replied. ‘He seems to be in a rush.’
Running upstairs, Mandy saw Renzo’s bedroom door open. He was inside, sitting on the bed, and when he looked up she was shocked. His face was grey, tight and harsh.
‘Renzo, what is it? What’s happened?’
