Wife By Arrangement

She would have turned the moment aside with a laugh, but something in Renato’s manner stopped her. There was a strange intensity in his eyes.

‘Promise me, miu soru,’ he urged.

‘What was that you called me?’

‘Miu soru. It’s Sicilian. It means, “my sister”, for that’s what you must be now.’

‘And what is “my brother”?’

‘Miu frati. Promise your brother. Give him your word.’

There was something in his urgency that was as puzzling as his frown had been. ‘All right, I promise,’ she said. ‘Miu frati.’

‘Shake?’

‘Shake.’ Her hand was engulfed in his big one, and for a moment she could feel the power flowing through him, power that he’d just offered to put at her service.

‘And to show that I’m really your brother,’ he added, ‘may I give you away at your wedding?’

She was touched. ‘Thank you. That’s very kind.’

‘For my sister, nothing is too much,’ he said gravely, raising her hand and brushing his lips against the back of it. Suddenly a stillness came over both of them. It was so total that Heather could hear and feel her heart thumping. She had the odd sensation that the whole world was pulsing with it.

Abruptly, he released her hand. Heather stared at it, wondering what had happened. Why did she have this strange feeling that the world had changed, that the sun had grown dark and the heat more intense?

‘We should go back now.’ Renato’s voice was strange.

‘Yes,’ she replied, not knowing what she said.

But by the time they’d packed everything into the dinghy the brief sensation had passed and she was chiding herself for imagining things. The whole Martelli family had opened their arms to her in welcome, and the sensation was so unfamiliar that it was distorting her perceptions. As the little boat sped across the water the rushing wind blew the last crazy thoughts from her head.

CHAPTER FOUR

ON THE journey home Heather took a fascinated look at the stern, where a jet ski, big enough for two people, was fixed.

‘Would you care to try it?’ Renato asked.

‘I’d love to,’ she said eagerly.

Slowly the jet ski was winched down to the water. Renato leapt down and took the front seat, and Heather eased her way into the seat behind him. She had just time to wrap her arms about him before they roared away across the water. The speed, noise and vibration took her by surprise and she tightened her arms, turning her head sideways and pressing herself against Renato’s broad back.

‘All right?’ Renato roared back at her.

She could barely make out the words through the noise, but she yelled back, ‘Fine!’

It was true. The vibration was taking her over, coming up through every part of her flesh, her thighs, her stomach, her breasts where they were pressed against Renato’s back. The water rushed by, lashing her with white foam, whipping up her excitement in the most physically exhilarating experience of her life. Renato’s body was like a strong column in her arms. She clung onto him, eyes closed, relishing his warmth.

At last he slowed and brought the jet ski to a halt.

‘Wahooo!’ she cried.

‘You enjoyed it, then?’ he said, turning his head and grinning at her.

‘Oh, yes!’ she said happily. ‘Oh, yes, I did! Where are we?’ She caught sight of the boat, which looked tiny in the distance. ‘It’s miles away.’

‘These things travel very fast. Another few minutes and we’d have been out of sight of the boat.’

A mad impulse seized her. ‘Let’s!’

‘You want to go on?’

‘And on and on and on!’ she cried out, throwing her head back and carolling up to the sky.

‘Heather, what’s got into you?’ He was laughing, but he sounded half alarmed at something wild and uncontrolled about her.

‘Nothing. Everything. The whole world!’

‘I think we should go back.’

‘Never. I want to go forward. Start her up.’

‘Right!’ Something he’d heard in her voice got to him and he kicked the engine into life, swinging away towards the horizon, then driving forward across the endless water.

Soon the Santa Maria was out of sight. For some reason Heather found that knowledge thrilling, as though she had cut loose from all safety and restraint in a way she’d never felt able to do in her life before. The sense of freedom was mindblowing. She unwrapped her arms from Renato’s body and rested her hands lightly on his shoulders. Now she felt quite safe this way. She was invincible. Nothing could happen to her.

But the next moment they swerved sharply. Caught off guard, she tried to grip his shoulders more tightly, but it was too late. There was nothing to hold onto, and then she was flying through the air to land in the water with a crash.

At this speed it was like slamming into a brick wall. For a dreadful moment everything went black. She was half unconscious, sinking, sinking into the depths that went on for ever, and the horror was engulfing her. Somehow she managed to fight back to the surface, but she was still dizzy and fighting for consciousness. Through water-logged eyes she glimpsed Renato speeding away from her, unaware that she’d vanished. She screamed after him, knowing he couldn’t hear her. Then she was sinking again, into deep, deadly water, and despair.

She fought back up again, but she knew she could drown before he even knew that she’d gone. When he returned it would be too late. She felt her consciousness start to fade as weights dragged her down for the last time, and the world grew darker…

The arms that seized her seemed to come from nowhere. She could see nothing, but she could feel herself being forced upwards. There was light above, air, gasping relief. She had her arms about Renato’s neck, clinging to him.

‘I looked back and you were gone,’ he said, his voice hoarse with fear. ‘What happened-?’

‘I don’t know-I can’t-’

‘Never mind. Thank God you’re safe.’

The jet ski was a little way off, having stopped when he dived into the water for her. Now he swam over, using his one free arm, and clambered aboard, keeping firm hold of her with one hand. Then he hauled her up in front. ‘I want you where I can see you,’ he growled. ‘You vanished beneath the water-and I didn’t know where to look.’

His horror matched her own. She clung to him, trembling violently. ‘I thought nobody would ever find me,’ she gasped.

‘It’s all right, hold onto to me. Hold on tightly to-’ a shudder racked him ‘-to your brother.’

He made a moderate pace back to the ship, with Heather sitting sideways, clinging onto him. She was beyond thought. She just didn’t want to let him go. Her consciousness was coming and going in waves. At last she felt herself being hauled aboard, then Renato lifting her and carrying her below to her cabin, then darkness.

When she awoke, Angie was there with her.

‘Hello,’ her friend said, smiling. ‘Surprised to see me? Renato called Bernardo on his mobile, and asked him to bring me to the harbour. I came on board a couple of minutes ago. Trust you to get in the wars.’

Heather was recovered enough to say wickedly, ‘I hope you weren’t interrupted at too difficult a moment.’