by C. M. Bryden
It was going to be a special evening for them all, something Jake suddenly realised he should have organised in the first place, finally understanding he should have had the good sense to introduce Jane to his family first, before rushing her into marriage. Had he done so he wouldn’t be facing problems now! But then we are all guilty of hindsight, and Jake was no exception.
With everything nearly ready for the evening’s meal, Sara was also looking forward to meeting the woman who’d finally captured her brother’s heart. Determined to make a favourable first impression she intended wearing a short linen dress in white. Knowing it would enhance her tan and show off her long, shapely legs. Her dark hair she left free; tumbling over her shoulders, making her look even younger and vibrant, exactly as Jane had first seen her at the restaurant when she’d presumed her to be Jake’s lover!
Having made sure everything was as near to perfect as he could make it, Jake waited in the reception lounge for Jane and Jessie to appear.
Jessie was the first, followed a few minutes later by Jane. As she walked into the room, Jake’s heart filled with his love for her. She looked so beautiful, stunningly so, yet there was something about her demeanour that was different. He couldn’t define what it was, but there was definitely an aura of mystery about her he’d never seen before.
Jane knew she looked good. Once Jake had left her she’d slept for a while, exhausted by their lovemaking, then later, after showering and washing her hair, which now looked like polished mahogany, burnished and gleaming under the soft glow of small lights placed strategically around the room.
She carefully applied her make-up, hoping to hide any vestige of her underlying nervousness. After turning her face into a sensual mask, she donned the emerald green silk trouser suit, a perfect foil for her colouring and, with a final mirror check and trembling slightly, she was ready to face her new family.
Jake walked across the room to meet her, looking straight into her eyes, trying to read what was behind them and failing miserably. He lifted her small and delicate hands to his lips, kissing them lightly aware she wore no rings and wondered why not?
Hand kissing, was a continental gesture Jane thought enchanting, even though it made her want to giggle, but that was no more than a nervous reaction. As for Jake, he looked suave and sophisticated in his formal dinner suit, so different from the man she thought she knew in London.
A few minutes later, a lady entered the room, followed by an aristocratic looking man being pushed in a wheelchair by a male porter. Jane knew immediately the woman, elegantly dressed in a dark blue silk dress and jacket was Jake’s mother; he’d inherited not only her good looks, but also her colouring; amber eyes and dark hair, speckled with silver threads. Taking Jane by the hand, he walked her across the room to introduce the two women he loved to each other.
Not until his mother and Stefano had finished welcoming Jane into the family, with much kissing and gesticulating, as only an Italian family can do, did Sara move out of the shadows and step forward.
Jane gasped, immediately recognising the young woman standing in front of her. Her first instinct was to slap the young woman’s face, believing her to be her love rival, but at the same time her heart leapt, her stomach recoiling with jealousy, faced as she was with Jake’s lover, looking even younger in the flesh than when Jane had first seen her!
For a moment she was dumbstruck, wanting only to ask why she was being introduced to his mistress, but the words never left her mouth. She was vocally paralysed, her indignation and temper rising as colour flamed her throat and cheeks. Just as suddenly, her colour drained away, leaving her pale and drawn. In her confused state Jane was even more shocked when, to her utter surprise, Jake introduced the young woman as his sister!
A mass of emotions flooded over her and, for a few moments she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, until at last his words penetrated her fogged brain. Was it true? Did she really hear Jake say the young woman was his sister? She couldn’t be sure. The young woman stood in front of her with Jake’s arm around her shoulders, both looking anxiously at her.
‘This minx has,’ said Jake, ‘unknowingly been the cause of some grief to both of us.’ He looked deeply into Jane’s eyes, willing her to understand.
For a moment or two Jane looked away, trying to control her emotions, unsure of herself, at the same time ashamed, as she realised she’d made a big mistake in her misjudgement of her husband!
It was then Jane saw Sara for what she was, a young woman, barely out of her teens and certainly not her husband’s mistress! How could she have thought Jake had been unfaithful to her? She’d done him a great injustice and, for the first time, she realised just how foolish she’d been, jumping to conclusions without any evidence, except that of her own vivid imagination.
In a conciliatory gesture Sara didn’t quite understand at first, Jane reached out and drew the young woman into her arms, kissing her gently on both cheeks, her gesture speaking volumes, as she told the young woman how happy she was to meet her and, truthfully, how she’d always wanted a sister. It was at that moment their friendship was sealed; from then on, Sara became one of Jane’s most fervent admirers and later, her champion.
With the introductions made, Jake’s mother led the way into the private dining room, with Stefano following in his wheelchair and with Jake keeping a tight hold on Jane’s arm, afraid she would vanish from his sight if he let her go.
The meal that evening was everything Jane expected of a high-class restaurant serving discerning diners. All the courses were divine; with all the specialities of the region cooked and served to perfection and served with Stefano’s finest wines. When she commented to Jake on the lavishness of the meal he assured her this was just an everyday meal they served to the cliental, at which Jane raised her eyes and made no comment. This certainly was fine dining at its best and, if this was the normal quality of the food, and the manner in which it was served, then she would have to give the restaurant her highest accolade when it came to assessing it, if that was what she was still expected to do, having seen through the ruse that had brought her and Jessie here.
After they’d eaten and the table had been cleared, Stefano made a speech welcoming Jane and Jessie to his home and to Italy, his words allaying some of Jane’s fears as he extolled Jake’s virtues, with much laughter from those at the table who knew him well, with a wink in her direction and the comment that a favourable report on the complex would be in her interest as well as his!
Jake had found Jane’s hand under the cover of the tablecloth and squeezed it; he didn’t care personally whether the report was good or bad, especially as it had merely been a ruse to get her to come out to Italy. As it had had the desired effect, that was all that mattered to him. Now she was with him and it was his intention for her to be back in his arms later, where she belonged and, whatever had happened to cause a rift between them he intended to erase from her mind, in the only way he knew how? He’d made no mention of spending the night with her, but it was obvious from the attention he gave her for the rest of the evening, and how he’d held her arm as he’d escorted her and Jessie to their rooms it was his intention to do just that.
As they entered her room, Jane’s body ached with her desire for him. Without any preamble, Jake had taken her into his arms. A frisson of excitement rushing through her as he started to kiss her, his devoted attention during the meal and afterwards had fuelled her emotionally, leaving her more than ready to participate in making love. Jake was quite sure his emotions were as high as hers as they lusted after each other’s bodies, exactly as it had been on their wedding night, both ready and primed for their familiar coupling. They were sexually compatible, with the instinctive coming together of two animals, desperate only to satisfy their primeval sexual urges, and again with no words of love spoken by Jake.
Jake held her close as he started to kiss her. At the same time, she was discreetly trying to undo the safety pin holding the waistband of her trousers closed
. As she released the pin, so her trousers fell down, landing in a silken heap on the floor around her ankles, leaving Jake slightly amazed at the speed of her reaction to him. He didn’t question it though, merely helping her to remove the rest of her clothes, along with his own, amazed at his dexterity in undoing hooks and eyes.
Once they were both naked, he lifted her effortlessly onto the bed, where he stared down at her, his eyes hungry for the sight of her, his hands roaming over her lush breasts and her slightly swollen belly, until he reached the reddish mound that lay between her legs. Tenderly he traced his way, caressing her with gentle fingertips, engrossed in her body as she was with his, until, at her insistence, Jake finally entered her, climaxing together, with Jane moaning her satisfaction.
They slept that night in each other’s arms and, for the first time in weeks, Jane felt her body relax as she slept soundly, unaware as dawn broke of Jake kissing her gently before leaving the bed, pulling a lightweight cover over her naked body.
He had much to do that morning and, because of this, he didn’t witness his wife’s early morning sickness. By the time she saw him again, much later in the day, she’d recovered and, once again, Jake was unaware of his impending journey into fatherhood.
Jane and Jessie spent most of the morning viewing the hotel, along with the barns and outbuildings already converted into suites and then, after a light lunch, and a short siesta, they viewed the grounds. From a business point of view, they’d done most of the preliminary work, discussing their findings and agreeing this was a very special place. By then it was time for them to return to their rooms to change and dress for yet another special dinner Jake’s mother had organised.
Laura had interrupted them during the afternoon to remind them of the dinner they were having that evening. This was to be a special meal for her and Stefano’s friends, as well as their business associates. It was also to celebrate Jane and Jake’s marriage. It wasn’t going to be too formal an occasion, but dressing up would be expected.
All Jane really wanted was a shower, and to cool down after spending the day in the sun, and then to curl up in bed after a light supper and sleep, but she knew this wasn’t going to be an option that evening. She did manage a short rest though before dressing, trying to cover her tiredness with extra make-up but even that didn’t completely hide how she was feeling.
Laura commented when she saw them, on how tired the two young women were looking, leaving Jane to answer they were unused to working in such heat, hoping she would understand if they retired to their beds as soon as was decently proper!
There’d been no sign of Jake all day. Apparently he’d been collecting supplies from the nearby villages, or so his mother had told them, assuring Jane he would be back in time for the planned meal, but by the time Laura began to introduce Jane and Jessie to the guests who had already arrived there was still no sign of Jake.
Jane was talking to one of the local dignitaries when suddenly she felt queasy and began to wonder if she should make a hasty exit to the nearest bathroom, but the feeling passed, as suddenly as it started. When next she looked up, Stefano, in his wheelchair, had come into the room with Jake at his side.
The talk in the dining room that evening was animated. Mostly led by Laura who was excited by Jake’s marriage to Jane, who she’d taken an instant liking to. She was bobbing from one group of guests to another, talking of Jane, who was, in her opinion, the ideal woman for her beloved son, unable to resist taking the opportunity to say so to those gathered there that evening.
As soon as they’d finished eating, Laura stood up and proposed a toast to the happy couple. After wishing them much happiness, she suddenly stopped, and laughed. Her dream, she told all the startled guests, was for them to have lots of babies. Jane gulped at her words; quickly looking across at Jessie and then at Jake, who had an expression on his face she couldn’t fathom. His mother continued talking, blithely unaware of the thunderous expression on her son’s face.
‘Don’t keep me waiting too long for a grandchild!’ She babbled, looking directly at Jake. ‘I don’t want to be too old to have fun with your little ones. I don’t want to be the sort of grandmother who can only sit and watch rather than one who can run around and play games with them!’
Jake didn’t look at Jane before he rose to speak, had he done so, he might have given his mother a different answer.
‘Jane and I don’t want any babies at the moment, thank you mother. We’re both too involved with our careers to even think about having children!’
Laura laughed, ignoring her son’s remark, but Jane couldn’t ignore it. Jake had just said he didn’t want babies! To her dismay, she felt her bile rise up in her throat and then, just as suddenly, she was gripped by a pain, so intense and savage it brought tears to her eyes as she clutched at her stomach in agony.
Jessie had been intent on watching the faces of the guests and their reaction as Laura had spoken and just happened to glance across at Jane, wanting to see her reaction at her mother-in-law’s gaffe. She suddenly saw her friend’s face mould into a grimace, as she struggled to cope with the pain racking her body.
Unable to believe her eyes, Jessie watched as Jane struggled to get to her feet, just managing to put down the glass she’d been holding as she pushed her chair away from the table in her effort to stand up.
The next minute, Jessie saw her double up as another excruciating spasm of pain rushed through her; the next minute, before anyone could stop her Jane had fallen in a heap at Jake’s feet.
Near panic ensued in the room as those around her gasped, realising what had happened. A hush fell over the room, broken only by Laura shouting for someone to help, and then Jake shouting back he was quite capable of seeing to his wife himself. Jane lay still on the floor, the pain receding just for a moment, before another, and even more intense pain took its place and overtook her senses, obliterating everything else from her mind, even the loud voices of those who had rushed to her side; a pack of over excited Italians wanting to help, but getting in the way. Jake tried to help her to her feet but it was impossible. Instead, he shoved one of his mother’s friends out of the way and scooped her up in his arms. Jessie by now was scared and alarmed. For a moment, she thought Jane had died, she looked so pale and, from the look on Jake’s face, he thought so too. His eyes were glittering with unshed tears, his emotions and love obvious to everyone in the room as he held Jane close to his chest. Suddenly, Jane opened her eyes and moaned and, to no one in particular, Jake called for someone to call a doctor. All this happened in seconds but at the time seemed like forever to Jessie, who could only stand and watch.
This was the instruction needed to get the family galvanised into action and, within seconds, Laura was on the phone calling the local doctor.
With Jessie following closely behind, Jake carried Jane through into her bedroom where, with Jessie’s help, he began undoing her clothes, removing some; even to Jessie’s untrained eyes it was obvious Jane was about to lose her baby, and then she had the sudden thought that perhaps Jake didn’t know he was an expectant father, especially as only minutes ago he’d told the audience he didn’t want children just yet! No man, knowing he was to become a father could possibly have been as stupid as that, or could he? But of course Jake didn’t know!
Jane was too engrossed in her own pain to tell Jake what was wrong with her; as for Jessie, she was too cowardly!
By the time the local doctor arrived, Jane had been extreme discomfort for some time. After his initial examination, the doctor spoke to Jake, who’d never left Jane’s side. ‘Your wife must go to hospital immediately.’
Jake was baffled as to why Jane had to be admitted, unaware she was miscarrying his child.
‘Is that really necessary?’ He asked. ‘Surely you can just give her something to ease the pain?’
‘I’m afraid not. Your wife needs an operation. She is, as you know pregnant, but I believe it to be an ectopic one and sadly, she is now in the process of abortin
g the child. I must get her into hospital as there is nothing more I can do for her here.’
Jake was stunned. Jane was pregnant and he hadn’t known. She hadn’t thought him worthy enough to tell him he was to be a father! Suddenly he felt as though his heart had been wrenched out of his chest. Why had he been so convinced his marriage to Jane was safe when she obviously didn’t want him to be the father of their child? But then perhaps he wasn’t the father: maybe it was Leo, her man friend? Taking him by the arm, the doctor said ‘I think it would be for the best if you drove your wife to the hospital. I will call and tell them to prepare for an emergency operation and I will follow you in my car.’
Jake nodded his head, an expression on his face like thunder, he asked Jessie to help Jane and, with no further comment, he went to get the hotel’s people carrier ready.
With Jessie’s help, Jake manoeuvred Jane into the vehicle, where she could lay down with more ease. With Jessie sitting beside her, and holding her head on her lap, smoothing her hair, the small convoy made its way to the hospital where Jane was operated on within the hour.
Jake sat and waited as Jane lost their baby, without her knowing the torment he was in, only returning to the hotel as soon as Jane had recovered from the operation and was sleeping, telling Jessie he would return to collect her and Jane as soon as the doctors would allow her to travel.
In the meantime, he arranged for Jessie to be given a single room next to Jane’s, to be on hand should she want anything.
Jane recovered slowly over the next few days. Jake’s absence from her bedside only serving to strengthen her opinion his interest in her only lay in her body; convincing herself his thoughts of her were only when he wanted to satisfy his lustful urges!