“So you and her never…”
“No! Only in her warped fantasies, and then when she saw our wedding pictures it must have sent her right over the top. She lost it completely.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “But, even though she’s out of the picture now, I have to tell you that the recent property acquisitions you mentioned are all down to me personally.”
“I knew it.” Helen slumped down onto the bale of hay with the cat box on it and put her head in her hands.
“I’ve bought all fifty square miles of the estuary land, except Primrose Farm.”
She felt sick. “And you plan on getting it any way you can presumably?”
“No.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I don’t want your farm, I never have, and I’ll do everything to make sure that it will be here forever, for all future Marshall generations.”
“You’re confusing me now. Is this some sort of warped bargain? Stay out of my life, keep your mouth shut, and I won’t take your home away from you?”
He suddenly had a look of total desperation about him. “Please believe me. I had no idea about the extent of the marina development because it was a subsidiary project. I can’t sign every document personally, and it appears I was deliberately not informed about this proposal. Skiptree and her cronies were handling all the UK deals as subcontractors. As I’ve said, I’ve made sure heads will roll because of it. If I’d known, I’d have vetoed the whole idea. I really like your parents, and I’d never destroy all this.”
Helen felt a sad smile forming and she gestured to the rust and cobwebs and general mess that was most definitely not in the style of the house of Almanza. “All this, you say? This tumbledown little old farm? I wish I could believe it was true, Ricardo, I really do.”
“I’m not lying!”
Helen felt very weary. “So the fifty square miles. What are you going to do with all that? Are you planning on a constructing a new town or something? You could call it Almanzaville and surround Primrose Farm with skyscrapers if the planners let you. And they would let you, because you have plenty of money to grease the right palms.”
“I heard this morning that I’ve secured permission to create a wildlife sanctuary with supporting infrastructure. No yachts, but a few canoes. No jets, but a lot of bird boxes. And places for children to play and families to spend time together. No casinos, nightclubs, or bars.”
“Why?”
“Because I want us to stay as man and wife.”
“But you don’t believe in marriage.”
“I didn’t.”
“So what’s changed?”
“I’ve changed. You’ve made it happen, turned my world upside down and inside out and then kicked it in the balls.” He thrust his hand underneath his armpits as if he was shivering with cold. “I thought I had my life all sorted, all tidied away in neat little boxes and then you happened. I’ve changed my mind. I think being married to you is wonderful and I don’t want it to end. I want it to get better and better. I know it will. I want us to grow old together and be happy, be happy like your parents are.”
Helen’s head was beginning to spin, so much was happening. Her brain couldn’t process it all. “You said you were bringing the divorce forward the last time we were together!”
“I was angry and hurt! You were shunning me, and my plans to ask you to marry me properly were all over the place. You were being impossible and I wasn’t able to control the situation. I couldn’t get you to do what I wanted you to without…telling you how I felt. I wasn’t brave enough to risk everything, by opening myself up completely.”
Helen heard a strange noise come out of her mouth, half whisper, half sob. She felt as if she was being sucked down a plughole, helpless, disorientated. Her world was at a tipping point. She could cling on, but she had to do the right thing. “I’m not pregnant, Ricardo. There’s no baby, you don’t have to say these things. You don’t need to pretend. We can get divorced just like you’d always planned.”
“Not pregnant?” His eyes seemed to grow darker against his paling skin. “I’m confused.”
“No pregnancy, no baby, no need to be nice about this anymore.”
“But why?”
“But why did my mum tell you I was?” She let out a sad laugh. “I’m not really sure. Wishful thinking, perhaps? Trying to get us back together the only way she could think of?”
“I see.”
“I’m sorry you had to come all this way to hear the truth.” She shrugged and watched herself push some damp hay around with the toe of her boot. “And that you got a good soaking in the process.”
She saw his hand reach out to her from the corner of her eye and then she felt him gently grip her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered.
Holding back the tears was becoming painful. She needed to get away from him before she dissolved. “I’ll go fetch you a dry towel and a hot drink before you go.”
“It doesn’t matter about the baby.” His hand went to her chin and lifted her face to look at him. “It’s you I want. A baby would be amazing, and I can’t pretend I’m not disappointed, but I’d have come to fetch you soon anyway.”
“Honestly?”
“I love you, Helen. That’s what it all boils down to. I love you and I was too scared to say it in Spain, but now I have to if I stand any chance of getting you back, of persuading you to stay married to me. I don’t want anything to come between us ever again.” His voice grew hoarse as his hands dropped to his side and he took a step closer. “I want to help make your dreams come true.”
Helen’s head was spinning. “I don’t know what to say.”
Ricardo’s breath was visible in the cold damp air, little clouds of hope and despair. “You left these behind,” he said unfolding his long fingers to reveal two rings. “Will you put them on again? Will you be my wife? Properly this time? We can have a proper church blessing if you like with confetti, cameras, a thousand guests.”
“You just said you loved me.”
“I did. I do. I love you.”
Helen’s shoulders began to shake with emotion. “That’s bloody amazing!”
“It’s scaring the hell out of me.”
“Why?”
His fingers closed around the rings and formed a tight fist. “Because I don’t know how I’m going to make you love me back. I don’t think even another million euros is going to make that happen. I’m scared I can never be enough for you.”
She let out a ragged breath and grabbed the collar of his leather jacket. “Save your pennies, banker boy.”
She’d never seen him look so completely shocked. His voice was low and serious. “What do you mean?”
Helen touched her fingers to his mouth and pulled him closer. “I love you too, you rich sod.” She took his empty hand, unfurled his fingers and then threaded them through hers. “And all I want is you and our future together. It’s all I’ll ever want.”
Ricardo untangled their fingers and slid the rings back on to her left hand. “So it’s official now. You’re my wife to have and to hold forever.”
“Do the lawyers need to draw up another addendum to cover this unusual and unexpected turn of events? Like how many sons I have to provide you with?”
He laughed and raindrops fell from his hair onto her nose. “No more bloody lawyers. Ever. And daughters will be fine.”
“What if we can’t…you know?”
“Then we’ll have a lot of fun trying.” He pulled her closer to him. “There’s nothing wrong with just you and me, Helen. I’ll do everything I can to make things perfect for you. Whatever you want, I’ll try to give you, I promise.”
Helen looked down at her left hand, still held in his and she believed him. “The rings are tighter than they were. All that gorgeous food and wine you stuffed me with in Spain. No wonder Mum convinced herself I was pregnant. I’ve come back at least half a stone heavier.”
“And you look all the more gorgeous for it.” He rubbe
d the back of his hand over her tummy and grinned. He brushed the water from her face and kissed her on the nose. “We’ll have the rings altered. You can have a new set every year if you like. Or month or week, just so long as you say you’ll stay my wife. I love you, and I can hardly dare to believe that this time it’s for real.”
“It always was real for me, the way I feel about you. I think I fell in love with you the first time I looked into your eyes and thought I was about to die. In a sort of way I did, because I’m in heaven now.”
“Yes,” he lowered his mouth to brush hers. “Amen to that.”
Epilogue
“What a difference a year makes.”
Helen snuggled into Ricardo as they leaned against an old apple tree in the farmyard. She loved being tucked under his arm and the feeling of protection it evoked. “Primrose Farm has changed so much—it looks clean, tidy, lucrative…”
Ricardo laughed. “Yes, thank God. This time last year I was doing a good impression of a drowned rat, remember? A muddy, miserable drowned rat.”
“A bit like that lot over there.” She nodded toward a group of bedraggled-looking individuals sipping hot punch on straw bales by a blazing fire pit. “Delegates from the latest corporate team-building course, Mum said. Bright young things all wanting to work in luxury yacht charter.”
“That’s one way of getting used to being damp all the time, I guess.” He kissed her on the forehead and shuddered. “Rather them than me. They look shattered.”
“So would you after two days living rough in the New Forest trying to prove your worth,” she said with a chuckle. “They usually come back so cold and hungry. They eat anything put in front of them apparently.”
“Signature steak pie and cabbage?”
“No! These companies pay so well that the residential courses are fully catered once they get back to base. There’s a professionally staffed kitchen in the new barn conversion over there.”
Ricardo looked over his shoulder to where she was pointing. “That decrepit barn. It’s got a new roof.”
“And proper windows. And two floors with bedrooms and a huge communal living area. Who’d have thought it was possible?” She could hardly believe how much the architectural transformation of the old building still thrilled her.
He smiled down at her mischievously. “Those contractors of mine did work hard pulling this place out of the muck, didn’t they?”
“You paid them ludicrously well to get it all done in less than twelve months so we could go on holiday, you mean!”
“You were adamant about that as I recall, madam.”
“I needed to see the new ventures up, running, and making a profit before I could enjoy myself. I needed closure on all the bad stuff that happened here. Needed to make sure Mum and Dad were looked after before starting my new life as Mrs. Almanza. I’m so grateful you understood that without me having to spell it out.”
“I would have done exactly the same, and you’ve done a brilliant job of managing the project in the last year. You should be very proud.” He squeezed her shoulder. “And now I have you all to myself again at last, but you do need to know that your mum’s not very happy about where I’m taking you next week. I’ve had her on the phone again.”
“You are joking?”
“No.”
“I’ll talk to her.” She sighed. “Mum knows I’ve always dreamed of going to Leptis Magna and Persepolis. They’re two of the most amazing archaeological sites discovered in the last hundred years. I had pictures of them cut out from magazines all over my room as a teenager.”
Ricardo shot her a wry look. “Unfortunately, she’s just discovered they’re located in Libya and Iran.”
“I knew giving my parents a computer to play with was a mistake! Too much information. The pair of them are Google-mad these days.” She smiled and looked down at her shoes for a moment. “This trip means so much to me. It’s another dream about to come true. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”
“You’re my wife.” He shrugged. “And it’s only money.”
“I know, but still.”
“What I’d really like to see is your parents coming back from their long-awaited second honeymoon. The world’s just waiting for them now there’s an estate team running the events and farm shops. The money’s pouring in. It’s time they took it easy. They don’t have to be slaves to the farm anymore.”
“It’ll happen, don’t worry. Mum’s raring to go, but Dad’s finding it hard to hand over complete control, like someone else I know.”
“Excuse me! This is the new Ricardo Almanza you’re talking to here. The loving husband who’s delegating all his business interests to scrabble around some ancient ruins with his bossy wife for six months.”
“So you’ll be leaving your smart phone and tablet behind?”
“That would be reckless.” He jerked his chin upwards and stared into the middle distance. “I have your safety to consider, and communication with our security team must be maintained at all times. I promised your mother.”
Helen elbowed him in the ribs and chuckled. “Conspiring behind my back again, eh? Cooking up deals with the She-Devil of homemade raspberry jam?”
“It’s a simple strategy. You both get what you want and then it’s my turn. In six months we start on my dreams.” His expression became serious. “That’s still the deal, right? You haven’t changed your mind?”
“Are you mad? Of course not. I’m as excited about developing that old Spanish estate as you are. The vineyards, olive groves, almond and orange trees in the back garden and…”
“And?”
Helen felt herself blush as his golden eyes burned into her. Ricardo still had the ability to make her heart rate triple with just one look. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And then starting a family.”
He brushed a strand of hair away from her smiling face. She seemed to grow more beautiful by the day, and in that brief moment he felt more vulnerable than he ever had. “I love you, Mrs. Almanza, do you know that?”
“Do I get that in writing?”
“Seriously, it’s so real it hurts.” He lifted her left hand to his lips and kissed the tip of her ring finger. “Don’t ever leave me, Helen.”
“As if. I love you too and you know it.” Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. “Besides, it’s too late. The deal’s been made, so you’re stuck with me now.”
He threaded his fingers through hers and gripped her hand tightly. “For better or for worse?”
“For good.”
Acknowledgments
Thanks go to …
Colin for being my rock, tolerating my obsessions and pairing up the socks.
Rebecca for teaching herself to cook, making sure I shut the front door and being so beautiful.
Joseph for not minding when I forget things, making me laugh and jumping in puddles.
The fabulous team at Entangled publishing, producing wonderful books and very happy authors. You guys work so hard.
About the Author
Rachel writes full-time when her children are at school, but is still proud of her law degree and accountancy qualifications. She has worked in the space industry, pharmaceuticals, insurance, a supermarket, a bus station, a railway depot, and a lingerie department. She lives with her daughter, son, and The Exec in Fareham, Hampshire, on the south coast of England and can sometimes smell the sea from her back garden. When not working, her hobbies include rummaging through antique shops, talking to her chocolate brown Rex rabbit and popping into Sainsbury’s. She also has a fondness for wine and expensive lipstick. Rachel loves to hear from readers. Visit her at http://rachellyndhurst.blogspot.com.
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