‘Are you staying there now?’
‘We both are.’
His eyes flickered. There was a pause, and then he looked away from her and out of the window. It had been a tiny, involuntary gesture but Beth’s heart had flipped at exactly the same moment. Just the mention of sleeping arrangements fired a starting pistol in her head. Now all her senses were racing with the thought of sharing his apartment. Had Luca’s eyes betrayed the same feelings? Beth spent the rest of their journey wondering. Staying in Paris with Luca would be part dream, part nightmare. He was tantalisingly close, but every time she tried to make a move he shut her out. While he kept raising this invisible barrier between them, he could never be near enough for her.
When they reached the city, their limousine came to a halt in an exclusive arrondisement. Beth assumed it was something to do with traffic restrictions. When the chauffeur got out and opened the car door for her, it took a few seconds to realise they had arrived. Luca’s apartment was in one of the most beautiful avenues in the world—and one of the most expensive. When he joined her for the short walk across its wide pavement, he looked almost pleased. He ought to be, she thought as a uniformed commissionaire appeared at the doors of a tall, gracious building. Luca greeted him like a friend, and introduced Beth. The man looked momentarily surprised, but managed to hide it from his employer. Only Beth noticed, and it made her feel uneasy.
The marble entrance hall was tiled like a Roman villa, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with classical scenes. It didn’t feel like Luca’s style at all. Not that I know what that is any more, Beth thought. He’s a different man from the one I loved in Balacha. But then, the feelings she had were different, too. Her need for him had never changed, but now she was in awe of his success, and pleased at the way he had achieved it through his own hard work.
‘The apartment is divided in two—one half for working, the other for living.’ Luca explained as they headed towards the lift. ‘You can get to the offices from this lobby. And there’s a connecting door from my personal suite, too.’
There was that look in his eyes again—wary, and fleeting. He had been careful to turn away as he spoke, but Beth still saw it—or thought she did. She brushed a hand across her forehead, in case she was running a temperature. Her skin was cool to the touch. Her feelings were red-hot, but Luca remained as collected as ever. He ushered her into a glass-sided elevator and they were whisked up to a land of polished parquet floors and lush potted palms. Luca’s living rooms were airy, spacious and the last word in gracious living, but they lacked any personal touches. There were some exquisite pieces of antique furniture, and a small rainforest of greenery. But there were no photographs on the grand piano, or ornaments on the high marble mantelpieces. Floral arrangements burst like fireworks from the cold hearths and glass-topped tables. They made the room look beautiful, without feeling loved. Beth strolled over to the windows. Luca reached them first. Opening the French doors, he led her out onto a balcony.
‘Isn’t this view over the Avenue Foch wonderful?’ He gestured across at façades almost as grand as his own building.
‘You won’t be able to see it for much longer.’ Beth nodded towards the filigree of climbing roses trained up from big lead planters hemming the balcony. A few late lemon flowers billowed over the carefully colour co-ordinated petunias around their feet.
‘I need the countryside, and this is the nearest I can get to it.’ He pointed out over the iron railings. A wide expanse of grass separated them from the road. It was planted with street trees, but they were already losing their leaves. Stark skeletons would soon be all that stood between Luca and the city.
‘And I’ve never felt further away from Rose Cottage.’ Beth sighed.
‘This isn’t a place to feel gloomy.’
Luca’s rich Italian accent made his words sound almost caressing, but his expression was still guarded. ‘We’ll start work on your studies straight away. Then you won’t have time to be homesick, and you will be closer to starting your new career. The sooner that happens, the sooner you can pay off your debts and settle back in your very own house. That’s what you want, isn’t it?’
He managed a smile, and Beth wondered if she would ever be able to think of her decaying old home and do the same.
Luca worked her hard, but Beth was a willing slave. It was worth taking pages of notes, just for the pleasure of being with him. And it was not all work. His staff at the apartment packed them snacks of quails’ eggs, cheeses and fruit to keep up their strength between coffee breaks. When Luca wasn’t entertaining clients or being entertained, they jumped on and off almost every stop on the metro, visiting dozens of places, walking for miles, and idling over every salon in the Louvre. There, to her delight, Luca showed her the secret lives of paintings. In discovering why pictures looked as they did, she learned to stop hating everything she didn’t understand.
‘Always remember: not everyone shares your idea of what is beautiful,’ he told her. ‘When you are buying on behalf of clients, they look for value for money. Ask yourself if their investment is likely to increase.’
‘But I thought the first rule of buying art was to spend only what you could afford to lose?’
‘That’s gambling—something we never do at Francesco Fine Arts.’ Luca’s absolute honesty showed in his face. ‘Our clients are ready to spend vast amounts, in order to diversify their investment portfolios. FFA must find treasures worthy of them. It’s a tricky job, but satisfying when everything goes right. For example, last year I picked up a piece by a rising star for an internationally famous actor. Within months, publicity for the painter’s other work caused it to almost double in value.’
‘Who were you buying for?’ Beth looked into his face, desperate for clues. His smile gave nothing away.
‘That’s another important lesson for you, Beth. Absolute discretion is the way to gain a client’s trust, and their future business. Especially if they are a regular at the Oscars.’ He strolled over to a bench and sat down.
‘I used to be the first one who wanted to find a seat,’ Beth said as she followed him. Luca did not seem to have heard her.
‘It’s been a long day, Beth. You must have writer’s cramp from taking all those notes. I think we’ll head back to the apartment.’
They were on their way home along one of the grand boulevards when they passed a shop with hardly anything in the window. Beth knew the less there was on display, the more exclusive it was. She stopped. Luca strolled on a few paces before he realised she was no longer at his side.
‘What’s the matter?’ he frowned.
‘Come and look at this beautiful rug! Its design has all the tension and colour of Miro, but with the soft luxuriance of chenille. The contrast of modern style and retro fabric is amazing.’
Luca laughed. ‘You’re a quick study, aren’t you? No wonder you’ve made such a success of being Ben’s PA in so short a time.’
It was the first time Beth had seen him look really happy. She smiled, and for a fraction of a second they had something to share. But, elusive as a falling leaf, it was gone with the next breath. They looked away from each other, and Beth blushed in confusion. Everything felt so right—but only for an instant. Now they were two strangers looking in a shop window again.
From the corner of her eye, Beth saw Luca make a sudden movement. Without meaning to, she glanced at him. He was grimacing as though a sudden pain had gripped him. Realising she was looking, he focused his expression to impassive and slipped one hand inside his jacket.
‘It isn’t fine art, but if you really like it, Beth, I’m sure my accountants won’t mind.’
Pulling out his wallet, he headed into the shop. Beth chased after him.
‘You’d buy it for me?’ she gasped as he passed one of his credit cards to the watchful shop assistant.
‘Why not?’ He sounded surprised. ‘You’ve been working well, Beth. Call it encouragement, to keep you working just as hard in the future.’
‘Are you sure?’ she said as the assistant hesitated, looking from one to the other and back again. ‘I mean, I know you were pleased with the way I handled your party, but you don’t have to be quite so generous.’
‘Why not?’ Luca gazed at her as though he could hardly believe anyone would try and stop him spending money. ‘If money was no object to you, you’d buy it for yourself in a flash.’
‘I’d trample over any other customer to get it.’ Beth looked back at the window display, ravishing it with her eyes. ‘But you can’t buy me something like this! I’m only your PA.’
‘That’s true—but I’ve been watching the way you work.’ There was no flirtation in Luca’s expression, only his trademark honesty. Beth could hardly believe it. In the past their relationship had been one of extremes. He’d seduced her, he’d been angry with her, but he had never spoken to her like this before. It was as though he might be starting to believe in her ability to do something more than simply give and receive pleasure. ‘So if you want it, Beth, then it’s yours. I’d do exactly the same for Andria.’
She looked into his eyes, and saw it was true. Her heart sank. For a few precious seconds she had almost believed this might be a sign her romance with Luca could be rekindled. Now she saw his gesture for what it was—a present for a good employee.
While she was distracted, he let go of his plastic.
‘And I can think of it as an investment too, Beth. You’ll need something to furnish your prestige office, when you start your new career.’
The moment the assistant saw the name on his client’s card, he spoke into a discreet microphone beside the till. While Beth was still trying to work out if Luca’s latest comment was a compliment, the shop’s owner materialised. He smiled and bowed to them from behind the counter.
‘Signor Francesco! I was not aware you were due to visit us today?’ he said in a well-bred whisper. ‘If I had known, rest assured you would have been met at the door, as usual—’
‘Don’t worry, Pierre. We were just passing. This is an impulse buy.’ Luca smiled. The owner and his assistant relaxed instantly. Beth marvelled again at Luca’s knack of putting people at their ease, until he began to talk about delivery details.
He turned to look at Beth. ‘You can’t have it sent to Rose Cottage if you aren’t going to be there for months. Although…’ he tapped his fingers on the edge of the counter ‘…it might be better to have it sent straight to your rooms in the palazzo. Put a note with the delivery that it must be sent direct to the bridal suite at my Venice address, would you, Pierre?’
‘Ah—so congratulations are in order, Signor Francesco.’ The shop owner and his assistant smiled still more.
He laughed, dismissing their congratulations. ‘No—my colleague Beth is learning the business. I’m writing the cheques at the moment, as it’ll be a while before she can do it herself,’ Luca said smoothly. ‘And don’t bother logging this on the business account, Pierre. It’s a personal transaction.’
Beth went red-hot from top to toe. It was beginning to sound as though Luca really did believe she might make it one day. It was a lot to live up to, and it made her think.
‘You’ve gone very quiet,’ he said a while later as they waited on the platform of the metro.
‘My mind is spinning like a mouse on a wheel,’ she said, when she could find the words.
‘I can guess. As I said in the shop, you’ve been working hard today.’
He put his hand to her elbow. Beth looked up, and thought she saw a glow of real pride in his eyes. Then their train arrived, and he moved her to the edge of the platform. He was careful to make sure the doors did not close before she was safely on board. There was only one empty seat, which he gestured for her to take, standing himself. She felt as if he were protecting her, when really she knew he was only being a gentleman.
‘You must let me pay you back for the rug as soon as I can.’ She tried to recapture the moment as they were reunited on the Avenue Foch. He shook his head in a good-natured way.
‘You were such a fast learner when it came to style and substance, it was a pleasure to buy you something as a reward.’
‘And you don’t expect anything in return, Luca?’ she said slowly.
He did not look at her, so this time his eyes remained a mystery. But his voice was firm.
‘We have an agreement this trip is about work, and nothing else. You know you can always trust me, Beth.’
‘Of course I do. You’re the most honourable person I know.’
With no answer, he turned right away from her and pulled back the sleeve of his jacket. But instead of checking the time, he swore softly.
‘What’s the matter, Luca?’
‘I’ve lost my watch.’
He stopped and looked back along the wide avenue. ‘I had it when we left Pierre’s shop…’
Beth paused, recounting the last few minutes in her head. ‘Don’t worry. It can only have gone in the last hundred metres or so. I asked you the time before we agreed to stop at that magazine stand, remember?’
They started back along the pavement, scanning every centimetre. Beth had reached the knot of people jostling around the newsagent before turning to Luca, admitting defeat. ‘Sorry, but I can’t see it anywhere.’
‘Neither can I. There’s such a crowd here. I was distracted, so the strap might have broken at any time. It may even have been stolen,’ he finished grimly.
Beth shook her head. ‘That would be an awful thing to have happened! I’ll contact the police for you. There are plenty of honest people around, though, so if it fell off innocently, it might have been handed in. Let me have a description, and I’ll get onto it straight away.’
‘You know what my watch was like. Although you’re hardly in a position to buy me another one now.’ He almost smiled.
‘You mean it really is the same one I gave you, so long ago?’ Beth stared at him. ‘You’re still wearing it?’
‘It was a good watch. There’s no point in abandoning something that worked so well.’
‘No,’ Beth said thoughtfully.
CHAPTER EIGHT
LUCA was silent all the way back to the apartment. Beth was worried. She had a plan in mind. It seemed to have got off to a good start, but now she was beginning to have second thoughts.
‘I’m really sorry about your watch, Luca.’
‘It doesn’t matter.’
She relaxed, at least for a moment. Luca could have afforded every watch in any jeweller’s showroom they passed, yet he hadn’t considered stopping to buy a new one. Could she dare to hope that it held more than just monetary value for him?
She looked up at him and said, ‘All the diaries are flagged up with reminders, and cross-referenced. You can leave everything to me, Luca. It’s my job to make sure you never miss anything.’
‘I miss my watch,’ he joked sardonically.
They walked on in silence. She noticed he still kept moving his right hand toward his left sleeve, but each time he remembered a little bit sooner. She might have smiled, but something else concerned her.
‘Are you sure there’s nothing else wrong, besides your watch?’ she said eventually. ‘You look as though you’ve got a lot of things on your mind, Luca.’
‘I’m fine,’ he said, but did not look at her.
When they reached his building, he went straight towards the door leading to his office complex.
‘You can finish work now, Beth, but I must check my e-mails and log into the FFA computer system. Business doesn’t stop just because I’m not there to deal with it in person. But, of course, you’ll want to go out after dinner—to take in a show, or something.’
He glanced at her then, and managed a half-smile. Beth almost laughed with relief. She was keen to ease all the tension that was so visible in his face. Some time off together might help.
‘Marie is the name of the girl in charge of the social side here. Let her know what you would like to do, and she’ll ar
range it for you—’
Beth sighed. Once again he had considered her—but not in the way she desired. ‘No, thank you, Luca.’
It was all too obvious he expected her to go out on her own. He didn’t intend taking her anywhere himself.
Disappointed but unable to give up, Beth tried again. ‘I really don’t fancy going out a second time today, Luca. I’d much prefer a quiet evening here.’ Together, she added silently.
He gave her a penetrating stare.
‘Now it’s my turn to ask if you are all right, Beth?’
‘I’m just a bit tired, that’s all. It’s been a hectic few days for me, rounded off with this route-march around the wonders of Paris. What I’d like more than anything else would be to stretch out and relax in my room for a while.’ With you beside me, her body begged. She ached to invite him, but could not bear to risk her feelings being trampled. He had refused her often enough over the past few days. She couldn’t bear to be rejected again. It would spoil everything. At least if she kept her dreams to herself, she could hang onto them for a little while longer.
Beth went straight to her room. She was so tired and disappointed she could no longer enjoy the cool, impersonal beauty of her suite. She wandered from its cream drawing room to the marble and silver wet room in a daze. Stripping off her clothes as though they were as heavy as her heart, she switched on the shower. She expected it to wake her up, but it had the opposite effect. Later as she towelled her hair dry her eyes began drooping. Switching on the sound system, she selected some Mozart and settled at her desk with a workbook of nineteenth-century designs. It was all very interesting, but the sunshine was so low and bright it made her squint, and while her eyes were half shut they decided to go the whole way and then—and then—
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