The Italian’s Rightful Bride by Lucy Gordon

The merest country bumpkin would have known better than I did.’
    She held her breath, knowing what it must cost him to reveal himself like this, praying not to spoil everything by a clumsy word.
    â€˜You’ve really been through the mill, haven’t you?’ she asked.
    He shrugged.
    â€˜Don’t you have friends you can talk to?’
    â€˜There’s nobody I can admit all this to, the way I can to you. You’re the only person in the world who could understand because you saw things nobody else saw. We haven’t seen each other for twelve years, yet in an odd way you know me better than anyone alive.’
    He passed his hand over his eyes.
    â€˜Perhaps that’s why I came running after you. I need to be with you, talk to you, even lean on you. That isn’t very dignified, I know—’
    â€˜Why does it have to be dignified?’ she said urgently. ‘Why can’t you ask for my help if you need it? I’m yourfriend, Gustavo, and if my friendship can help you then it’s there.’
    She took his hand. ‘Talk to me, Gustavo. Tell me all the things you’ve been hiding away under that tightly buttoned-down exterior of yours. Because if you don’t let them out soon, you’ll go crazy.’
    Joanna had a sudden sense of standing at a crossroads, of being given back the chance she’d overlooked years ago: the chance to be the friend he badly needed.
    It wasn’t love. It might even stand in the way of love. But it was what he craved from her, and she would not fail him.
    â€˜Tell me,’ she said softly. ‘When did it start to go wrong? You were so happy at first.’
    â€˜At first I thought I’d landed in heaven. She seemed the perfect wife, beautiful, loving, always looking for ways to please me. My vanity was so colossal that I accepted that as natural.’
    â€˜Why shouldn’t you?’ she burst out indignantly. It hurt her to hear him put himself down. ‘If you love someone you do want to please them, because when they’re happy, you’re happy. Wasn’t it that way with you too?’
    â€˜Yes,’ he said. ‘I loved finding ways to give her pleasure. That’s why we went to Las Vegas. All I wanted was some quiet place where I could be alone with her, but she didn’t like quiet places. She wanted excitement. I always knew we were different in that way, but I thought the love would help us overcome that.’
    â€˜But it didn’t?’
    â€˜How can it when it’s all on one side?’ he asked quietly.
    â€˜But she did love you once.’
    â€˜Did she? Even now I wish I could believe it. I supposeshe loved me well enough when she got her own way, but I started to realise that I was always the one to yield.
    â€˜For a while even that didn’t matter. She got pregnant and I was thrilled. Yes, I wanted a son, I don’t deny it. And when it was a girl, I was disappointed—for about five minutes. Then I saw how gorgeous she was and I forgot all about wanting a son.
    â€˜As she grew older I loved her more, because she’s so like my mother. She looks like her, she has her mental sharpness, and her stubbornness.’ He gave a wry laugh. ‘Mamma also saw the world in her own way, and you could point out the facts until you were blue in the face.’
    â€˜But Renata’s a child,’ Joanna reminded him. ‘She’ll understand in time.’
    â€˜You wouldn’t say that if you’d known Mamma.’
    â€˜I did. Well, I met her briefly.’
    â€˜Yes, she liked you a lot. She was furious with me for letting you go.’ He gave a brief laugh. ‘If you could have heard what she called me.’
    Joanna laughed. ‘And you took no notice because you’re as stubborn as her. The line passes from her to Renata through you.’
    â€˜Yes,’ he admitted ruefully. ‘And it makes me wonder if Renata will ever turn back to