‘I don’t know,’ she said in a choking voice.

‘But I do.’ He turned her towards him and gently drew her close. ‘That’s it,’ he said as he lowered his mouth to hers. ‘No more fighting. It’s finished.’

‘You can’t just-’

‘Yes, I can,’ he said, silencing her.

The last thought of which she was capable was, How dare he?

How dared he think that one kiss could make up for everything, and that she would simply do as he asked because his lips thrilled her? She would show him that he was wrong-she must show him that-just as soon as her strength came back.

But instead of returning it was draining away with every movement of his mouth against hers, as her body grew warmer, more eager to be his, and with less will of its own.

‘The past is over,’ he murmured against her mouth. ‘It’s the future that matters.’

‘But how can we-?’ she whispered back.

‘I don’t know. Who knows the future? We make it ourselves. Hold me.’

She did so, sliding her arms about his neck, part embracing him, part clinging to him for safety. There were no thoughts now, only the blind instinct to seek him, join with him, belong to him.

The past no longer mattered. She’d known she was falling in love with him. She’d faced it, accepted it, even welcomed it. Now she felt the warmth of his body communicating itself to hers and she knew that she needed that warmth, not only in her flesh but in her heart.

For too many years she’d been cold, hiding from love in her bleak cave. She knew now that only he could tempt her out. It was a risk, but every skilled movement of his mouth, his hands, urged her to take that risk and say, with him, that the past was over and they would make the future together.

In a haze of delight she was barely aware of him moving, drawing her after him in the direction of her bedroom. Not until she heard the door click did she get a sense of danger.

‘Wait-’ she said urgently.

He picked her up in his arms. ‘Haven’t we waited long enough?’

‘But there’s something I must-you don’t understand-’

‘I understand this,’ he said, kissing her again. ‘What else is there to understand?’

As he spoke he kicked the door open and walked into the grandiose bedroom, heading for the huge luxurious bed, so absorbed in his passion that he was close up to it before he realised that something was there that shouldn’t have been.

A man was stretched out on the coverlet, his hands behind his head, grinning derisively.

‘Hallo,’ said Luke.

For a moment Primo could do no more than stare at his brother. Just as Olympia, earlier that evening, had told herself that what she saw was impossible, so now Primo closed, opened and closed his eyes, certain that the next time Luke would have disappeared.

But he stayed there, solid and, to his brother, thoroughly objectionable.

‘You really should have warned me,’ Primo said, speaking to Olympia but not looking at her. ‘But if I’d been sharper I’d have expected it.’

‘Will you please put me down?’ she said edgily.

He meant to lower her with dignity but shock was causing the strength to drain away from his arms. They gave way abruptly and she ended up sprawling on the bed where Luke quickly took hold of her to stop her sliding off.

‘No need to throw the lady about,’ Luke observed. ‘Not that I mind, you understand.’

Primo treated this remark with disdain. It was that or murder.

‘What a picture!’ he said softly. ‘I should have known, shouldn’t I?’

‘How dare you?’ Olympia flashed. ‘Luke came here to help me to get out of this place.’

She scrambled to the floor, flushed and panting. Torn by conflicting feelings, bitterness and passion, she felt she would explode any minute. For a blinding moment she hated both of them.

‘If you’re thinking what I think you are-’ she threw at Primo.

‘He was waiting for you in your bedroom all the time,’ he said with a thin smile. ‘What do you expect me to think?’

‘He’s fully dressed, or haven’t you noticed that? I told you, Luke came here to help me.’

‘Hidden in your bedroom?’ Primo demanded, almost savagely. The thought that Luke had been here all the time, listening, made him wild.

‘That’s where people usually do their packing,’ Luke pointed out, indicating another open suitcase. ‘I’ve just been fetching and carrying, acting like a maid.’

‘Helping your mistress undress?’ Primo asked coldly. ‘Isn’t that what a maid does?’

‘Among other things.’

‘Shut up both of you,’ Olympia said fiercely. ‘You-’ she turned on Primo ‘-you do not own me, you do not give me orders, I am not answerable to you, except at work.’

‘Where I expect you to be tomorrow morning,’ he snapped. ‘Be on time.’

‘He’s right, we’d better be going,’ Luke said, scrambling off the bed. ‘Olympia, I’ll wait for you in the next room.’

‘There’s no need, I’m coming,’ she said. ‘Everything’s packed.’

She began to close the suitcase, not looking at Primo. He watched her in silence for a moment.

At last he spoke in a harsh voice. ‘Will you tell me where you’re going to stay? Or needn’t I ask?’

Now she looked at him and was startled by his face. She had seen him charming, and sometimes annoyed, but never coldly venomous, as now. Beneath the surface control he was in a bitter rage that threatened to engulf him, and for the second time that night she was actually afraid of him.

‘You needn’t ask,’ she said. ‘I’m staying in Luke’s apartment.’

‘Then get out of my sight and don’t talk to me again,’ he raged. ‘Go on! Get out!’

Since her car was still at the hotel, Luke took her to work the next morning and introduced her to Enrico Leonate. He was a plump elderly man with a genial manner and he welcomed her with open arms.

‘Primo has told me so much about you,’ he enthused.

‘I hope he’s explained that my Italian is very basic,’ Olympia said.

‘It will improve, and in the meantime we all speak English very well.’

‘And besides, Miss Lincoln is a quick learner,’ said a voice behind her.

‘Ah, Primo,’ Enrico cried. ‘Come in. Miss Lincoln and I were just introducing ourselves.’

‘Please call me Olympia,’ she said to the old man.

‘Then you must call me Enrico. Primo, here she is, and just as lovely as you said.’

‘I don’t think I said that exactly,’ Primo replied coolly.

‘But you-’

‘Described her as businesslike, focused, intelligent, diligent and-as I said before, a very quick learner. She’s particularly good at winning people over.’

‘That’s what we need,’ Enrico roared happily.

‘Don’t accept everything Signor Rinucci says about me,’ Olympia said lightly. ‘He’s prejudiced.’

‘Of course he’s prejudiced in your favour. He saw you at work in England.’

‘That’s very true,’ Primo murmured.

‘And you were impressed?’

‘Oh, yes, it was an impressive sight. I believe I’ve said as much to you since, signorina.’

‘You have indeed,’ she riposted. ‘But I was learning much from you, a true master in the art of manipulation.’

‘That’s his Italian side,’ Enrico said triumphantly. ‘It is our gift to see things from many angles at once. When you have been with us for a while, you too will have learned it. Primo will teach you.’

‘You do the signorina an injustice,’ Primo said. ‘She has nothing to learn from me.’

Luke had been watching this exchange from where he’d been standing quietly by the window, his eyes alight with malicious pleasure. Now, as though feeling that he’d enjoyed the entertainment long enough, he roused himself to say, ‘I’d better be going. Call me later, Olympia, and I’ll collect you.’

‘I don’t want to be a nuisance,’ she said. ‘I could get my car from the Vallini and drive home.’

‘You don’t know the way yet. It was dark when we did the journey last night.’ He gave her a warm smile. ‘And how could you ever be a nuisance?’

‘That’s a very nice thing to say, but actually it’s just a slur on my driving.’

‘I was maintaining a diplomatic silence about your driving,’ he said with a grin.

‘Goodbye!’ she told him firmly.

‘Yes, goodbye,’ Primo said without looking up.

Luke winked at Olympia and departed.

‘Primo has told me how you took him around the Curtis factories,’ Enrico said. ‘Now I think he should return the favour and show you around the Leonate empire.’

‘Actually, Enrico, that’s a bit difficult,’ Primo said. ‘I’ve got a backlog of work to get through. I suggest that Signora Pattino undertakes this task.’

‘As you say. Well, why don’t you show Olympia to her office?’

‘No, you do that. I have to get going. Signorina, I should like to welcome you to Leonate and hope that you will be happy with us.’

He said the last words like a robot and was gone instantly.

‘Well, he really does have a lot to do,’ Enrico said, sounding awkward. ‘Let’s go.’

That day was like the culmination of every ambitious dream she’d ever had. The office he showed her was modern, attractive and better than her old one. They discussed the firm and he was impressed with her knowledge.

‘You’ve been learning about Leonate,’ he said. ‘Well done! You’re everything Primo said you’d be.’

He swept her off to lunch, taking also Signora Pattino, his Personal Assistant, a comfortable, middle-aged woman who said she would enjoy being her guide in the coming days. Wherever she went she was welcomed as an asset by people who knew nothing about her except what Primo had told them.

But whatever he’d said was in the past. This morning he’d shown a cruel irony that reflected his true feelings now. Their conversation, superficially friendly, had been charged with hidden meaning that Enrico hadn’t understood.