Happy Mother's Day!

‘It is a criminal waste to hide away such works of art in a cupboard,’ he reproached her. ‘They are quite remarkable, Erin.’

‘You think so?’ His admiration gave her a warm feeling.

‘I do and I am not the only one. I was aware that Heyers have an upcoming exhibition at the end of the year showcasing new female talent right across the art spectrum. I took a selection of your work.’

‘I would never have had the guts to do that.’

‘I would never have had the talent to compose a picture that sets it apart. That makes it the one that people look at in a room of twenty others. And please resist the temptation to say something self-deprecating and humble,’ he continued. ‘You are good and it isn’t just my opinion. You heard what the man said … they are very excited. They clearly think that you are going to be the star of the show.’

Erin regarded him with a shaken fascination. ‘You really did that? For me?’ She couldn’t recall another time in her life when anyone had shown such faith in her ability, or for that matter as much interest!

At home her habit of walking around with a camera slung around her neck had been considered mildly eccentric. Her decision to make it her living had not gone down well at all. Her parents had not given up hope she would one day get a proper job.

One more suited to a woman.

‘All I did was show it to the right people.’ He dismissed h

is contribution with a shrug. ‘Your work deserves to be seen,’ he said as he walked over to the chessboard that had been set out on a table.

‘And don’t forget as agent I get ten per cent of everything you make so it is in my best interests to make sure you become a success.’

‘You really think people will buy my pictures?’ The idea still seemed vaguely surreal to Erin.

‘In their hordes, I shouldn’t wonder.’ He paused. ‘I was speaking to your doctor earlier …’

Her hand went to her stomach. ‘What about? There’s nothing wrong, is there?’

‘Quite the opposite. He’s extremely pleased with your progress and he sees no reason for us to delay our flight to Italy. We could go directly there tomorrow after they discharge you.’

She swallowed. ‘I didn’t expect that,’ she admitted. ‘Well, the alternative would seem to be for you to stay with your mother and I somehow can’t see her in the role of nurse.’ ‘I don’t need a nurse.’

‘No, but you need someone who will restrain your impulses to overexert yourself. I was thinking when we interview for the nanny maybe it would be an idea to make some enquiries about a maternity nurse at the same time. I understand that they move in for the last weeks of the pregnancy, as well, obviously, as afterwards.’

‘Will she have the baby for me, too?’

Baffled by the sarcasm in her voice and the annoyance in the eyes raised to his, Francesco shook his head. ‘Is there a problem?’

‘When did I say I wanted a nanny?’

‘Well, obviously I assumed—’

She lifted her chin. ‘Well, you assumed wrong. I don’t want a nanny and as for a maternity nurse—it’s a stupid idea.’ ‘You’re being totally irrational.’

‘If you even whisper the word hormone I’ll strangle you,’ she promised. ‘There is nothing irrational about not wanting to farm your kid off to someone else.’

‘A nanny isn’t there to replace you, she’s there to free up your time so that you can do other things.’

‘What—like pander to your needs? Millions of other women cope without a nanny and so will I.’

‘What if you’re too exhausted by being awake nights to enjoy your baby?’ He read the total intransigence in her face and threw up his hands in a very Latin gesture of exasperation. ‘You’ll change your mind in the end.’

She swallowed her irritation at the smug prediction. She didn’t want to argue. A few days ago she had feared she was going to lose their baby—it seemed ridiculous to be squabbling now about something that, in the great scheme of things, was not terribly important.

‘Maybe you’re right—maybe I will change my mind,’ she said, thinking, In a pig’s eye! While she was prepared to stand her ground there was no point being confrontational now.

Francesco, not knowing that her maybe was of the when-hell-freezes-over variety, nodded his head in approval. ‘Well, it’s early days.’

‘Yes, it is,’ she agreed.