A Proposal to Remember

a lot of money for your story.’

Zan frowned. ‘I wouldn’t do that.’

‘I know. But he’s been so badly burned in the past that trust doesn’t happen overnight for him.’

Zan gave a short laugh. ‘And I thought I was the one who has problems trusting.’

‘One of the reasons that the Santini family is so close is because outsiders have let them down so badly. They’ve learned to trust their own and no one else.’

Zan nodded. ‘I’m beginning to see that.’

‘You know, if you talk to him you can still sort this out.’

Zan shook her head. ‘I don’t know.’ She swallowed back a lump in her throat. ‘He needs me to trust him unconditionally and I don’t know if I can do that.’

What if he hurt her again?

‘But you didn’t understand anything about his background until he explained who he was,’ Abby pointed out. ‘And now you do, so surely you can forgive him. You both love each other and that has to count for something.’

Did it? Zan wasn’t sure anymore.

She stood up and washed her hands. ‘I really ought to examine you. They’ll be back any minute and all we’ve done is talk.’

‘Nothing wrong with that.’

Zan looked at her curiously. ‘You’re not Italian, are you?’

‘English.’ Abby wriggled down the bed so that Zan could feel her abdomen. ‘I first met Nico when I was at school with his sister, and then we met up again years later. It’s a pretty complicated story.’

Zan lifted Abby’s jumper and ran her hands skilfully over her bump, feeling for the baby’s position. ‘I’m starting to expect nothing less from the Santini family. Their whole lives are obviously very complicated. So this is your second child?’

‘We have a little girl who’s just two. She’s called Rosa.’

‘And you live in Italy?’ Zan’s hands kept moving and she frowned slightly as she palpated one part of the abdomen and looked at the shape of Abby’s stomach.

‘Well, Nico works mostly in a hospital in Milan, but he’s brilliant at his work and gets invited to all sorts of places to teach.’ She smiled proudly as she spoke. ‘And wherever he goes, Rosa and I go with him.’

‘So where’s Rosa now?’

‘Nico owns an apartment in Knightsbridge,’ Abby said. ‘She’s there with our nanny. Why are you frowning?’

Zan finished her examination. ‘Abby, your baby is in what we call an occipitoposterior position, which basically means that his back is lying along your back.’

‘Is that why I’m in so much pain?’

Zan nodded. ‘Let me just examine you internally and then we’ll talk about a plan of action.’

She washed her hands and pulled on a pair of sterile gloves. ‘OK, this might be a bit uncomfortable but hopefully not too much…’

She was as quick as she could be. ‘You’re four centimetres dilated, Abby.’

Abby gave a groan and wriggled upright again. ‘Is that all? Another six centimetres to go? I’ll die.’ She gasped as another pain hit her and this time the gasp turned to a sob. ‘This is agony. I don’t think I can stand it.’

‘It’s because of the way the baby is lying,’ Zan explained. ‘I think you should seriously consider having an epidural.’

Abby pulled a face. ‘Nico doesn’t really want me to.’

Zan smiled sympathetically. ‘That’s because he doesn’t know the details and because he’s a doctor. They’re always the worst when their wives are in labour. I’ll talk to him when he comes back. I think Carlo will agree with me in the circumstances.’