The older man bid her good day and hurried back to his car, leaving Isla standing there like a stone statue.
Slowly, very slowly as if her very bones ached, she retraced her steps to Tania’s car, Puggle lagging behind her. She knew she couldn’t face Alissandru at that moment. She had to gather herself, work out what to do next...aside from repaying what she owed. It was as if her life were a deck of cards that someone had tYhrown up into the air and now everything had changed radically.
Her independence, her plans, everything she had depended on was being torn away. Just her bad luck, as the lawyer had said. From somewhere, Alissandru had obtained another will and, within it, Paulu had presumably left his worldly goods to his brother instead. Isla was shattered. She remembered the contents of Paulu’s desk being taken away and surmised that that was most likely where the second will had been found. Even she knew that a more recently dated will would take precedence over an earlier one. But Alissandru had seemingly learned about that will weeks ago!
Yet he still hadn’t told her. The house was already his yet he was even now determined to buy it from her. Why? Because he pitied her. Her self-esteem squirmed as though it had come into contact with something very nasty and hurtful. And she was hurt, seriously hurt that he had not told her about that second will as soon as he became aware of its existence.
Knowing that Alissandru had seen her sister as avaricious, she had made a big effort to keep Alissandru’s wealth out of their relationship. Pride had demanded that she stand on her own feet and Paulu’s legacy had made it possible for her to do that. But now that financial security had vanished. And, even worse, it left her broke and in debt to Alissandru because everything she had spent in recent months, after being given access to Paulu’s money, had not been her money to spend. How was she ever going to repay that money?
Thank goodness she hadn’t spent like a lottery winner, she thought heavily. Her native caution with money had meant that she was careful, but she had spent a fair bit of money simply travelling to Sicily and had been living off it ever since. How could he not have told her about the second will?
It had been a lie of omission. Feeling sorry for her, Alissandru had kept quiet. He had planned to virtually pay her off by paying for a house he already owned and he would never have told her the truth because he would’ve let her walk away with his brother’s money. And now she was pregnant and she was going to cost Alissandru even more money. She would be the financial liability he had never wanted.
Hot tears of mortification burning the backs of her eyes, she entered the house that was no longer hers and went upstairs to pack. She would return to London. What else could she do? She had to find herself some way of making a living again, at least until the baby was born. But no way was she about to tell Alissandru about the baby now face-to-face, not with this horrible financial bombshell engulfing her at the same time. She felt devastated and humiliated and taking herself quietly away seemed like her only dignified option.
She would write Alissandru a letter. That way, he could curse and storm when he found out that there was to be another baby. He wouldn’t be forced to be polite; he wouldn’t be forced to hide his true feelings. Once the dust had settled on that revelation, she would get in touch with him again.
She went online to see how soon she could get a flight to London but ran into difficulties when it came to travelling with Puggle. Travelling with a dog across Europe could not be done without foresight and planning. Puggle had to receive an injection several days prior to travel and she would need to arrange that first. Constantia would take him, Isla thought ruefully, but when would she ever be able to return to Sicily to reclaim him? Furthermore, leaving her dog with Alissandru’s mother would entail making explanations she had no desire to have to make.
Writing a letter to Alissandru took Isla hours. After several failed attempts, she decided to keep it simple. She admitted that she had found out about the second will and that she had no alternative other than to vacate the house. She made no promises of repayment because, with neither a home nor employment awaiting her in London when she finally got there, there was little point in talking about what she couldn’t deliver. She wrote about the baby in bald terms and assured him that she would get in touch once she was settled again.
Hearts didn’t really break, she told herself firmly as she walked out of the house with Puggle confined in his carrier. She would recover...eventually. Alissandru had not encouraged her to fall in love with him. He had been quite clear from the outset that they were simply having a casual affair. Now she needed to concentrate on finding a local veterinary surgeon and somewhere she could stay with a dog in tow.
CHAPTER TEN
ALISSANDRU DROVE HOME from the fundraiser and the whole way he assured himself that he was giving Isla a night of unbroken sleep. But his foot hovered over the brake as he reached the palazzo and failed to connect, ensuring he drove on in the direction of his twin’s former home. Isla had had an upsetting day and it was natural that he would want to check on her to ensure that she was all right, he reasoned ruefully.
The house was in darkness, which he hadn’t expected because it wasn’t late. Anxious now, he banged on the door, wondering if she had fallen asleep, and, when even that failed to rouse her, he dug out the key he had always had but neglected to mention and stuck it in the door. He called out her name, switched on lights, frowned and took the stairs two at a time, striding into her bedroom to find it empty. Where was she? The dog was missing, as well.
Obviously she had gone out. Was she with his mother? Since his mother had got the puppy, she had been communicating regularly with Isla about dog training. As if Isla could tell anyone anything about dog training, Alissandru reflected wryly. He called his mother to ask if she had company and, while she was telling him that she had not, he finally noticed the letter lying on the bed with his name printed on it.
As he read the first paragraph, which mentioned her unexpected meeting with Marco, he froze and he cursed. When she referred to her having left, he wrenched open the wardrobe door so roughly it almost fell off its hinges. It was empty. Per l’amor di Dio... Isla had left him. Alissandru was stunned into momentary paralysis. He hovered in the centre of the room and tried to entertain the concept of Isla being gone. No, he wasn’t addicted to her, maybe a little obsessed...occasionally. Isla gone.
The shock of that knowledge made him sit down on the side of the bed because his legs turned weirdly weak. He returned to the letter with renewed interest and then reached the section about the baby on the way again and suddenly, in the midst of his turmoil, Alissandru was smiling. What was it about them? They got together and five minutes later...hey, no complaints, Alissandru reflected abstractedly, enthusiasm at the prospect leaping through him. Isla was going to have his baby. Obviously they were meant to be. It wouldn’t have happened again, he reasoned, if the fates hadn’t intended it so.
Alissandru smiled, temporarily in a world of his own, and then he unfroze. Isla had walked out on him when she needed him. He couldn’t live with that awareness. In fact, it filled him with panic. Where was she? How was he to track her down? Could she have flown out of Sicily already? Should he go to the airport first?
His mobile buzzed, and he snatched it up.
It was Grazia and he only answered it because, if he didn’t, Grazia would simply keep on ringing and ringing.
‘Alissandru...’ he breathed harshly.
‘Have you lost anything? Or should I say anyone?’
‘How do you know that?’ Alissandru demanded rawly.
‘Because I’ve found what you lost by the side of the road, complete with a yappy little dog.’
‘By the side of the road?’ Alissandru exclaimed, leaping upright in consternation.
‘The getaway car broke down,’ Grazia said succinctly. ‘I drove past them on the way home, had to practically force Isla into my car. What have you been doing, Alissandru?’