Phantom Marriage

Her mother laughed. ‘Remember that Brazilian exchange student who chased after you during your first year at university.’

Veronica groaned. ‘How could I forget?’

‘He got you in the end, though, didn’t he?’

‘Mum! How on earth did you know that? I never said.’

‘You always did like guys who refused to take no for an answer.’

She did, she supposed. Jerome had been like that. He’d pursued her like mad. She hadn’t really wanted to go out with a doctor. Certainly not a surgeon. She knew the hours they worked. But she’d given in after the tenth lot of roses had arrived, and then she’d fallen in love with him, agreeing to marry him in a few short weeks. She’d never suspected Jerome had had a secret agenda. Never suspected anything.

‘Has he made a pass at you yet?’ her mother asked slyly.

Now she really did have to lie. ‘No. He said something about a girlfriend in Rome. Though I am going to his family’s place for dinner tonight. They own a hotel just below the villa. It’s only a short walk down some stone steps. But first I must have a sleep. I’m exhausted.’ And hungry, she suddenly realised.

‘You might be exhausted but you sound happy. Happier than you’ve been in years. I was angry with Laurence for putting you in his will at first but now I’m grateful. This inheritance has been good for you, love. You’re sounding like the girl you were before you met Jerome.’

Veronica blinked. ‘Don’t you mean before Jerome was killed?’

‘No. I mean before you met that bastard.’

Veronica was truly taken aback. ‘But I thought you liked Jerome. I mean…before we found out about him.’

‘I just pretended to like him. For your sake. I always thought he was up himself. And so was his family. Talk about snobs!’

‘They were on the snobbish side,’ Veronica admitted.

‘They thought you weren’t good enough for their precious son. Little did they know he wasn’t good enough for you.’

Veronica sighed.

‘Now, none of that,’ her mother said. ‘Go back to the girl who rang me a few minutes ago. She’s the girl you used to be before Jerome. She was a terrific girl who knew how to have fun. That man turned you into a try-hard. And then he turned you into a bitter cow like me.’

‘Oh, Mum, you’re nothing of the kind.’

‘Yes, I am, and I hate myself for it. I don’t know how you’ve put up with me all these years. The one thing I truly regret is that I didn’t try to help you out of your unhappiness. To my shame, I just let you wallow in it.’

Veronica was so astonished by her mother’s words she couldn’t think of a thing to say.

‘Of course, I liked it that you didn’t have anyone else but me,’ her mother confessed. ‘And that you were living and working from home. I used to smugly think, now she knows what it’s like to have your trust in men destroyed. Laurence’s will was a wake-up call to me, I can tell you. When I saw how upset you were, it nearly killed me. I vowed then and there to stop being so selfish and to encourage you to get out there and make a life for yourself. I’m sure not all men are as rotten as Jerome, or that excuse for a husband I once had. There are good men out there. Men like your father. He was a good man. Very loving and loyal to his wife. I’m sure there is someone out there just right for you. Meanwhile, if this Leonardo makes a pass at you, then go for it, darling. He’s one hot hunk.’

‘Wow, Mum, I don’t know what to say!’

‘You don’t have to say anything at all. Just accept my apology and go have some fun. Oh, and one last thing.’

‘What?’

‘Please don’t feel you have to ring me all the time. Nothing worse than going on holiday and feeling you have to check in with your mother. But feel free to send any photos and the odd text. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ she agreed with a smile on her face.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

LEONARDO LEAPT UP the stone steps two a time, excited by the prospect of seeing Veronica again. And having her meet his whole family. They were excited to meet her as well, his two sisters very curious over this girl who was Laurence’s biological daughter.

Carmelina had liked Laurence a lot, but then she was the one who had seen him the most, being his cleaner as well as Ruth’s sometime carer. She’d been astonished by the news that he had a secret daughter, and relieved when she heard that Veronica had been conceived through IVF and not some sordid affair.

The sun had set but it was still light, a golden hue hovering on the horizon. A silvery half-moon was up as well, bathing Laurence’s villa in soft moonlight.