Passionate Protection

Sebastian finished his self-imposed task and reached for the towel, and Jessica looked at him. His face seemed almost austere, and for the first time she could see the ascetic in him. 'You had a lucky escape.' He said it almost broodingly, and Jessica wondered bitterly if he had hoped that she wouldn't.

'It was lucky for us that you knew about Lisa's special place,' she told him.

His mouth tightened and he seemed about to say something, but instead he simply dried her body, then pushed back the covers. As he lifted her and slid her beneath the sheets, Jessica had a wild longing to reach up to him and beg him to stay with her, to take her in his arms and heal her aching body with the beneficence of his. But what was the point? He didn't want her; he didn't want their child. He probably wished he had never married her.

She was almost asleep when the doctor came, accompanied to her disappointment by Tia Sofia and not Sebastian. He examined her thoroughly, smiled at her and told her that she was a very brave young lady and that she had had a lucky escape.

'It is fortunate that your pregnancy is so little advanced,' he added calmly, 'otherwise…'

So it was true. She was carrying Sebastian's child. Tears stung her eyes and she longed for things to be different, for him to want their child as much as she did herself.

She thought later that she must have been given something to help her sleep, because she was suddenly aware of feeling oddly lightheaded, with a longing to close her eyes. When she opened them again it was morning, and the sun was dancing on the ceiling of her bedroom.

Her bedroom! She felt like a small child banished for a sin it didn't know it had committed. Why had Sebastian put her in this room? Perhaps because he could no longer endure her presence in his room, in his bed. Perhaps the fact that she carried his child reminded him too much of the past, of Manuela who he had loved as he would never love her, but he had not kept faith with Manuela. He was denying their child. It was a strangely cowardly act for so brave a man. He hadn't hesitated to risk his own life to save both hers and Lisa's.

The day dragged. She was to stay in bed for several days, Tia Sofia told her when she came to see her. Lisa's ankle was merely sprained and she too was confined to bed. Jorge and Luisa wanted to come and see her.

'And Sebastian?' Jessica asked, dry-mouthed. 'He has had to go to Seville on business,' Sofia told her, avoiding her eyes. 'He will come and see you when he comes back.' There was pity in her eyes. 'Do not distress yourself, Jessica. Think of the child you carry and let that give you hope.'

Jessica was alone when the door opened later in the afternoon and Pilar came in. As always she was dressed impeccably and expensively, her face and nails fit to grace a Vogue cover.

'Ah, you are awake—that is excellent,' she purred with one of the coy smiles that Jessica dreaded. 'We can have a little talk.'

'What about?' Jessica asked wearily.

'Why, Sebastian, of course, and your folly in believing you could possibly hold him. He only married you out of pity and compunction because he thought he had wronged you. You must know that?'

She did, of course, but she realised that Maria didn't like Pilar saying so. 'And now you carry his child and you believe, foolishly, that it will give you the key to his heart. It won't. His heart…'

'Belongs to your sister. Yes, I know,' Jessica agreed tiredly. 'But I am his wife, Pilar, and I am to have his child.'

'His wife, yet you have separate rooms,' Pilar pointed out maliciously. 'His child… Yes, but men can easily have children, you cannot hope to keep him because of that. You would do better to leave now, before he asks you to do so. It must be obvious to you that he doesn't want you; that your marriage was a mistake from the start. Sebastian doesn't want you—if he did why would he move you in here?' she asked scornfully. 'He is a deeply passionate and sensual man, not a man who would give his wife her own bedroom unless he was trying to tell her something. I shall leave you now,' she finished softly, sweeping towards the door, 'but think about what I have said and soon, I am sure, you will realise that I speak the truth.'

She was gone before Jessica could retaliate,leaving her with the sickening knowledge that what she had said was probably the truth Sebastian didn't want her, and if she had any pride, any backbone, she would leave, just as soon as she was able to!

* * *

CHAPTER TEN

'Jessica, how are you feeling now? Tia Sofia says that you are well enough to receive visitors, but that I am not to tire you out.'

Jessica smiled at Jorge. 'How is Lisa?' she asked. 'I haven't seen her yet.'

'Recuperating faster than you. Dr Bartolo told Sebastian that if you hadn't shielded her from the cold with your coat she might well have been much worse. She has a weak chest,' he explained, 'something she inherited from her mother, and if she had got badly cold it would be aggravated. On the other hand, our good doctor is very concerned about you. He says you are too pale and drawn. You do look pale.'

'I'm just a little tired. How is everyone else, Senor Alvarez and Luisa?'

'Very well, but soon their visit ends. Senor Alvarez has invited me to visit them in Argentina,' Jorge said carelessly. 'Of course, it all depends on whether Sebastian will let me go.'

'Have you told him how you feel about Luisa?' Jessica asked him.

Jorge shook his head. 'I've never known him so unapproachable,' he admitted. 'I just don't know what's got into him.'

She did, Jessica reflected. He was feeling the strain of being tied to a marriage he didn't want. Pilar was right; it would be best if she left.

Jorge was just confiding in her how much he wanted to go to Argentina, when the door opened and Sebastian walked in. Jessica's first thought was that he looked drained and tired; her second that he was furiously, bitterly angry.

'Er… I'll come back and chat to you later,' Jorge muttered to her, obviously also seeing the anger in his brother's eyes.