‘There are programs, you know? For problem gamblers,’ she said. ‘What about if you offered to sponsor him through one? You could strike a deal with him. He has to do the program while you support his wife and kids, or he has to go to jail.’
Rafe gripped her by the shoulders and pulling her towards him, pressing a brief, hard kiss to her mouth. ‘You are absolutely brilliant. Do you know that?’
She gave him a shy smile. ‘I wouldn’t go as far as saying that.’
He took out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts. ‘Give me five minutes. Once I get this sorted, we are going to have a night to remember.’
* * *
It did turn out to be a night to remember, but for all the wrong reasons. Poppy was sitting in an award-winning restaurant with him when Rafe’s phone rang. She had seen him switch it to silent as they entered the premises, but even with the subtle background music the vibration of it was still audible. He gave her an apologetic look and took it out of his breast pocket.
His face dropped right in front of her. Her heart contracted in panic as she saw the way his features tightened.
‘Is he going to make it?’
Poppy felt her stomach tighten in dread. Whose life was hanging in the balance? Rafe’s face was pinched and white with shock. Was it his grandfather; one of his brothers or one of his friends; one of his employees?
‘I’ll get there as soon as I can.’ He ended the call and looked at her, ashen-faced. ‘My brother Raoul has had an accident whilst water skiing at Lake Como. He’s got suspected spinal injuries.’
‘Oh no...’
‘I have to go to him.’ He got up so abruptly the glasses rattled on the table. ‘I’m sorry about this week. I’ll have to cut it short. I’ll get my Paris secretary to organise your flight home.’
‘Can’t I come with you?’ Poppy asked as they left the restaurant. ‘You’ll need support and I can—’
‘No.’ The word was clipped and hard, intractable. ‘I want you to fly home. I’ll deal with this on my own.’
‘But surely it would be better if you—?’
He gave her a frowning glare. ‘Did you not hear what I just said? I don’t want you with me. This is about my family. It’s my responsibility, not yours.’
r />
Poppy flinched. ‘I know you’re upset, Rafe, but—’
‘But what?’ he asked. ‘You knew this was how it was going to be, Poppy. I never said this was for ever. We both have our own lives. And mine just reared its big, ugly head.’
Her stomach dropped in despair as they made their way back to their hotel in a taxi. What did this mean? Did he mean it was over between them? She wasn’t brave enough to ask. She sat in a miserable silence, feeling his tension and worry in the air combining with her own in a knotty tangle that seemed to be pulling on her heart.
When they got back to their hotel, Rafe barely paused long enough to gather his passport and a change of clothes. Poppy felt so helpless. She wanted to reach out to him but it was like an invisible fortress had formed around him. He was closing off from her. She could see it in the tight set of his features, as if something deep inside him was drawing him away from her inch by inch.
‘Is there anything I can do?’ she asked when she could bear it no longer.
He looked up from his phone after sending another text, one of many he had sent in the last few minutes. ‘What?’ The one word was sharp and his frown deep, as if he had already forgotten who she was and why she was there.
Poppy felt her heart contract again. ‘I said, is there anything I can do for you while you’re away?’
‘No.’ He pocketed his phone, his expression closing off even further. ‘There’s nothing. I have to do this alone.’ He took a short breath and then released it. ‘It’s over, Poppy.’
‘Over?’ She looked at him numbly. ‘You don’t really mean that, do you?’
His look was even more distant. ‘Look, I have to go. My brother needs me. I’ll get Margaret to send you something to make up for this abrupt end to our affair.’
She drew herself up straighter. ‘Please don’t bother.’
He reached for his jacket. ‘I’ll be in touch about the dower house. Hopefully we can come to some agreement.’
‘I’m not going to change my mind.’