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‘But we still have the present ones to contend with,’ Rhianna reminded him unhappily. ‘And it’s Carrie we have to think of now.’ She bent her head. ‘I was trying to protect her, and I’ve made everything a thousand times worse. And Donna Winston keeps adding fuel to the flames every day.’
‘Well, the inventive Miss Winston’s fire is about to go out,’ Diaz said with distaste. ‘It seems, my darling, that Rawlins wasn’t the only one to give her money for the proposed termination. A guy she’d been seeing in Ipswich also paid for the same privilege. He kept quiet when the story first broke, because he was trying to salvage his marriage, but his wife has now left him so he’s spilled the beans. The news will be in all the tabloids tomorrow. I think a lot of attitudes will change very quickly.’
‘But that won’t make things any better for Carrie.’ Rhianna tried unavailingly to release herself from his arms. ‘And how can I let myself begin to think of being with you when she’s so wretched—and hating me? The Seymours are your family, Diaz, and we can’t pretend they don’t matter. That they won’t do everything they can to stop us being together. You didn’t hear how Carrie’s mother spoke to me.’
‘I can imagine,’ Diaz said calmly. ‘But I’d be surprised if that had much to do with her daughter’s feelings. She’s far more concerned about the past resurfacing so inconveniently, and losing her status as mistress of Penvarnon House to you, sweetheart. It seems she married Uncle Francis mainly so that she could stay in Cornwall and live at Penvarnon, maybe making my father realise, at the same time, that he’d chosen the wrong sister.’
His mouth twisted. ‘But she was the mistaken one. He let her run the house for him, but that was all. Sadly for him, he loved my mother, and I believe he did so until the day he died.’
He paused. ‘And don’t worry too much about Carrie, my darling. Yes, she’s still shocked and hurt, but she’s had a lucky escape, and I think she’s starting to recognise it. We went for a long walk together a couple of days ago, and she admitted she’d sensed there was something wrong in the weeks before the wedding. That Simon had changed so much there seemed to be little left of the boy she’d fallen in love with all those years ago. She’d even begun to wonder if she was doing the right thing, although she managed to convince herself it was bridal nerves.
‘And she certainly doesn’t hate you, whatever her mother may imply. She says she knew that you’d been wary of Simon for years, and avoided him as much as possible. So you’d hardly have played Cupid between him and your flatmate.’
He bent his head and kissed her gently on the lips. ‘She’ll be fine, my love. Just give her time.’
She moved closer, resting her cheek against his chest, her whole body warming to his nearness. ‘But it may not be the same between us,’ she said, with a touch of sadness.
‘’No,’ he said softly. ‘But how could it be, darling? Because you’re going to be my wife, and that’s bound to change things anyway.’
He picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the armchair, settling her on his knee. ‘Now, can we just think about ourselves for one minute?’ He reached into an inside pocket and produced a flat leather case. ‘I have a present for you.’
From their satin bed, Tamsin Penvarnon’s turquoises gleamed up at her.
‘Even if I can persuade you to marry me incredibly quickly,’ he went on, as Rhianna gasped, ‘these have to be part of the ceremony.’ He kissed her again, slowly and sensuously. ‘And we’ll take them on honeymoon with us,’ he whispered. ‘I want to see you wearing them and nothing else on our wedding night.’
There would still be gossip, and even more newspaper headlines before they’d be allowed to live in peace with each other. But with Diaz beside her Rhianna knew beyond all doubt that she could face anything life brought her. That their love would guard them always.
‘It will be my pleasure,’ she answered softly, and slid her arms round his neck to draw him down to her in promise and trust.
