‘Truly you are a cold-hearted goddess. All that youthful ardour at your feet and not one young man stands out in your mind?’

‘Not one,’ she lied.

‘How long after returning from Rome did you marry Ben?’

‘Almost at once.’

‘Then the mystery is solved. You were in love with him all the time and abandoned your design course to marry him.’

‘I’ve already told you I didn’t love him.’

‘Just why did you marry him?’ Vincente demanded abruptly. The humour had gone from his voice.

‘Why, for his money, of course,’ Elise said with a shrug. ‘I thought we settled that earlier.’

‘Somehow that doesn’t convince me. There must have been another reason.’

Suddenly the air seemed to shiver.

‘Signor Farnese,’ Elise said coolly, ‘please stop interrogating me. None of this is your business, and I will not discuss my private affairs with you.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said quickly. ‘I was only making small talk.’

‘Really? It was almost like being interviewed for a job.’

‘Then I blame myself. I assess many people for jobs and I’m afraid it creeps into my manner in the rest of life. Forgive me.’

It was said charmingly and she let it go at that. She still sensed that there was something else going on, but it wasn’t worth pursuing. After tonight she would never meet him again.

‘What do you plan to do now?’ he asked.

‘I’m not really sure. Ben’s death was so sudden, and there’s been so much to do that I haven’t had time to think.’

‘Come back to Rome with me.’

‘What for? Ben won’t be working for you now.’

‘But you own an apartment there.’

‘An agent can sell it for me. I don’t need to be there.’

‘Can’t you simply treat yourself to a holiday?’ When she hesitated he said urgently, ‘When you were there as a young girl, did you ever visit the Trevi Fountain?’

‘Of course,’ she murmured.

Elise had been to the great fountain in the company of a young man with a bright face and a merry laugh.