Elise hadn’t known much about her late husband’s business affairs, beyond a vague suspicion that others considered him an oaf. Nothing had surprised her more than seeing him head-hunted by a powerful multinational corporation.

Ben had told her about it, smirking with self-congratulation. He’d known about her poor opinion of him and had relished the chance to prove her wrong.

‘You just wait until we’re living in Rome, in the lap of luxury,’ he crowed. ‘The apartment will make your eyes water.’

That was how she discovered that he’d already bought the apartment, without consulting her. Worse, he’d even sold their London home, behind her back.

‘I don’t want to go back to Rome,’ she told him furiously. ‘And I’m amazed that you do. Do you think I can forget-?’

‘Don’t talk rubbish. That business was over long ago. I’ve got an important job and we’ll have to do a lot of entertaining. You should be looking forward to it. It’ll give you a chance to use your Italian again. You always spoke it well.’

‘You said yourself, that was a long time ago,’ she reminded him.

‘Look, I’m going to need you,’ he said in the brusque way he always used to end arguments. ‘I don’t speak the damned language and you do, so don’t give me a hard time.’

‘Plus you got one jump ahead by getting our money out of the country before I found out.’

He looked pleased.

‘Just in case you were getting any ideas about divorce-’ he chuckled ‘-I know what’s been flitting through your head.’

‘Perhaps I’ll decide to go my own way and earn my own living,’ she mused.