But when she arrived home, she pushed open the front door only to find him inside, waiting for her. ‘My love!’ he said, opening his arms. ‘I did not see you since last night. I hope that you got home OK?’
It was so, so tempting to just fall into those arms, just for now. But she held firm. ‘You didn’t seem too concerned this morning,’ she said in a tone she hoped sounded icy.
He looked confused. ‘We spoke this morning?’
‘No. But I came in to see you. And I saw that you weren’t alone.’
He nodded now, his face uncertain. ‘You saw?—?’
‘I saw… her. In bed. With you.’
He flinched. ‘Oh. But Bella, she meant nothing. I was drunk. She was from the club. I was going to tell you of course.’
‘Were you?’
‘You should have woken me! Spoken to me! I could have explained!’
‘Henri, there was another woman in your bed.’
He nodded as if waiting for her to finish the sentence.
‘Naked!’
Another nod.
‘I caught you. In the act! Well, not in the act itself but you know what I mean. After the act. The act was definitely involved at some point.’
He looked confused. ‘The act?’
She felt her temperature begin to rise. Was he actually serious? ‘You had sex with another woman. How could you have explained that?’
He reached for her, but she flinched. ‘Bella, please. It was a mistake of course. I was very drunk. It was a moment of madness!’
‘How could you do that to me?’ she asked, her voice suddenly small.
‘Ma chérie, I didn’t realise you would be so hurt,’ he said. ‘Please, let me make it up to you.’
‘I’m not sure you?—’
But he bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. ‘I have to go. But I will make things right, I promise.’ He kissed her again softly before opening the door and disappearing into the bright evening air.
‘But—’ she was left saying. ‘But—’ Then, ‘Aaargh.’ She stamped her foot and let out a cry of frustration. Had he really been so blasé about it? And why had she let him kiss her after what he’d done?
Odette’s door opened and her friend poked her head through the gap. She looked at Bella, her brow furrowed. ‘Did you scream?’ Her voice sounded concerned, but there was a flatness to it, a remnant of this morning’s anger.
‘No, it’s just—’ She paused. ‘Well, this morning Henri was in bed with a woman.’
‘Oh!’
‘Naked!’
‘Ah, he is thoughtless. I am sorry.’
‘More than thoughtless. He cheated on me.’ Bella felt unexpected tears well.
Odette tilted her head. ‘I am sorry, you seem very upset. I didn’t realise that you and Henri were serious?’
‘Well, we’re not… but…’
