Before Valentina knew it, her new husband was leaning forward to kiss her, and she stood as still as possible, trying not to feel sick when his lips touched hers. And when she glancedout of the window of the little church, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
Felipe was standing there, his face forlorn, his eyes catching hers and somehow conveying all his pain and hers in one fated glance as they stared at each other. But he only stood for a moment, long enough for her to let out a sob as her legs wobbled beneath her, before he was gone. Before the man she loved disappeared from sight.
‘Ahh, she’s weak at the knees from her new husband’s kiss,’ the stranger beside her said, planting his hand around her waist to keep her upright.
She shuddered; that stranger was the man she was now married to.
The family gathered around them all laughed, and Valentina felt the sharp stare from her mother. But she didn’t care. She might be able to force her into marriage, but she couldn’t make her smile. She couldn’t make her behave or do her bidding.
I wish you were here, Papa.
‘The poor girl is still riddled with grief over her father, as are we all,’ her mother said, dabbing at her eyes.
‘Of course,’ Valentina’s new husband said. ‘Which is why this union is so special. It gives everyone a new beginning, doesn’t it, Valentina?’
She nodded, refusing to wilt before them. Valentina forced her shoulders to straighten, her jaw clenched as she wondered how they could all stand there and smile as if her father hadn’t just died and her mother hadn’t forcibly wed her to a man she had no interest in even speaking to, let alone marrying. She wished she could make herself invisible.
‘Smile, Valentina,’ he muttered in her ear. ‘No one likes the look of a sullen bride, no matter how beautiful she might be.’
Something inside Valentina died in that very moment, and she desperately fixed her eyes on the window, willing Felipe toreappear so that she could catch one last glimpse of him, wishing she’d said yes to him. She’d made promises to her father, and she’d had every intention of honouring them, but she couldn’t help but question whether, if he’d known what future she faced without him, he’d have told her to elope with Felipe and never look back.
19
PRESENT DAY
Rose was starting to like polo. It wasn’t that she had an affinity with the game itself or even understood it all that well, but she was beginning to see why so many people loved it. Polo had a way of bringing everyone together, and she was so pleased that she’d said yes to hosting the tournament. Benjamin had been right—this was different to attending the Argentine Open. Today was about the local community coming together and enjoying a day under the sun, watching the game.
The field had been meticulously tended to by a groundskeeper, and it appeared to have stripes mowed across it, as perfect as she thought a bowling green might be, and there were white tents erected down one side of the field to provide shade from the midday sun. A catering company had arrived an hour earlier, unpacking countless boxes and setting them up, and although Rose was technically the host, everything was appearing as if by magic. When Benjamin had said he would take care of organising everything, he’d been true to his word. Or perhaps there was a running order every year, painstakingly detailed by Valentina at some stage, that had been adhered to.
Rose had carefully rummaged through Valentina’s wardrobe and found a beautiful wide-brimmed straw hat with a soft-blueribbon tied around it, and she’d decided to wear it with a simple white dress and flat sandals. She had no idea how dressed up everyone would be, but she figured it would cover all bases, and it showed off her lightly tanned arms. Plus, she felt connected to Valentina in a way, wearing her hat and hosting an afternoon that had obviously once been very special to her.
‘Hello?’
Rose heard someone call from downstairs and turned away from the window, going down to see who it was. She’d left the front door open in case anyone came looking for her, but so far this had been her only visitor.
‘Martina,’ she said, surprised to find Benjamin’s mother standing in the hallway. ‘I wasn’t expecting you.’
She smiled. ‘I thought perhaps we could walk to the field together,’ she said. ‘Since we’re both here to watch my son.’
Martina winked and Rose found herself laughing. His mother was no fool—clearly she knew why Rose had an interest in watching the game, or Benjamin had been right and his family had seen them kiss outside their home the other night, which had given them away.
‘Would you like a drink first?’ Rose asked. ‘I have a bottle of champagne in the fridge.’
‘I’d very much like that,’ she said.
‘Did you spend much time here with my great-grandmother?’
‘I did. Our family were always close to Valentina, and saw a lot of her over the years, but you know, there was always something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. But with you being here and asking questions, it’s made me wonder if there wasn’t something kept secret between our families all this time.’
Rose led the way and went to the fridge, pausing only to set her hat down, as Martina took a seat at the table. From where she sat, Rose knew she’d have a perfect view out to the field, where she expected some of the riders were already warming up.
‘I’ve had a feeling there was a deeper connection, too, if I’m honest, and I’ve found myself asking if Benjamin knows more than he’s telling me,’ Rose said.
‘If there’s something to know, I can assure you that my son doesn’t know it,’ Martina said, taking the glass that Rose passed her. ‘But my husband might, and you’ve made me very interested in discovering what it is.’
They sat together, clinking their glasses gently before both taking a sip.
‘I remember Valentina wearing that hat. I’m sure it will look just as beautiful on you as it did on her.’
