Island of Mermaids (7 page)

‘
Nothing so dangerous,
’
replied Althea, with a smile.

‘
He goes to many famous places and cities. Soon his operas will be famous, too. Perhaps one day I shall also go with him to Paris, New York, London.
’

‘
Did he tell you that, Carla?
’
cut in Althea.
‘
Don
’
t believe all he says.
’

‘
Carla has accepted me for what I am here, a fourth-rate composer on holiday. She doesn
’
t bother about the rest of my life. It doesn
’
t matter to her that I spend it restoring old houses.
’

What does he mean?
’
queried Carla, looking from Kent to Althea and back again.

‘
Excuse me, I
’
d like to get on with the job in hand at the moment.
’
Kent threw a crisp
‘
Goodbye
’
over his shoulder, as he turned away and walked back to his task.

Carla stared after him.
‘
Does he mean he works?
’
she asked in perplexity, and Althea almost laughed at the disgust in the girl
’
s voice as she emphasised the word
‘
work
’
.

‘
I suppose so,
’
replied Althea.
‘
I gather he
’
s some sort of architect.
’

‘
Then he does not compose all the time?
’

‘
Oh, I expect he uses some of his spare time all the year round on his music,
’
Althea assured her.
‘H
e comes to Capri probably so that he can be far away from his business matters. Here he can create his music in peace and quiet.
’

‘
But he also builds walls and perhaps puts down the floors and paints the walls. That is work for humble people.
’

‘
Not always. In London or wherever it is he lives, he would only supervise the work of building or rebuilding. Others would carry out his instructions. Here, it is different. He is working on a villa he has bought and is restoring Castagna as a place to live in.
’

Clearly in Carla
’
s estimation Kent had fallen very low indeed. He was not a man who gave his life to creative music, but someone who actually worked for a living.

‘
He didn
’
t give you the impression that he was a full-time composer, did he?
’
Althea asked.

‘
No, he never said that.
’
Carla was evidently searching her memory for clues to his exact words at various times.
‘
I just thought—oh, it doesn
’
t matter. Perhaps he doesn
’
t know good teachers in Naples or anywhere,
’
she finished miserably.

Althea was very angry with herself. In a rash moment she had more or less forced Kent to disclose his background and now it seemed that Carla had lost faith in him.

‘
Oh, I
’
m sure he does know a suitable teacher or he would never have promised to introduce you,
’
Althea said now.
‘
Think of it like this. Many men can
’
t afford just to create music, unless they are very rich. They have to make a living some other way.
’

That explanation seemed to satisfy Carla for the time being.

There was, however, a further point that occurred to Althea.
‘
Are we to tell your mother that we have been to see Kent at his villa this morning?
’

‘
Oh, indeed, yes. That is why I asked you to accompany me. She would not like me to call alone, but with you, it
’
s different.
’

The rest of the day passed off calmly enough until after dinner when Cristo happened to be alone with Althea on the terrace of the villa.

‘
You have avoided me all day,
’
he accused her.
‘
I have been very unhappy.
’

Althea smiled.
‘
I haven
’
t avoided you, Cristo. I
’
ve been busy, that
’
s all. Carla and I had some matters to attend to this morning and I
’
ve been with my father most of the afternoon.
’

‘
I was also sorry that you were so much with the Englishman yesterday,
’
he continued.

‘
I had dinner with him, that
’
s all.
’
Althea considered it enough to tr
y not to offend Signora Marchetti
, but to have Cristo trying to dictate to her was too much.

‘
He likes to know all the girls on the island. Last year it was Carla—and many others, of course. Now you have come, he means to make you fall in love with him.
’

Althea laughed.
‘He’ll
have his work cut out. Why, I
’
ve only met him three or four times. I don
’
t fall in or out of love quite so easily.
’

‘
But I wish you could fall in love with me. I am very jealous of this Englishman.
’
His dark eyes gleamed with hostility.

‘
There
’
s no need for jealousy, Cristo,
’
she assured him.
‘
I
’
m not likely to fall in love with him. It
’
s enough that he believes all the girls fall easily for him. Carla will get over her infatuation.
’

‘
But that means you could love me?
’
he persisted.

‘
No, Cristo, I don
’
t think that
’
s likely.
’

‘
How do you know?
’
he demanded.
‘
I can love most passionately. You would not find it hard to love me.
’

‘
Oh, Cristo, don
’
t be absurd! You
’
ve known me only two days
.’

‘
Enough to know that I love you,
’
he cut in.

‘
Not enough for me to know about you,
’
she said firmly.
‘
Look, Cristo, you
’
re here for a holiday. Don
’
t spoil it by imagining you
’
re in love with me. As soon as you go back to Rome, you
’
ll forget me. Besides, you must know dozens of other girls there, all of them prettier than I am.
’

‘
But not so sweet English girls are so gen
tl
e.
’

Althea wondered grimly how many unsuspecting English tourists he had said he loved to distraction.

She was glad when Carla came out to the terrace. The girl was in a ferment lest Kent Sanderby should delay the choice of the singing teacher.

Althea did her best to soothe the girl
’
s impatience and it was a relief to everyone at the Villa Stefano when Kent telephoned nearly a week later that he had arranged a visit to Naples for two days ahead if that would suit Signora and Signorina Marchetti.

‘
You must come, too,
’
suggested Carla,
‘
for you must also see that I am visiting a respectable place.
’

Althea accepted the invitation with certain misgivings. She had not met Kent since the interview at his villa. He might not be too pleased to have her in the party for Naples.

On the morning when they were to take the early Naples steamer, Carla announced that Cristo was also coming.

“
He will be company for you when we are discussing the arrangements.
’

Althea almost groaned. She could have borne any coolness or sharp-tongued words from Kent, but to have Cristo forcing his escort on her was all that she needed to make her regret she was involved in the project at all.

She extorted a promise from her father that he would take only two short walks during the day and rest all afternoon. She had rarely left him for a whole day, but, as he pointed out, he was a poor weak thing two months ago.
‘
Anyway, Rosanna will look after me and see to the meals and so on.
’

It turned out that her fears about both Kent and Cristo were unfounded. Kent chatted naturally to her on the steamer crossing, while Cristo was at his most attentive towards his aunt Emilia.

‘
How many times have you been to Naples?
’
Kent asked, as the steamer neared the harbour.

‘
Only twice, I
’
m afraid,
’
she admitted.
‘
But I hope to explore the city and other places near by soon.
’

‘
Then go soon before the tourists arrive in force. Pompeii is one place you mustn
’
t miss.
’

‘
I thought I
’
d make a preliminary visit there and later on take my father who has never been there, although he
’
s made many business trips to parts of Italy. I don
’
t want to tire him too much.
’

‘
It
’
s not strenuous. Just a lot of hunks of stone sometimes to trip you up. The pavements aren
’
t asphalt.
’

She laughed, accepting this further jibe at her propensity to trip over rough ground.
‘
I
’
ll be careful, of course.
’
After a slight pause, she said,
‘
I
’
m sorry I seemed to belittle your occupation the other day.
’

‘
Think no more of it
!’
he said airily.
‘
What
’
s a hardworking stonemason compared with a glamorous musician? I should probably wear the right clothes when I
’
m in Capri. Long hair as well.
’

‘
And what would be the right clothes for a composer?
’
she queried.
‘
Most young men go in for a touch of fantasy nowadays, especially on holiday, so how could you dress up as a Verdi or Puccini?
’

‘
Your determination to cut me down to size is something I find quite unflattering.
’

The passengers were gathering ready to land and in a few minutes the gangways were down. Althea accompanied the others along the quay until Kent secured a taxi.

The house of Professor Tomaso Scarpelli was in a small comparatively quiet square some distance from the port.

‘
I wish you good luck.
’
Althea embraced Carla and kissed her on both cheeks.
‘
Sing well for the professor.
’

When Carla and her mother accompanied by Kent had entered the house, Cristo suggested that he and Althea might make use of the waiting taxi to go down to the city centre.

‘
T
hat wouldn
’
t do
,’
objected Althea.
‘
When the others come, there
’
ll be no taxi.
’

‘
They can easily get another,
’
Cristo assured her.

‘
Oh no. Kent promised that if Carla
’
s audition went well and the professor would accept her, he
’
d take us all to a celebration lunch
.’