The Italian Matchmaker (30 page)

Nanni was reminded of a red-haired girl he had fallen in love with at school. She had been just as precocious, taking him by the collar of his shirt and kissing him behind the fountain after mass so she could add another tick to her chart of conquests.

Fiyona widened her hypnotic green eyes. ‘Do we have time for a little play before lunch?’

Luca sat with his mother in the drawing-room. ‘I need to talk to you,’ he said. ‘It’s Freya. She suspects Miles of having an affair and I think she should come out here right away, don’t you?’

‘Of course. Right away!’

‘Miles needs a kick up the backside. He doesn’t know how lucky he is to have Freya.’

‘You always had a soft spot for her.’

‘I still do, that’s why I want to help.’

‘Why doesn’t she come out with her mother? A girl always needs her mother when the shit hits the fan.’ Romina was already three steps ahead, calculating the chances of her son settling down with Freya. ‘Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll telephone Rosemary right away and invite them.’

‘That might be setting the cat among the pigeons,’ said Luca, thinking of Fitz and Alba finding each other again after thirty years.

Romina frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘Don’t worry, sometimes a few ruffled feathers is a good thing. I’ll certainly derive a great deal of pleasure from it.’

Romina looked baffled.

Before she had the chance to enquire further, Bill strode through the French doors.

‘Ah, there you are, darling.’ He held out a little gold stud earring. ‘I found this in the folly. A vital piece of evidence, I think.’

Luca recognised it at once as Cosima’s and caught his breath.

‘Well, we know now that the intruder is most certainly a woman,’ Romina said, studying it closely.

‘Unless it’s a nose-ring,’ Luca added, making light of it. ‘Let’s see?’

‘Pity, we can’t run a DNA test.’

‘It’s so small, it might have been there for years,’ said Luca.

Bill shook his head. ‘I doubt it. It was on the rug beside the bed. Definitely dropped there recently.’

‘Then we have to find someone wearing only one earring,’ said Romina. ‘I’ll leave you to it, Sherlock!’

‘Seriously, Luca, you have to find her. Why aren’t you camping in the folly yourself?’

‘I thought you didn’t want anyone sleeping in there.’

‘Well, I’ve changed my mind. Where were you last night?’

‘Out with a friend.’

‘A girlfriend?’

‘Yes.’

‘Cosima?’

‘How did you guess?’

‘Rosa said her cousin got home at four in the morning. You came home shortly after that. It doesn’t take a great mind to make the connection.’

‘So Rosa’s put two and two together as well?’

‘Undoubtedly.’

‘I’d better call Cosima.’

‘Before you go, darling. Can you do something for me?’

‘Sure.’

‘It’s about the
Sunday Times
piece. Rosa suggested to Fiyona that
two
men killed the
Marchese
. As far as anyone knows, it was just Valentina’s brother, Falco. Wouldn’t it be fun to discover that he had an accomplice? That would really give the article some spice!’

‘Rosa will say anything! She’s so melodramatic.’

‘Cosima will know. Now you’re intimate with her, you can find out. And darling, hurry up and catch the intruder. You’re as frustrating as the police! I’m getting sick with impatience and worry. It’s my folly. My pride and joy, and I don’t dare go near it!’

Luca didn’t say anything. He had no intention of doing either.

As Luca picked up his telephone, it rang. ‘Cosima, I was just about to call you!’ he said. ‘How are you this morning?’

‘Rosa knows. She knows about you and she knows about the diamonds.’

‘Slow down, Cosi. There’s nothing to worry about. You sound like she’s caught you robbing a bank!’

‘I though she was going to explode!’

‘Look, my love, she’s married, you’re not. We’re two single people who have found each other. There’s nothing wrong with that. If Rosa’s a little jealous, it’s her problem.’

‘I think she was up at the folly last night.’

‘You do?’

‘She said she already knew we were together because she saw us.’

‘So, now we’ve found the intruder,’ he said cheerfully.

‘Intruder?’

‘Long story. I’ll tell you over dinner.’

‘I can’t imagine what she does up there in the middle of the night.’

‘She’s obsessed with Valentina. She thinks she
is
Valentina,’ Luca replied. ‘Maybe she lies there and dreams of the adventures she’ll never live.’

‘She’s jealous because she sees the parallels between me and Valentina. Falling in love with an Englishman, being given beautiful diamonds.’

‘Let’s hope we enjoy a happier ending,’ said Luca wryly. ‘By the way, my father found your earring on the carpet.’

‘Ah, I wondered where it went.’

‘Well, don’t wear the other one or my mother will notice and string you up. I’ll come to the
trattoria
for lunch. Now our relationship is in the open I can shout about it. I want to show you off, Cosi!’ She made to interrupt him with protests. ‘I’m coming whether you like it or not. I’m glad we’re no longer a secret. We’re both too old to play these childish games.’

‘Perhaps,’ Cosima interrupted. ‘But Rosa is not.’

Nanni and Fiyona came back from their walk looking flushed. Romina took one look at her brother and saw that his inertia had been whipped away to reveal a more confident man. She dropped her gaze to Fiyona. There was nothing new about the slouchy way she held herself or about her general grubbiness, but she seemed quite pleased with herself.

‘
Madonna!
’ Romina muttered under her breath. ‘The girl’s a tart!’

‘That was lovely,’ said Fiyona, flopping into a chair. ‘Nothing beats the sea.’

‘How was it for you?’ Romina asked her brother.

He glanced at her guiltily. ‘Good. I’m going to change for lunch. It is too hot for a man of my size.’

‘Didn’t the sea cool you down?’ she enquired sarcastically.

‘One would have thought so. But no, the climb up has made me hot again.’

He disappeared before she could interrogate him further. Once in his bedroom he permitted himself a broad, uninhibited smile. The last time he had had sex, over twenty years ago, had been a humiliating disaster. He still cringed. He wished the girl concerned dead so that the knowledge of his embarrassment had died with her. Since then he had avoided sex at all costs. But Fiyona had stirred something buried, and Lazarus had risen. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was about her that attracted him. Her casual regard for sex, perhaps, and her no-fuss approach. She had wanted him and taken him without asking; and he had satisfied her. He barely recognised the man staring back at him from the mirror. As he undressed, he dared to wonder whether she’d be willing to do it again.

Luca drove into town and parked the car in the square. As he got out he spotted Francesco playing around a group of old widows sitting on a bench beneath a palm tree. He was blowing in their faces and laughing when they looked around in confusion. Luca shook his head at the boy’s mischievous antics. His mother’s happiness had clearly made him happy too, for his smile was broad and carefree. The boy sensed his presence and stopped blowing to look at him, then pointed to the church.

Luca walked through the big doors. The air was thick with incense, the candles twinkling through the gloom like small stars. When he couldn’t see Cosima he wandered around, looking in the little chapels built out to the sides of the main church where tea lights flickered on glittering altars of their own. It was only when he reached the nave that he saw her, at the back of the church adjacent to the altar, deep in discussion with the priest. They were sitting whispering, their heads together. Luca watched them for a while, not wanting to interrupt. He thought he caught the words London and England.

When she saw him, Cosima looked startled, said something to the priest then stood up. ‘Luca, can I introduce you to Father Filippo?’ She beckoned him over.

Father Filippo got to his feet and sandwiched Luca’s hand between his. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you, Luca,’ he said kindly. ‘Cosima has told me a lot about you.’

Luca didn’t know how to talk to a priest. ‘You have a beautiful church.’ It was a lame remark.

‘Thank you. We like it, don’t we, Cosima?’

‘It’s a place of great comfort and tranquillity,’ she replied, smiling at Luca.

‘I didn’t want to interrupt,’ he explained.

‘That’s all right, we’ve finished.’ Father Filippo turned to Cosima. ‘You’ll be okay?’

She nodded. ‘Thank you. Come, Luca, let’s go and have lunch.’

‘How did you know I was here?’ she asked as they walked back down the aisle.

‘Francesco showed me.’

‘Francesco?’

‘Yes, he was scaring a trio of old ladies by blowing in their faces. He pointed in here.’ Luca shrugged. ‘He’s proving quite useful.’

Cosima wanted to believe more than anything in the world but, while she couldn’t see Francesco herself, there remained a grain of doubt. ‘I wish I could hold him,’ she said softly.

‘He’s a spirit, Cosi. Not until you join him will you be able to hold him.’

They walked across the square in silence. Francesco had gone. The old ladies continued to gossip as if nothing had happened.

‘I want to believe you, I really do. But are you telling me what I want to hear to make me happy? Is this all a trick to make me fall in love with you?’

He was shocked that she could doubt him. ‘What have you and Father Filippo been talking about?’

‘Nothing!’ Tears welled in her eyes. ‘But why is it only you who can see him? Why can’t I?’

Luca held her upper arms. ‘I don’t know, Cosi. Please don’t doubt me like this. I wish I could prove it to you, but I can’t.’

‘Maybe Francesco could tell you something that only he and I know?’

‘He doesn’t tell me anything at all. He’s a little boy. He’s probably as confused as we are. Most likely it hasn’t even occurred to him. All he wants is to be close to you.’

‘And I want to be close to him.’ She looked around. ‘Where is he now?’

‘I can’t see him.’

‘You can’t see him? Why not? Why do you only see him when I’m not with you? If you really can see him, then get him here now and talk to him!’

Luca looked pained. ‘I can’t,’ he admitted. ‘This is all new to me, you know. I don’t know how it works either.’

Then he had a crazy idea. ‘Come!’ he instructed, taking her by the hand and dragging her across the square towards the old women. ‘We’ll ask them.’

‘They’ll think you’re mad.’

‘They can think what they like.’

The three women stopped talking and stared at them. Cosima winced with embarrassment while Luca introduced himself confidently. ‘Good afternoon, ladies,’ he said, bowing slightly. ‘My name is Luca Chancellor. I’m sorry to interrupt such a tranquil scene, and my question is more than a little strange.’ The three widows gazed up at him as if he were an alien. ‘Tell me, a little while ago did you all feel as if someone was blowing into your faces? I know it sounds odd, but it’s really important.’ The smallest began to chew on her gums while the fat one muttered something inaudible.

The third grinned, revealing a set of small yellow teeth. ‘So it was you!’ she chuckled. ‘If you weren’t so handsome I’d knock you down with my handbag!’

The smallest leaned forward to take a better look. ‘Was it you blowing on our faces? It’s very rude, you know.’

‘Promise you, it wasn’t me,’ he said, backing away. ‘It was a spirit, but my friend here doesn’t believe me.’

‘A spirit?’ they cried in unison, turning to each other in a flurry of excitement.

‘So, believe me now?’ said Luca.

‘I have to,’ she conceded.

He gazed steadily into her eyes. ‘I wouldn’t lie to you, Cosi. I promise I’ll never lie to you.’ They continued down to the quay in silence. As they neared the
trattoria
, he felt her stiffen at the sight of Rosa on the terrace. She was leaning over a table of young men in her red dress, her cleavage in full view.

They reached the terrace and Luca didn’t let go of her hand. Rosa looked up and registered their hands held tightly and the closeness of their bodies as they walked. But she forced a smile and tried to make light of her feelings. ‘Look at you two!’ she exclaimed. ‘If I wasn’t married I’d be jealous.’

‘Why don’t you join us for lunch?’

She pulled a face. ‘As if! Can’t you see I’m working? No, you have lunch together. After all, you have to get to know each other!’ She pointed to a table in the corner. ‘It’s quiet there. No one can eavesdrop.’

‘Thank you, Rosa,’ said Cosima sincerely.

‘Look, I’m taking all the credit for getting you two together. If it wasn’t for me you would still be moping around like an old lady.’ She pointed a red nail at Luca. ‘And you would still be mulling over your divorce. I’m happy for you and for me, because this good deed of mine might have erased some of the bad I’ve done in my past and gain me access to Heaven. Now sit down and eat. Alfonso has made the most exquisite lobster.’

She went into the kitchen and sat down at the little wooden table. ‘Romano, bring me a glass of wine, will you?’

‘Are you all right, Rosa?’ Alfonso asked. She had suddenly gone pale.

‘I’m fine.’ Romano brought her a glass and poured the wine. She swallowed a big gulp. ‘That’s better.’ She shook her head in despair. ‘Some people have all the luck!’

After dinner Fiyona took a taxi into town, reminding Romina of her appointment with Fiero.