The Italian Matchmaker (41 page)

‘I’ve never felt more alive.’ He grinned, revealing a gap where his two teeth had been.

‘My dear friend, tell me all about the
Marchese
. I’m longing to know.’ At that moment Porci hurried past her, straight into the outstretched arms of Nero.

‘Hello, little pig. I know what you want.’ He withdrew a wedge of cake from his pocket which Porci ate greedily.

‘Well, that’s another mystery solved,’ muttered Romina, sitting down.

Rosemary glared at her husband. ‘What are
you
doing here?’ she demanded. ‘We’ve been looking all over for you!’

Everyone stared at Fitz and Alba. For a moment they floundered, not knowing what to say.

Rosa saw an opportunity to make peace with her mother. ‘It’s all
my
fault,’ she said, climbing off the bed. ‘Nero is
my
friend. I wanted to introduce him to Eugenio, my mother and Cosi, so we crept up here uninvited only to be discovered by Fitz and Luca, coming to trap the intruder.’ She threw up her hands. ‘We’re guilty as charged.’

‘But the
real
intruder is me,’ said Nero. ‘That’s a warmer word than ghost. I like it!’

‘If I had known you were the intruder, Nero, I would have invited you in for a drink,’ said Romina.

‘You would?’

‘Of course. This is your folly. Thanks to you, it has been perfectly preserved. To be honest, I never really felt it belonged to me, which is why I didn’t touch it. I must have known, somewhere deep inside my soul, that it was possessed by someone else, someone who had more right to it than me.’

‘You are a woman of excellent taste. Ovidio would have held you in high esteem. I have a book of old photographs. Perhaps you would like to see what the
palazzo
looked like in its prime, before we let it succumb to the elements?’

‘I would adore to see it! And I would adore for you to come here as often as you like, so long as you entertain me with wonderful stories of the
Marchese
.’

‘Nothing would give me greater pleasure.’ He kissed her hand. ‘You are not only beautiful but blessed with a dazzling intelligence. I am humbled by the glare of it. My gratitude is overwhelming. Do you mind if I have a cigarette?’

Rosemary relaxed her shoulders. ‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered, slipping her hand around Fitz’s arm. ‘I’ve been so worried.’

‘About what?’

She shook her head, not wanting to discuss her fears within earshot of Alba. ‘Silly woman’s worries. You’re fine, that’s all that matters.’

Alba smiled at her daughter. It was a small smile but Rosa felt her pride like the heat of the sun. She had won her mother’s admiration and her gratitude. Things were going to be different now.

When Luca returned with glasses and wine, he brought the rest of the house party with him. They all crammed into the folly, opened the bottles, and listened enraptured while Nero brought the past alive with colourful tales of dukes and princes and the inimitable
Marchese
.

Luca took Cosima’s hand. The ring sparkled on her finger like a bright star, but no one seemed to notice, until he caught the professor looking across at him with a father’s affection. His gaze dropped to Cosima’s ring and the professor gave Luca a wink and a discreet, but laudatory nod.

 

Luca told his parents that he was returning to London to touch base, pay bills and catch up with his friends. He didn’t tell them of his marriage plans, and he didn’t tell Cosima of his plans for their future. He just took a plane back with the intention of kick-starting the rest of his life with the woman who had made it all possible.

He left the
palazzo
in a state of excitement. Romina had all but adopted Nero, renaming the folly after him and inviting him to stay there whenever he liked. She spent hours on the terrace, with the old photographs of the
palazzo
and all the elegant people the
Marchese
had entertained in decadent magnificence. She welcomed Nero’s evening
salons
with Rosa, and Eugenio, so relieved that Nero was not the handsome stranger he had imagined, allowed her to see him as often as she wanted. The decrepit old Nero was no competition for Eugenio; Rosa’s enthusiastic love-making, without the stimulus of a row, was testament of that.

Fitz, Rosemary and Freya returned to England. Miles was at the end of his tether, afraid to the point of making himself ill that his wife would leave him for Luca. If it hadn’t been for Cosima, she might well have done. But she accepted his apology and believed him when he told her he had finished his affair and would never stray again. He could barely take his hands off her, following her around the house like an adoring puppy. Freya found this mildly irritating, but she was pleased to be back where she belonged. She didn’t need to sleep with Luca to redress the balance; she was holding all the cards.

Fitz knew he would never see Alba again. He lodged her safely in the very furthest corner of his heart along with his regret and a little sadness. There was no point longing for the unattainable. Alba and he were a chapter closed long ago. Now he would return to his life and look forward. He would try not to think of what might have been, or lament his lack of courage; he was too old to sour the years he had left. But she held all his love and always would.

While Luca was away, Nero became part of the
palazzo
‘family’ along with Nanni, Caradoc and Ma, who seemed likely to stay on well after the summer was over. Porci’s infatuation with Nero grew more intense with each passing day, dozing off at his feet to the languid undulations of his beautiful Italian. Bill accepted his wife’s eccentric posse in his easy-going way. Having a group of friends around her all the time was what made her happy. He concentrated on the garden and began formulating an idea to build another folly, one dedicated to beauty and learning, for Romina.

Back in London, the overwhelming noise of the city and the strange sense of being alone in the midst of millions of people unsettled Luca. He breathed in the polluted air, grimaced at the crowds jostling on the pavements and sat in traffic while the knot of frustration grew tighter in his stomach. He went back to his empty house and felt emptiness engulf him again.

He drove to Kensington to surprise the girls. He could hear their laughter before he rang the bell and felt his excitement mount. Normally he would have taken presents, but this time, in his hurry to see them, he had forgotten.

When Claire saw him she flushed with surprise. ‘What are you doing here?’ Before he could reply, Coco and Juno pushed past her into his arms. He hugged them both, kissing their warm faces and rubbing his nose in their hair.

‘I’ve missed you!’ he breathed, realising how true it was.

‘Greedy wants to see you!’ said Juno, skipping off to the playroom to retrieve her caterpillar.

‘How are you, Coco?’

‘Are we going out to Italy again soon?’ she asked.

‘If you’d like to.’

‘I like the swimming pool.’

‘So do I.’

She giggled. ‘You’re the Naughty Crocodile!’

He tickled her ribs. ‘You know what Naughty Crocodiles do, don’t you?’

‘Eat children!’ she laughed, running off down the corridor.

‘You had better come in,’ said Claire.

‘Are you alone?’

‘If you’re referring to John, yes, I’m alone.’

‘Good. I need to talk to you and the girls.’

‘What about?’ Her stomach lurched at the horrendous possibilities.

He patted her back. ‘Nothing to be afraid of, Claire.’ He watched her shoulders drop. ‘I have some news I want to share.’

‘Okay. Let’s go into the kitchen. Would you like a cup of tea?’

‘Cup of coffee, please. Do you have a biscuit?’

Claire summoned the girls and they all sat around the table. Luca suddenly felt apprehensive. He feared his news might be unwelcome to his daughters, that they might feel threatened by the presence of another woman laying claim to their father’s heart. ‘So, what’s the news?’ Claire placed a coffee cup in front of him.

He looked at his daughters’ expectant faces. ‘I’m moving to Italy.’

‘You’re going to live in Incantellaria?’ Claire said, astonished. ‘What on earth are you going to do there?’

He ignored her and waited for his daughters to respond. ‘I hope you’ll come and visit me every holiday and for half-terms. Mummy and I will share you.’

Juno’s eyes lit up. ‘When is the next holiday?’

‘Soon,’ said Luca. Claire remained silent while the coffee percolated, calculating what the consequences of his move would be for her.

‘So, you’re happy about me moving to Incantellaria?’ he asked Coco.

‘Yes,’ she said importantly. ‘Very happy.’

‘You know Mummy has a friend called John?’ Claire stared at him warily. The girls nodded. ‘Mummy would be lonely without John. Well, Daddy is lonely on his own in Incantellaria. If Mummy and Daddy can’t be together, the next best thing is Mummy and Daddy finding new friends. Mummy has found hers, and Daddy . . .’

‘You’re getting married,’ said Coco nonchalantly.

Claire flushed again. ‘Are you?’

‘Yes,’ he replied carefully. ‘I have found the woman I would like to spend the rest of my life with.’

‘Who is she?’ Claire felt she had just been punched in the stomach.

‘She’s called Cosima,’ Luca replied. ‘You might remember her,’ he said to the girls.

‘She’s very pretty,’ said Coco, pleased to be in the know. ‘She’s got lovely thick hair and a nice smile. I could tell she liked you, Daddy.’

‘Do I remember her?’ Juno asked.

‘Greedy remembers her,’ said Coco.

‘So, you give me your blessing?’

‘Yes,’ said Coco.

‘Me too!’ said Juno, making Greedy nod in agreement.

‘Then that’s settled.’

Coco was quick to spot an opportunity. ‘Can we be bridesmaids?’

Luca felt his spirits soar. His daughters approved of his choice. There was only one more thing to do.

‘Claire, I want to settle the money side without going to court,’ he said.

‘Okay. Girls, why don’t you go off and play? Daddy and I have some talking to do. Boring stuff.’ The girls ran off, chattering excitedly about their father’s wedding. Luca handed her an envelope. ‘Why have you put your sword away?’

‘Because I’m happy, Claire, and I want you to be happy, too.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, we have two beautiful little girls. We made them together. We might not have worked out, but we did something right.’

She opened the envelope and pulled out the neatly folded letter. He watched her read it. ‘Are you joking?’ she gasped.

‘Why? Isn’t it enough?’

She stared at him as if he had just handed her the world on a plate. ‘It’s more than enough. You’d be richer if you took me to court!’

‘I don’t want to take you to court and I don’t want to be richer. You deserve it. We were married for ten years. I spoiled you rotten. I can’t expect you to live with less than you had when we were married.’

She folded her arms. ‘Then it’s well and truly over,’ she said, trying to mask her sadness. ‘Were we ever happy?’

‘When Coco and Juno were born, we were the happiest two people on earth.’

‘She must be one hell of a woman to make you live over there.’

‘She is.’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘Ah, that’s the million dollar question.’ But his smile implied that he already knew.

Luca spent a fortnight in London sorting out his affairs and seeing the few friends who really mattered. With the help of his old secretary he answered the towering pile of invitations and letters that had accumulated over the weeks he had been away and put his house on the market. He telephoned Cosima every morning and every evening and with each day that passed his longing for her grew. He wouldn’t miss London and he wouldn’t miss the City. Those days were gone. He was embarking on a new life and the thought of it filled him with excitement.

He drove out to Italy in his Aston Martin, the roof down, the wind in his hair, thoughts of Cosima dominating his mind. He sang loudly to Andrea Boccelli and felt his spirits soar. In the midst of such beauty, in the face of such a positive future, he now understood why a certain thought had inexplicably popped into his head that night in his mews house.
Darkness is only the absence of light
. It was up to him to find the light inside him, and he had.

There was one thing he had to do before seeing Cosima. One vital thing upon which all his plans depended. With a suspended heart, he motored through the gates of La Marmella.

 

Cosima was taking an order on the terrace of the
trattoria
when Luca sauntered into view. When she registered his features, surprise caused her cheeks to flush a pretty shade of pink, her face softening with affection.

‘Excuse me,’ she said to the old lady. ‘Fiero, would you take over!’ Fiero nodded, wondering why Luca carried a large basket of lemons.

Cosima melted against him as if his embrace was the only place in the world where she felt secure and at peace. ‘I’ve missed you.’

‘I’ve missed you, too,’ he replied, kissing her temple. ‘You’re more beautiful than I remember.’

She pulled away and laughed at the basket of lemons. ‘You’re funny,’ she said. ‘Can I guess where they’re from!’

‘They’re from
your
farm.’

She frowned. ‘
My
farm?’

‘Yes,
your
farm.’