'Lovejoy. What are you doing?'
'Washing my socks.' I'd done my singlet and underpants and was hanging them on the heated rails.
'You are what?'
'I've only one lot.' It was all right for her. I'd never seen her in the same clothes twice.
A set of heated drying pipes was not to be sneezed at. 'Finished.'
She came against me, apparently snuffling with laughter. I was glad, because I was stark naked. So was she for that matter, but nude women don't look stupid like we do.
A woman like her could make a man forget Maria.
'I told Fabio to get you fitted out.'
'He must have forgotten.'
'I'll make sure he remembers.'
'Mind, signora,' I warned. 'My hands are wet.'
It was then she said it again. 'Lovejoy,' she breathed against my neck, her hands about me. 'I don't believe you're real.'
Her saying that was getting on my nerves. 'What are you on about?'
'I mean you call me Adriana now. Come back to bed.'
She meant cretino.
CHAPTER 19
Next morning was a right scramble. It shouldn't have been, but for some reason Adriana was anxious to make a proper breakfast for us, warbling in the kitchen with me gaping at the loveliest of views over a valley. I had her point the places out on the map and was delighted to learn we were near the Tivoli Fountains at the Villa D'Este. She said we would go one day.
She drove quite expertly and probably twice as well as me. Women are mostly better drivers than us. I've noticed that. I was thankful, because there was a snarl-up on the main road into the city. We had delayed getting off the bed as well, which didn't help.
She dropped me with money for a taxi.
Anna had not left for the day's work. We had a brief skirmish, but that was practically par for the course nowadays. She was at her make-up when I came in and she rounded on me. Of course I had no reason to feel guilty but women always put you in the wrong.
'I suppose you've been with that posh whore? The grand signora.'
'No,' I lied. 'If you must know I've been looking around.'
'The rip?' she breathed, unbending.
'Yes.'
'I'm glad, Lovejoy.' She gave a half-smile. 'One of us messing it up's bad enough.'
She was apologizing for that business with the police. I felt a heel but quickly suppressed it. There were too many people not on my side for me to go over and join them.
'I want you to do something. Can you get hold of a camera? They took theirs back.' And asked all sorts of awkward questions when I couldn't produce any photographs.
'I'll get one.'
I warned, 'Legitimate, no stealing. Make sure you get a film that fits. Have somebody do it for you if you're uncertain. Then photograph the Colosseum.'
'All of it?'
'No. Go in to the right. The terrace ends about half way round, where the ancient Romans had a sort of elevator. There are great blocks of stone—'
'I know the place. Where the masons work?'
'Photograph the stones, the recess, everything.' I didn't say that was where Marcello died. 'From every angle you can think of. It's vital, so do it properly.'
'I'll do it, Lovejoy.' She looked at me through the mirror, doing her mouth. 'And thanks.'
'What for?' I'd just given her a monumental load of work to do, one my life would depend on.
'Just thanks.' I let it go. I don't understand birds sometimes.
She came to close the door after me. 'Lovejoy. I've had news. Carlo comes out of hospital tomorrow.'
'About time,' I said as levelly as I could. It had had to come. 'Tell him I want the ambulance on standby in three days. 'Morning, Anna.'
'Morning, Lovejoy.'
I started making the winch that morning.
* * *
Maybe my timing was a bit unfortunate, knowing what I now knew of Piero and Adriana, but I was on a tight
