regarded her.
‘Then let’s go into action, O lord of creation.’
Hand in hand they strolled through the hotel and out to the poolside restaurant where they were to eat. Their hosts were already there, and Dagwood immediately rose and took firm hold of Helen’s hand, declaring that she must sit with him. As there was only one chair beside him this left Lorenzo no choice but to sit beside Calypso.
Helen had no problem sizing up Dagwood. He’d started with a small fortune and he’d built it up to a huge one, as he lost no time in telling her, then telling her again, and again. He was used to being able to buy anything and he expected things to continue that way.
His wife was more interesting. With no influence on either her husband or daughter she centred her life on her hobby, which was words. The precise definition of words, and the proper use of apostrophes, occupied her whole attention, and she had been known to stop a conversation dead in its tracks by expatiating on the subject. Her husband habitually bullied her to conceal his awe of her.
Helen had thought her own dress daring until she saw Calypso’s which plunged low at the top and high at the hem, until the two plunges came perilously close to meeting in the middle. Lorenzo, she was glad to note, was conscientiously averting his eyes, despite Calypso’s attempts to make this impossible.
Dagwood worked hard to divert Helen’s attention from Lorenzo. He talked about himself, he made her talk about herself, he made her talk about Elroys, which she did dutifully until Maggie asked her whether that was Elroys with or without an apostrophe. After that it took a while for the talk to get started again. Lorenzo addressed a remark to Helen and Dagwood promptly demanded how long they’d known each other.
‘Since January,’ Lorenzo said. ‘We met under very unusual circumstances.’ He nudged Helen. ‘Why don’t you tell them how we were discussing marriage in the first ten minutes?’
‘I don’t think that’s a story for anyone else’s ears,’ she simpered, divining his intention at once.
Calypso was briefly diverted from her self absorption. ‘You guys got the hots for each other
Lorenzo couldn’t meet Helen’s eyes.
She controlled her amusement long enough to murmur, ‘That bad. It caused a lot of problems.’
‘OK, OK,’ bawled Dagwood, not pleased with these reminiscences. ‘Let’s have some more to drink.’
Helen made another effort. ‘Lorenzo’s been telling me all about his trip-’
‘I bet he hasn’t told you everything,’ Calypso giggled, snuggling against Lorenzo.
It occurred to Helen that she disliked Calypso very much indeed.
‘I doubt I’d have been interested in everything,’ she said coolly.
‘In fact, I bet he ain’t told you nothing,’ Calypso said triumphantly. ‘What?’ This was addressed to her mother who’d muttered something in her ear. ‘For Pete’s sake, Mom! Who cares if it’s a double negative? What’s a double negative, anyway? We ain’t feeling negative, are we, honey?’ She was walking her fingertips over Lorenzo’s chest.
That did it! Without altering her smile a fraction Helen leaned over to Calypso and said clearly, ‘If you don’t want to end up in the pool, take your hands off my man.’
Dagwood rose to his feet, almost frothing with rage. ‘What’s the matter with you people? You’re animals. I don’t have to take this. You!’ He pointed at Lorenzo. ‘You’d better get smart, right now.’
Lorenzo regarded him, his eyes sparkling with pure Sicilian anger. But his voice had a calm silkiness. ‘And just what do you mean by “get smart”, Mr. Baxter?’
Dagwood jabbed a finger in Helen’s direction. ‘She just insulted my daughter.’
‘Actually, she didn’t,’ Maggie observed mildly. ‘She said she’d throw her in the pool. That wasn’t an insult, it was a threat.’
‘Does it matter?’ Dagwood was beside himself.
‘Well, strictly speaking, if you-’
‘Dammit, Maggie, this isn’t the moment to start picking holes.’
‘I was only trying to help, dear.’
Dagwood tried again. ‘She insul-threatened my daughter. What are you going to do about it?’
Lorenzo rose, and there was something in his eyes that made Dagwood take a step backwards.
‘I’m going to marry her,’ he said flatly. ‘That’s what I’m going to do.’
‘Then you can forget about selling your carrots to Dagwood C. Baxter. Yes, sir.’
Lorenzo’s smile was full of soft menace. ‘Mr Baxter-stuff your order.’
Dagwood snorted, gathered up his belongings, plus his family, and retreated with as much dignity as he could muster. At the last moment he flung back a look of loathing and was further affronted by the sight of Helen in gales of laughter.
When they were alone Lorenzo eyed her warily.
‘You were marvellous,’ she choked at last. ‘The first man who’s ever prized my hand in marriage over a million dollars.’
‘Helen-’
‘It’s all right, I know you didn’t mean it.’
‘Of course I didn’t mean it,’ he said quickly. ‘I’m not ready to die.’
‘But I still think you’re marvellous.’
‘Yeah, marvellous,’ he muttered. ‘And a coward as well.’
‘What?’
‘Nothing. Let’s dance.’
A band had struck up and dancers were whirling by the pool, now filled with the reflections of colourful shapes. Lorenzo took her hand and led her to where they could vanish into the crowd and be private in each other’s arms.
He blew out his cheeks. ‘Oh, boy, what an evening!’
‘How are you going to explain to Renato that you lost a million dollar order?’
‘I’ll tell him to come out and try the lion’s den for himself. Now forget Renato. I want to concentrate on that dress. It’s been giving me problems. It’s giving me problems right now.’
‘I can see that,’ she said, following his gaze down to her cleavage. ‘You’re behaving most improperly, and I think you should stop.’
‘How the hell am I supposed to stop?’ he said through gritted teeth.
She considered the matter seriously. ‘If you were to draw me closer you wouldn’t be able to see down that far.’
He tightened his arm. ‘Like that?’
‘That’s better.’
It was getting late and the music had developed a more melancholy, reflective character, conducive to dancing closely. She shouldn’t be doing this, she thought. She enjoyed the feel of Lorenzo’s body more than she ought, and his mouth was dangerously close to hers, filling her with longing.
‘How long before you have to go?’ she murmured.
‘I can stay here a couple more days. Can you stay?’
‘Two days, yes.’
And then-nothing. For the rest of her life.
‘I’ll come back,’ he said, reading her thoughts. ‘And you can visit Sicily.’
‘I don’t think I should do that. People might get the wrong idea.’
‘They’d think we were in love.’ His mouth brushed hers as he spoke.
She tried to speak but his lips silenced her, and she knew that she’d longed for this since the first night, the first stolen kiss. The sensation was so ravishing that it almost stunned her.
At last she looked around and realised that they were alone on the floor. People were watching them, smiling. ‘The music has stopped,’ she said in wonder.
‘Yes, and we’re providing the entertainment. Let’s get out of here.’ He seized her hand and they hurried from the floor, to the accompaniment of applause.
At her door they stopped.
‘Don’t,’ she begged. ‘Just-go to bed.’ She opened her door and half moved inside.
