‘Now here is beauty,’ Alex agreed.
‘I’ll tell Teresa you said so. She will appreciate it.’
‘I’ll tell her myself, just before I leave.’
‘Yes,’ he said after a moment.
‘I must be going soon, I suppose. I want an early night, to be ready for Enrico’s funeral tomorrow. His family are making a big “do” of it.’
‘Aren’t you part of his family?’
‘Well yes, but you know what I mean. The people who live out here and knew him. And let me tell you,
‘I’m not angry with you, as I hope I’ve made clear today. Belluna has gained much prosperity from the money my father borrowed, and it’s your right to be repaid.’
Alex wrinkled her nose.
‘I don’t like talk of “rights”,’ she said, wondering at herself even as she said it.
In the world she had left behind, the world of desks and good order, rights were the markers by which everything was organised. You were entitled to this, you weren’t entitled to that. And so you always knew where you stood in the universe.
But here the universe was a flood of gold spread over the land. And rights seemed unimportant.
‘I suppose Enrico’s funeral will turn out the same way your father’s did,’ she said. ‘The vultures will converge on me.’
‘I think I have a way to prevent that happening,’ Rinaldo mused.
Before she could ask what he meant Gino appeared, greeting her eagerly, kissing her cheek.
‘I’m so glad,’ he said. ‘When Rinaldo told me, I couldn’t believe it.’
‘Told you what?’
‘Why, that you’d come to stay, of course.’
‘But I haven’t come to stay. I’m about to return to Florence, if someone will give me a lift.’
In the silence Gino looked at Rinaldo, who shrugged with an air that was almost sheepish. At any other time this would have amused her, but now a rising tide of suspicion was overtaking her, making her get to her feet to confront him.
‘But I just finished bringing your bags,’ Gino protested.
She whirled on him.
‘And why would you do that?’
‘Because Rinaldo said-hey, brother, you wouldn’t! Would you?’
‘Would you like to bet money on that?’ Alex seethed.
‘Look,’ Rinaldo said, ‘it’s right for you to stay here awhile, and learn to understand this place.’
‘OK. That makes sense. But why couldn’t you have simply asked me?’
‘You might have said no,’ he declared flatly, as if the question were too obvious to need an answer.
‘I
‘But Teresa is in your room right now, unpacking your bags,’ Gino said in dismay.
‘And that’s another thing,’ Alex told him furiously. ‘How did you come to have my luggage? I never packed it.’
‘The hotel did that,’ Gino said. ‘They had everything ready for me.’
‘And who told them to?’
Gino held up his hands, backing away as if to say that this wasn’t his fault.
‘I did,’ Rinaldo said. ‘I called them and said you weren’t returning, and would they please have your things ready.’
‘And did you pay my bill as well, or weren’t they worried about that little matter?’
‘You may recall that you signed a credit card docket when you arrived. It was simply a matter of putting it through. But I doubt if they would have worried anyway. The manager is an old friend of mine.’
‘And would have jumped to obey your orders?’ Alex said angrily.
Rinaldo shrugged. ‘There was no need to give him orders. He knows I can be trusted. And, as I said, he already had your signature.’
‘Suppose I want to dispute something on the bill?’
‘You can do that tomorrow.’
‘I’ll do it now. I refuse to stay here. You must be quite mad.’ She faced Gino, eyes glinting. ‘I thought better of you.’
‘But I didn’t know, truly,’ he pleaded. ‘I thought you’d agreed.’
‘Will you take me back to Florence? Or must I call for a taxi?’
‘Of course I’ll take you back,’ he said at once.
‘Forget that idea,’ Rinaldo growled.
‘I won’t forget it,’ Gino said firmly. ‘Rinaldo, what are you thinking about?’
‘I’m thinking about how all this is going to end,’ he shouted.
‘And making everyone dance around like puppets on the end of your strings,’ Alex snapped. ‘What did you think I’d do when I found out? Tamely submit to your decree and let you take me prisoner? If you did, you were wrong.’
‘Take you prisoner? Don’t be melodramatic.’
‘What else would you call it?’
‘
At that defiance Rinaldo flung him a look that Alex never forgot. It contained rage, betrayal, disbelief, and a curious sense of hurt that she couldn’t help seeing, even then.
‘Gino,’ Rinaldo warned, ‘don’t take anyone’s side against me.’
‘Then don’t force a battle about this,’ Gino said in a harsher voice than Alex had heard from him before. ‘It’s gone too far. You’re always the same. You lose your temper and you forget everything else. Too many people jump to do as you say, but Alex doesn’t. That’s what’s got you mad.’
Rinaldo didn’t reply in words, but his look was terrible.
‘Do as you like,’ he said curtly.
Gino swung around to face Alex.
‘I don’t want you to leave,’ he said quietly, ‘but if that’s your wish, I’m ready to take you back now.’
Alex put her hand in his.
‘Do you really want me to stay?’
‘More than anything, but not against your will.’
‘Gino, I’m happy to remain here if I’m asked nicely and not steamrollered.’
He grinned and dropped to his knee, holding her hand between his.
‘Alex, will you honour us by being our guest for as long as you wish?’
‘I accept,’ she said hastily, fearing that Rinaldo would explode if this went on. He was regarding them both with an air of grim exasperation.
‘For pity’s sake,’ he snapped. ‘If you mean to stay, what’s the fuss about?’
‘You really don’t know, do you?’ Alex demanded.
‘No, he doesn’t,’ Gino confirmed.
Rinaldo scowled at him.
‘If you gentlemen have finished,’ Alex said, thoroughly fed up with both of them, ‘I’ll go upstairs to my room.’
She stormed out.
Teresa had just finished hanging her clothes up, and was preparing to take some away, to iron out the creases.
‘I’ll do that,’ Alex said, speaking Italian.
‘Oh, no!’ Teresa was shocked. ‘You are the mistress.’
‘Don’t let Rinaldo hear you say that,’ Alex muttered. ‘Otherwise he may murder me before I murder him.’
She couldn’t have explained the annoyance that possessed her. Rinaldo had behaved badly but, with Gino’s
