about it too much. When did I ever let the poor man get a word in edgeways? Now it’s too late. No, it mustn’t be.
But she didn’t know what to do.
Every two weeks Hope arranged a family gathering at the villa for anyone who happened to be in Naples at the time. Usually this simply meant those who lived there, but occasionally a distant relative passed through and was scooped up for a dinner party. When Toni’s second cousin once removed came to visit, he and his wife were feasted like royalty.
The younger members of the family thought them pleasant, but dull, and were politely relieved when a car arrived to collect them. But Hope and Toni followed them out to say more goodbyes by the car.
‘You should go and join them,’ Della scolded Carlo. ‘Where are your manners?’
‘They died a death when he told that story about the boar for the fifth time,’ he said faintly.
She aimed a playful swipe at him, but she did him an injustice. A slight family resemblance had made Carlo the object of the old man’s attention most of the evening. He’d done his duty with great charm. Now he’d earned a breather.
‘You’re driving us home tonight, aren’t you?’ he checked with his wife.
‘Promise.’
‘In that case I’ll have a large whisky,’ he said with relief.
When they were all sitting around, relaxing, Celia said, ‘Why don’t you tell us the rest of
This raised a laugh. For most of the evening Carlo had been trying to tell an anecdote of his own, constantly interrupted by their guest, who had led everything back to his own tale of the boar.
‘Right-I’ll tell it fast,’ Carlo said. ‘This man came to the door, and when he-’
He plunged into the story. Francesco watched him, and also Della, who laughed at her husband’s story as freely as if she hadn’t heard it a dozen times already. They were clearly happy and at ease with each other, he thought, remembering how stressed he’d seen them before.
‘I see that you’ve got it sussed,’ Francesco said as Carlo finished the story and came in search of his wife. ‘I wish you’d tell me the secret.’
‘The strange thing,’ Carlo mused, ‘is that it was you who told me the secret. Since your warning I’ve been watching myself-backing off, in case I smother Della with my love. I could end up depriving her of any meaningful life, which would be easier for me but would destroy her.’
‘So why can’t I practise what I preach?’ Francesco sighed in frustration. ‘I can’t seem to find the way.’
‘You won’t,’ Carlo told him. ‘It’ll find you. One day you’ll just see the path at your feet, and that’s when you have to decide whether to walk it. If you walk forward it’ll be hard, but she’ll be there, waiting. Until then you just have to keep watching for the moment.’
The phone rang in the hall, just outside.
‘I’ll get it,’ Carlo said. ‘I’m nearest.’
He vanished into the hall, and they heard him say, ‘
Celia appeared at Francesco’s side, asking, ‘Is she the one who lives in Rome, with Luke? Ruggiero and Polly visited them recently?’
‘That’s right. Minnie’s a lawyer and Luke owns an apartment block. They met because she was fighting him on behalf of his tenants. They started by going at it hammer and tongs and ended up married.’
‘Hammer and tongs can make a very good beginning,’ Celia said. ‘You discover the worst of the other person, and if you can fall in love after that you have real hope.’
There was a general laugh at this, then Primo said, ‘Just a minute-I think something’s wrong. Carlo’s voice has changed.’
They all grew alert, and heard Carlo say, ‘All right. I’ll get Poppa.’
By this time Toni and Hope had finished their goodbyes and were returning to the house, just as Carlo appeared, saying urgently, ‘Luke’s on the phone. Aunt Lisa is very ill.’
Toni and Hope hurried to the phone at once.
‘It’s bad, then?’ Primo asked.
‘She’s dying,’ Carlo said. ‘She had a massive heart attack, and the doctors say there’s very little hope. Uncle Franco asked Luke to call us, because he can’t leave her for a moment.’
There were murmurs of consternation. Most of the others rose and surrounded Carlo, asking him questions, but Della remained with Celia, saying, ‘They live in Rome, so Luke and Minnie have seen more of them than the rest of us. It’s strange, really. Rome isn’t so far away, but they never seem to join us here for family celebrations.’
Remembering what Hope had told her, Celia realised this wasn’t surprising. The love between her and Franco had been so strong that they had to avoid each other-even years later. Now Franco’s wife would soon be dead. His children were grown, and he would a free man. How would this make her feel? And Toni? Would he be afraid lest this changed everything?
At last Hope and Toni returned.
‘How bad is it?’ everyone asked.
‘She’s going,’ Toni said heavily. ‘My brother wants his family there.’
There were murmurs of agreement from the others, but Francesco said, ‘I can’t come, Mamma. I can’t leave Celia alone.’
He spoke in a low voice, but Celia heard him-and Hope’s immediate response. ‘I hope Celia will come with us. I regard her as one of the family.’
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’ll be glad to come.’
Inwardly she thought that there was more here than met the eye, but she, who had no eyes, might see more clearly than the others. Concern for her was chiefly an excuse. Francesco had his own reasons for not wanting to visit his true father.
It was decided that they would all leave by train the next day. An invitation to stay at Franco’s home was politely refused.
‘He will have enough on his mind without playing host to all of us,’ Hope declared. ‘There are several good hotels.’
After that the party broke up, and they made arrangements to meet at the railway station in the morning. For once Celia wished she could see. Hope had trusted her with her feelings, and now she would have liked to seek her out and speak to her. But it would attract too much attention.
She had to settle for asking Francesco to take her to his mother and giving her a hug. Through the pressure of the older woman’s arms she sensed the feelings Hope could not express.
Francesco didn’t speak until they were home, and then he said awkwardly, ‘I’m afraid you were rather corralled into that, whether you like it or not.’
‘I’m happy to come. If only I thought you wanted me there.’
‘Nonsense-why shouldn’t I?’ He sounded edgy.
‘Because there’s something about this that you’re keeping to yourself. There are warning signs all around you, telling me to keep off.’
‘You’re imagining that,’ he said impatiently. ‘If I’m a little awkward it’s because of something I have to tell you. Della booked the hotel rooms, and she automatically booked each couple into a double room. I couldn’t think of a way to tell her that we didn’t want that, but when we get there I’ll change it.’
‘No, don’t do that. In strange surroundings I’ll be safer in the same room with you. Leave things as they are.’
‘That’s fine, then.’ He stopped, as though words suddenly came hard to him.
She turned her head in his direction, trying to read the silence. She’d always been able to do so before, but this time he was blocking her out. The nothingness that resulted was the most frightening thing that had ever happened to her.
But she had to know the truth. If he’d turned against her she needed to feel that, too, by touching him, experiencing his bitterness through her fingers.
Celia began to walk in his direction, moving slowly and quietly, not to alert him. That was how she discovered that he was sitting down, his head sunk low, as though he’d come to the end of something and didn’t know what to do next. Aghast at her own stupidity, she realised that there was no hostility here, only a dismal despair, bleak and
