all right, my darling. Everything’s going to be all right.’
Later she was to wonder how she could have been so blind and stupid as not to see the pit opening at their feet. He had seen it but, in his inarticulate way, hadn’t known how to tell her until it was too late.
CHAPTER TEN
THE Villa Rinucci was in turmoil. For days everything was dedicated to the great party at which Hope would introduce her new son to her friends. It would be organised along the same lines as her birthday festivities, but grander still. The whole world must know that she rejoiced in her son.
While she buried herself in menus and wine lists the two families worked at getting better acquainted. Justin spent time with Toni and Primo. His relationship with Primo was slightly edgy, but he worked hard at being cordial, conscious of what he owed him. They were both businessmen, and Primo had business interests in England, and on that level they could meet.
Francesco and Luke had left the villa to attend to their work, promising to return for the party. The twins still had a bedroom each at the villa, although both had apartments in Naples where, according to their mother, they ‘got up to no good’ and very much enjoyed doing so.
But for the moment their apartments were left empty as they devoted themselves to entertaining Evie and Mark. Mark gravitated instinctively to the boyish Carlo, adopting him as a favourite uncle. This was no surprise, according to his caustic twin, since Carlo had been blessed with the mind of a child.
Carlo responded in kind, and the cheerful insults flew back and forth, sometimes in English, in honour of the guests, but becoming more Italian as the atmosphere grew livelier. Mark, Evie was amused to notice, was making eager notes, desperate not to lose a single rude word, while she leaned close to Justin and translated for him.
The merry battle continued for most of the evening, engulfing the entire family, until Hope called them to order through her laughter. Mark went to bed blissfully happy and spent the next day practising Neapolitan insults until Carlo frantically covered his mouth, muttering, ‘I’ll tell you what that means when you’re older.’
‘Much older,’ said Evie, who was also learning fast.
Her own preference was for Ruggiero, a dark horse. He was a quiet, thoughtful young man, with a kind of subdued fierceness about him that sometimes reminded her of Justin. But the great love of his life was his motorbike and, after the first startled recognition, he and Evie greeted each other as kindred spirits.
One day they vanished for several hours so that he could demonstrate his bike. There was a brief tense moment just before they departed, when Ruggiero explained formally to Justin that he was taking Evie away for the afternoon, ‘with your consent.’
‘Oi!’ Evie said. ‘With his consent or without it. I don’t need his permission. Come on.’
She gave Justin’s cheek a quick kiss and hurried out, eager to try the new toy.
They were out much longer than she’d intended, finally driving up the road to the villa, exhilarated and on the best of terms, to find the whole family watching their approach from the terrace.
‘You’re late for supper,’ Carlo yelled down. ‘We’ve eaten it all.’
‘It was delicious,’ Mark cried. ‘The best ever.’
‘But of course we saved you some,’ Hope said, smiling. ‘It will be ready when you’ve freshened up. There is no hurry.’
The meal was, as Mark had promised, delicious. She and Ruggiero dined together while Mark helped to serve them, chattering all the time. There was no sign of Justin.
She sought him out later.
‘Aren’t you going to tell me about your day?’ she asked.
‘I think I may be able to do some business with Primo. There’s a lot to discuss, but I see it happening.’
‘And you’ll make a pot of money?’
‘Hopefully.’
‘Fine. Then you’ve had a good day.’
‘I hope you enjoyed yours.’
‘It was wonderful,’ she said blissfully. ‘As soon as we get back to England I’m going to sell my machine and buy one like his. The speed! I’ve never known anything like it.’
‘I was worried about you,’ Justin said quietly, with the smallest vibration of anger in his voice.
‘There was no need. You knew I was with Ruggiero.’
‘Driving on a strange bike over strange roads. And I don’t even like to think what speed you were doing.’
‘Then don’t,’ she said briskly. That ‘with your consent’ still rankled. ‘I can control a bike at speed.’
‘Control? You mean he let you ride that thing in front?’
‘In the end, yes. No way was I going to be content riding pillion.’
‘You’re mad.’
‘You’ve always known that. What’s so different now?’
‘I was worried,’ he shouted. ‘Can’t you understand that?’
Instantly she was contrite. She had forgotten how he took things to heart.
‘Yes, I can understand,’ she said gently. ‘Don’t worry about me. I needed that ride, but I’ve got the madness out of my system, at least for a while.’
‘Yes, promise me that you won’t do it again.’
‘I will not. I’ll want another ride before I leave here.’
‘But not in the front. Pillion is OK, but-’
‘Justin, stop there. I decide what’s OK for me, not you. Now let’s leave this.’
His eyes were dark and angry.
‘I’m not ready to leave it. I don’t like you risking your life, and I don’t like you gadding off for hours with another man-‘
‘Another man? You mean that boy who’s two years younger than I am? Nonsense. I’m like an older sister to him.’
‘Did he treat you like an older sister?’
‘Of course he did,’ she said, trying to banish the memory of Ruggiero’s arms about her body when he had been riding pillion, and the gleam of admiration in his eyes that had had nothing to do with motorbikes.
He had flirted with her in a way that had danced to the edge of acceptability, and had then danced nimbly away again when she had fended him off with laughter. It hadn’t troubled her. Flirting was one of the great pleasures of her life, but she always knew when to stop.
But Justin would never be able to believe that, she realised. Perhaps it was time to give up flirtations.
‘He treated me like a fellow motorbike nutter. It’s a club. We’re all crazy about the same thing. Plus he was entertaining me to leave you free for your mother.’
‘Hope has plenty to see to. You and I could have spent the afternoon together.’
‘And miss doing business with Primo? Look, I’m sorry. Let’s forget about it.’
‘As long as you promise not to do it again.’
Part of her wanted to agree to whatever pleased him, but another part of her simply couldn’t yield to possessiveness, even his.
‘I said leave it,’ she said quietly.
‘I suppose that’s my answer.’
‘No, the answer is-stop trying to give me orders. Stop trying to control me.’
He took a sharp intake of breath and she looked up to find something in his eyes that might have been fear. They stared at each other, both equally shocked by the silly quarrel that had come out of nowhere and taken them both by surprise.
Then he pulled back quickly. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.’
Softened, she reached out. ‘Darling-’
‘Just forget it, will you?’ he said hastily. Then he turned and walked away from her without a backward glance.
Evie was left feeling saddened and angry with herself that she hadn’t handled it better. A noise from above
