‘How do you mean?’
‘You wanted a way to drive him from her heart, and now you have it. Just tell her that the husband she idolised deceived her. Surely the simplest calculation should make that plain.’
‘I don’t like the word calculation,’ he growled.
‘It’s the one you’ve always lived by. I was merely speaking your own language.’
‘All right.’ He swung round. ‘Let’s say I tell her about this woman and child because I’ve calculated-’ he nearly spat the word ‘-that it will benefit me. But will it? It happened before he knew her, so where’s the betrayal?’
‘He went on seeing them when he came to Naples.’
‘As any decent man would, rather than abandon his child. He kept quiet so as not to hurt her, but that still makes Minnie the one he truly loved. If I want to destroy him in her eyes, I’ll need more than that.’
‘But he went on sleeping with this woman,’ Hope pointed out. ‘There is the betrayal. Tell Minnie that. Make her accept the truth. Then the road should be clear for you.’
In silence he turned and looked at her.
Minnie’s phone rang at exactly eleven o’clock.
‘I waited until now so as not to interrupt your work,’ Luke said.
‘I might be asleep by now,’ she pointed out.
‘You never were. We were usually still talking nonsense at this hour. Then you’d make the cocoa.’
She laughed, and they fell silent.
‘What are you doing now?’ he asked.
‘Just closing the books, then going to bed.’
Trying to put off the moment, she thought, because it’s so lonely without you.
‘You were supposed to be having some time off after that case collapsed,’ he reminded her. ‘You could have stayed here.’
‘No, I-I don’t think that would have been a good idea. There’s too much… Things get confused.’
‘Yes,’ he said, and she knew that he, too, was remembering their last meeting alone, when he’d railed at Gianni’s ghost.
‘What about you?’ she asked. ‘What are you doing?’
‘I went to the hospital with Mamma, for her to have a check-up. Everything’s fine. And my bandages have been removed.’
‘Is your arm better?’
‘Looking good. I’ll be back soon, driving you crazy.’
She thought, but didn’t say, When?
‘Franco’s going back to Los Angeles at the end of the week.’
So it would be at least the end of the week before he would return. She forced her voice to be bright and cheerful, saying, ‘I’m sure your mother wants him with her as much as possible before he vanishes again.’
‘She was thrilled with the card you sent her, by the way.’
‘She was so nice to me, I wanted to thank her, and wish her well.’
They talked for a few more minutes, saying nothing about the things that were really in their minds. When she had put the phone down the flat felt very quiet. It had always been quiet and lonely since Gianni died, but somehow this was different.
She took out his picture and settled down with it as she had done so often before.
‘What do I do now?’ she whispered. ‘You were always a fast talker-go on, tell me.’
The smile in his eyes was as charming as ever, but now something was missing. There had always been a gleam, inviting her into the loving conspiracy they shared. Now it seemed to be gone. It was just a flat photograph. She tried again.
‘I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. No man ever did that to me before, not even you. You came on to me the very first evening, and I always knew what you were thinking. But now-’
She waited, hoping for what had happened before, that out of her memories would rise one that gave her the answer. But there was nothing, and she realised that Gianni couldn’t help her with this.
In fact, there was no more help he could give her. The moment had been a long time coming, and she wasn’t quite sure when he’d finally slipped away from her. Closing her eyes now, all she could feel was Luke’s hand on her hair, and his whispered promise, ‘I’m here.’
She opened her eyes again. Gianni’s face was the same, unchanging, as it would always be now. She pressed her lips against the glass, realising finally how cold it was.
‘Thank you for everything,’ she whispered, ‘all the years-thank you, thank you, my love. And goodbye.’
She put the picture away in her desk, and turned the key in the lock.
Luke called her every day. The calls were always the same-cheerful, non-committal, cautious. It was as though they were both waiting for something to happen.
Netta remained obstinately smiling, refusing to admit that her plans had suffered a setback. Minnie even found her going through a magazine full of wedding dresses.
‘That one,’ she said, pointing to a slender, elegant creation.
‘I couldn’t wear that,’ Minnie said, outraged. ‘It’s bridal white, and I’m a widow.’
‘So, there’s a law against it?’ Netta snorted. ‘You wear what you like.’
‘Only if I’m getting married, and I’m not. I wish I could make you understand that.’
‘Pooh!’ Netta said. ‘It’s written in your stars. You marry in Santa Maria in Trastevere-’
‘Oh, so you’ve chosen the church as well as the dress! It’s a pity we don’t have a groom, but why be troubled by a detail?’
‘I take care of the church and the dress,’ Netta said. ‘But I leave the groom to you.’ She added, as a parting shot, ‘You’ve gotta do something for yourself.’
Minnie glared but, since Netta took no notice whatever, she had no recourse but to depart and head back to her own home.
There was a man on the staircase, looking up and down and around, clearly lost.
‘Can I help you?’ Minnie asked.
He turned, smiling. Something in that smile sent a frisson of alarm through her, although she couldn’t, at that moment, have said why.
Ten minutes later she knew the worst, and was running down the stairs to find her car and head out of Rome, hell-bent for Naples.
The family had been to see Franco off at the airport, and had enjoyed a good dinner on their return home. Now the Villa Rinucci was closing down for the night, and Luke and his mother were taking a last walk around the garden.
‘It’s been wonderful to see Franco,’ Hope said wistfully, ‘but it’s probably a good thing if he’s not around while you’re sorting things out with Minnie.’
‘Yes, he knows too much,’ Luke agreed wryly.
‘Have you decided yet what you’re going to tell her?’
‘No, I have no idea.’
‘It’s been nearly a week. I don’t recall when I’ve seen you so indecisive.’
‘I keep thinking it’s simple. I’ll tell her, because I can’t live out the future keeping such a secret from her. But then I think what it will do to her, and I know I can never say anything.’
‘Even if it means living with Saint Gianni for ever? Could you do that?’
‘I don’t know.’ He added lightly, ‘I suppose, if we’re married, it’s always possible that she might turn her thoughts to me occasionally. I’m not asking for miracles, but, hey-it might happen.’
She laughed and patted his arm. ‘You’re becoming a realist, my son.’
They had reached the front of the house and he stopped, looking down the hill to where he could see moving lights.
‘What is it?’ Hope asked.
‘Someone’s heading towards us at a great rate.’
They watched the fast moving lights winding up the hill until Luke said, ‘Surely, that’s Minnie’s car?’
‘I think it is,’ Hope said, unable to keep the pleasure and excitement out of her voice.
The car came to a halt with a screech and Minnie was out in a moment, slamming the door behind her and advancing on Luke with a face of doom. The lamps showed tears glistening on her face.
‘You!’ she said, pointing at him. ‘I knew it! I knew it! I should never have trusted you from the first moment, but you made me feel sorry for you and I swear I’ll never feel sorry for anyone again as long as I live. I trusted you, more fool me!’