Page 102 of The Secrets of Ashmore Castle

‘I’d forgotten the plage. I’d give a fortune to see you and Grandmère disporting yourselves in bathing costumes.’

She ignored that. ‘There will be lots of parties. And Sir Thomas is conducting a series of concerts in the royal villa.’

‘Ah, all is clear. You want me to increase the size of Sir Thomas’s claque.’

Aunt Caroline gave him a severe look. ‘If you don’t want to come, don’t. There’s no need to be facetious. But I think you would benefit from the sea air.’

He leaned over to kiss her repentantly. ‘You are the most gracious of aunts. I’ll come.’

He went to say goodbye to the Sandses. It was a baking hot day, and although it was fairly cool inside the tall Georgian house, he felt uncomfortable about their confinement when he was going on holiday.

‘I’m glad for you,’ Mrs Sands said. ‘It’s been hard, I think, the inactivity since your accident.’

‘Oh, I’m an idle fellow,’ he said. ‘Inactivity is my natural state. But I wish you and Miss Chloë could have a holiday. London in August is suffocating.’

‘There are the parks and gardens,’ she said lightly. ‘And I expect we shall have a day-trip to the seaside. The steamer to Southend is always pleasant. If I can drag her away, that is.’ She smiled. ‘What do you think happened? We had a letter from your kind grandmama to say that Chloë could still go in and practise while she’s away. She said she had told the caretaker to let her in. Isn’t that good of her?’

Richard was surprised, but only that Grandmère had thought of it. ‘She thinks very highly of musicians,’ he said. ‘Music is a passion with her.’

‘But I think you had something to do with it, didn’t you?’

‘Not at all. In fact, I’m ashamed it didn’t occur to me. Is that really what you want to do?’ he asked Chloë. ‘Stay in London and practise? Where would you go, if you had your choice of anywhere in the world?’

Chloë looked faintly surprised. ‘I have everything I need here,’ she said. ‘Why should I want to go anywhere else?’

For the life of him, Richard couldn’t tell if she really meant it.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Villa Isabella was set in lavish vegetation on top of a cliff, with a view from the terrace over the Bay of Naples that literally took Kitty’s breath away. She couldn’t believe the sea could be so blue – it almost ached in the afternoon sunshine. The air was fragrant with pine and myrtle, and in the dense green there were splashes of colour from bougainvillaea and hibiscus, and the starry white flowers of jasmine. It was, she thought, as close to Paradise as one could probably get.

The villa was an old building, the rooms simply but pleasingly furnished. Life mostly took place on the verandah or the terrace: there they took their meals, and there they sat in the shade through the heat of the day, cooled by gentle breezes. There were winding walks along the clifftop, the Roman ruins to visit, boat trips around the island, and to see the Blue Grotto; and best of all, from Kitty’s point of view, sea-bathing. The Isabella had its own small beach, sheltered at the foot of the cliff, with a zigzag path, intercut with steps, leading down from the terrace. She had been nervous on her first venture into the water, but once she had got used to it, she could hardly bear to get out. She bathed every day, going down in the cool of the morning through the scented trees, hurrying to the water as to a lover. Lowering herself into its supporting arms was the greatest bliss she had known, except for Giles.

The next house along, the Villa Caprini, was occupied by Lord and Lady Latham, their son David and daughter Louisa, who were twenty-five and twenty-three, and David’s friend Matteo, with whom he had been at university in Oxford. They and the Lombardis knew each other from previous visits, and the two parties intermingled frequently. Now that most of the conversation was in English Kitty did not feel left out. That, plus being away from the stifling heat, lifted her spirits.

Matteo spoke very good English, as good as Lucia’s, but he reverted to Italian for some conversations with Giulia – long tête-à-tête talks, which pleased Kitty. Matteo was darkly handsome in the Mediterranean way, and if his interest in Giulia did not entirely separate her from Giles, it broke them up a little. With her reviving spirits, she wanted Giles more than ever.

For the first few days he was attentive to her, took her to see the most interesting ruins, explained some of the island’s history and told her the names of flora and fauna. When everyone gathered on the terrace for conversation, he chose the seat at her side. He did not seem particularly interested in the Lathams, whose conversation was light and general. Kitty liked it – it was easy and unchallenging, and reminded her of the five-o’-clocks she had enjoyed during her come-out, the unimportant chatter of the fashionable set. Giles usually sat silent at these times, joining in only when addressed.

Kitty and Giles did not have adjoining bedrooms – his was across the passage from hers. On the first few evenings they went up to bed at the same time, and she was able, through looks and a few hesitant words, to indicate that she would like him to visit her – and he did. She was happy: she felt that things had come right again, and Florence was fading into a bad dream.

But then Giles and Flavio went on an expedition together to one of the ruins, and Giles, kissing Kitty lightly goodbye, said, ‘You wouldn’t enjoy it.’

Well, perhaps she wouldn’t have. But she missed him. And that evening, when he and the professor talked about it, it seemed as much to Giulia as anyone that Giles spoke. They had all been talking English, for the benefit of the general company, but Matteo, changing his place to sit beside Giulia, began addressing her in a low voice in Italian. Giles frowned, and said sharply, ‘In English, if you please. Remember, not all here are fluent in Italian.’

Lady Latham, who did not speak any Italian, said, ‘Oh, yes, please, let us all hear.’

Giulia looked uncomfortable. ‘We were talking of secret passages,’ she said, in her soft, hesitant accent.

‘Is it true,’ Louisa asked, ‘that there’s a secret passage to the Blue Grotto, and the Emperor used it as his private swimming pool?’

‘Quite true – is it not, Giles?’

Kitty listened absently. She was more interested in watching: Giulia’s eyes were fixed on Giles, and Matteo’s were fixed on Giulia. And Giles: where did his interest lie? He was talking about secret passages, and dividing his looks now between Lady Latham and Louisa, but where was his mind? Kitty knew every inflection of her husband’s voice, and she didn’t think he was giving his whole attention to the subject, even when it progressed to Etruscan catacombs. But whatever he was thinking about, she knew it wasn’t her.

David, changing places to sit beside her, murmured, ‘You seem to be miles away, Lady Stainton. Roman ruins not quite catching your attention tonight?’

She made an effort, and smiled. ‘One can have enough of them.’