‘What are you doing?’ Ellis asked as Grace tilted the laptop screen and fitted in her ear pods, intending on finding some 1940s or 50s music to create a nostalgic mood as she read on in Connie’s diaries.

‘Um, I thought I should carry on reading, see if I can get a head start on things before we get to Santa Margherita,’ she said, keeping her eyes on the screen.

‘But why now? Are you crazy to miss this magnificent view?’ he laughed, lifting his Ray-Ban sunglasses off, and she could sense him staring right at her. Silence followed. Then, ‘Grace, are you sure you’re OK? You seem distracted …’

She took out her ear pods and looked across to where he was sitting opposite her. He was wearing a navy polo shirt with beige chinos, his dark brown hair a little messy, the tendons in his muscular forearms flexing as he lifted a hand up to push his hair away from his face; despite her earlier resolve, it was impossible not to muse on how handsome he was. And other people saw it too, for Grace had spotted two young Italian women nudge each other and exchange smiles as they had passed through the carriage looking for their seats. One of them had accidentally bumped into Ellis’s shoulder as she went by his seat, but it was him who apologised in Italian with, ‘mi dispiace tanto’ and had sounded so sexy it had made Grace blush and push her face further towards the window, hoping he wouldn’t notice her cheeks which were like a pair of rosy red apples.

‘Honestly, I’m fine. I just want to read more about Connie and make sure I don’t miss anything – clues and stuff – while I’m here …’ She let her voice drift away.

‘But my colleague in the auction house told me the name of jeweller’s shop where I’m guessing Giovanni commissioned Connie’s jewels from, and we have the name of the powder pink villa. I reckon we have enough to be going on with when we get there, don’t you? Come on, let’s enjoy the view while we can.’ And he shifted from his seat and came to sit in the one next to her. Folding his arms and nudging her playfully, he glanced sideways at her with a big grin on his face.