She told him all the gossip about the Dejas household. After that, he went to see her every time he was spotted near the white house. Sometimes he made her come to Isidoro’s when the old man was out, but Costantino despised her and treated her strangely. That evening when she appeared he did not stir from the stone bench but told her to sit beside him.

‘It’s hot inside. There are fleas, spiders and devils,’ he said, not looking at her. ‘Stay out here in the fresh air.’

‘But they’ll see us,’ she bawled at him, in her coarse voice.

‘Let them. I don’t care. What’s the difference?’

‘It matters a lot to me.’

‘Why does it matter if men see you?’ he said, raising his voice. ‘They’re all sinners. And God can see inside us as well as out.’

‘You’ve been drinking,’ she said, without annoyance. ‘Let’s go in.’ Once inside, she lit the lamp and peered into the store cupboard. As Costantino did not follow, she went to the door. ‘If you don’t come in,’ she said, ‘I’m leaving. I’ve something to tell you.’

He sprang up, came in, and began to kiss her.

‘Oh, there you are, my little shorn lamb,’ she said, bursting into crazy laughter. ‘That made you jump to it.’

She was plump and tall, with a small head, a tiny brown face, a red mouth, and green eyes. Though not ugly, she was off-putting. She never drank but she always seemed tipsy and was convinced that everyone else was too. Still laughing, she went on searching in the store cupboard. ‘There’s nothing here,’ she said. ‘Absolutely nothing. I’m hungry, you know.’

‘If you wait I’ll get you something. But first you’ve got to tell me.’

Turning, she pushed his chest with one hand while slapping his face hard with the other. ‘Oh, so you want to know, do you, you monster? That’s why you came in so fast. Go back out, lambkin. You think it’s about Giovanna Era, eh? And you came in because of that, not because of me.’

‘Stop that.’ He grabbed her hand. ‘You’re too rough. Yes, that’s what I came in for. So?’

‘I’m not going to tell you.’

‘Don’t make me angry, Mattea,’ he said gently. ‘You’re not a bad woman. What do you want to eat? I’ll buy you anything. This minute. Tell me what you want.’