“Andiamo ad Aosta?” Carter finished for him.

Giorgio regarded him with astonishment. “Yes,” he said, nonplussed. “I guess my brother really did teach you well.You’ll have to tell me all about it when we get home.”

With that, Giorgio and Carter thanked Demetrio, bid him buona sera, and started off for home.

“Food and wine,” mused Giorgio as the two ambled along. “Besides love, what else is there to life?”

“There’s gelato,” noted Carter.

“That’s right!” laughed Giorgio. “And tomorrow I will take you to the best gelateria in all of Abruzzo!”

It sounded great to Carter.What he could not know, however, was that it would be a very long time before he ever tasted gelato again.

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 43

The next day Antonella was at the table as usual, enjoying her morning coffee, when Carter came downstairs and walked into the kitchen. At seeing him, she motioned for him to sit, and went to the stove to pour him a cup.

Carter slid into a chair, rolled his head around a little, and gave a yawn. Owing perhaps to Demetrio’s wine, he had slept exceedingly well and was still feeling pleasantly drowsy. Just the same, when Antonella set the cup of coffee before him, one whiff of its rich, warm smell was enough to perk him up. Before taking a sip, he looked about for Giorgio, and was puzzled to see that he was nowhere to be found.

“Where is Giorgio?” he asked. “Did he change his mind about taking a ride today, and go to work instead?”

“No,” said Antonella. “He got up very early this morning, before the sun was even up, and went out, I’m not sure to where. But before he left he woke me and told me not to worry, that he would be back before lunch to take us all out.”

“Where do you think he went?” asked Carter.

“His walking shoes and backpack are gone,” she replied, “so I think he must have gone out for a little hike.”

“A hike?” laughed Carter. “Why this morning?”

Antonella gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes.

“Who knows,” she said with a shrug. “You don’t know my husband, but he has always been like that. Giorgio has hiked all around, up and down these mountains, ever since he was a boy, and he still loves doing it today. Every now and then, for no reason at all that I can see, he just wakes up and decides to go. I think sometimes he just likes to go up there and get away from everything for a little while to think. But I’m surprised that he didn’t wake you this morning and ask you to come along. I’m very sorry about that. I’m sure it would have been fun for you.”

“That’s all right. Don’t worry about it,” said Carter easily. “He probably just wanted to be alone.”