Here in Italy, he felt different. This was home. He realised that although he was now a thriving businessman, he was still that frightened little boy deep down. The very thought made him wince.

17

GANGLAND WARS

Miriam enjoyed the fact that Tony would accompany her to church in the daytime. She wasn’t sure if he prayed or not, but he would kneel and watch her intently as she did. This obviously meant something to him.

‘I have got something for you, Antonias, here.’ Miriam held out a small cloth bag. It was old and worn.

He took it from her and looked inside. It was some sort of beaded necklace with a crucifix attached. He looked up at her.

‘It’s a rosary. In fact, it was your father’s rosary. It’s yours now, and hopefully, it will always keep you safe. Your father always carried it with him. It seems strange now, or maybe just coincidence, but he left it in his room on the day he had his accident. Probably just coincidence.’ Her eyes wandered off, as though she was remembering her dead son, Antonias’s father.

Jake had laughed at Tony at times, asking if he was going to spend all the holiday in there confessing all of his sins. Then he would remind him that it was only a short stay and they would need a lot longer if Tony was to do that.

‘I like it there, it’s peaceful. There is something holy about that place; I don’t know what, and I know I’ve had too much to drink and I’m talking rubbish, but that place has meaning for me.’

Jake thought it was strange. Tony, who seemed to have a heart of stone at times, had a different side to him that no one saw. He liked that little church, possibly even loved it. It held a lot of family meaning for him. ‘Maybe you’ll get married in there, one day,’ Jake joked.

Tony scoffed at the idea. ‘I would never bring any of the women I know here, it’s my place. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t marry any of them, either.’

‘You will, one day, when the right woman comes along and sweeps you off your feet.’

‘Indeed, he will, Jake, you are right,’ said Miriam, walking into the dining room, where they were still drinking their wine and talking. ‘She’s out there, Antonias, you just need to find her, and she will appear when you are not looking for her.’ Miriam gave him one of her wise old smiles. Tony reached out his hand to her.

‘You’re the only woman I’m going into church with, Nonna.’ Tony was a little drunk; he could let his hair down, here. He didn’t have to deal with everyone’s problems, here. It was a sanctuary.

‘Do you think he ever will get married, Nonna?’ Now Jake was drunkenly smiling at Miriam and joking, while propping himself up on one elbow.

That was the worst thing about living on a vineyard with bottles and bottles of delicious wine at your disposal. Miriam was not a drinker and was used to it, but to Jake and Tony it was like nectar.