‘No? Why not?’

Joe and I exchanged glances.

‘We’ve had things to sort out,’ I said.

‘But you told me you wanted to sell it quickly. “The sooner, the better,” you said, and I’m ready and waiting; the cash is in the bank. The whole sale could be arranged this week if we pushed for it.’

‘We’ll let you know when we’re ready,’ Joe said.

Matilde’s frown deepened. The previous friendliness vanished. ‘What am I supposed to do in the meantime? I’ve told my father that we’re coming here. He’s been looking forward to it. He’s old, you know, frail.’

‘I’m sorry…’ I began, but Joe put his hand on my arm.

‘We’ll let you know as soon as we’ve decided on a course of action.’ he said this gently but with conviction, in a way that brooked no further argument.

Signora Romano’s expression was one of quiet devastation. Her hands fluttered at her neckline. She had gone very pale.

‘Are you all right, Signora?’ Joe asked.

‘I feel a little… I don’t know…’ She reverted to Italian and Joe took her arm, gesturing towards the villa. I took her other arm and together we guided her inside.

34

We took Signora Romano into the living room and settled her on the turquoise divan. I fetched some water, placed a cool cloth on her forehead and sat beside her.

She was so still and quiet that I feared she’d lost consciousness and was on the cusp of panicking when she groaned and asked if we had anything stronger than water for her to drink. I fetched her a small glass of wine, which she sipped in the same way a bird sips water from the edge of a pool, and, when the glass was empty, she asked for another and then at last she said she felt a little better.

She looked around the room.

‘So many memories,’ she sighed. ‘The happiest days of my life were spent here.’ Her eyes settled on the photograph of Anna’s parents. ‘It wasn’t only Anna who I loved, but those two people too! Anna’s mother, God bless her heart, looked after me. My mother died when I was still a child.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, I don’t need your sympathy! I was better off without my mother. She was a terrible woman.’

Joe was standing at the French windows. He caught my eye over Signora Romano’s head.

‘She humiliated my father,’ the woman continued, ‘in many ways.’

‘Oh dear,’ I murmured.