“We decided to make for home before the crush of people,” she said. She put the basket down on the table. “So much food left,” she said. “We’ll be eating our way through it for weeks.”

She saw my nightclothes. “Oh, so you didn’t go out to see the fireworks? So beautiful.”

“I watched from here,” I said. “You can see the sky from my window.”

“So you can. But you went out earlier, surely? Did you go to Giudecca? To the church? To see the races? And did you hear there was trouble? A high wind broke the bridge apart. Several people drowned. Awful tragedy.”

I nodded.

“So you stayed home,” she went on. “And missed all the fun.”

“Not quite,” I replied.

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 25

Juliet, Venice, July 1939

By the next morning, I was back to reality. In the cold light of day, I couldn’t believe what had happened. Shame competed with the wonder and exhilaration that a powerful, handsome man had made love to me. He desired me. And clearly I desired him, from what I remembered of my response last night. I felt myself blushing at the passion I hadn’t known I possessed. But of course it could never happen again. It must never happen again. Last night had been pure folly, brought upon by a near-death experience. From now on, I would be sensible, sane and get on with my life. Leo was away for a month, which was a good thing. It would give me time to decide whether I wanted to risk staying here, given the storm clouds of war looming over the Continent and the proximity of a man I loved desperately and who appeared to love me, too.

The most reasonable thing would be to go home right away, before he came back from the villa. I’d have to give up my art classes, but what was the point of them anyway? It didn’t seem I’d ever be a great artist, and my skills were sufficient to teach bored little girls. And I should be with my mother if there was to be a war. “Just a week or so longer,” I whispered to myself. I realized what it was: I couldn’t go without saying goodbye. I had to see him again.

August seemed to drag on and on. It was horribly hot and muggy. The canal outside my window stank. Afternoons brought occasional thunderstorms from the mainland. Most Venetians followed the example of Leo’s family and went up to the hills. Our classes were on a summer break, so there was no work to keep me occupied, and then Signora Martinelli announced she was going to pay a visit to her sister in Turin. I promised to look after Bruno and keep the place clean.