He moved a step closer and took her hands. ‘She took a job in Milan. Moved away. The company folded and now she’s back, witnessing her sister enjoying all the things she wants for herself. She lost her temper when she saw us together and said irrational crap like that dramatic “I will marry you,” even though I never proposed. We split up a year ago. I was completely free to be with you. I’m sorry I didn’t come after you but I wanted to leave her in no doubt there’s no way forward for us.’

She nodded again because she was the first to admit that exes sometimes acted irrationally. ‘Why was she so sneery about me being a tourist?’

He grimaced. ‘Some locals view tourists as unfair competition. Tourists, in the holiday mood, behave however they want, then leave and go home. Locals who behave in a similar fashion might be judged.’

‘I imagine tourists are handy when locals want a fling, though,’ she observed coolly, recalling how Piero had emphasised how temporary Zia was in his life, the creeping-skin mortification of Nicoletta hurling insults like puttana after her. ‘That’s what you meant when you told her I’d be going home.’

He gestured at the luggage piled into the open car boot. ‘You are going home. I hate for us to have such a sour ending, though.’

He looked sincere, she thought. Creases of concern had consumed the laughter lines that usually lurked at the corners of his eyes; the pucker at the bridge of his nose spoke of disquiet. But, gently, she withdrew her hands. ‘If I was here to stay, would you still have slept with me?’

His frown deepened. ‘But we both knew you weren’t here for long. We each made the same decision. Didn’t we?’ He sounded genuinely thrown.

She considered his emphatic use of ‘both’ and ‘each’, aware she’d never actually told him she was staying for a while, not sure she wanted to face the bald fact that he might not have slept with her if he’d known.

But then Ursula peeked out of the cottage and mimed glancing at a watch on her empty wrist. Zia beckoned her, saying flatly to Piero, ‘I accidentally misled you. Lucia and Durante have said I can stick around to decide what to do about Gerardo. I tried to tell you a couple of times but we got interrupted. Ursula’s moving back in with her husband and I’m taking her to the airport then coming back.’ She jingled her car keys as Ursula, who, obviously judging a hug goodbye with Piero inappropriate, gave him a quick smile instead and jumped into the passenger seat.

Piero stood in silence, looking wrong-footed.