everyone.
“Mama!” James flew to her, and she swept him into her arms.
“Amy! Heavens, we had no idea…I’m so embarrassed,” said Sonya, coloring a bright pink. “You must think it very strange to find me cooking in your kitchen, but we’ve all been working hard, and I thought a huge pot of spaghetti would be a good energy booster.”
“I don’t mind in the least—” Amy sniffed the wonderful aroma appreciatively “—as long as there’s enough for me. It’s so kind of you.”
Sonya relaxed and shooed the children to set the table.
Carmela and Antonio appeared, looking tired and dusty. “I’ve been in the attic room, Amy,” Antonio told her, “with Gabriel. All the old trunks have been brought down, and we got rid of everything except some old photos. We found one of your father with you as a little girl—look.”
They all pored over the pictures, seated around the table eating Sonya’s delicious spaghetti and drinking a well-earned bottle of chianti. Amy thought, not for the first time, how close they had all become and how lucky she was to have such wonderful friends.
Later, she and Gabriel wandered round the house, which now looked rather bare. A few basic bits of furniture remained, but they had taken down the dusty old curtains and thrown away the threadbare rugs. Sonya had cleaned the windows, and moonlight flooded the rooms.
“It’s going to be lovely, Gabriel. This is going to be the dining room, overlooking the canal. The proportions of the villa are so graceful, and Maria will be proud when she looks down and sees how beautiful it will be.”
“Once the plans are through, the main house can be converted in about three months, so with luck, you should be able to open for business in February—in time for the Venice Carnival.”
“That would be wonderful. I’ve never seen it, except in pictures.”
“Then you have a treat in store. Amy, I have to be away for a few days. I’m going to be travelling to auctions in Zurich, Barcelona, and Turin, and possibly Christies in London, as well. If you take me to the airport tomorrow, you can keep the boat while I’m away.”
“Thank you, Gabriel. That would be so useful. We must buy our own soon; perhaps you can help me to choose one when you get back?”
Gabriel fell silent for a moment, then turned her to face him. “Did you see him?”
“How did you know?”
“It’s in your eyes.”
“He came to the office while I was there.”
“And?”
She fell silent, her shoulders bowed with misery.
“I see.” Gabriel sighed. “You know the lawyer will be corresponding with his company to transfer deeds to some of Maria’s investments to you, right? He might see your name on some documents.”
“I know.”
“Amy…would it help if…if I married you?”
“Gabriel!”
“Well…I care for you very much, and I would be good to James. I think we could make a go of it.”
“But why? Why would you do something like that when you know how I feel about Alessandro? I could never love you like that, even though I adore you as my friend.”
“Because then Alessandro would have no hold on you. I would adopt James so that even if he did find out about him, he would be powerless to take him away from you.”
Amy put her arms around Gabriel and rested her head on his shoulder. “That is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever offered to do for me, darling Gabriel.”
“Think about it. Give me your answer when I get back from my trip.” He tipped her head back and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I think it would be fun being married to you, Amy. We should fight a lot, but I think I can promise you it would be interesting making up.”
“You are outrageous.”She laughed softly. “And I do love you. Truly, I do.”
Neither of them heard the door softly close as Sonya crept sadly back to the kitchen to take Donna home to bed.
The next morning, when Amy returned with the boat, which she was now very adept at using,
“Mama!” James flew to her, and she swept him into her arms.
“Amy! Heavens, we had no idea…I’m so embarrassed,” said Sonya, coloring a bright pink. “You must think it very strange to find me cooking in your kitchen, but we’ve all been working hard, and I thought a huge pot of spaghetti would be a good energy booster.”
“I don’t mind in the least—” Amy sniffed the wonderful aroma appreciatively “—as long as there’s enough for me. It’s so kind of you.”
Sonya relaxed and shooed the children to set the table.
Carmela and Antonio appeared, looking tired and dusty. “I’ve been in the attic room, Amy,” Antonio told her, “with Gabriel. All the old trunks have been brought down, and we got rid of everything except some old photos. We found one of your father with you as a little girl—look.”
They all pored over the pictures, seated around the table eating Sonya’s delicious spaghetti and drinking a well-earned bottle of chianti. Amy thought, not for the first time, how close they had all become and how lucky she was to have such wonderful friends.
Later, she and Gabriel wandered round the house, which now looked rather bare. A few basic bits of furniture remained, but they had taken down the dusty old curtains and thrown away the threadbare rugs. Sonya had cleaned the windows, and moonlight flooded the rooms.
“It’s going to be lovely, Gabriel. This is going to be the dining room, overlooking the canal. The proportions of the villa are so graceful, and Maria will be proud when she looks down and sees how beautiful it will be.”
“Once the plans are through, the main house can be converted in about three months, so with luck, you should be able to open for business in February—in time for the Venice Carnival.”
“That would be wonderful. I’ve never seen it, except in pictures.”
“Then you have a treat in store. Amy, I have to be away for a few days. I’m going to be travelling to auctions in Zurich, Barcelona, and Turin, and possibly Christies in London, as well. If you take me to the airport tomorrow, you can keep the boat while I’m away.”
“Thank you, Gabriel. That would be so useful. We must buy our own soon; perhaps you can help me to choose one when you get back?”
Gabriel fell silent for a moment, then turned her to face him. “Did you see him?”
“How did you know?”
“It’s in your eyes.”
“He came to the office while I was there.”
“And?”
She fell silent, her shoulders bowed with misery.
“I see.” Gabriel sighed. “You know the lawyer will be corresponding with his company to transfer deeds to some of Maria’s investments to you, right? He might see your name on some documents.”
“I know.”
“Amy…would it help if…if I married you?”
“Gabriel!”
“Well…I care for you very much, and I would be good to James. I think we could make a go of it.”
“But why? Why would you do something like that when you know how I feel about Alessandro? I could never love you like that, even though I adore you as my friend.”
“Because then Alessandro would have no hold on you. I would adopt James so that even if he did find out about him, he would be powerless to take him away from you.”
Amy put her arms around Gabriel and rested her head on his shoulder. “That is the most wonderful thing anyone has ever offered to do for me, darling Gabriel.”
“Think about it. Give me your answer when I get back from my trip.” He tipped her head back and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I think it would be fun being married to you, Amy. We should fight a lot, but I think I can promise you it would be interesting making up.”
“You are outrageous.”She laughed softly. “And I do love you. Truly, I do.”
Neither of them heard the door softly close as Sonya crept sadly back to the kitchen to take Donna home to bed.
The next morning, when Amy returned with the boat, which she was now very adept at using,
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