Sensing her discomfort, he kissed her. ‘Families, eh? Why is your mother here early? I thought it was supposed to be you and Ellie for two days.’
‘It was.’
‘What did you have planned with your sister?’
Abby shrugged, non-committal. ‘Nothing much. Just hanging out, you know.’
Matteo wrapped his arms around her and fixed his eyes on hers. ‘So, what’s the big secret?’
Abby faltered. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I think it is obvious. There is something, a history, in your family. The way everyone was a little bit on edge tonight; because you don’t really talk about them so much. And trust me, I was as happy as you to have a nothing wedding—’
‘Nothing?’ exclaimed Abby, in light protest.
‘You know what I mean. No fuss. But I do not know of any girl in Italy who would do the same.’
Abby wondered about telling him then. It would be so nice to confide in this man who filled her heart in a way she’d been searching for since childhood. To confess everything she’d been shouldering for so many years.
She looked at him. ‘I will tell you. Just not now.’
‘Why not now?’
Abby ran her fingers lightly over his chest. She knew exactly how to distract him. ‘Because I’d rather be doing something else instead,’ she said as she kissed him softly on the lips.
NINE
The sound of the crickets had faded as the night had worn on and now – Ellie turned her head very slowly towards the clock on the bedside cabinet – at three a.m., they were almost silent. She shifted her head back, wincing as the pain throbbed behind her temples. It had only been a couple of glasses of wine. It didn’t seem fair that she had such a pounding headache.
Maybe it was the stresses of the day that had exacerbated everything. Seeing her sister again for the first time in ages. Seeing her house. And her husband. Abby had rarely had time for boyfriends when she was in London – she’d worked all the time. Matteo seemed quite a catch and Ellie had been surprised. He was easy to talk to and good-looking – how could she help but notice the latter when he’d been standing in front of her at the sea in all his near-naked glory?
Abby was also on edge and now, with Susanna here, she’d got worse. Ellie didn’t know why Abby always had to be so cool towards their mother – carrying her childhood resentments around like a pile of rocks on her shoulders. OK, so Susanna had had less time for Abby when they were young, but she had been pretty preoccupied. And now Susanna was trying so hard with Abby, had been so complimentary about the house, but Abby had just blanked her. It had felt a little weird, in fact, her mother being so attentive to her big sister. Usually it was her, Ellie, who got all the affection.
And then there was that strange conversation in the kitchen earlier. For a moment Ellie had thought her sister and her mother were keeping something from her. She’d gone along with the explanation about a visit to the beach the next day but they’d seemed cagey and she felt there was more to it.
Argh, tomorrow! There was this boat trip too, something she had to be up early for. At this rate, with no sleep and now feeling nauseous, she was going to miss out. Maybe a glass of water would help.
Ellie quietly got out of bed and padded down the stairs to the kitchen. She held a beaker under the tap, drank, and then rubbed the cool glass against her forehead. Outside the window she could see the full moon over the front garden, the pine trees lit with a ghostly glow. Something dark flitted across the window and she jumped, then it happened again and she saw it was a bat. Now she’d seen one, she saw many, crossing the sky as they searched for insects. What a beautiful place this was. And it was all Abby’s. Ellie stopped herself; she didn’t want to go there again; hours of boiling resentment would put paid to any hope of sleep.
She turned and went back upstairs. As she walked across the landing she instantly knew what would relax her. She stopped. Listened. The house was silent. Very carefully she opened the door of what she’d dubbed the ‘painting room’ and went inside. Tucking the copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory under her arm, she made her way back to her room.
Door firmly closed, she got into bed with her stolen comfort. She opened the book at random and started to read, instantly transported back to childhood where the warmth and friendship of Charlie’s world soothed her. After a few minutes her eyelids started drooping. Ellie closed the book and, leaning over the side of the bed, she hesitated a moment – should she? She felt somehow as if it was rightfully hers.
Ellie pulled out her suitcase that was stowed underneath the bed. Tucking the book into the front pocket, she zipped it up, before pushing the suitcase back under. She lay against the pillows and within minutes was asleep.
TEN
Abby knocked softly on Ellie’s bedroom door. After a few seconds it opened and Ellie’s still sleep-creased face appeared.
‘Ready?’ whispered Abby.
Her sister nodded and they crept down the stairs and then outside onto the terrace. Abby loved this time of day, when it was still early and there was a lingering freshness from the night, not yet burned away by the sun. She led Ellie down the steps to the boat and held it tight against the little jetty while her sister stepped gingerly on board.
‘Are you sure about this?’ asked Ellie.
Abby laughed. ‘It’s just a bit of rowing. We won’t go far; out a bit and then around the peninsula.’
‘Where’s Matteo?’
‘We don’t need a man’s help,’ said Abby firmly. ‘You and I will manage perfectly well on our own.’
‘That’s not what I meant,’ said Ellie, not altogether convincingly, as Abby started to untie the rope.
‘He’s asleep. Still recovering from his night shifts.’
‘Wait! Girls, wait!’
Abby looked up in dismay, heart plummeting as she saw a figure in a kaftan running down the steps.
‘For God’s sake,’ she muttered under her breath.
‘Mum!’ called Ellie.
Both girls watched as Susanna made it to the platform, slightly out of breath.
‘It’s not like you to be up this early,’ said Ellie.
‘No, well, I happened to get up for the bathroom and I looked out of the window and saw you two heading down the steps. Thought I’d see what you were up to.’
Why can’t she just leave us alone for a bit? thought Abby angrily.
‘We’re going on a boat trip,’ said Ellie.
There was a lull where Abby knew that Ellie was waiting for her to extend the invitation to Susanna. She knew she should but she couldn’t quite form the words quickly enough.
‘I’m sure there’s room for you too,’ said Ellie.
Abby could feel her sister’s eyes boring into her. ‘Course,’ she agreed.
‘Well, only if I’m not in the way,’ said Susanna.
Abby gritted her teeth and held the boat steady as Susanna got in and went to sit on the bench next to Ellie. Abby stepped into the boat herself, then pushed them away from the rocks with an oar before starting to row out to sea.
‘It’s utterly glorious,’ breathed Susanna, transfixed by the early morning sun on the water.