Dreaming of Rome

by Dreaming of Rome (retail) (epub)

  ‘He’s right, Jo. He doesn’t go looking for them. The women come to him.’ She kicked off her shoes and stretched out on Jo’s bed. ‘And now his company’s making an absolute mint, there are even more of them buzzing around. It’s a heady combination: good looks and money.’

  ‘He says he warns them off, but they don’t believe him.’

  Angie nodded slowly. ‘Yes, I’m sure he does, but, let’s face it, he could just say no and save them the inevitable heartache.’

  This thought had also occurred to Jo. It might be without wanting to, but he was definitely taking advantage of these girls. It was such a pity, when she felt sure that deep down he was a good man.

  By now, Victoria was dying to meet this strange-sounding man and Jo had to make her promise not to be too unkind to him when she did.

  ‘Trust me, I really think he’s a good guy. It’s just… what was it you said, Angie? It’s just that he’s wired differently.’

  ‘He certainly is.’

  ‘Not that differently.’ Victoria gave Jo a wink. ‘This whole “love doesn’t exist, it’s a chemical reaction” crap sounds just like what you’ve been telling me for the past few months, Jo. Maybe you’ve got more in common with him than you think.’

  ‘Seriously, Jo, you’ve got to stop thinking like that.’ Angie reached across with her hand and caught hold of her wrist. ‘It really does exist. Trust me.’

  Jo nodded, more to make her sister happy than out of any conviction that love really was a thing but fortunately, just then, Angie’s phone rang again. It was Mario to tell them that Corrado suggested meeting at his flat in Piazza Navona for a drink before dinner. When Jo heard that she was going to visit Corrado’s bonkodrome, she wasn’t sure she was that keen, but by then Angie had already accepted.

  Victoria decided to have a shower and change before going out, and Jo opted to do the same. She told herself this was just to freshen up, not because she was going to see Corrado, but her subconscious gave her a hard time all the same. At just after six they went back out into the stuffy heat again and walked down to Piazza Navona, taking Victoria past the Trevi Fountain on the way. As they passed it, Jo was reminded that the Euro she had thrown in had worked remarkably well, bringing her back to Rome barely a couple of weeks after her first visit.

  Corrado’s flat came as a total surprise. Jo hadn’t really known what to expect, but if she had found herself confronted by a heart-shaped bed and mirrors on the ceiling, she wouldn’t have been that shocked. Instead, she found a charming rooftop apartment furnished with a very effective mix of modern steel and leather sofas and chairs, alongside exquisite antique cupboards and tables. The floor was strewn with sumptuous Persian rugs, and the walls punctuated with a number of delightful old oil paintings. It was a lovely welcoming place, and nothing like the bachelor pad she had been expecting.

  The first face to greet them was black and hairy. Daisy was evidently delighted to have guests and clearly overjoyed to see Jo among them. In fact, Jo was almost floored by her friendly assault. Behind the dog, Corrado greeted them with a smile. He shook hands with Victoria, hugged Angie and kissed Jo chastely on the cheeks. Jo smiled back at him and told her subconscious that the involuntary thrill that ran though her at the touch of his lips on her skin was nothing more than a natural reaction to the cool air-conditioned temperature. Mario was already there and the two men had obviously been discussing business matters, as the dining table was strewn with files and paper alongside an expensive laptop.

  ‘Thanks for coming, ladies. Shall we go outside onto the terrace?’

  They followed the direction of Corrado’s outstretched arm and found themselves on the stunning roof terrace. It didn’t overlook the piazza, but faced the other way, perched directly above the little side street where he had his garage. It was a good size and he had lined it with massive ancient-looking terracotta pots holding pink and white oleanders and lemon trees whose branches were heavy with bright yellow fruit. Jo wondered how on earth these had been brought up the narrow staircase to get here. They sat down around a table in the shade of a huge parasol and admired the view.

  In front of them was a jumble of roofs, all clad in sun-bleached pink tiles. Over the centuries, bits had been added to existing buildings and new ones had been constructed. As a result, there was a delightful, if chaotic, combination of angles and shadows, with spires and cupolas popping up here and there through the sea of pink. In the far distance was another of the seven hills of Rome, studded with magnificent villas, shaded by equally magnificent umbrella pines. Jo sat back and took a deep breath. It was an amazing place.

  ‘What can I get you all to drink? I’ve got cold champagne in the fridge if you like.’

  They were all happy to accept, although Jo’s subconscious went out of its way to remind her that a fridge full of ice-cold champagne was probably a prerequisite for any upmarket seducer. She did her best to stifle such thoughts and jumped up to help. She and the dog followed Corrado through to the ultramodern kitchen and she was impressed to see him open the fridge and remove a plate of thin-cut Parma ham rolled around chunks of freshly cut bright orange melon. This was followed by a bowl of succulent-looking prawns.

  ‘Wow, Corrado, what a spread! I hope this is dinner.’

  He hadn’t heard her follow him and he wheeled round. There was no mistaking the smile that sprang to his face as he saw her and she felt herself smiling in return.

  ‘Did you prepare all this? Impressive! Anything you want me to do?’

  ‘Hi, Jo. It’s kind of you to offer. Yes, I prepared this stuff, but it’s all cold so there wasn’t much to do. Actually, as I live alone, I do quite a lot of cooking. I enjoy it.’ He closed the fridge door and surveyed her. ‘You look amazing. You’ve got a bit of colour in your cheeks today and it suits you.’

  ‘You’re too kind, sir.’ She did a mock curtsey and scrutinised him. He was as handsome as ever, but there was something else this time. ‘You’re looking a bit tired, if you don’t mind my saying so.’

  He nodded ruefully. ‘I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.’ He must have noticed something in her face as he was quick to explain. ‘I’ve been helping Mario with his plans for the Country Club. As I told you, I’m a chemist, and I’m far less comfortable with the business side of things, but I promised him I’d take a look at the books for him.’

  Jo nodded. So maybe he hadn’t been here with his next victim last night after all.

  ‘And what’s the verdict?’

  ‘The Country Club’s doing pretty well. Dad set it up back when we were just kids and it’s gradually grown since then. Now that Dad’s taken a back seat, Mario wants to try a load of new ideas and asked for my opinion.’

  ‘Sounds exciting. What sort of new ideas?’

  ‘Starting with a spa, gym and health club. There’s a natural hot spring in the grounds and my people have been analysing the water for him. It’s remarkably pure and uncontaminated by nitrates or anything else, so it could form the basis for the spa. In fact, he’s talking about maybe piping it across to his own pool so he could swim all year round.’

  ‘Good idea. And what about the stables?’

  ‘He’ll keep them going, although there’s no money in horses.’ He caught Jo’s eye and grinned. ‘Unless you go to the races and bet on them. The horses cost a lot more than they bring in, but we’re all agreed we want to keep that side of the business going, not least as it raises the profile of the place when they have big events like yesterday’s.’

  ‘Do you ride, Corrado?’

  He nodded. ‘I’ve ridden all my life. And you’ve done the same, haven’t you?’

  Jo nodded. ‘Yes, although now that I’m working pretty hard in London I seem to get less and less opportunity.’

  ‘We’ll have to see if we can arrange a ride while you’re here in Rome, or will your commitments at the conference keep you fully occupied?’

  ‘That would be great, but I honestly won’t know until I see the p
rogramme tomorrow morning. The organisers were supposed to leave a copy at the hotel for me, but I haven’t seen anything yet.’

  ‘Well, let me know if you have any free time.’

  For a second his eyes caught and held hers and she noticed, yet again, the almost hypnotic hold in them. Yes, she thought to herself, he probably didn’t need a fridge full of champagne to get the girls. Giving herself a mental shaking, she replied, ‘I’d love that. Give me your phone number and I’ll text you tomorrow.’

  They exchanged numbers and then carried the food and drink out to the others. The dog followed the plates of food assiduously and plonked herself down on the floor as close to the table as possible, nostrils flared.

  It turned out to be a most enjoyable evening. After an hour or so on Corrado’s terrace, chatting about everything from the history of Rome to the outrageous price of the fabulous bikinis in Via dei Condotti, they went downstairs to a nearby restaurant for dinner. It was a little place a couple of streets away from Piazza Navona and Corrado and his canine companion were clearly well known there. They sat outside and in spite of her best intentions Jo had no trouble finding room for a starter of roasted artichoke hearts, followed by a fritto misto of calamari, prawns and whitebait, dusted with flour and quickly deep-fried. This was served on a dish with a sheet of thick brown paper underneath that did an excellent job of soaking up any residual oil, although the whole thing was remarkable light.

  They drank a lovely crisp white wine called Est! Est! Est! from Montefiascone, near the Lake of Bolsena, to the north of Rome. Victoria asked about the unusual name and Corrado was happy to explain.

  ‘Back in the Middle Ages, the servant of a bishop was sent out to look for a good wine and when he found one he was instructed to chalk the Latin word Est, “it is”, on the door of the cantina. If the wine was really good, he was told to write Est Est. When he got to Montefiascone and tried the wine there, the result was Est! Est! Est!’

  ‘And what did the bishop think of the wine?’

  ‘He loved it. See what you think.’

  They all agreed with the bishop, although Jo declined to drink too much as she wanted to keep a clear head for the conference in the morning.

  When the party broke up, Angie and Mario went off to their car to drive back out to the Country Club, while Corrado and Daisy walked Jo and Victoria back to their hotel through the side streets of Rome. It was a delightful evening and by the time they had climbed back up to the top of the Spanish Steps, Jo was feeling pleasantly sleepy after a day on her feet, not to mention the food and wine. Even so, when they reached the hotel and Corrado kissed her softly on the cheeks, she was shaken wide awake as that same annoying bolt of lightning shot, unbidden, through her once more.

  As they travelled up in the lift together, Jo caught Victoria’s eye.

  ‘So, what do you think?’

  ‘Corrado? He’s totally Drop… Dead… Gorgeous. If you hadn’t called dibs on him already, I’d have jumped him and ravaged him right there over the dining table.’ Jo started to protest, but Victoria waved away her protestations. ‘Of course he’s the one for you, Jo. So what if he’s going to be your brother-in-law? By the way he was looking at you, I reckon he feels the same way about you.’

  This time Jo had to set the record straight. ‘You’re joking, Vic. I touched his chin with my finger yesterday and he ran a mile.’

  ‘Rubbish. But, anyway, the thing is there’s more to him than just good looks and a body to die for… or under.’ Victoria paused for effect. ‘Seriously, the better I got to know him this evening, the more I got to like him. Christian had the looks but, I’ll be honest, I never felt he was that sincere. Corrado comes across as a very different calibre of man.’ She caught hold of Jo’s hand. ‘What are you going to do about him?’

  At that moment the lift doors opened and they stepped out into the silent corridor. Jo waited until they were back in their room before giving her answer, grateful for the thinking time. As Victoria closed and locked the door behind them, she turned to Jo and put the light on.

  ‘So, what happens next, Jo?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Nothing!? Why nothing?’

  ‘Because there’s nothing to be done. You and I know each other well enough by now. Apart from the family complications, I’m not the sort of girl who’s happy to jump into bed with some random man just for a quickie.’ She had the honesty to look up and give Victoria a wry smile. ‘However appealing that might be with a man like Corrado. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. In two weeks’ time I’ll be thirty. Maybe Mum’s right. I’ve reached an age when I need to start thinking of the future, and one thing’s for sure, there’s no future for me with a man like him.’

  Victoria nodded slowly. ‘The same goes for me. But, in my case, I think I might just have found my man. I wish he was here.’

  Jo found herself wondering whether, after all, her friend might end up with a life companion before she did. She was happy for Victoria and George, but deep down inside, she couldn’t help experiencing envy – and regret. Even though she hadn’t known him for long, she felt sure that in so many ways Corrado might have turned out to be The One. Why, oh why were things so complicated?

  Chapter 7

  Monday morning came as a shock to the system for Jo after two days as a tourist.

  She left Victoria to her day of sightseeing and walked barely three hundred metres along the road to the conference centre shortly after half past eight, even though things weren’t expected to start until nine thirty. Although it was early, the entrance hall was already buzzing and she had to queue to check in at the main desk. As soon as she was recognised as one of the speakers, she was handed over to a dedicated staff member in a smart blue blazer who supplied her with her name badge and a welcome pack. They spoke for a few minutes in Italian and Jo was relieved to hear it flowing reasonably fluently from her mouth. The girl then ushered her into a ‘hospitality room’, where she found herself among other speakers and distinguished figures. Most of these were household names in the sector and her apprehension grew.

  She did her best to relax and accepted a little espresso from a waiter. As she was sipping it nervously, she spotted a familiar head crowned with a familiar ponytail standing out high above the crowd. As she was gathering up the courage to go over to him, he saw her and immediately smiled as he headed across the room over to her.

  ‘Joanne, isn’t it? I don’t know if you remember me, but we met briefly at the French embassy in London.’

  ‘Of course I do. You’re Ricky from UCLA. I really enjoyed your talk.’

  They shook hands and Jo was very pleased to see him.

  ‘I see from the programme that you’re standing in for Ronald. Do you work with him?’

  ‘I work for him.’

  ‘And how’s that working out?’ He caught her eye for a moment and she couldn’t miss the twinkle in his.

  ‘You know him?’

  ‘I used to work with him when he was at UCLA. That’s something you and I have in common. So, you two get on okay?’

  There was a lot she could have said about Ronald, but she felt it better to bite her tongue at least until she got to know Ricky better. She opted for the diplomatic reply.

  ‘It’s a privilege to work for such an eminent scientist.’

  Ricky laughed. ‘Did he tell you to say that?’

  In fact, that wasn’t far from the truth, but again Jo steered clear of controversy.

  ‘We get on fine.’

  ‘Do you know what his nickname was at UCLA?’ He lowered his voice a tad. ‘The Pirate. His speciality was pirating other people’s ideas.’

  Jo couldn’t restrain a smile this time and he smiled back and then changed the subject. As they stood and chatted, her apprehension subsided a bit. He was good company and she found she enjoyed talking to him. All too soon, however, he had to desert her and head off for an audience with some local dignitary. Jo was sorry to see him go.

 
; As he disappeared, she went over to a table in a corner where she opened her welcome pack. Inside, among other things, was the programme of events for the conference and she almost fainted as she saw that she was scheduled to give the presentation on plastics in the ocean at three o’clock that same afternoon. She drained the coffee and was looking round for a waiter to order another one when she got an even greater shock.

  ‘Excuse me, you’re Doctor Green, aren’t you?’

  Jo looked up at the sound of the voice. She didn’t need to read the name badge to recognise the elderly lady before her as none other than the chair of the conference herself, Professor Waltraud Dietrich of the United Nations, a legendary figure in the world of conservation. Jo jumped to her feet, upsetting the, fortunately empty, coffee cup and scattering papers and pamphlets across the table as she did so. She could feel her face burning as she shook the outstretched hand and replied.

  ‘Professor Dietrich, what an honour! Yes, I’m Doctor Green, Jo Green.’

  ‘Welcome to the conference, Doctor Green. First things first, please would you give my greetings and best wishes to Ronald. I know him well and I was so very sorry to hear about his accident.’

  Jo assured her she would pass on her greetings and they chatted for a few minutes before the professor cut to the chase.

  ‘I gather from Flavia that you speak Italian.’

  Jo remembered seeing that name on the lapel of the girl who had accompanied her in here. She nodded hesitantly. ‘Not terribly fluently, I’m afraid, but yes, I do speak it a bit.’

  ‘Flavia told me she was very impressed with your Italian.’ The professor lowered her voice a fraction. ‘The thing is, we find ourselves in a bit of a predicament. In spite of this conference taking place here in Rome, none of the main speakers, myself included, can speak more than few words of Italian. Of course, that doesn’t matter in here as the lingua franca of the conference is, of course, English, but it does matter to the media.’