The Tuscan Mystery Trilogy

by Margaret Moore

  Ambra was awoken by the fresh air that was coming through the open window. She felt it caress her face and breathed it in gratefully. It was still early, but she decided to get up and go down to the vegetable garden to talk to Riccardo. She hadn’t seen him yesterday, after her little meeting with her mother, and she needed to reassure herself that what she felt was right, that she was in touch with reality, and that her mother had twisted and distorted everything beyond recognition. “The bitch,” she thought. “She’s planted a poisonous seed in my mind.” She dressed hurriedly, and left the house by the front door, taking the little path that Chiara had taken an hour earlier.

  Chiara reined in her horse and jumped off, leading him by the halter to his stable. She spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning him and checking him over, then closing the stable door, she gave him a titbit and kissed his nose. She ran some water over her riding boots, which were pretty dirty, and set off to find Riccardo. As she neared the vegetable garden she could hear voices, and someone crying. It was Ambra! She wondered what on earth she was doing, crying in the garden at this time of the morning, and who she could be talking to. Chiara walked silently nearer and heard her sister say,

  “I told you. You wouldn’t believe me, but I knew this would happen.”

  “Ambra, it doesn’t matter. We’ll survive this. I can’t believe it, even now, but I suppose I have to. You think she’ll be down later to sack me?”

  “Oh yes,” said Ambra bitterly,” I’m surprised she’s waited this long. I suppose she was too busy yesterday to find time for such a trifling little thing. I am so sorry she’s doing this to you. I feel that you have had a dirty trick played on you, and it’s all my fault.” The weeping started up again, and Riccardo’s voice continued to comfort her.

  Chiara was puzzled. ‘What were they talking about? Mother sacking Riccardo, but why should she? She liked him, and he was very good at his job. It didn’t make sense. Why should it be Ambra’s fault?’ She walked on until she was clearly visible to them. Ambra started, and Chiara asked, “What’s going on? You never tell me anything anymore, and why should mother sack Riccardo?”

  “Chiara, you were eavesdropping.”

  “No, not really, I was just coming to tell Riccardo to come and chop up the cypress tree that’s fallen onto the terrace steps, and then I heard you crying. Why Ambra? Why is it your fault?”

  “Oh Chiara, I’m sorry. I should have told you, I know, but somehow I couldn’t. Look, the fact is, Riccardo and I want to get married.”

  “Is that all? Is that why she’s sacking him? Good God, that’s ridiculous, I’ll go and talk to her.”

  “NO!” shouted Ambra.” We have had the most awful row, yesterday actually. The thing is, that I’m pregnant.”

  “Really!” she looked astonished, “Then it wasn’t gastric flu. I see.” She looked thoughtfully at her sister. “Do you want to marry him? I mean you’re not doing it just for the child, are you?”

  “Of course not!” said Ambra looking at Riccardo, who smiled back at her. “Madre thinks he got me pregnant so that he could marry me for my money, so she’s decided to sack him, send him away and advised me to have an abortion.”

  “That’s not true, She’s a Catholic. She wouldn’t do that.”

  “You can believe it, or not. I’m telling you that she suggested it, ‘to avoid future suffering for the poor little thing’. She says that if I marry this gold-digger, we’ll get divorced the next day or something.”

  “But we’ve known Riccardo for years; he’s not like that.” She looked at him carefully, as though to check that what she had just said was true.

  “That’s what I told her, but she was furious, she wouldn’t listen to me. She said I’d marry him over her dead body.”

  “Well, you can marry whoever you like, you’re over eighteen.”

  “She’s sacking Riccardo, so that we’ll be penniless, and I think she’ll stop my allowance.”

  “I'll find another job, easily. I have ten years experience and I’m good at my job. There’ll be no problem. You mustn’t worry,” said Riccardo quite calmly. “Now, have you had breakfast?”

  “God, no! I’m terrified I’ll throw up. Besides I don’t want to see Madre if I can avoid it, I’ve been sneaking down to the kitchen for food and eating it in my room, ever since the row.”

  “Let’s leave, and go to my mother’s. She’ll give you a good breakfast and some good advice about what it’s best to eat, to avoid sickness.”

  “Have you told her?”

  “Of course, yesterday, while you were telling yours.”

  “I bet the reactions were a bit different.”

  “Well, I don’t have a wealthy mother, so she has nothing to fear from you. Your mother is just concerned about your well-being. That’s why she reacted so badly. She’ll probably come round.”

  “Never. She won’t. I know her. Oh Riccardo, it’s so awful, so humiliating for you. I’m so angry, that I never want to speak to her again.”

  “Don’t be childish. Ambra,” said Chiara. “Don’t let her see how hurt you are. Just be serene and carry on with your preparations as though you had never had the argument. Don’t play her game. Take her by surprise. Tell as many people as possible that you are going to marry Riccardo, and tell them about the baby too, if you want to. Make it seem a normal, happy thing. As long as you behave like a child, she will treat you like one.” Chiara, finished her monologue, and looked sheepishly at them. “Sorry, do as you please. It’s none of my business really.”

  “Chiara, you’re right. Of course! That’s exactly what I must do. You’re wonderful, you see things so clearly. I expected her to react badly and she did. I started the conversation on the defensive, wouldn’t let Riccardo come with me, and let her walk all over me. Thank you, thank you.” She grabbed Chiara and kissed her. She took Riccardo’s hand and said, “Let’s go and see your mother, have breakfast, and then carry on as normal. Come with us, Chiara.”

  “No, you must go alone; I’ll go back to the house and have mine there. Ambra, what’s happening to us, the family I mean? Angelo has just disappeared, you know. It’s very strange. He might be pretty naughty, but he always phones. Madre’s out of her mind about it. Then she’s had some sort of a row with Cosimo, and that’s really hurting her too. You know how he’s always been the promising one, the one she could relate to best, not like me and the horses. Well, he’s gone off, too. Oh, I know he’s phoned, but still, he’s never left like this, before. Francesca doesn’t come to the house anymore either, and Emily’s looking very smug about it, you know, saying stuff like, “It’s about time she became a more responsible person. Poor Madre always has to put up with so much from her.” She imitated her sister's voice. “Even Arturo has fallen out with her, and Emily is desperately trying to patch things up between them. It didn't work, and she went with Arturo to his mother's house yesterday evening, instead of coming to the party. Then Madre had a row with Giorgio Paconi last night, well everybody did, and he’s resigned. What’s going on?”

  “Giorgio resigned? Whoopee! That fat little toad. Do you know he’s been doing next to no work for the last few years? Tell. What happened? I wish I’d been there.”

  “I don’t know all the ins and outs, but he stood up and bellowed that he wasn’t waiting to be pushed out, he was leaving now, this minute, and I think some of the teaching staff will go with him.”

  “No, they won’t, except that awful Constantino Benedetti, the violin teacher. They are always thick as two thieves, which is what they probably are. What will they do with his awful students if he goes? Otto Shropsky won’t take them, he only takes master classes.”

  “Mother said, if she has to, she’ll do some teaching. It’s well within her capabilities according to the others. I should think you could teach some of them as well.”

  “Probably, but I don’t think I’ll be asked.”

  “Offer.”

  “What!”

  “Offer your services. Trea
t mother like any other person, as a person, not as something all powerful. She’s just a person, and she’s pretty unhappy at the moment.”

  “I’ll think about it. And Chiara, don’t worry too much about Angelo, he’s a little toughie. He’ll turn up. As for Cosimo, well, any row between those two has to be serious, and you know Arturo as well as I do. He will come round and put himself back under the yoke. Believe me, he knows which side his bread is buttered on. What a poor specimen Emily married. I must say they really suit each other.”

  “Ambra, don’t be wicked. Listen, I’m going. Apart from anything else, I’m starving. I’ll see you later.”

  Riccardo said, “I’ll come up later and get rid of the tree. I’m surprised it fell actually. I’ll bring the chain saw and the axe up, and get the lads to give me a hand. Come on Ambra, let’s go and have breakfast.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Diana ate an early breakfast alone. She had slept badly, and was anxious about the situation at the school. If Constantino Benedetti did leave with Giorgio, then she would have to take on at least some of his classes. Had things had been different she would have asked Ambra to do some teaching. She was quite capable, but as it was, well…She sighed. There had still been no word from Angelo, but the Maresciallo had told her yesterday that his regional check had proved to be negative and he continued to be reassuring. Cosimo had phoned to say he was not coming home yet.

  She pushed her plate away. She had a headache and felt exhausted. The last thing she felt like doing was teaching a class of poor violin students. Emily came down and started preparing breakfast for her family, Arturo arriving shortly after her. He mumbled a “Good morning” but Diana did not reply, and left the room. She thought he needed to apologise, because if he thought he could get away with rudeness and then carry on as though nothing had happened, then he could think again. What a little shit! A weak, ineffectual, nonentity. Having classified him to her satisfaction, she dismissed him from her thoughts.

  She went to her study and checked the schedule for the day’s lessons. If necessary she would have to teach three classes and there was an afternoon concert at six. The meeting of the school board was scheduled for five p.m but that wouldn’t take long. She looked at the music on the programme print out. There were four violin students playing that afternoon, so they at least must be coached. There were three of them playing in trios, and one who was only playing in the one quartet. They were due for rehearsals at midday. Ambra could have done those easily. She sighed again. She hadn’t seen Ambra after their confrontation. She had been keeping to her room. The stupid, gullible, innocent idiot! She must get down to see Riccardo, and when she did, by God, he’d be sorry!

  She wrenched her thoughts back to the school. Perhaps she could convince Otto to take those rehearsals, but it was doubtful, or maybe the cello teacher would, though he had some other things to rehearse, and these were scheduled for Benedetti or Paconi. She checked again and found that the times clashed. Damn. There was a knock on the door,

  “Avanti”

  “Madre. I thought you might need some help with the violin classes.”

  “Ambra!”

  “Well, do you? I can do some of it for you, if you need me to.”

  “Yes, yes I do.” She sounded bewildered. “I don’t know for certain that Benedetti has gone, but there’s little doubt, and there’s a concert this afternoon, and his classes this morning, and the rehearsals. I can’t seem to get myself together. ” She ran a hand through her hair in a distracted manner.

  Ambra picked up the phone and called Mario. A brief conversation confirmed what they had all thought. Constantino Benedetti had gone.

  “O.K. Tell me which you want me to do, and where.” Ambra smiled serenely at her mother. Diana felt disconcerted, but said nothing, and showed her the timetable.

  They pored over it together, and divided the workload. Then they heard a chain saw starting up, followed by higher pitched whine of it cutting.

  “That’s Riccardo, getting rid of the cypress tree.”

  “The cypress tree?” Diana said feebly. Her face showing her incomprehension.

  “Haven’t you even looked out of the window? The cypress tree came down in the night, and is blocking the terrace steps. Come and see.” She held out her hand to her mother, who took it and followed her.

  “Good God, how incredible. It’s always been there, I can’t believe it.”

  They walked out onto the terrace, and looked at the fallen giant. Riccardo had driven a little, three-wheeled, open truck onto the lawn to transport the wood away as he cut it. The two lads were pulling at a branch that Riccardo had just finished cutting. One of them picked up the axe and began belabouring it.

  “It’ll take all day to move the whole thing, so I’ll just clear away enough to allow you to pass, and then I have to get back to the vegetable garden,” said Riccardo.

  Diana looked stunned and murmured “Fine” then went back into the house. She felt disoriented. Her world seemed to be disintegrating, out of her control. The death of the cypress tree appeared to be symbolic, tangible evidence of some indefinable illness that was besetting her life.

  Ambra went up to get her violin, ruffling the hair of the girls who were coming down, causing them to squeal. “It is all a question of perspective,” she told them seriously.

  Arturo turned the pages of the newspaper that Riccardo had brought up to the house, as he did every morning. There was nothing of any great interest. He ignored the pages that dealt with politics and international news, turning to the national news headlines.

  YOUTH MUGS OLD AGE PENSIONER: THE SEVENTY-NINE-YEAR- OLD IS CRITICALLY ILL. . Crime report follows, on youth today.

  HUSBAND SHOOTS WIFE AFTER DRAMMATIC CHASE THEN SHOOTS HIMSELF: BOTH CRITICAL. Neighbours say they were a quiet couple and lived a normal life.

  YOUNG TEACHER RUN OVER AS SHE CROSSES THE ROAD: SHE LEAVES A GRIEVING HUSBAND AND TWO YEAR OLD CHILD. THE DRIVER, A FRIEND OF THE HUSBAND, IS DISTRAUGHT.

  ADOLESCENT SAVES CHILD FROM DROWNING IN A VENETIAN CANAL, THEN HITS HIS HEAD ON A BOLLARD: NOW CRITICALLY ILL HE HAS NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED.

  HOUSEWIVES AND STUDENTS INVOLVED IN PROSTITUTION: VICE RING FREQUENTED BY LOCAL POLITICIANS AND WELL KNOWN BUSINESSMEN. See inside our discussion on the need for State run brothels.

  .

  FILM STAR BUYS HIDEAWAY HOUSE IN TUSCANY: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: I NEED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH NATURE, SHE SAYS, FROM HER LUXURY VILLA.

  YOUTH ESCAPES AFTER HIS ATTEMPT TO ROB BANK FAILS: POLICE CHASE RESULTS IN INJURY TO TWO POLICEMEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH.

  He settled down to read about the vice ring.

  The morning passed busily for them all; for Diana and Ambra teaching; for Chiara helping clear up the debris left by the storm and then in the stables; for Riccardo sawing the cypress tree, then rushing to pick the vegetables; for Emily, taking the girls for their tennis lesson and overseeing the cleaners. Arturo went out to buy a birthday present for his sister, and Orlando strolled through the Saturday morning market, waving to people, pausing to chat with friends, giving a quick kiss of greeting to girls he knew, and finally, sitting outside the main bar in town, in the shade having a drink with Antonio.

  “So, did you ask her?”

  “God, leave me alone! It’s not the right moment. Don’t worry, I’ll get the money.”

  “What do you mean, ‘don’t worry’ when it’s my name on the lease. It’s me who’s contacted the builders. You said it would be alright, and it’s all fixed; they start next week.”

  “Good. The sooner they start, the sooner they finish, right?”

  “Yeah, and the sooner they want to be paid.”

  “Listen to me, Antonio. I guarantee that I’ll get the money, by then. Give me a little more time, and get off my back. Do you seriously think she'll leave me in the lurch? I tell you she'll pay.”

  “Well she’d better, because I’m having the builder make out the bills to you. I’m not landing up in cou
rt.”

  “Neither am I. Now shut up.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  They had lunched separately. Now, as the heat of the afternoon began to make inroads on their energy levels, they were all resting. Diana dragged herself towards the pergola and gratefully entered its cool privacy. She took off her sandals and moved to seat herself on the sun bed.

  There was a scorpion. It sat immobile in the middle of the bed. She shivered. It was ridiculous, but she had a horror of scorpions. She moved the bed hoping it would leave of its own volition, but it merely prepared itself for battle, arching its tail over its back, the sting ready to attack. It moved from side to side trying to evaluate the danger, and appear more frightening. She would have to get a stick or something and move it away. She put her shoes back on and walked round the corner of the house to where the cypress tree had fallen. The men had cleared part of it away, leaving the wood-saw and the axe there, so they were obviously intending to return, but there was no sign of them yet. She chose a small branch and, returning to the pergola, convinced the scorpion to climb onto it and allow itself to be carried elsewhere. Then she lay down to sleep, knowing that she would, as she was very, very tired. She remembered a phrase, read somewhere, ‘tired unto death’. Then she slept.

  Emily finished preparing the tea tray and backed into the drawing room, as usual, being very careful not to crash the teacups. She set the tray down on the table and straightened up. It was twelve minutes past four, so no one had arrived yet. Her family’s punctuality at meal times was phenomenal. But not today. The minutes ticked away, but no one came. She looked out of the window but there was no sound, no movement, no one. The house was silent. Arturo after spending the early afternoon at the pool with her, had gone back to his parent's house for tea; Francesca wouldn’t be coming anyway; Cosimo and Angelo were away, Orlando should be here and Ambra, who seemed to have returned to a semblance of normality. Where was Chiara?