Summer of Secrets

by Rosie Rushton

‘Have you and Summer had a falling out?’ Izzy flopped down beside Caitlin at the edge of the pool, where Caitlin had just put in a couple of lengths before breakfast. ‘I heard shouting and she’s in a right strop – just pushed past me without so much as a “hello”,’ Izzy continued.

  ‘There’s something really odd going on,’ Caitlin replied thoughtfully. ‘Does Freddie ever talk about his mum?’

  ‘Not really,’ Izzy replied. ‘The only time he mentioned her was when he said that he was fed up with his family being so straight-laced and that he intended to live life in the fast lane, because you never knew when you’d end up like his mum – dead and disgraced.’

  ‘Disgraced? Did he really say that?’

  ‘Yeah – I thought it a bit odd at the time. But I always told you there was more to the whole story than we knew.’

  ‘What I think––’ Caitlin began.

  ‘Tell me later,’ Izzy blurted out, gesturing to Jamie, who was ambling out of the house and heading their way. ‘Right now, I need your help. You have to sort Jamie out.’

  ‘Jamie? Don’t tell me you two have had a row?’

  ‘Not yet, but we sure as hell will if he doesn’t loosen up,’ Izzy retorted. ‘He’s so possessive – every time I talk to Freddie or go skinny dipping––’

  ‘Skinny dipping?’

  ‘Oh, don’t look at me like that!’ Izzy replied. ‘Jamie could’ve come too – not my fault he’s so uptight. Last night after you’d gone to bed we went down to the beach – it was so cool. But Jamie just sulked – I mean, is that juvenile or what?’

  ‘That’s a bit unfair,’ Caitlin protested. ‘I mean, you are his girlfriend, not Freddie’s – I guess he just wants more time with you on your own. I thought that’s what you wanted too.’

  ‘Sure.’ Izzy shrugged. ‘But you’ve seen what Freddie’s like – he’s all over me. I’ve tried ignoring him . . .’

  ‘Oh yeah? And I’ve tried deep-sea diving in a teacup. Come off it, Izzy. The bottom line is you’re a grade one flirt.’

  Izzy pulled a face.

  ‘I’m just naturally gregarious, that’s all,’ she explained. ‘Anyway, if Jamie thinks he owns me, he’s wrong. No one does, because I’m a free spirit – and he’d better get that into his head right now.’

  She turned to Caitlin, lips pouted.

  ‘But I hate arguing with him, because he is cute,’ she said smiling fondly. ‘And he’s got the sexiest body.’

  ‘Oh puh-leese,’ Caitlin sighed.

  ‘So – could you like talk to him? Get him to see things my way? Say it didn’t mean anything – just a bit of fun?’

  ‘I’ll have a word,’ Caitlin said noncommittally. A word of warning, she thought. If he wanted Izzy he’d need to stop being quite so patient and nice.

  ‘Sorry,’ Summer murmured, grabbing a panini and some cheese from the kitchen table. ‘I didn’t mean to go off on one.’

  ‘Whether you mean it or not, you keep doing it,’ Caitlin snapped, partly because she was still angry and partly because PMT was kicking in big time. ‘You said you wanted my help, you talk about being glad that I can think out of the box, and then when I do, you go ballistic.’

  She poured some orange juice and piled her breakfast plate with rolls and jam. Hormones made her very hungry.

  ‘I know,’ Summer sighed. ‘It’s just that I feel guilty and then I get cross with myself and take it out on the nearest person.’

  ‘But that’s what I don’t get,’ Caitlin stressed, pausing in the doorway to avoid being overhead by the rest of the family, who were already gathered round the table. ‘What’s for you to feel guilty about?’

  ‘If you’re right, and if Gabriella and Dad had a thing going, then I shouldn’t have gone away – because if I’d been there, nothing could have gone on, could it?’

  ‘Oh, get real,’ Caitlin replied. ‘What do you do when you want to see Alex? You find a way. Just because they’re old, doesn’t mean they can’t do the same thing.’

  ‘Please, don’t make me think about the details,’ groaned Summer.

  ‘Besides,’ Caitlin continued, ‘you said Gaby has a house of her own – they could have gone there any time, whether you were around or not.’

  Summer nodded slowly.

  ‘I hadn’t thought about that. I guess seeing Mum’s painting of that boat yesterday freaked me more than I realised. I remembered the night she took me out.’

  ‘You mean it was a real event? She didn’t make it up?’

  Summer shook her head.

  ‘I was really little,’ she said softly. ‘Mum woke me up and said she wanted to show me the stars. We got into the rowing boat – my granddad was alive then and it was his – and she rowed out really far and it was quite rough. I was – well, a bit scared.’

  ‘I’m not surprised,’ Caitlin remarked.

  ‘Then suddenly, she stopped rowing and picked me and held me right up as high as she could. And she sang some funny song – and I remember screaming.’

  ‘That’s well weird,’ Caitlin gasped.

  ‘No, it’s not!’ Summer’s expression changed completely. ‘You sound just like Dad when you say things like that! I only cried because I was a kid – it was just Mum being Mum. She did things like that and OK, sometimes she was bit silly, but then all artists are a bit quirky.’

  She pulled a face at Caitlin.

  ‘Even you throw water over yourself at parties,’ she muttered.

  Caitlin laughed, thankful that Summer seemed less touchy.

  ‘True,’ she agreed. ‘Mad or what?’

  ‘So, what’s with this plan about me being nice to Gabriella?’ Summer asked. ‘You’d better have a pretty good reason.’

  ‘We need to soften her up, right?’ Caitlin explained. ‘People always let things slip when they feel safe. Can’t you ask her a few leading questions? Maybe she knows why your dad is so against Alex’s family.’

  ‘You reckon?’

  Caitlin saw she had got Summer on-side.

  ‘Must do – and the easiest way to find out is for you to be all over her. She’s desperate for you to like her.’

  She jerked her head in the direction of the terrace. ‘And here’s your chance,’ she said with a smile. ‘Just do it – pretend it’s a drama workshop or something!’

  ‘Surprise!’ Gaby cried, as the girls sat down at the table with their breakfast plates. ‘I was just telling the others – I’ve booked us a table for lunch at the Splendido in Portofino! My treat!’

  ‘Oh wow!’ Summer cried, turning to Caitlin. ‘The Splendido is the best people-watching place on earth – all the movie stars go there. And the food is heaven!’

  ‘So you’ll come?’ Gaby asked. ‘I thought us girls could spend the morning in a little light retail therapy and then meet up with the guys for lunch.’

  ‘Oh, Gaby, that’s a brill idea!’ Summer jumped up and gave her a hug. ‘You’re a star!’

  Gabriella looked stunned but delighted. Ludo and Sir Magnus glanced at one another and then at Caitlin, and broke into broad grins.

  ‘Well now, Jamie,’ Sir Magnus began, ‘what do you say to joining me on my catamaran? Much more fun sailing than hanging around while the girls spend my money, eh?’

  ‘Great, I’d love to,’ Jamie said.

  ‘Of course, probably a good idea if you come too, Ludo – and Freddie. Tricky berthing at Portofino, as I recall. Where is Freddie, by the way?’

  ‘Haven’t a clue. In bed, probably,’ Ludo replied, ‘judging by the amount he drank last night.’

  ‘No, he’s gone out,’ Izzy informed them. ‘To Genoa. He won’t be back for ages.’

  Six pairs of eyes fixed on her face.

  ‘Don’t know why,’ she went on hastily. ‘Guys, eh? So unpredictable, aren’t they?’

  She is up to something, Caitlin thought. I’ve seen that oh-so-innocent look before – and it doesn’t fool me.

  ‘Summer, look!’

  Caitlin nudged her friend as th
ey waited for Izzy, who was gazing into a shop window full of Armani and Missoni outfits with price tags like telephone numbers.

  ‘See this?’ She thrust a postcard into Summer’s hand. ‘Look on the back.’

  ‘Sunset at the Abbey of San Fruttuoso,’ Summer read. ‘So what–– oh! The abbey! You think that’s where Mum went to paint?’

  ‘Could be,’ Caitlin agreed. ‘It would be cool to check it out.’

  She turned to the street vendor who was selling the postcards.

  ‘How do we get to this abbey?’ she asked.

  ‘Is about two hour walk,’ he said in broken English. ‘But there is boat from harbour – not so long. Is very beautiful.’

  ‘We can’t go,’ Summer reminded her. ‘Lunch is in half an hour.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got an idea,’ Caitlin said. ‘Leave it to me.’

  This I could get used to, thought Caitlin, savouring her pansoti with herb and nut sauce and sipping crisp Ligurian white wine that made her palate tingle and her confidence soar. They were sitting on the terrace of the hotel, overlooking the cerulean blue sea dotted with yachts leaning into the breeze that skimmed the tops of the myrtle bushes below them. Sir Magnus was talking nineteen to the dozen to Ludo, and Jamie was, by the look on Izzy’s face, playing footsie with her under the table.

  She surreptitiously kicked Summer and turned to Gabriella.

  ‘This is so kind of you,’ she said, in her best thanking-great-aunts voice. ‘I’m really enjoying myself.’

  ‘You’re more than welcome,’ Gaby replied with a smile. ‘We want you to have as many lovely experiences as possible while you are here.’

  ‘Well,’ Caitlin said, ‘Summer and I were wondering about exploring the abbey.’

  The expression on Gaby’s faced changed instantly. The smile faded and she stared first at Caitlin, then across the table at Sir Magnus, who clearly hadn’t heard a word, and then back to Caitlin again.

  ‘The abbey? What abbey?’

  I’m on to something here, Caitlin thought with excitement, giving Summer another little kick.

  ‘This one,’ Caitlin said, handing Gabriella the postcard.

  ‘Oh! That abbey. What about it?’

  ‘I’d love to go there and paint it,’ Caitlin said. ‘I really must get started on my art project.’

  ‘Me too,’ Summer said. ‘We’ve got to find a work of art and then do a whole portfolio of stuff about it . . .’

  ‘Well, you won’t find any paintings at the abbey,’ Gabriella replied. ‘No point wasting your time there. Now, how about tomorrow I take you to Genoa? Plenty of art there for you to soak up.’

  She’s changing the subject, Caitlin thought, glancing at Summer. She doesn’t want us at the abbey. Now, all we have to do is find out why.

  ‘Not tomorrow––’ Summer began and then stopped as her mobile shrilled, to which the diners at the neighbouring table responded by giving her a withering look.

  ‘Summer!’ her father exploded. ‘You know full well this is a phone-free zone. Switch the damn thing off. Now!’

  ‘It was Alex trying to reach me,’ Summer whispered to Caitlin in the ladies’ loo. ‘Look, can you go and keep Gabriella occupied while I phone him back?’

  ‘Sure,’ Caitlin said, nodding. ‘Mind you, if she needs a wee, I can hardly tell her she’s not allowed.’

  ‘Just come in talking loudly, OK? I’ll lock myself in a cubicle. Now, go!’

  Caitlin wandered slowly through the luxurious hotel, with its black and white marble floors and amazing trompe l’oeil paintings on the pale pink walls, and pretended she was a 1930s film star, heading for an assignation with her secret lover. As if fate were on her side, as she walked through to the terrace she caught sight of Ludo halfway down the steps to the swimming pool, deep in conversation with his father and Gabriella.

  She leaned over the stone balustrade, praying that he would look up and catch her eye, and imagined him springing back up the steps two at a time, sweeping her into his arms, tipping her chin, bringing his lips down on hers . . .

  ‘When she asked about the abbey, I nearly had a fit!’ Gabriella’s voice wafted up to her on the breeze. ‘Thank the Lord it was the wrong abbey!’

  She turned and her next words were lost to Caitlin. But then Ludo spoke, his voice rising with each word.

  ‘God how I hate all this secrecy! Sometimes I feel like telling Summer the truth myself. She’s got a right to know.’

  ‘Ludo, no! Please . . .’ Magnus broke in. ‘We agreed – it’s best left alone.’

  ‘That’s all very well, but what if someone else . . .’ Ludo replied, as Caitlin strained to catch his words. ‘I have a feeling that Alex di Matteo . . . evening when I was . . . can’t blame . . . stupid . . . if he said . . .’

  A waiter walked past and dropped a stainless steel dish cover on to the flagstones. Ludo and Sir Magnus turned and Caitlin knew she’d been seen. She was glad she had had the foresight to put her sunglasses on. Ludo waved and she pretended not to see. It wasn’t until he called her name that she turned and ran down the steps.

  ‘Oh, hi!’ she said. ‘Sorry – didn’t see you. I was miles away.’

  It wasn’t a lie, she told herself. Her mind was full of her next move. She had to find out which abbey was causing Gabriella so much angst. More importantly, she had to find out just what Ludo knew about Alex. And she had to warn Summer that her secret could be blown any second.

  She knew it was probably wrong to feel this way, but unravelling this mystery was one of the most exciting things she’d ever done.

  ‘Look, you two, do you mind if I just call in at my place on the way home?’ Gabriella asked, negotiating the narrow street out of Portofino. ‘I want to check on the new tenants – they had a funny look about them.’

  Izzy had gone on the boat with the guys – no surprise there, Caitlin thought – and she and Summer were sitting in the back of Gabriella’s car, half asleep with the effects of wine and sunshine.

  ‘Sure, fine,’ yawned Summer. ‘Whatever.’

  Caitlin felt her eyes closing as the car twisted and turned its way up the hillside. She must have nodded off, because the slamming of the driver’s door woke her with a jolt.

  ‘Sorry,’ Gaby mouthed to Caitlin, gesturing at Summer who was sound asleep. ‘That’s my house over there. I’ll only be five minutes.’

  She waved and began walking up the flower-lined pathway to the house. Caitlin stared. The house was painted pink. It had a tiled roof. And there was a tree in front of the cottage, a tree that clung to the cliff edge with its roots exposed.

  A tree just like the one in Elena’s paintings.

  Within seconds, she had decided what to do. She glanced at the still-sleeping Summer, and gently opened the car door. Whipping her camera out of its case, she fired off a whole load of shots, some of the cottage, some of the tree and several of the view.

  ‘If they’re any good, I’ll buy one for my website,’ Gaby laughed as she left the house and walked down the path towards Caitlin. ‘It needs updating. Mind you, so does the house!’

  ‘It’s such a beautiful place,’ Caitlin enthused. ‘No wonder Summer’s mum liked to paint it.’

  ‘What? Oh, the picture in Summer’s room, Yes, that’s this place. Elena used to come here a lot – we were friends for years, you know.’

  ‘Summer said there were loads more paintings by her, but they’re all in store,’ Caitlin remarked innocently. ‘Why’s that?’

  ‘I – well, I suppose Magnus thought they might deteriorate. A lot of them, I understand, weren’t framed – and besides, it’s upsetting to have too many reminders . . .’

  She was clearly out of her depth.

  ‘It must have been awful, her dying like that. So were you here when she died?’

  ‘What? No. I was away. Now then, we must get going. Oh, look, Summer’s awake. Let’s change the subject, shall we?’

  It was late afternoon before Caitlin and Summer were alo
ne. The moment Izzy arrived back at the villa she had gone off with the newly returned Freddie, which meant they first had to get rid of Jamie, who was mooching around by the pool, looking disconsolate.

  ‘Just tell her you won’t tolerate it,’ Caitlin had suggested, after Summer had slipped away to practise her flute in the gazebo. ‘It’s no good dripping about here – if you want her, assert yourself.’

  ‘You’re right, I’ll do it,’ Jamie had declared. ‘I’ll tell her she has to choose – him, or me.’

  ‘That’s more like it,’ Caitlin had replied encouragingly. ‘Find out where you stand once and for all.’

  ‘I’ve got it,’ Summer said excitedly, the moment she and Caitlin had some space to themselves.

  ‘Got what?’

  ‘The parcel from Lorenzo,’ she explained. ‘He left it with Luigi at the gatehouse. It’s a sketchpad with some pencil drawings of Mum’s. I’ve hidden it in my room – I’ll show you later.’

  She stretched out on the sunbed and yawned.

  ‘What about this abbey?’ she mused. ‘Do you reckon we should try to go there? I don’t see what it’s going to tell us.’

  Caitlin shook her head and decided that she’d had enough of keeping things to herself. She told Summer what she’d heard Gabriella saying that afternoon at the hotel.

  ‘So there is an abbey, and she doesn’t want us to know about it,’ Caitlin concluded. ‘Have you got a computer?’

  ‘There’s one in Dad’s study, but no one is allowed near that, and Ludo’s got a laptop – but don’t change the subject!’

  ‘I’m not – I want to go on the internet, find out all the abbeys around here and see if – well, I’m not sure what I want to see, but it’s worth a go.’

  ‘OK – you could borrow Ludo’s and say that you’re researching for the project,’ Summer agreed. ‘I’ll ask him.’

  ‘And there’s something else,’ Caitlin said. ‘You never told me that the cottage in your mum’s pictures was Gaby’s.’

  ‘Is it?’ Summer looked amazed. ‘How do you know?’

  ‘I used my eyes, silly – the tree on the edge of that cliff gives it away. OK, so she’s used artistic licence by making the cottage derelict and spooky – but then, maybe that was how she wanted it to be. Kind of depicting that anything that belonged to Gaby had to be destroyed – or like Gaby was destroying her life?’