The Confirmation

by L G Dickson

  The prospect of dining alone was not something she relished but again the calmness of her surroundings had seemed to do the trick. She walked down to the dining room, comfortable, assured and ready to enjoy her meal. She had been thoughtfully seated right at the front of the little terrace so all she could see was the lake in front of her and a few guests at the extreme periphery of her vision. Perhaps it was the serenity of the place, perhaps it was the effects of the wine but suddenly her heart seemed to fill again and she knew. She had never really lost him. If she needed guidance he would be there for her, taking the tiller even just for a moment. The physical loss was still immense but there would always be something more, something stronger that would hold them together. For the first time since James’s death she felt at peace. The maelstrom of thoughts, emotions and pain had settled and finally found a place to rest.

  The following morning she boarded the little ferry to Villa Taranto. The hustle and bustle buoyed her. Tourists mingled with little old ladies travelling further up the lake to the weekly market. Old men sat and played cards, gesticulating wildly and arguing fiercely.

  As the boat shuddered to its halt at the gangway, she joined the little queue of garden lovers disembarking to the sound of the ferryman calling through his loudhailer, ‘Vi – lla Ta – ran – to’.

  Annie saw him as soon as she stepped on to dry land. He stood waving, his olive skin set dark against his light blue shirt, navy trousers and tan shoes. Hugo would accompany her on this little part of her pilgrimage.

  They hugged before turning to cross the busy road to the gardens’ entrance. Hugo took her hand.

  ‘My, you look very Italian today.’

  He laughed. ‘Okay, so French-Swiss Scottish man living and working in Belgium and now I look Italian!’

  ‘The very embodiment of a modern European man.’ She held on to his arm and smiled up at him.

  He squeezed her hand as they walked to the little café situated under the shade of century-old trees. They would spend some time here before Hugo drove Annie to Geneva to stay with Céline for a few days.

  ‘How is your mother, Hugo?’ She sipped at her lukewarm cappuccino.

  ‘Oh, she’s fine. Really looking forward to seeing you and of course very excited about the baby, as you can imagine.’

  ‘Oh yes, it’s wonderful news.’ She sat back and let the gentle breeze that was fluttering through the trees brush over her face. ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunty.’

  He beamed at her. How incredibly proud he looked. Proud and happy.

  ‘And everything is okay back in Edinburgh, with the business and everything?’

  ‘Yes, it’s busy but it’s all good. We’re so happy that you and Sofia can make the book launch next month. That should be really exciting. And then of course there’s the land reform legislation going through Parliament. I know he won’t see finished what he started but I feel it’s such an achievement for him. Funny how I should feel that.’

  ‘Well, of course it is. You are right to be proud of him. We all are.’ Hugo gently squeezed her hand before getting up to pay the bill and buy their tickets to the gardens.

  ‘It’s funny, James loved this place so much. When you think of Assynt, how barren it is and you compare it to here. It’s amazing of course, but then so cultivated, manicured.’

  ‘I know, Hugo, but he loved what men, what anyone, could do with the land in front of them. Whether it’s carving out a living in an unforgiving landscape or creating something like this – full of intensity and colour for people to enjoy. It was all beautiful to him.’

  ‘Are we walking to the top of the hill?’

  ‘Yes. But do you mind if I walk up ahead of you? There’s a little spot, a bench under a Douglas fir that looks out over the Alps. He loved that spot. I just want to spend some time alone if that’s okay. Just for a few minutes.’

  He hugged her again. ‘Of course not. I’m going to walk round to see the giant water lilies. They’re supposed to be amazing.’

  ‘Lovely, see you in a little while.’

  Annie turned to begin her walk.

  ‘I won’t be far behind you,’ he called.

  She smiled as she climbed, walking through the avenue of dahlias that led her up to the top of the hill.