by Noni Calbane
“Number one rule, don’t get involved,” she grumbled to herself. Way too late for that!
*****
The Villa was huge.
Gaby hadn’t realised it on the night of the party as it had been full to the brim with people. But without the help of bodies to fill the hollow space, it literally echoed in its emptiness.
The dining room was so immense Carmina suggested they dine in a small salon, close to the kitchen.
Gaby kept wondering if Luca would make an appearance, and her eyes flitted constantly to the doorway until Carmina informed her that he’d left that morning for Montepulciano and his horses. An overwhelming sense of disappointment enveloped her at the news. Although they had both somewhat agreed to avoid each other like the plague, she’d secretly hoped that he would materialize.
“After dinner, I should take you on a tour of the Villa,” Carmina offered.
“I’d love that. What I’ve seen so far is amazing. I love the décor. The mix of modern and antique is fantastic,” Gaby enthused.
Carmina looked embarrassed. “Thank you. I designed it myself.”
“Really? It’s incredible. You did a great job.”
“All the more reason to eat up, so I can show off my handiwork,” she laughed, picking up her spoon and digging into her soup. “It’s a pity Luca isn’t here. He does so love our cook’s stracciatella.”
“Will he be gone long?” Gaby enquired as nonchalantly as possible.
“He said about two weeks.”
“Oh,” she said faintly. He’d be gone exactly the amount of time she’d told him she’d be in Italy. My, what a coincidence.
“Two weeks isn’t so long, is it?” Carmina smiled knowingly at her.
Gaby lowered her eyes to her soup. “No. But I suppose I’ll be gone by the time he comes back.” She raised her gaze to Carmina. “I guess he planned it that way.”
“Gaby?” Carmina placed her hand over hers. “School doesn’t start till September. Is there any real reason you can’t stay longer? I wish you would.”
She couldn’t lie to Carmina. “Well,” she started, “The truth is I really don’t have the funds to stay much longer. In fact, my credit cards are maxed. The hotel costs a fortune and …,”
Carmina squeezed her hand warmly. “Basta. Enough. You’re coming to stay here with me and that’s final.”
“No, I couldn’t,” Gaby protested.
“Of course you can! Why I have guests all the time and I don’t even know most of them. What use is this big house, when it stands empty most of the time?”
“I couldn’t. I’d feel like a freeloader.”
“Well, I’m not quite sure what a “free-loader” is, but I’d welcome the company. It gets lonely here, especially when Luca goes away.” Carmina eyes started to well up. “You’ve become a very dear friend to me. And if offering you a place to stay means I keep you in Italy a while longer; then I’m happy to offer it.”
Gaby could feel the tears also starting in her eyes. “We’ll if you’re sure it’s okay, then, I’d love to stay.”
“Good. It’s settled,” Carmina sniffed.
“I don’t think Luca will be too happy to come back and find me here,” Gaby said with concern.
“For now, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Gaby shook her head apprehensively. “When he finds out, he may just blow up that bridge! With us on it!”
Chuckling, Carmina picked up her cell phone. “I’ll call the hotel to send your things over straight away.”
“Now?”
“No time like the present. We don’t want them billing you for one more night,” she said, taking charge. “And after I send for your luggage, I’ll take you on that tour of your new home away from home.”
Gaby grinned at her friend, but grimaced inwardly –She was going to regret this, she was definitely going to regret this.
CHAPTER TEN
Speeding north along the A1, Luca reflected on the last four days in Montepulciano. The whole trip had been a complete fiasco. His interest in being at the family’s country home had vanished within a couple of hours of arriving. Even the news that his prize mare was with foal hadn’t provided him with any enjoyment.
All he could think about was the woman who didn’t want anything to do with him, the woman he couldn’t have. The fact that she was in Florence and he wasn’t drove him mad. What was she doing? Who was she with? He had to return to Florence as soon as possible.
Departing within minutes of his decision, he couldn’t help observing that his sub-conscious was way ahead of him. He’d been in Montepulciano four days and hadn’t yet unpacked.
Luca pondered what he would say to her when he saw her. It was quite apparent that he was “persona non grata” as far she was concerned. And although they had both agreed to stay clear of each other, he knew he could no more stay away from her than stop the tide from coming in.
Arriving in Florence by noon, he went directly to her hotel. He had to see her; had to know if this misery was his alone. Banging on the door of her room, he was met with unmitigated silence.
Damn! She wasn’t in. Looking down at his watch, he saw that it was one o’clock. Of course! She must be out somewhere having lunch. This could take some time then. Lunch in Italy was not taken lightly –or shortly.
Luca sat down on the terrazzo floor with his back against her door. He’d wait until she came back. And while he waited he’d formulate a plan that couldn’t fail to get Gaby to at least want to spend time with him. The heat and desire was considerable between them, he just needed the time and opportunity to fan the flames. All the protestations in the world that they shouldn’t be together wouldn’t deter him. No-one would stand in his way –not even Gaby! He had to make her his, and his she would be!
The hours passed slowly, and as they ticked by, the feeling of expectation and anticipation was replaced with despair and hopelessness. Where was she?
Making his way to the concierge, they told him what he had feared in his heart. She had checked out the day he’d left for the country. She was gone. Gaby was gone.
*****
Gaby looked towards the door of the library warily. Returning after an exhausting day of shopping, Carmina had retreated to her bedroom for an afternoon nap and left Gaby to her own devices.
The shopping trip had been more for Carmina’s benefit than her own, as she did no more than window shop and carry her friend’s parcels and bags. Although she appreciated Carmina’s kindness in letting her stay at the Villa, there was no way she would frivolously spend the money she was saving on accommodation buying non-necessary items.
When touring the Villa on the night of her arrival, Gaby knew there was really only one room she really wanted to see.
The library.
Her Grandfather had mapped out for her the exact whereabouts of the necklace’s hiding place. But on viewing the library, Gaby was overwhelmed with apprehension.
This was no ordinary room. The ceiling had to be about thirty feet high or more. Staircases lead to balconies overlooking the main reading area, and seemingly endless aisles of books reminded her of a City or University library. Gaby was awestruck.
Under normal circumstances her love of the written word would have had her drooling in anticipation of examining and reading some of the first editions the Manetti’s possessed. But instead, all she could think about was how to locate the book with the hidden compartment; the book that contained the necklace.
Her Grandfather’s backup plan had been quite ingenious. Appreciating that capture was constantly a distinct possibility, he always had a plan in place that would ensure that if he had to make a hasty departure, the stolen property would not be found on his person.
Knowing that the Manetti library housed thousands of books, he knew the bogus hardcover he’d had constructed would be lost amongst the masses. The fact that the title she was looking for was “Crime and Punishment”, st
ruck Gaby as ironic and humorous, and totally in keeping with Gran-pop’s character.
Gaby pulled the hand drawn map out of her back jeans pocket. Her Grandfather had sketched it to the best of his memory, but sixty years had passed. His memory or the library could have altered substantially since 1952.
She climbed the marble staircase to the second level and turned right as per the map’s direction.
There it was. The window that Gran-pop had told her he’d used to escape the Villa. Looking down at the map once again, she counted how many aisles she needed to pass to get to the one he had marked with a large red cross. Gaby hesitantly walked in the required direction counting in her head as she went. According to his instructions, the book should be on the second shelf from the bottom, three books in from the right. Kneeling in front of the bookcase, her eyes searched the titles.
*****
Gaby returned to her room to change for dinner. Picking up her cell phone, she dialled absently as she looked through her closet for something suitable to wear.
He answered on the first ring.
“The book’s not there.”
“What do you mean, it’s not there?” her Grandfather said crossly.
“Just that,” Gaby replied.
“Did you follow my instructions to the letter?”
“Yes,” she said softly. She could hear the exasperation in her Grandfathers’ voice. He really needed to calm down. It couldn’t be good for him. “I’ll find it Gran-pop,” she continued. “Something must have happened in the last sixty years since you hid it, but I promise I’ll try and find it.”
“I know you will,” he said seriously. “I know you won’t fail me.”
Disconnecting, Gaby sighed thinking about the enormity of what she’d promised. Finding that book was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.
**********
Throwing his bag down on the bed, Luca shucked out of his wrinkled shirt and jeans and headed for the shower. The realisation that Gaby was gone was a fact he didn’t want to face. Why did she affect him so? Dumbfounded, he shook his head in wonder and started the faucet. He had to find her.
Placing his hands on the shower wall, Luca bowed his head and allowed the hot water to run over his neck and back.
Closing his eyes, he summoned the memory of her touch on his arm; the fire in her eyes; her smile. His breath became ragged with need. Slowly his hand drifted down his body to stroke himself. To release the stress in his tightly coiled body. It wouldn’t take much more than the thought of it being Gaby’s hand touching him, to push him over the edge.
Luca groaned. This was insane! He had never resorted to fantasizing about any woman in this way. Be damned if he would start now! Angrily, he snatched his hand away, and set the water to cold.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Luca? What are you doing back from Montepulciano so soon?” Carmina enquired with a smirk.
Making his way down the staircase, Luca’s mouth was a grim line. The cold shower had not helped his mood any, in fact it had only pointed how pathetically desperate he had become –and all because of some silly American woman.
“Are you staying for dinner, brother?”
“No, I’m not hungry,” he barked.
“But it’s Veal polpetta, one of your favourites …,”
“Carmina, where is she?” he demanded, standing before her with a hint of anguish in his eyes.
“Who?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You know who?” he said with an unwavering stare.
“If you mean Gaby, perhaps I should ask. What is it to you?” she asked innocently.
“It’s nothing to me,” Luca lied with conviction. “She means nothing to me.”
Carmina shrugged. “Then why is her whereabouts of any importance?”
Luca grunted at her and she giggled. Turning from him, he grabbed her arm roughly.
“Did she return to America?”
“Not yet,” Carmina retorted. “And I won’t tell you any more if you bully me. Others may put up with your temper tantrums, but not me Luca.”
Luca dropped his hand from her arm and looked defeated. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s better,” she answered with a small smile.
“Please tell me. Where is she and when is she leaving?”
Laughing, Carmina pointed to the top of the stairs. “Why don’t you ask her?”
Luca followed her finger to where Gaby stood gripping the railing and looking down at him. His stomach lunged at the sight of her and he held his breath. He could feel himself falling towards her. As she started to descend the staircase, he swallowed hard and tried valiantly to compose himself.
Gaby bit her lip. What was he doing here? Appearing without any forewarning was making her stomach flip-flop like she was on a trampoline. She only hoped he couldn’t tell how desperate she was to see him again. His eyes bore into her and she was afraid that she may fall down the stairs. As she reached the bottom rung, he grasped her hand and she felt a spark zip between them.
“Gaby,” he whispered, almost a sigh.
“Luca,” she replied uneasily, removing her hand from his. “You’re not supposed to be back for two weeks. I thought you were spending some time in the country with your prized horses.”
Luca smiled faintly. “I tried. But I suddenly realized that Florence holds an attraction for me that I couldn’t ignore.”
Pretending not to understand his meaning, Gaby murmured softly, “Well, I can understand that. Florence is an exciting city.”
“Yes. Exciting,” he said breathily, “And …, unforgettable.”
Carmina interrupted, breaking the spell. “Well, I’m all for extolling the virtues of our hometown, but dinner is waiting for us. Besides, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up, now that Gaby is our houseguest.”
“She’s our what?” he stammered clumsily.
“Our houseguest. Gaby is staying with us for the remainder of her stay in Florence,” Carmina clarified.
Luca looked somewhat dazed and Gaby exchanged glances with Carmina. She knew he wasn’t going to be happy with the arrangement, and she raised her eyebrows in a way that said “I told you so”.
“Now, Luca,” Carmina was on the defensive, before he could even reply. “It took some convincing on my part to make her stay. And don’t you dare make her feel uncomfortable about it. We have plenty of your so-called friends come to stay often enough.”
Holding his hands palm up at her, Luca shook his head. “Okay, okay. It’s just a surprise that’s all.” He turned to Gaby. “A wonderful surprise.”
Luca grinned at Gaby and she couldn’t help but beam back. She’d expected him to put up a humongous fuss, but he was all charm and smiles. Go with the flow girl, but be careful, she told herself determinedly.
“Accompany me to dinner Gaby?” he asked, offering her his arm. Gaby blinked back at him and nodded. Obviously their pact to keep their distance was quickly falling by the wayside. And, quite frankly, she brightened at the notion.
“I thought you weren’t hungry?” Carmina smirked, leading the way to the dining room.
“I’m starving,” Luca confessed, his eyes devouring Gaby.
*****
Luca was at his charming best all through dinner. Telling witty stories and anecdotes and keeping her dizzy with his attentiveness. But Gaby found that it was his easy exchange with Carmina that drew her in. Their conversation was honest and unaffected, and Gaby learned more about him in those few moments than she had since she’d met him.
By the end of the meal, the three of them were talking and laughing like old friends. But there was nothing friendly in the look that Luca gave her, when Carmina announced she was going to retire for the evening.
His lustful gaze panicked her into proclaiming that she, too, was ready for bed. Luca’s eyebrow rose at her declaration and she shuddered with awareness. One thing was for certain, she wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight!
CHAPTER TWELVE
Gaby silently opened the door to the library. The rest of the house had long gone to bed. It was the perfect time to search for the elusive book. Devising that the only way to find it was to search aisle by aisle, shelf by shelf, Gaby turned on two small lamps near to where she planned to start her exploration.
She was just about to begin her hunt, when she felt two eyes upon her. Looking up, she was startled to find a portrait of beautiful titian haired woman staring back at her. She hadn’t noticed the picture on her earlier venture into the library with Carmina.
Inching closer, Gaby narrowed her eyes and saw that the woman wore a necklace exactly like the one in the photograph her Grandfather had shown her. “Wow,” she exclaimed breathlessly. There, in all its eighteenth century glory, was the prize for which she searched; the answer to all the financial woes that had recently befallen her family. The painting glared accusingly at her as she leaned forward to inspect the small brass plate attached to the bottom of the frame.
There was no indication as to who the woman was. Only the artists name and a date -1834.
“What are you doing?”
Gaby whirled around. “Oh,” she gasped, “You scared the hell out of me!”
Luca sauntered into the library and leaned against the banister of the staircase to the second level. Wearing a tight white t-shirt and low slung jeans, he fairly radiated animal magnetism. “Couldn’t you sleep? I know I couldn’t,” he admitted.
Looking him up and down, Gaby walked to the closest bookshelf and fingered the nearest book. “I came to see if I could find something interesting to take back to my room with me.”
He held out his arms and smiled sexily. “See anything you’d like to take up to bed with you?”
Gaby harrumphed and continued looking at the books. And here she thought she’d made some headway in getting to know the real Luca tonight. She must have rocks in her head if she thought this guy had a sincere bone in his body.
Moving closer to where she was standing, he whispered in her ear. “Tell me Gaby, what tempts you; a good mystery? Science Fiction? Erotica?”