‘Sounds like fun. Will he cook you lunch?’ Josh asks.
I laugh and even the girls giggle.
‘It’s a nice thought, but no. The transformation is a work in progress at the moment and he can’t live there. In fact, there’s a huge container on its way from Italy packed full of items for this very property. And another one coming from Germany.’
‘That reminds me, isn’t it about time we thought about having that extension built on the house? Give the girls their own sitting room,’ Josh remarks.
The girls both spin around to look at me because I’m clearly going to be the bad cop here. I give Josh what I hope he realises is a stare of utter disappointment.
‘We’ve just replaced my car and the cost isn’t warranted. It’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have.’
Rosie grabs an apple from the fruit bowl, turns on her heels and starts walking out of the kitchen.
‘Depends on who you are and how big your bedroom happens to be. Some of us live in a shoe box, remember. Night Dad, off to watch a DVD.’
Josh and I start laughing, the tension suddenly broken. ‘She does have a point, love. It’s okay for Hettie as she can get an extra single in there when a friend stays over. It was only a thought as you raised the subject of renovation.’
Hettie grins, ‘Night, Dad, I’m off to do my homework.’
‘Night honey. Say hi to Alex from me.’
‘Oh, Dad! Of course I won’t.’ With that daughter number one exits the room, too.
‘And then there were two. Seriously Josh, I know you plan to be up there for another what, one year and nine months is it now? But after that things will be up in the air again. We could maybe knock the guest room and Rosie’s room into one instead. It would be much cheaper to do and it would save Rosie having to have her sleepovers in the sitting room on the inflatable beds.’
‘Clever you, what a great idea. I’ll leave it in your capable hands.’
I can’t believe Josh has talked me into this off the back of such a flimsy excuse.
‘If you’re going to make trouble every time you ring us, I’ll start pretending no one is home. And now you’ve committed us to spending a couple of thousand pounds by the time we put in fitted wardrobes.’
‘Who said anything about fitted wardrobes?’
‘You know it’s what I do, Josh. You sowed the seed and now I’ll make sure it’s done properly. Let this be a lesson to you!’
~
When I check my emails there’s one from Michelle and nothing at all from Bella. That’s not unusual, because I’ve only been getting short updates until she decides how to handle the next step. And everything is on hold until the artist and his wife return at the end of August. I assume Michelle’s email is a progress update, as she tends to talk me through every single step and every frustrating dead end. It’s interesting, but rather depressing at times.
Hello Ellie
I have some news. After those false starts I think I’ve solved the mystery! It seems that Aletta Ormanni changed her Christian name to Vittoria by deed poll. I can’t be sure of the actual date of that, as there is no central database for name changes, still. That’s why genealogists often hit a brick wall; unless you know the new name, the trail suddenly stops dead.
However, it was before she married David Morgan Lancing, a month after the date you say she arrived in the UK. The marriage certificate clearly shows her as Vittoria Ormanni, so I’m ninety-nine per cent certain it’s the right woman. Once I’d established that, it was pretty easy to trace the birth certificate of her daughter, Elouise Morgan Lancing. She was born on the third of November at The Portland Hospital in London and the father is shown as David Morgan Lancing. So very unusual that father and daughter share the same middle name, but it works so well.
If you require copies of any of the documents, let me know. A lot of people think genealogy is dull, but believe me, I’ve yet to look at anyone’s family history without unveiling a few secrets. Sometimes it’s sad, like dead siblings, or step brothers and sisters who are still alive but whom they have never met. It’s one surprise, after another.
We must make the effort to meet up very soon. Maybe you and the family can come down here for the weekend and we can do a little sightseeing.
All the best, Michelle
Chapter 33
In the early hours of the morning my mind is still whirling, as a chill starts to pool in the pit of my stomach. Because I’ve hardly slept, my dreams have evaded me and I wish I hadn’t checked my emails before getting into bed. I haven’t relayed the news to Bella, yet. When Max finds out this is going to devastate him. Even if he can cope with the thought of losing Aletta for good, what about his reaction when he hears she is married? How hurt will his pride be when he finds out about the affair with David Lancing? And then there’s the baby; that’s going to come as a massive shock and such an unexpected one. She’s named Elouise, too. I mean, what a strange coincidence – I can’t remember the last time I came across a namesake. It feels like yet another little strand linking me to Max in some curiously inexplicable way, as if I was always meant to bring about this discovery.
By six a.m. I’ve probably had about three hours’ sleep in total and I decide to get up and send Bella an email. It’s unfair of me to withhold information. Dawn will be here at seven-thirty to sort the girls’ breakfasts and Livvie is picking me up at eight, because she thinks the traffic will be heavy.
As the PC kicks into life and my inbox opens, the first one is from Bella’s personal email account.
Hi Ellie
I’ll be brief. I’m really worried about Max. He’s taken on an assistant and the new guy, Luca, starts next week. Trista isn’t at all happy about it and things are very tense here. I think she fears he’s preparing to leave and is training Luca to take over.
I guess I’m not surprised about Max wanting some help, though, as he was rushed off his feet even before he set up the cooperative. But I’m not sure Trista really understands how fast the new side of the business is growing.
Aside from that everything is fine and you should see Piero’s bungalow. It’s wonderful and I know we are going to be very happy there. Let’s just hope things keep going as they are.
Enjoy your day! B x
I slump forward, my aching head now having to weigh up the pros and the cons. Do I tell Bella, or don’t I? Will this information tip Max over the edge he’s been sitting on for so long? How long can I hold off and what good will it do? It won’t change anything – apart from clear his name, of course. It’s a double-edged sword.
Hello Bella
I was sorry to hear that Max is still struggling, but maybe having someone else there will be good for him. Not just to share his workload, but in general. It might help normalise things a bit, because of the situation. I really hope Trista doesn’t make a fuss and doesn’t fight with him over this. It will benefit everyone in the long run.
I have news and I’ll forward you an email from my cousin, Michelle, next. I’ll leave you to read it first and maybe we can talk about it tonight. I’m away most of today and will be travelling with my boss, so I won’t be able to talk.
It’s something I think you need to read and think about before you do anything. What we hadn’t thought through was Max’s reaction when the truth is finally exposed. You’ll understand what I’m talking about once you’ve read it.
Anyway, I should be here from about eight o’clock onwards.
Speak soon, E x
By the time Livvie arrives I’m happy to shut the door on the chaos I’m leaving behind. Bestowing kisses, I then grab some headache tablets and a bottle of water on my way out.
‘You look tired,’ Livvie utters, turning her head to check her wing mirror before pulling away from the kerb.
‘Awful night.’ I take a big gulp of water to swill down the tablets. Twenty minutes and the pain will begin to lessen.
‘Problems?’ She sounds concerned, taking her eyes off the road to look
at me for a moment.
‘Eyes ahead, Livvie. It’s not my problem, it’s someone I know. But it’s a tough one.’
She lets out a deep sigh, tinged with annoyance. ‘You really are your own worst enemy at times, Ellie. If it’s not your problem, do what you can and then let it go. Are they worried about your problems?’
Why did I even start this? Livvie looks at everything in a detached way. There’s black and there’s white and there’s nothing in between. Her business head isn’t something she can switch off. Problem. Solution. Done. Plus, she’d be mortified if she knew this harked back to my trip to Italy.
‘Let’s not fall out, Livvie. Anyway, can you run through this little meeting? What’s the plan of action?’
Another sigh, this time followed by something that sounds like harrumph.
‘You and I both knew that wall was going to be a problem when we originally saw the plans. With the staircase sweeping up behind it and the fact that it’s a support wall, the only solution was to put up a small extension on the front in reclaimed brick to match the facade. At the moment he’s right, you open the front door and it’s a corridor.’
‘But you discussed this with him at the start – warned him about it. I remember it coming up in our team meeting.’
‘We did, but now the other building work has been done he’s regretting that little wave in the air he gave, totally dismissing the idea. I’ve brought the original 3D interior design model so we’ll revisit that. I can’t remember what we had on the wall. Was it a large ornamental mirror?’
‘I checked it yesterday before I left, and yes, it was. It brightens the area and makes it feel bigger because it reflects the light from the front door.’
‘Well, Richard is now saying it lacks impact. And he is right. You turn the corner and there’s this vast open-plan space, so of course it now puts an emphasis on the narrower space leading into it. He needs to remember that prior to the internal walls being taken down it was all in proportion. The architect is saying that the only other option is to move the entrance around to the side of the house. Of course, Richard doesn’t like that idea because at the moment it looks out across the lawns and the lake.’
As Livvie pulls up at a set of traffic lights, she turns to look at me and we start laughing.
‘Oh, the problems that having money brings with it. What are we going to do?’ Her exaggerated tone sends me into a fit of the giggles. I’ve seen Richard on TV and he does love a bit of drama.
Already my headache is subsiding and I don’t allow myself to think about anything other than the two ideas I have to present to Livvie and Richard.
I check the file on my lap and everything is there. I pull out the iPad to assess the battery level and instantly a message flashes onto the screen.
I listened. I’m still trying.
It’s from Max and it was sent yesterday. I quickly close it down, trying not to appear flustered.
‘Are you all prepared?’
‘Yes. Richard Dale likes bespoke and something different. I can’t wait to unveil the two options I think will take the focus off the problem.’
‘I appreciate your company today, not just as the ideas lady. We don’t seem to get time to sit and chat any more. It’s good that business is booming, but it’s non-stop, isn’t it? All or nothing.’
‘Well, I’m glad it’s a busy period because Josh has talked me into knocking our guest bedroom and Rosie’s room into one. At least sleepovers will be easier, as at the moment we turn the sitting room into a mattress factory. But that’s a couple of months’ salary tied up. His reining back on expenditure phase didn’t last long.’
‘Use our guys. They’ll give you a healthy discount and whatever furnishings you buy, do it through the company account. Just write out a cheque when you know the costs and I’ll pass it to the accountant. It’s in my interests to keep your family happy and that way I don’t feel so guilty dragging you away from them.’
‘Really? That’s a kind offer, Livvie, and I wasn’t dropping a hint or anything.’
‘I know, it’s not your style.’
As we lapse into silence my head begins to droop. I see Max’s face. He looks up from reading my email and he looks ashen. In my mixed-up thoughts it appears as if the email I forwarded to Bella went to Max by mistake. I jolt forward suddenly and realise I’ve been asleep and dreaming again. For how long exactly, I have no idea.
‘I was about to wake you. You’ll feel much better for that little rest. Welcome to Chobham.’
I’ve seen the file and the photos of the house and grounds; ten thousand, six hundred square feet, with ten bedrooms and six bathrooms. It now comprises a massive open-plan, living/dining/kitchen area, three large reception rooms, one of which is a thirty-five-feet-long billiard room, complete with a fully fitted bar. Newer extensions to the property house a second kitchen/breakfast room, a butler’s pantry and a staff annexe.
Pulling up at the electric gates, Livvie presses the intercom and it takes seconds for the gates to swing open. Ahead of us is a driveway with a large turning circle at the end.
The house sits sideways on to the parking area and as we walk around to the front I can see exactly why Richard won’t move the front door, or build out from the front elevation of the house. The facade still retains all of the glory and proportions of a solidly built Victorian house. Two gabled roofs, with two very domineering chimney stacks either side, add to the grandeur. Turning around, Livvie and I look out over the beautiful lawns that sweep down to a lake. There are about a dozen aged trees, of different varieties, that look so perfect in the setting that it almost looks unreal. Too perfect.
‘Not bad, eh?’ Livvie says, turning to me. ‘And now for the corridor.’
Spinning back around, the entrance to the house is in the centre of the building with nicely proportioned bay windows either side of it. The door is quite wide and as it swings open I don’t think either of us is looking at Richard, because instead our eyes go straight to the vast expanse of wall behind him.
‘Ah, you’ve noticed our little problem.’
We step inside and shake hands.
‘I don’t think we’ve met before,’ Richard says, as he takes my hand. ‘I would have remembered. Shall we head into the work room?’
As we turn an immediate right and follow him along the twelve-foot-long, four-foot-wide corridor, we all pause at the end to look back. It’s crazy. To the left is, as Richard pointed out, a corridor and now, from this vantage point, to the right the open-plan area looks cavernous by comparison. With no furniture yet to define the various areas, the space seems to go on forever.
‘I know what you are going to say, that it’s my fault because you did warn me, Livvie, that once those walls came down that entrance wasn’t going to look right. What can you do in five weeks, as the clock is ticking? A magazine spread is good publicity, but the pressure is enormous. I’m guilty of the same thing myself, flicking through and finding fault. You know they always do that opening shot, with the front door open and the celebrity there with the big, welcoming smile. It’s their signature for this feature and whatever is on the wall behind me has to be spectacular, because it’s all about first impressions.’
We follow Richard through into a side room, our hollow footsteps ringing in our ears.
‘This is the cosy room.’ He throws open the door as a wry smile creeps over his face. There are a few picnic tables and some plastic chairs in here at the moment. It’s the painter’s tea room.
Livvie sets up the laptop and opens the software programme.
‘Remember that this is the vision, Richard, and once the painters have finished it will all start to transform very quickly.’ As the screen takes us on a virtual 3D tour and we move from room to room, he seems to relax a little. It reminds him how the space will look when it’s furnished. At the moment it feels almost clinical. It’s a new interior inside of a classic, old building that wraps around it lovingly. Having taken the full tour, Liv
vie runs the intro again and pauses on the shots of the entrance hallway.
‘This mirror is coming from Italy and will arrive next week. Because it’s over-sized it will reflect the light from the front door and make the space appear much larger than it really is. You will notice a huge difference, Richard, I can promise you. At the moment I can see why you are having second thoughts.’
‘Yes, the mirror is very nice, but it’s not spectacular. It’s not a conversation piece. It’s modern and elegant, but predictable. And I know I signed off on it, but it would look equally as good practically anywhere in the house.’
Time for me to jump in, I think.
‘If it’s impact you are after then I have two ideas, one is very much in keeping with our theme, the other is a little out of the box.’
I open up the iPad and tap the photo icon.
‘This chandelier is hanging in a villa in Italy. It’s a one-off piece made by a very talented young designer. It’s twelve feet long and the staircase, as you can see, wraps around it. The modern elegance of the metalwork leaves, enamelling and a cascade of tiny lights make it a statement piece. What I propose is that we commission him to make two wall-mounted chandeliers. So instead of having something rounded, like this one, imagine it cut in half and the depth reduced a little so it doesn’t project too far into the space. But the cascade of tiny lights would begin about six inches above the skirting board and extend up as high as you like. It would be a waterfall of lights, or rather, two waterfalls of lights. Behind both, simple frameless mirrors will give the look a 3D effect.’
I can see that I’ve impressed Livvie, but Richard is harder to read.
I pull two hard copies of the photograph from my file and hand them out.
‘The second idea involves thinking outside the box. It’s an investment opportunity and a statement piece rolled into one.’ I slide my finger across the screen and a collage of David Lancing’s paintings comes into view.
The Secrets of Villa Rosso Page 20