by T A Williams
‘Some… I’ve enjoyed these past few days, all of us together again, but I just can’t stand that woman. Why on earth is Conrad being so hard-nosed and stubborn? Surely there must be other good directors out there who could step in and, that way, the cast would stay on board. It makes no sense.’ She took a couple of deep breaths. ‘Still, my agent tells me he’s got me a leading role in a new romcom to be filmed in Scotland next winter. I’ll try to call in and say hi, if you’re still in the UK.’
‘I hope so.’ Alice had always liked Layla.
Alice went on to tell her and Benny about next week’s interview for the auction house job, and they wished her well. Layla then announced that she was catching a flight home that same evening and Benny decided he would accompany her. As the two of them went off to pack, Alice went upstairs to look for David, but the room was empty. Typically, his phone was still on the bedside table, so she had no way of contacting him. Presumably, he had gone out for a walk, so she slipped on her trainers and went out to look for him. As there was no sign of him at the pool or in the gardens, she set off down the road to see if he had gone to the village for a coffee and a change of scene.
When she got to the bar, she found he wasn’t there either, so she ordered an espresso and took a seat outside in the shade. When Rita brought her coffee, she had some promising news. She told Alice that she had been asking around for a rental property and she had found one. The builders had literally just finished modernising a little house in the village, and furniture was being moved in today or tomorrow.
‘It’s number 5, Vicolo del Centro, and it’s just across the piazza from here. Why don’t you go and take a look. The owner, Signor Innocenti, told me he’d be there most of the day today.’
Alice thanked her profusely and reached for her coffee. It was boiling hot so she had to wait, impatiently, for it to cool before heading over to Vicolo del Centro. While waiting, she suddenly discovered she had company. A cold, wet nose thudded against her thigh as Guinness the Labrador skidded to a halt beside her and did his best to climb onto her lap.
‘Ciao, Guinness. How’re you today?’ As she did her best to dissuade him from climbing all over her, she looked up and saw his master coming across the piazza towards her. Trying to ignore the involuntary hiccup from her heart, she gave him a little wave. ‘Hi, Matt.’
‘Hi, Alice. I’m sorry about Guinness. He has absolutely no manners at all.’
She grinned at the dog who, having accepted that he wasn’t going to be allowed onto her lap, was now sprawled at her feet, all four paws in the air, grunting happily as his wagging tail raised a little cloud of dust. ‘He’s fine. It’s lovely to see him.’ She decided she had better make it clear that she had better manners than the dog and added, ‘And it’s lovely to see you.’
He was wearing sunglasses so she couldn’t see his eyes, but she distinctly saw a smile cross his face and linger for a moment. ‘It’s great to see you, too.’ He hesitated for a few seconds before carrying on. ‘And you’re looking terrific. No wonder Guinness is in love with you.’ As he spoke, it looked almost as though his cheeks flushed, but she barely caught a glimpse before he turned towards the cafe door. ‘Can I get you anything?’
‘I’m fine, thanks. Do come and join me if you have time.’
He disappeared inside, leaving her to reflect that she had just asked a strange man to sit down and chat to her while her long-term boyfriend was waiting for her back at the villa. Common sense kicked in. She picked up her espresso, managed to swallow it without burning her throat, and stood up, determined to get back to David as soon as possible. What had she been thinking?
She went inside to pay and found Matt about to come out of the door, holding a crate of mineral water in his arms. She stood aside to let him pass and, as he did so, he gave her a little smile.
‘I’m afraid Guinness and I have to get back. Have a good day. Come on, Guinness, we’re off.’
Alice wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.
When she arrived at the charming old red-brick cottage situated in a narrow side street just off the square, she found the front door wide open so she knocked and called out in her best Italian, ‘Hello, anybody there?’
A few seconds later, an elderly man appeared at the door. ‘Buongiorno, Signora.’
She introduced herself. ‘Good morning. Signor Innocenti? Rita at the bar sent me over. My name’s Alice Butler.’
His face split into a smile. ‘Of course. Rita told me you were interested in the house. You’re the English lady, aren’t you?’
He invited her in and showed her around. It was small, with just one good-sized room downstairs, a little kitchen area at the rear, and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, but as far as Alice was concerned, it was more than enough for David and her for a few weeks’ holiday. There were two women already in there, giving the place a good clean, although the little patch of garden at the rear was still piled high with builders’ rubbish. Signor Innocenti assured her that this would all be removed the next day, and the place would be furnished and ready for her to move in as early as Saturday if she was interested.
Alice was definitely interested. Signor Innocenti reeled off a list of furnishings, cutlery, linen and utensils that would be provided, and named a weekly rental figure that was remarkably reasonable. Alice hesitated for a moment, wishing she could run it by David first, but then decided to go for it and told Signor Innocenti she would take it for four weeks, right up to the end of the first week of August. She gave him a couple of hundred euros from her purse as a deposit, and he scrupulously wrote out a receipt and gave it to her. She told him she would get the rest of the money while she was in Florence in the afternoon.
As she walked back to the villa, she savoured the thought that she would be staying here in Tuscany, with ample time to do some exploring. The fact that she might meet Matt and his lovely dog again, she assured herself, was totally coincidental and she reminded herself that she intended to dedicate herself to David and the state of their relationship while they were here.
When she got back to the villa, there was still no sign of David so she went up to her room, contacted a car rental company in Florence and booked a little Fiat 500 for the month, arranging to pick it up from the town centre at the end of the afternoon. Then, as she had told Millie, she booked a double room for the following night at the expensive luxury hotel in the villa where the Mona Lisa had once lived. She felt pretty sure David would approve – not least as she was determined to pay as her treat.
Finally, she phoned her mum to give her the news that she was staying on in Italy for the month and to tell her there was a spare room if she wanted to come over. Since her dad had died, she had been keeping a close eye on her so she was delighted – and secretly quite relieved – when her mother turned down the offer, telling her that she had already arranged to go to Cornwall with a friend. Alice promised to take lots of photos to show her the following week, when she came over to London for the second interview at the auction house.
Well pleased with all the arrangements she had made, she went downstairs again. Out on the terrace she found Millie all alone, picking at a salad. As she spotted Alice, her face lit up.
‘Al, you’re still here. I was afraid you’d gone off as well. The others are all leaving this afternoon, but I’m staying until tomorrow.’
‘Same as me. I was looking for David and I ended up down in the village. I don’t suppose you’ve seen him, have you?’
Millie shook her head. ‘No sign, I’m afraid. But I’m glad you’re here for a bit longer.’
Alice went over to give her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. ‘I wouldn’t go off without saying goodbye to you, Mil.’ She sat down, glanced around to see if the coast was still clear, and leant forward. ‘So, how did the meeting go?’
Millie grimaced. ‘Zoë had obviously been told to be on her best behaviour, so it went okay. With you out of the equation, they’re now talking about making me a
nd Richie hook up, while Harry gets to charm the pants off no fewer than two new girls.’ She caught Alice’s eye and nodded grimly. ‘It looks like it’s all going to get a bit more raunchy – although it’ll still be for a general audience, so they can’t make it too explicit.’
Alice did her best to sound supportive. ‘So no full-frontal nudity?’
‘No way, but I’m just a bit worried that the two new girls will be younger and better looking than me…’
‘You’ll be fine, Mil. You’re a brilliant actor, and you’re gorgeous and you know it.’
At that moment Harry and Richie came out and joined them. There was still no sign of Carrie or David, so Alice asked them.
‘You guys haven’t seen David, have you? We’re renting a little house in the village and I wanted him to see it.’
‘He might have gone to Siena with Carrie. She took a taxi and said she’d be back mid-afternoon.’ Richie caught her eye. ‘Didn’t he tell you?’
‘The idiot’s left his phone in the room so he couldn’t. Yes, I imagine that’s what he’s done. Anyway, I’ll catch up with him this afternoon…’ She stopped to correct herself. ‘Or, rather, this evening, as I’m off to the Uffizi this afternoon.’
Harry grinned at her across the table. ‘So, Pals without Polly… That’s going to be interesting.’
She smiled back. ‘It’ll be fine, and I won’t miss being Polly the flirt. All right, it was fun while it lasted but it’s taken me five years to get out from under her shadow. I suppose it’ll be a bit strange for you without Layla, but Millie tells me you’re getting two new girls to keep you occupied.’
His grin widened. ‘And Millie gets to fill your shoes – or rather, I should say your bed, alongside Richie.’
Alice wagged an admonitory finger across the table at Richie. ‘Make sure you treat her well, Richie, or you’ll have me to deal with.’
He looked back across at her with big hangdog eyes and she sighed inwardly. She knew she had to speak to him before leaving, to reinforce the message that he and she were history.
Chapter 11
The limo that collected Antonia and Alice to take them to Florence was driven by the same man who had met her at the airport. Although only four days earlier, so much seemed to have happened since then. Alice chatted to him in Italian, but she and Antonia, by tacit consent, made a point of not discussing the events of the past few days while they were in the car. He dropped them on the Lungarno and they strolled the short distance to the Uffizi through the crowded streets of the pedestrian zone that makes up almost all of Florence’s centro storico.
Alice had spent quite a few weeks in Florence in the course of her studies and she loved the city. The last time she had been here had been out of season and she had avoided the worst of the crowds, but even on a busy July day like today, the mass of humanity in the streets couldn’t conceal the sheer beauty of the place. As they crossed the Ponte Vecchio, they paused and looked down: even after yesterday’s rain, the level of the sluggish brown water of the river was still low. It was hard to imagine how it had risen so drastically back in 1966 and had submerged the very heart of the city, destroying thousands of irreplaceable treasures. On a hot, dry day like today, it seemed impossible.
Alice’s friend, Teresa, was waiting for them at a table outside a cafe in a little piazza just past the Uffizi Gallery, and Alice greeted her warmly. Teresa had been invaluable when Alice had been researching her doctoral thesis and it was wonderful to be able to give her the good news that she now had her PhD. Alice introduced Antonia and they chatted in English – which Teresa spoke fluently – for half an hour or so, before she led them over to the gallery, where they entered by a side door. Teresa excused herself, as she had an important meeting, and Alice took over guiding duties for Antonia.
Altogether they were in there for almost two hours and they still hadn’t covered half of all there was to see. They did, at least, see the most famous artworks, like Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and many more by a glittering pantheon of artists from Leonardo to Michelangelo, Bellini to Bronzino. Alice took particular pleasure in showing Antonia the real portrait of Eleanor of Toledo, telling her the story of the ‘practical’ test she had passed with flying colours at the auction house interview the previous week. By the time they emerged, they were both in a cultural and historical daze. Outside, in the late afternoon sunlight, Alice still felt as though she was in the Middle Ages – she almost expected to see the streets filled with gentlemen on horses and ladies wearing sweeping robes trimmed with intricate lace, instead of the innumerable tourists with their phones, taking selfie after selfie.
They went back to the same cafe and ordered long, cold drinks. Antonia stretched back in her seat and looked across at Alice, raising her glass in a little toast.
‘Thank you, Alice, from the bottom of my heart. Having my own personal guide to such a treasure house of masterpieces has been amazing. I would never have known the history behind these wonderful paintings and I have you to thank for making me understand what’s going on beneath the surface of the canvas, which is often almost as amazing as the artwork itself. I can understand now just why Renaissance art has got you under its spell. Compared to what we’ve just seen, a few romcoms seem so trivial somehow.’ She clinked her glass against Alice’s. ‘I wish you all the very best with your future career and – if you want my opinion – although you’ve always been an outstanding actress, you’ve chosen such a worthwhile subject to devote your life to. I just know you’ve made the right decision.’
Alice took a refreshing mouthful. ‘Thanks, Antonia, and I’ve enjoyed this afternoon every bit as much as you have. I’m sure you’re right: my heart’s firmly in the Renaissance and that’s just the way it is.’ In spite of her words, Alice couldn’t help feeling a tiny little shiver of regret at her rejection of a Hollywood career. The thought of a second chance had been tempting for a while, but art history really was the sensible option – and wouldn’t involve Zoë.
She went on to tell Antonia about the little house she had rented for the rest of July and her plan to take David to the Mona Lisa villa the next day. Antonia told her that she was leaving early next morning for a series of meetings in London, before flying back to the USA in a few days’ time. Inevitably, the subject then came round to Pals Forever and she told Alice how sorry she was that Conrad had not decided to have a change of heart.
‘It won’t be the same without you and Layla.’ Antonia shook her head ruefully. ‘And I’m not sure they’ll ever be able to find another writer with Benny’s talent. It’s such a shame.’
‘Why doesn’t Mr Chesterfield see that, Antonia? He’s a clever man and a smart businessman. Surely he can see he stands to lose an awful lot. And all for the sake of – please excuse me – a cow like Zoë. Yes, she’s a good director, probably a great director, but there have to be others.’
‘I’ve been asking myself the same question for years, but it’s inexplicable. He must have his reasons, but they’re beyond me.’
After their drinks, they set off to pick up the rental car. On the way, Alice stopped at a bank and took out the money to pay Signor Innocenti the balance of the rent on the little house. The car rental office was in a narrow street near the station and from there, not without difficulty, Alice threaded the little Fiat through the heavy traffic until they were out of town and onto the autostrada, following the signs pointing south.
As they drove down to the Chianti turn-off, Antonia made a suggestion. ‘How desperate are you to get back to the villa? I must admit I’m reluctant to sit down to a meal with Zoë tonight – and I daresay you feel the same way – so how about I buy you dinner to say thank you for today? I noticed a nice-looking little restaurant at the side of the road as we drove past Strada in Chianti. How does that sound? I can contact Paolo and tell him not to worry about preparing dinner for us tonight.’
Alice nodded approvingly. ‘That sounds perfect, thank you. It’s still early, so I’ll be back at the v
illa in good time to see David and tell him about the little house I’ve rented. I’ll text him to let him know, so he doesn’t worry.’ Although, it occurred to her, he hadn’t taken the trouble to tell her about his excursion to Siena. Men!
The restaurant turned out to be fancy and expensive, but Antonia’s gold card didn’t bat an eyelid. They had an excellent meal although to Alice, after five years as a student, it was all a bit over the top. They opted for a self-indulgent starter of scallops served with Jerusalem artichokes and foie gras, which was exquisite. They decided not to have a pasta course after this and chose grilled venison with roast fennel as their main. For dessert they shared a chocolate soufflé with spicy chilli pepper ice cream which was… interesting. As she was driving, Alice only allowed herself one glass of a good Chianti Classico, but Antonia drank much of the rest of the bottle, and by the end of the meal she was looking and sounding very relaxed. So relaxed, in fact, that she took Alice into her confidence.
‘There’s something I want to tell you, Alice.’ Antonia was suddenly sounding serious. ‘Do you know what I did this lunchtime, before coming to Florence with you? I quit.’
Alice looked back at her in considerable surprise. ‘You’re leaving the company? But you’ve been there for ages, haven’t you?’
Antonia nodded. ‘Twenty-seven years, but I’ve had enough. I’m off – with immediate effect.’
‘And what are you going to do?’
‘That’s what I’m going to be talking about in London this weekend. The time’s come to think about working for myself, or at least in a company where I’m calling the shots. This whole Zoë business has brought home to me how powerless I really am here.’
Alice reached out and grasped her hand for a few seconds. ‘Well, I think you’re doing the right thing. Life’s too short for accepting second best and for working alongside people like Zoë. I wish you the best of luck. Do, please, let me know how it all pans out.’