father left one with me.’ He retreated inside his apartment and emerged brandishing the key.
‘Thank you so much for mending it,’ said Livia, nodding at the door, ‘that was kind.’
‘Well, we don’t want people breaking in, do we? The commune has always looked after each other and even the war won’t stop that.’ A glimmer of a smile played on his thin bluish lips.
As Livia slotted the key in the lock, and opened the door, she inhaled the familiar scent of the chestnut flooring and beeswax furniture polish. Hesitating at the doorway, she turned round and beamed at him.
‘I’m so grateful to you, signore.’
‘You’re welcome,’ he said. ‘I know you think I’m not to be trusted, but I’m on your side. I admire you – you’re prepared to give your life for what you believe in. And it’s time you stopped calling me Signor Lombardi,’ he added. ‘My name is Massimo.’
Livia was surprised by this little speech. For years she had assumed he was pro-Fascist. She had feared and mistrusted him, he was right about that. Now she almost felt warm towards him.
Inside, she wandered the apartment, delighting in its permanence. Everything was just as she had left it, even the armchairs upended by the Germans during their raid. She went from room to room putting things back into their place – chairs were righted, books replaced on shelves, cups put back into cupboards. In the kitchen, she found a couple of tins of beans and opened one for her supper. There was a small tin of coffee on a shelf; she opened it and inhaled, revelling in its scent. In a cupboard in the hall, she found a couple of bottles of wine. She poured some into a crystal glass and gazed at its ruby colour glinting in the sunshine. It seemed unimaginably indulgent.
She ran a bath. The water was cold. Signor Lombardi must have turned off the water heater. She switched it on, and while it heated up, boiled a few kettles of water on the stove, which she poured into the bath until steam filled the bathroom. She lay, floating in the warm water, her hair fanning out around her head. Finally, she climbed out, wrapped herself in a towel and brushed her teeth. In her bedroom she searched for clean clothes. Only then did she pick up the phone, and her heart racing with excitement, dialled Cosimo’s number.
Washing up in the kitchen the following day, she waited eagerly for him to arrive, willing the bell to ring. When it did, she leant out of the window and threw down the key.
He climbed the stairs as fast as he could, arriving breathless at her apartment. As usual, Lombardi half-opened his door when he heard the noise outside on the landing.
‘It’s just my friend, Signor… I mean Massimo – nothing for you to worry about,’ she reassured him.
The old man raised his hand to his head in a little salute and retreated inside. Livia suddenly realised he hadn’t been spying on them, but had merely been keeping a watchful protective eye.
Alone together, Cosimo and Livia clung to one another for what seemed an eternity, reluctant to let each other go. Eventually, Livia looked up at him with love in her eyes. ‘I’m here, and we’re both safe,’ she said. ‘Let’s go to bed.’
They made love, and afterwards lay in each other’s arms. It was only then that Livia felt able to tell him everything that had happened to her since they had last met. When she finished her story, Cosimo leaned over her, tracing her face with his fingers. ‘I can hardly believe what they did to you and your poor beautiful eyes.’ He kissed her eyelids, then her lips, and her forehead.
‘I can’t pretend it wasn’t awful,’ she said. ‘But my eyesight is improving. I’ll get some glasses – that will help.’
‘And I am honoured that you took my name for your new identity.’ He smiled down at her. ‘Laura de Luca – it sounds good. Almost as good as Livia de Luca, don’t you think?’
She blushed. ‘That does sound good… very good.’
‘Well, I think, when this is over, we should make it official, don’t you?’ he said, smothering her face with kisses.
‘Yes, maybe,’ she replied playfully. ‘Now, tell me everything that happened to you – from the moment I left you on the roof terrace.’
Cosimo rolled over and lay with his hands behind his head. ‘I hardly know where to start,’ he said.