Under a Siena Sun (Escape to Tuscany #1) - T.A. Williams Page 0,64
play tennis to save my life. Have a good day.’ Tapping Lucy on the arm, he set off back out into the open air once more. As they walked down the steps into the sunlight, Lucy glanced up at him and grinned.
‘Well, little Albert, what do you want to do now? Want to look for a suitable stone to crawl back under?’
He smiled back at her. ‘No, no more stones, no more crawling. Mind you, that’s as far as I’m concerned. If you feel uncomfortable being seen with me, just say the word and we can head for home. I wouldn’t blame you. Even after years of it, I still don’t feel comfortable being recognised wherever I go.’
She stood there for a few moments, genuinely torn. She knew she was enjoying his company, but she certainly didn’t enjoy being the object of indiscriminate scrutiny by complete strangers. She had enough experience of the magnetic way rich men managed to attract good-looking girls to have no illusions as to what was going through the heads of many of those who saw her with him. It made her feel uncomfortable and dirty.
Finally she reached out and gave him another little squeeze on the arm. ‘I’m very happy to be with you.’ And she was. ‘But I’d be lying if I said I felt completely comfortable. Apart from anything else, don’t forget that I’ve just come back from years in the middle of nowhere, so finding myself surrounded by crowds of people was bound to be a bit unsettling. How about we go somewhere a bit less crowded?’
‘I completely understand. To be honest, after my last few years as a hermit, I feel exactly the same way.’ He sounded as if he meant it. ‘Let’s go and find somewhere quiet so we can sit down and have a coffee. Then, unless you have plans, how about I take you for lunch in one of my favourite restaurants in the whole of Tuscany. It’s in the hills just outside of town and it’s very discreet.’
Chapter 19
At first sight, his favourite restaurant looked anything but discreet. It was a stunning hilltop villa, surrounded by cypress trees, approached up a long, curling, tree-lined drive off a minor road. It was situated about ten kilometres outside Florence, just over the first range of hills on the south side of the city. Even though the bustling conurbation of Florence was so close-by, here everything was much more peaceful. Everywhere they looked, there were olive trees, some still with the nets used to collect the ripe olives lying at their feet since the last harvest the previous autumn. A little three-wheeled farm vehicle came coughing and spluttering along the drive towards them, leaving an unhealthy trail of blue smoke in its wake. As the driver passed the Ferrari, Lucy saw him kiss his fingers and shout something. Whether this was a compliment directed at the car, the driver, or herself, was unclear to her, but she felt her cheeks flush all the same.
She found herself wondering what Miriam, her invaluable clinic manager and close friend back in Mabenta, would have thought if she were to see her here in this flashy car. The last time Lucy had seen her and the other locally employed staff had been several months ago as they disappeared into the bush in the hope of escaping the advancing fighters. Lucy had her sent numerous emails and text messages since leaving the DRC, but without success, and she feared the worst. Yet again, she found herself dwelling upon the gross unfairness of life and she actually sighed.
David manoeuvred the car into a space in the car park behind the hotel/restaurant and it came as no surprise to Lucy to see it filled almost exclusively with luxury cars. David, apparently unaware of her reservations, jumped out to come round and offer her a helping hand. As he reached down with both hands and caught hold of hers, he gave her a little grin. Seeing him smile cheered her up. A little.
‘Been feeling a bit conspicuous?’
Lucy rearranged her clothing after being hauled back onto her feet and nodded. ‘I feel like a goldfish in a bowl when I’m in this thing.’ She risked a personal question. ‘Did your wife like riding in it?’
‘Riding in it and driving it; she loved it. More than me, probably.’ He hung his head and stared at his feet as he replied. ‘But she didn’t use it that much.’