Under a Siena Sun (Escape to Tuscany #1) - T.A. Williams Page 0,87

until she was ready to subside into a heap in his arms. Finally, gasping for breath, she beamed at him.

‘I’ve missed you, too. Lots and lots.’

Managing to restrain her natural instincts to take him upstairs and ravish him, she sat him down at the table and produced the cold spread she had prepared. As they ate, he told her all about his week in the US and, finally, got to the bit she had been waiting for.

‘I saw Rosy on Friday afternoon.’

‘And how did it go?’ Lucy did her best to keep her tone neutral.

‘It was okay. I think she was so relieved I was finally giving her the divorce – and a whole heap of money – that she managed to be extra sweet. We didn’t argue – the legal people had already done that. We both just signed on the dotted line in front of our respective lawyers and that was that. All that’s left now are a few odds and ends to tie up.’

‘So you just met up with her in the lawyer’s office?’

He nodded. ‘To my considerable relief, she said she had to dash off, and it was all over in less than half an hour. But she did tell me one thing; she’s seeing another guy.’

‘No longer the man with the yacht?’

‘No, apparently that didn’t last. No, this is somebody else: an American.’

‘So if she’s seeing somebody else, she can hardly complain if you’re doing the same.’

He grinned. ‘Exactly. Takes the pressure off a bit, doesn’t it?’

It certainly did. Lucy was so relieved, she decided to leave the ice cream in the fridge and immediately hauled him upstairs to bed.

Considerably later that afternoon he went off to the villa to see Armando and Fioretta and, of course, his beloved Boris. As he had just spent hours in an aircraft and was feeling jet-lagged, they agreed that he should get some sleep and so she wouldn’t see him again until the next day, but she didn’t really mind. The important thing was that he appeared as pleased to see her as she had been to see him.

As it turned out, it was just as well he wasn’t there that evening as she had an unexpected visitor. She had just emerged from the shower and was tidying away the last remnants of lunch when she heard a car outside, followed by a knock on the door. It was Bruno.

She gave him a big smile and invited him in. As he walked in past her, she couldn’t miss the expression on his face. Bruno definitely wasn’t a happy man. She put the kettle on and waited for him to tell her what was troubling him. It didn’t take long.

‘Listen, Lucy, I hope you don’t mind, but I need your advice.’

‘Of course. What’s the problem? A surgical matter?’

He shook his head. ‘I wish it were. No, it’s Virginia.’

‘What about Virginia?’

She saw him hesitate before unburdening himself. ‘She’s been having an affair with another man.’

Lucy was genuinely amazed. Virginia had always struck her as being devoted to Bruno and certainly the first few times they had met socially, there had even been a certain amount of tension in the air as Virginia had made clear to Lucy that she was staking her claim to him. What could have gone wrong?

‘Are you sure, Bruno? What makes you think that?’

He sighed, looking quite deflated. ‘She told me.’

‘She told you she’s been unfaithful?’

‘That’s why she wanted us to get away together. We’ve just had four great days on the Island of Elba and everything was going so well, I mean, really well. I’d even finally decided I was going to ask her to marry me. It’s about time, after five years together. But then last night, before I had a chance to pop the question, she opened up to me about her affair.’

Lucy was puzzled. ‘But why would she insist on a romantic getaway with you, only to tell you she’s found somebody else? It makes no sense.’

Bruno looked up and Lucy could see that his eyes were bloodshot. ‘She wants me to forgive her.’ To give him time, Lucy went across to the worktop and turned off the kettle. This was a subject that deserved something a hell of a lot stronger than tea. She dug in the cupboard and located the still unopened bottle of grappa Guido had brought with him the previous Saturday night. Pouring Bruno a shot of the fiery liquor, she slid the glass across the table into