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‘I told you I wouldn’t drink much’

‘Have you had breakfast?’

‘Would you believe that I have? Maria insisted on cooking an omelette’

‘Who’s Maria?’

‘Sergio’s housekeeper She wanted to pack me a picnic lunch, but I said no to that So, are you ready to go? First, we’re going over to Bellagio You can’t visit Lake Coio It’s called “the pearl of Lake Como”’

‘Sounds lovely’

‘It is Very old, of course, but fascinating Seeing all theWe’ll have lunch there, too Their restaurants are second to none Then after lunch we’ll motor down to Como That’s a beautiful town After that I’ll take you for a leisurely drive around the whole lake You can see a lot froio’s villa, plus the one next door, the countess’s It’s very grand That’s where they’re having the wedding and the reception afterwards’

‘It’s not going to be a big wedding, is it?’

Alex laughed ‘Hardly Counting the celebrant and the photographer, there’ll be just eleven of us So don’t start stressing that it’s so, because it isn’t’

Harriet had to admit she was relieved She hadn’t packed a dress suitable for a seriously for her red cocktail dress, the one Alex had admired That would do

‘Now, are you ready to go? You look ready And you look very lovely, ht I add If I hadn’t had our itinerary all worked out, I’d whisk you off upstairs for a quickie’

‘I don’t nore the wild jab of desire coursing through her veins

He chuckled ‘You are such a little liar I’m almost tempted to show you just how much But I think I’ll make you wait’

‘I can wait,’ she told hiive me a little taster occasionally’

‘And ould that involve?’