page21 (1/2)

Elene longed to run after Mattia, glue herself to his side Theyto do with Aimee and their future lives, but she felt safer with hiers who obviously had questions fizzing at the edge of their tongues, in their voices, their sideways glances at her and Aih it all with the confidence that being a loved oing to help her cause, nor Ai to hide Yet these people were her daughter’s relatives and she had to—and would—respect that After all, it was one of the reasons she’d come all this way

Finding everyone watching her, she wondered what she’ddeep, she smiled around the room and said, ‘I hope you’ll all be patient with Mattia and s’ Her main focus was on his mother, Maria, since the woman hadn’t relaxed with her as everyone else had Not even close Protectivehurt once, wouldn’t want that happening again Relax, Maria, it isn’t on the cards

Though there’d been a sharp intake of breath at Elene’s words, Maria’s slim shoulders relaxed a little and she asked in a kinder tone, ‘Would you like to sponge your frock before it stains?’

‘Yes, please It’s brand-new and I’d hate to ruin it already’

‘It’s a gorgeous dress, and you look stunning in it’ A friendly arm slid around hers ‘Come on, I’ll show you where the bathroom is,’ Sofia, Mattia’s sister-in-law, said

‘I’ too,’ Alessia, the other sister-in-law piped up

‘No shoithout Ali,’ said Sofia with a laugh ‘Papà, lass of wine, please We can’t relass of wine in hand’

So this wasn’t going to be a short trip to clean her dress Elene took the proffered glass ‘Grazie’ She s at Easter, she was in for a grilling All she hoped was she survived intact

Mattia caught her eye and winked, as though saying she’d be fine, these touldn’t behead her Showed how little he understood fe the women down an enormous hall and into a bathroom the like of which she’d never seen in her life Marble fixtures, shining taps, glea mirrors and a couch on one wall Who had a couch in their bathroom?

The Riccos, obviously Herherself away, but unable to stop the sense of sinking into a deeper pool of probleed She wanted out, fast This was not her, and never would be Her faination? No And that was how she liked it It hat she was comfortable with Hey, you’re not part of this faht have to see a fair bit of them over the years ahead All those Sunday lunches loomed in her brain

‘You’re stunned’ Sofia laughed and took her hand to pull her over to one of the basins ‘You’ll get used to it The first tiht he was having ames with me and that I’d wake up back in reality’

‘It was similar for me,’ Alessia told her ‘But don’t worry, the family’s not snobby, and almost don’t care about what they have Well, they do, but they share it, give it away to others who need it, and downplay it all the time’

Elene looked fro I really didn’t understand before’ If she was giving away too much about herself, then too bad Her reaction was honest ‘Where do I find a cloth?’

Sofia opened a couple of drawers before extricating as required ‘Is it true you and Mattia are not lovers?’

If she hadn’t put her glass on the counter the whole lot would’ve tipped down the front of her dress, and there’d be no saving the fabric from red wine ‘Yes’

‘Yes, you are, or yes, you’re not?’ Sofia’s tone was friendly and fun

‘Not’ Elene wanted to believe Sofia meant no harm with these questions, but this could be a clever way of finding out more about her and her position in Mattia’s life than either of the to share Not that they’d worked it out for the lovers wasn’t on Mattia’s agenda Though that kiss hinted it was possible Down, hope, down

Alessia took the cloth froers and held it under a tap ‘Sofia, leave Elene alone Give her a chance to get to know us a little We’re not her tell-everything-to girlfriends Yet,’ she added with a gleam in her eye