A Little Piece of Paradise: A sweeping story of sisterhood, secrets and romance (Love from Italy Book 1)

by T A Williams

  Rachel had been right with her second guess. Sophie found herself not in a dungeon but in a low-ceilinged room with racks of bottles along one wall as well as half a dozen huge round glass bottles in wicker cases even taller than Jeeves, like much larger versions of the old Chianti flasks, and by the look of them they too were full of wine. There was nothing scary down here apart from some dusty cobwebs, one of them inhabited by a sinister-looking striped black and yellow spider the size of a plum. At the far end was a sloping ramp leading up to hefty wooden doors at ceiling height, which presumably opened into the courtyard outside, as there was no way all this wine could have been brought in through the kitchen and the narrow door. Sophie resolved to make her next mission to explore the outside of the castle as closely as she had done the inside. In the meantime one thing was clear – if she and Rachel felt like drowning their sorrows, there was more than enough wine here to keep them permanently plastered.

  After giving her sister the good news – and a warning to avoid Stripy the spider – she drank the remarkably good espresso Rachel had managed to conjure from the machine and then took Jeeves out for a walk in the garden. She wandered through the trees, hugging the shade, turning over in her head what Rachel had said about writing a book. In fact, it was something she had often considered but had never had the time or the financial security to try. It was ironic, given her recent bad experience with Claudio, but the fact was that the genre that attracted her most was romance. All she needed was a story.

  That afternoon she retired to the relative cool of the dining room and sat down at the head of the huge table with her dog at her feet and worked on the short story she was due to hand in tomorrow. This one was a salutary tale of infidelity and revenge set in a little West Country village. She managed to write almost all of it before having to stop as she couldn’t think of a suitable way of finishing it off. The villain of the piece, a flashy used-car salesman called Monty, needed to get his comeuppance, but short of pushing him into a passing combine harvester, she couldn’t think of anything suitably bad, but not too bad. Death would be a rather too extreme penalty for his dalliance with flighty barmaid Maisie, but it needed to be something that would resonate with the readers. Shelving the question for now, she glanced at her watch and saw that it was already gone five. The sun was shining brightly outside and even in here it was now quite warm so she decided to go for a swim. She had no idea whether it would be all right for Jeeves to join her in the pool, so she resolved to risk it for today but to query it with the gardener tomorrow.

  She went up to her room and changed into a bikini, pulling her shorts and top back on over it just in case she met someone. She called out to Rachel but there was no response and her bedroom door was wide open. Down in the kitchen there was no sign of her there either, so she and Jeeves went out of the back door and made their way around to the pool, only to discover that Rachel had had the same idea.

  And so had somebody else.

  Sophie emerged through the little wooden gate, hanging onto her dog’s collar for grim death, just in time to see the trim, suntanned body of a certain Harvard professor dive into the water from the springboard while her sister, wearing a fairly skimpy bikini, stood looking on adoringly and clapped enthusiastically as he surfaced. A cohort of cheerleaders couldn’t have done better.

  ‘Hi Soph, got your story finished?’ Rachel turned towards her with a big satisfied smile on her face. ‘I went for a walk and happened to meet Dan so I asked him if he’d like to come for a swim.’

  Sophie wondered whether her sister’s walk might have deliberately been in the general direction – or even right up to the front door – of Dan’s house, if not his bedroom, but as he hauled himself out of the water and came over to shake her hand, she had to admit that it had been a good idea. He looked somehow taller without clothes and there was no missing the fact that he had a lovely, well-honed body. As he stood in front of her she couldn’t help following the little streams of water with her eyes as they ran down his strong chest, across his ribbed stomach and beyond, before dripping onto the ground at her feet. Yes, he certainly was a good-looking man. She shook his hand, doing her best to avoid the little seismic shock this aroused in her.

  ‘Hi, Dan. Good to see you again.’ By this time Jeeves had temporarily forgotten about the pool and was jumping up to be petted by his new American friend.

  ‘Hi, Sophie. What’s this about a story? Are you a famous author?’

  ‘No, I’m really a journalist but I’m out of a job at the moment, so I’m keeping the wolf from the door by writing stories for a couple of magazines.’

  ‘But she’s thinking of writing a book.’ Rachel was quick to mention the conversation they had had earlier. ‘She’s going to become the next Barbara Cartland.’

  Rachel rolled her eyes. ‘I wish… but I’m just thinking about it right now. Not like you, Dan, you’re actually writing a book. How’s your magnum opus coming along?’

  His face creased into a smile. ‘Well, I have a beginning and an end. All I need now is a middle lasting about fifty or sixty thousand words.’

  ‘Sounds not too different from the problem I’ve got with mine. It’s the ending I need. I’m trying to think of a suitable punishment for an adulterer in a little English village, present day. Killing him off’s a bit extreme.’

  ‘How about public humiliation? That’s what they would have done in the Middle Ages. I know, what about tipping him into the river… or even better, into a heap of manure? That should do it.’

  ‘Brilliant, Dan, manure it is. Maybe you should take up writing romance novels yourself.’

  ‘I’d be useless at romance. I’m a man, remember?’

  How could I forget? Sophie studiously kept her eyes off his body. ‘Men can and do write romance. You should give it a try.’

  She walked across to a row of half a dozen sunbeds and dropped her towel onto one. Accepting the inevitable, she let go of Jeeves’s collar and watched as he launched himself into the water. While the others were busy laughing at his antics, Sophie slipped out of her shorts and her top and gave a surreptitious glance down to check that everything was in place before going to the shallow end and walking down the tiled steps into the blissfully cool water.

  She swam around lazily for some time, cooling down and secretly watching Dan performing some stylish dives while her sister drooled over him. For his part, he looked happy but didn’t demonstrate any sort of romantic interest in either of them – in fact he seemed decidedly more affectionate towards Jeeves. In the pool, the Labrador was in his element and, seeing his head was now level with his mistress’s, he became boisterously affectionate and almost drowned her in the process.

  Finally refreshed, she persuaded her dog to relinquish the water and to follow her out of the pool. She sat down on the sunbed and as she did so Rachel came up with a very sensible suggestion.

  ‘Fancy a drink, Soph? I’ll go and get a bottle of wine and three glasses, shall I?’

  After Rachel had gone off, Dan padded over and sat down on the edge of the low stone wall beside Sophie’s sunbed, reaching down to scratch Jeeves’s tummy as the dog lay sprawled on his back on the paving stones grunting happily to himself.

  ‘He’s a lovely dog, Sophie. Have you had him long?’

  ‘Just over a year. He’s still a youngster.’

  ‘Does that mean you work from home? You said you’re a journalist, didn’t you?’

  ‘I was a journalist in Rome for four years until the company folded. Now I’m working from home and looking for a new job, but I’m seriously considering a career change, though I don’t really know to what. I enjoyed living in Italy and I’m wondering about staying on and maybe doing something like teaching English as a foreign language.’

  Dan straightened his legs and stretched. As he did so, Jeeves on the ground did the exact same thing and Sophie almost laughed out loud at the scene.

  ‘Teaching’s not a bad life.’ He gave a little shake of the head.
‘As long as you don’t have to teach kids – at least that’s the way I see it. My students are all adults – theoretically – and I certainly enjoy what I do.’

  ‘Lecturing at Harvard’s impressive. Congratulations. You must be good at your job.’

  ‘I hope so. The main thing is that I’m lucky to have found a job doing what I love most. I’ve always been totally hooked on history.’

  They chatted more about history and his current writing project and she enjoyed his company. It was refreshing to find a man who was both good-looking and intelligent. He was friendly and chatty but there was no getting away from the fact that his interest in her – or, indeed, her little sister – didn’t appear to go any further than simple friendship. She had no idea whether this was because he was already in a relationship – he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but that meant nothing these days – but, whatever the reason, it was probably for the best. Apart from the fact that she was maybe starting to have similar feelings for Chris, now that she had just about made peace with her sister the last thing Sophie needed was a pitched battle with Rachel about some man.

  The three of them sat and chatted, sipping the very drinkable white wine Rachel had found in the fridge. This was in an unmarked bottle and Dan told them it was in all probability from the castle’s own vines.

  ‘Check it out with Beppe when he comes in tomorrow. He’s responsible for the vines. He makes mostly red but there’s also some white.’

  By the time Dan collected his things and left, Sophie felt she knew him a lot better and she liked him a lot. After he had left, she glanced across at Rachel.

  ‘Nice guy.’

  ‘Very nice guy. Pity he’s already taken.’

  ‘You reckon?’

  Rachel shrugged. ‘It’s inevitable. A Harvard professor who looks like that – and with a body like that – must have women queuing up for him halfway across the States. No, I think we’ve just found ourselves a friend, but nothing more.’

  Sophie nodded in resignation. But maybe it was for the best.

  Chapter 6

  Beppe arrived early next morning – so early in fact that when Sophie emerged for Jeeves’s walk in an unkempt state, just wearing a hastily donned pair of shorts under the old T-shirt that served as a pyjama top, she was surprised and a bit embarrassed to bump into the gardener just outside the back door. Jeeves trotted over to say hello while Sophie, conscious that she wasn’t wearing very much at all, crossed her arms across her chest and gave him a cheery smile that belied her discomfiture.

  ‘Good morning. You must be Beppe. I’m Sophie. George was my uncle.’

  ‘Good morning, Sophie. I am indeed Beppe and you’re even more beautiful than your uncle told me.’ He was probably around the same age as Rita, well into his sixties, his bald head as brown as a nut, and he had one of the most infectious grins Sophie had ever seen. In spite of his gushing flattery and her dishevelled state, she couldn’t help smiling back at him.

  ‘Beppe, you need to get your eyes tested. I’ve just rolled out of bed and I know how scruffy I look.’ Cautiously she removed one arm from her chest and shook his hand. ‘But thank you for the compliment all the same.’

  ‘And you’re here with your equally beautiful sister, I believe?’

  ‘She’s still asleep but I’m sure she’ll thank you for the compliment too. In fact you’ll be seeing her soon. She’s always been keen on gardening and she wants you to tell her all there is to know about vines, grapes and winemaking.’

  He was still grinning. ‘That could take some time. Hopefully she has a year or two to spare.’

  While Jeeves went off to cock his leg on a convenient tree, Sophie and Beppe chatted and she soon realised that he must have known Uncle George very well indeed as it was clear that her uncle had often spoken about her and Rachel. She explained how their father had died while they were still young and that Uncle George had always been there for them. Beppe nodded his head in sympathy.

  ‘Yes, George told me. So sad. That’s why George took such an interest in you. He loved you both very dearly and the rift between you two sisters over the last few years was hard for him.’

  Sophie reflected that Uncle George and Beppe really had been close if he knew this. ‘It was hard on me, too, Beppe. Still, we’re starting to make up now and I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re back to being proper sisters again just like before.’

  ‘Very good, very good. Now, is there anything I can help you with? You know about the peaches and the apricots, don’t you? If you don’t start eating them they’ll rot. And the figs on the big tree by the main gates are ready now and are excellent. Just watch out for the wasps. They love them. Is there anything you need done or shall I get on with my own work? I’m here all day.’

  ‘Just one thing, Beppe, I don’t suppose you’ve got any oil or grease, have you? I really need to do something about the front gates and the lock. They’re terribly stiff.’

  ‘Leave it to me. I never use that entrance and nobody’d been in or out that way for well over a year. I’ll see to it.’

  ‘Thank you so much.’ Another thought suddenly occurred to her. ‘Would you happen to know if it’s all right for my dog to swim in the pool? It isn’t going to be bad for him or for the pump or anything, is it?’

  He stopped to think for a few moments. ‘Dog hair probably isn’t too good for the filters, but I don’t think they’re too expensive to change and George left me more than enough petty cash to take care of that. I’d be more worried about the dog. I’m not sure if the chemicals we put in the water might be harmful to him in the long run. Next time you go down into Santa Rita, why don’t you ask Gianni? He knows all about that sort of thing. It was his cousin’s firm who installed the pool here three or four years ago.’

  ‘Thank you, I will. And where can I find this Gianni?’

  ‘When you reach the bottom of the hill and head for the seafront, you’ll see his garage on the left. You can’t miss it.’

  Realisation dawned. ‘I met him only yesterday. He fixed a problem with my car.’

  Beppe nodded sagely. ‘Gianni can fix anything. I know him well so I can ask him if you prefer.’

  ‘Don’t worry. I need to take the car back to him one of these days for a new exhaust so I’ll ask then. Thank you, Beppe.’

  She and Jeeves went down as far as the vineyard, and as she walked, Sophie made plans for the day. The weather forecast last night had indicated that rain was on the way tonight or tomorrow so she resolved to give Jeeves a good long walk today and decided to follow Rita’s advice and head away from the sea for a change. The hills here ran down to the sea like fingers, separated one from the other by valleys like the one where Santa Rita lay, and Paradiso was on top of one of these finger-like ridges. Rita had told her to walk back along the ridge as it slowly started to climb in the direction of the distant wooded mass of the mountains above the coast. There was a good path leading to the next village and a way of coming back again by a slightly different route. But first, Sophie reminded herself, she had to finish the short story and send it off. Sight of a huge compost heap reminded her of Dan’s manure suggestion and she allowed herself a few minutes to think about him in particular, but also about her own situation in general as far as men were concerned.

  Dan was a nice guy but she agreed with her sister that he was almost certainly not available, and it seemed clear he wasn’t interested – for whatever reason. And then there was Chris. She was beginning to come to terms with the fact that she really might be starting to think of him in a romantic way, and she was coming round to agreeing with Rachel’s idea of inviting him over. Apart from anything else, he was such a good friend and he had been such a help to her that he deserved a treat, even if it turned out he didn’t feel the same way about her. And surely an all-expenses paid summer holiday in a medieval castle on the Ligurian coast wasn’t to be sniffed at. She would contact him to make the offer and see what he said.

  The interesting thing,
of course, was the fact that it was only since arriving here in Paradiso that she had started considering the prospect of another relationship after the emotional shipwreck brought about by Claudio. A full year had passed, so maybe it was time to move on. She couldn’t continue to live a monastic life forever. The thought cheered her. Could it be she had finally managed to get some sort of closure? Perhaps coming back here to Italy had been the jolt she had needed to move on.

  Back in the kitchen she found Rita had once again brought fresh bread and croissants. First things first, Sophie tried to give her money to pay for these, but it transpired that Uncle George had left money for household expenses as well as garden expenses and there was no need. Murmuring a silent thank you to her incredibly organised and generous uncle, she went upstairs to take a shower and put on some clothes. She was just emerging from her room a bit later when she met Rachel on the landing.

  ‘Hi, Rach. I didn’t hear you wandering about last night so can I presume you’ve got over your fear of ghosts or whatever it was?’

  ‘Absolutely. And I slept almost right through last night. Have you already been out?’

  ‘To take Jeeves for his walk, but I must try to remember to wear a bra on Thursdays. Beppe starts early.’

  Over breakfast, she told Rachel of her plan to go for a long walk and asked if she wanted to come too. Rachel declined, saying she wanted to spend time with Beppe in the garden, so Sophie left her to it. An hour or two later, once the used-car salesman had been dumped in the manure and the story sent off to the publishers, she loaded a big bottle of water and a couple of fresh apricots into a little backpack and set off with Jeeves.

  It was very hot by now and she could feel the increased moisture in the air. The sight of clouds beginning to build on the horizon indicated that the rain predicted for tonight was almost certainly on its way. After a few hundred metres on the road, she turned off onto the track Rita had told her about and she was able to let Jeeves off the lead. At first the track led through a pine forest which provided welcome shade but this soon gave way to low scrub and she came out into the full force of the sun. Fortunately, for the very first time, there was now a little breeze that brought some welcome relief.