Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
Taking Bianca out to the kitchen, Cat found her bowls and refilled them.
Having an extra half hour to get ready meant the luxury of an uninterrupted and relaxing bath.
Candles, wine, the works, she promised herself.
But first she had to go back to make sure her eyes had not been deceiving her.
Although the shutters were open, the voiles had shrouded the window to keep out the day’s heat, leaving the room in partial darkness and cloaking the painting in shadow.
Closing the kitchen door to make sure Bianca didn’t follow, she headed back to étienne’s room.
Once inside she turned on the light and walked over to where Stefano Di Marco’s portrait hung.
She stood for a moment gazing up at the figure.
Whoever the artist was, he had created an almost photo-like painting, capturing the essence of his subject in every minute detail.
As Raphael had commented, Stefano was a handsome man and at the time of the sitting for this portrait she guessed him to be in his mid-thirties.
His hair, the only common feature he appeared to have with étienne, was jet-black and curly.
Cut short, it still managed to have a life of its own, a stray curl falling lazily onto his forehead.
His strong jawline shadowed by a dark growth of beard couldn’t conceal the way the corners of his mouth rose in an enigmatic half smile so familiar to her.
But it was the smoke-grey eyes that sealed his fate proving beyond doubt she was looking at Luke Carrack’s great grandfather.
So étienne had a secret. One for whatever reason he still hid from the world.
Now it appeared quite by accident she had become guardian of it too.
A week later, Cat, étienne and Raphael were having lunch out on the side terrace of Fiore del Lago under the shade of a pale canvas awning.
The lake was still, the day hot with a brilliant blue sky and only a hint of cloud.
Distracted from her lunch, Cat watched a ferry leave the nearby terminal, white froth coating its bows as it sliced through the dark water towards Sirmione.
étienne was in a particularly good mood today.
The work on the hotel in the Dolomites was within a month of being finished and they were busy discussing the grand opening in October.
Raphael was busy refilling their wine glasses when étienne’s PA, Gabriella, stepped out from the shadowed interior of the dining room.
Scanning the tables, she eventually spotted them, smiled, and headed in their direction.
She hovered for a moment, apologising for interrupting their meal as she handed him two cream envelopes.
‘You asked to have these as soon as they arrived,’ she said.
‘Yes I did, thank you.’ étienne took them from her. He was smiling.
‘Don’t tell me, another invitation to a party somewhere on the lake,’ Cat said as she eyed the envelopes curiously.
She’d been to a few of these wonderful social events with étienne and Raphael; warm magical evenings with delicious food, wine and dancing while the lights of neighbouring towns shimmered across the water.
‘Not even close.’ He handed her one. ‘Go on, open it.’
Cat ran a nail under the flap, lifted it and pulled out the small embossed card inside. She didn’t say a word; she simply stared at the gold lettering, requesting her presence at Emelia Trevelyan’s seventy-fifth birthday on the seventeenth of September at the Tarwin House Hotel.
‘Cat …’ étienne touched her arm. ‘Are you okay?’
She jumped as his fingers brushed her skin. ‘What? Oh, yes, of course I am. It’s just … well, I had no idea she was that age.’
‘You are a terrible liar,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘You do not want to go home, do you?’
‘I don’t know.’ She shrugged as she slipped the invitation back into the envelope and set it next to her plate.
‘Living here, it’s very easy to forget the past. To believe I’ve moved on.
But going back, well that’s the acid test, isn’t it?
I’m not sure what I’ll find there. Does that make me a coward? ’
‘No, it is natural for you to be apprehensive, but I know your father misses you and Em would be very upset if you declined the invitation. Besides, you won’t be alone; you will have me … and Raphael.’
‘Raphael? Has he received an invitation?’
‘No, but I think we can take him with us,’ he said, glancing at him across the table. ‘I am sure Em won’t mind.’
Raphael smiled. Obviously the opportunity of a trip to England pleased him.
In some ways Raphael had made up for the loss of Nathan in Cat’s life.
At twenty-seven he became a surrogate older brother.
Sometimes he teased, sometimes he made her laugh.
Always he was kind and caring and she envied Sara, his fiancée, currently studying at the University of Milan.
Once she’d had that; a soulmate, the other half of her.
Someone she might have spent the rest of her life with.
Quickly she brushed away the memory of what had been lost. She was a Trevelyan.
It was her great-aunt’s birthday. No excuses, she had to be there.
‘Ah,’ étienne said as he reached for the wine, ‘you are smiling. You plan to attend?’
‘Yes, of course.’ She nodded. ‘How could I not? Em is special.’
‘Indeed she is.’ He smiled as he topped up her glass. ‘I will ask Gabriella to book the flights.’
‘And we need to discuss the present, of course.’
‘Ah no, your father has already dealt with that.’
‘He has? Are you able to tell me or is it a secret?’
‘No of course it is not.’ étienne brushed away her comment with an amused laugh. ‘Apparently, we are all sending her on a cruise.’
‘A cruise …’ Cat made a face. ‘Well, I know she’ll love to get away but I’m not sure she’ll enjoy being on her own.’
‘Ah, that is another surprise for her. Your grandparents are going with her.’
‘étienne that is THE best present ever.’ Cat was delighted. ‘She has missed them so much and to be able to spend a holiday, well … Do you know where they are going?’
étienne shook his head. ‘That part your father has kept very secret. All I know is that it will be for a month and they will leave the day after the party.’
‘Here’s to Aunt Em then,’ Cat said, raising her glass to étienne’s. ‘And a fabulous seventy-fifth birthday party.’