Chapter 17
17
BEN
‘We have to delay,’ Luna repeated earnestly to Marco.
‘Everything’s going wrong.
Your grandmother won’t come to the wedding.
’ She shot a devastated look in the direction Isabella had gone, before shaking her head.
‘Now my mum might not get here in time. Perhaps this is a sign that we’re marrying too quickly?
’
Ben saw Marco’s forehead furrow as his whole body stiffened.
He knew his friend was stubborn and was unlikely to listen to reason, especially after his experience with his previous fiancée.
Marco wanted the wedding to go ahead, which meant he’d see Luna’s demands as either a challenge or an indication that she was getting cold feet.
‘Of course we need to go ahead,’ Marco insisted, taking a step towards Luna and stroking a hand down her cheek.
‘ Tesoro , you know why the date is important. We agreed. Do we really need other people to celebrate our love? Surely all that matters is the promises we’re making to each other?
’ His gaze momentarily fell on Rose.
‘Don’t you agree?’ he asked.
Rose pulled a face. ‘I don’t know what to think,’ she started.
‘Would it really be that awful to wait for a few days?’
Ben winced, wishing for once that Rose could be on his friend’s side.
Marco shook his head vehemently.
‘It’s an important date for my family.
You know that. If we can’t marry now, it’ll have to wait until next year.
If you think my nonna is being difficult, you’ve no idea how upset she’ll be if we choose to wed on a different day.
’
‘She doesn’t even believe we should get married!
’ Luna shot back, sounding even more frantic.
‘All everyone seems to care about is whether we have babies and we haven’t even discussed that properly ourselves.
’
‘You’re getting over-emotional,’ Marco said, and Ben knew despite his harsh words, he was trying to put things right.
‘Think rationally, cara . I love you and you love me. We want to marry and everything’s almost ready.
’ He pointed to the table filled with the materials for the wedding favours before waving a hand.
‘My family has been working around the clock to make sure of it. Do you really want to let them all down?’
Luna looked stricken.
‘I don’t know what I want now,’ she whispered.
‘You need to listen to each other,’ Rose said, taking a step forward until she was standing between them.
‘Listening is the bedrock of every successful relationship.’
Luna nodded and Marco opened his mouth, but he didn’t get a chance to say more because suddenly dozens of fireworks whizzed into the sky, lighting everything in a blaze of pinks, yellows and oranges before exploding in a series of deafening bangs.
‘What the hell is that?’ Luna wailed, looking around.
‘Your surprise!’ Marco said as another blast reverberated in the sky.
But no one got the chance to admire the fireworks for long, because Coco let out a sudden pitiful yelp before galloping out from under the table and charging into the darkness.
‘Dogs hate fireworks!’ Luna squealed, spinning around.
‘Surely you knew that. Where did she go?’ She searched the inky blackness just as another dozen fireworks shot above them.
Ben heard Coco yelp again and tried to see where she’d gone, but the dog had been swallowed by the night.
‘Coco’s either in the olive grove or she’s hiding somewhere in the garden,’ Marco soothed as Luna let out a sob.
‘She’ll be fine, tesoro .
’
His fiancée rounded on him, clearly close to tears.
‘You don’t know that,’ she spluttered.
‘An animal could get to her. She’s terrified, we need to find her now!
’ She stumbled onto the gravelly pathway that led further into the garden.
‘But it is dark, cara ,’ Marco said, sounding frustrated.
‘Surely she will come back by herself?’ His words were punctuated by another loud bang and a blaze of fizzing colours.
They would have been beautiful in any other circumstances, but Ben knew each blast was like a nail in the coffin of his friend’s wedding.
Unless he could help put this right.
‘How many fireworks are going to go off exactly?’ Luna asked Marco furiously as yet more rockets erupted.
‘Just a few more, they are on a timer, cara ,’ Marco said.
‘They’re supposed to be a celebration of our love; I thought you’d enjoy them.
’
‘Well, I don’t!’ Luna complained, stumbling again as she took another few steps along the uneven pathway.
Behind them the rest of the family began to spread out calling for Coco.
‘I need to find her.’
‘Why don’t you change your shoes first?
’ Rose suggested. ‘If you fall, you might get injured.’
‘ Sì and Marco, while Luna is changing, you go and find some torches,’ Elena ordered, jogging over to join them as Leonardo and Cesare quickly disappeared into the garden.
‘We should all search for Coco. It’s important to your bride.
’
Aurora nodded. ‘Aldo says we’ll find her where there is—’ She screwed up her face.
‘It’s difficult to understand.
He is saying liquid.
Something red or white.
It’s not completely clear.
’
Luna wailed. ‘She hates water. She won’t even swim with me.
’ She turned to Rose, her eyes wide.
‘Where is she?’
‘Go and change into flat shoes,’ Ben repeated Rose’s advice.
‘Then check the grounds and pool. Rose and I will go to the olive grove now. There’s a lake…
’
‘A lake.’ Luna paled, then she turned and ran towards the house, stopping momentarily as she passed Marco to shout.
‘If we don’t find my dog, the wedding is off!
’
Ben watched Rose’s face as Luna disappeared into the front of the villa, and the family began to yell more orders at one another, further forced into action by Luna’s declaration, while Marco stood looking shell-shocked.
Rose twisted round and pulled her phone from her pocket so she could switch on the torch and began to half trot, half run into the darkness.
‘Wait!’ Ben yelled, switching on his torch too as he stumbled after her.
‘Don’t you want to change your shoes too?
’ He caught up and looked down at her strappy silver sandals.
He paid attention, especially when gorgeous women wore heels.
‘You could trip.’
‘I’m fine,’ Rose said, her voice matter of fact.
‘We need to find the demon now. She’s not going to drown on my watch.
Do you know where this lake is?
’ She sped up again as another firework launched into the air, lighting up the sky in an explosion of colours.
‘I thought they were going to stop,’ she said, sounding angry.
‘The men programmed them to go off so Marco would be with Luna when they ignited. I don’t think there are many left now.
’ As Ben said it, the sky fell silent.
‘The lake is this way.’ He pointed left.
He knew every inch of the Marinos’ property – could navigate it in the dark if necessary.
‘You should hold my hand; it gets rocky somewhere around here.’ He caught up until they were walking side by side.
Ben thought Rose was going to refuse; instead, she left her hand in his when he took it and linked their fingers.
‘We have to find the demon.’ She sounded worried.
‘Luna loves that dog. We have to find her; if we don’t, the wedding won’t go ahead.
’
Ben squeezed Rose’s hand and led her on a path to their right.
He knew they’d reached the edge of the olive grove – close to where Cesare had planted the tree for Isabella – and imagined he could smell burning even now.
‘As much as I dislike Coco, I love her in equal measure. Coco!’ Rose bellowed into the darkness.
They stopped walking and waited, listening to the silence.
Ben could hear voices in the distance – recognised Aurora and Francesca’s dulcet tones.
But Coco didn’t answer.
‘Do you think she’s okay?
’ There was a crack in Rose’s voice, a hint of a tremor, and a measure of vulnerability he hadn’t heard until now.
Ben squeezed her hand again.
‘I think she’s fine,’ he said.
‘I’ll make sure of it.
’ He frowned: he hadn’t made anyone a promise in a long time.
‘What is that smell?’ Rose tugged Ben’s hand, guiding him towards the far corner of the field.
‘It’s like ashes. Coco!
’ She shouted. ‘You don’t think the demon would be attracted to it, do you?
’
‘I’m not sure. It’s Isabella’s tree – what’s left of it.
’ Ben shone the light from his phone onto the charred remains of the olive stump.
Cesare had cleaned up most of the debris, but he hadn’t pulled out the roots.
Perhaps he just couldn’t bring himself to do it?
Maybe admitting the tree was really gone was the same as accepting his marriage was too?
Ben knew Marco had offered to do it for him, but his grandfather had said no.
Instead, he’d tended to the plant daily, watering the charred remains as if he hoped it would somehow reanimate.
Rose knelt beside the stump and waved her light.
‘It looks dead,’ she murmured.
‘No wonder Isabella’s so upset.
’
There was a sudden burst of loud shouts in the far distance – in the direction of the house – and she jerked her head towards it.
‘Do you think they’ve found Coco?
’
Ben listened carefully.
‘I can’t hear barking.
’ He considered retracing their steps, but the lake wasn’t far, and if the dog hadn’t been found, they needed to check the water just in case.
Rose nodded, looking disappointed.
‘Coco would bark. Unless she couldn’t.
’ She looked stricken.
Ben took her hand and squeezed it again, then led her in the direction of the lake.
He could hear the soft whistling of crickets, could smell woody bark from the trees, and a combination of dust and hot night sky that had mingled with the familiar strawberry fragrance that made him think of Rose now.
He guided her closer and heard the quiet lap of water as the evening breeze blew across the lake.
He could smell it now, but it was still too dark to see.
He felt on edge, a little afraid of what they might find when they drew closer.
‘Coco!’ Rose shouted again as the laps grew louder.
‘Where are you?’
They were greeted with silence.
Rose disentangled their hands, and Ben heard the crunch of her feet on the ground as she moved closer to the edge of the water and swept the torch light from her phone in a wide semicircle making the ripples glitter.
‘I can’t see far. She’s not near the edge.
Do you think she’s here?
’
Ben shoved his hands into his pockets.
‘It’s hard to predict what an animal will do when it’s afraid.
’
‘Have you ever had a pet?’ Rose asked, turning to him.
Ben thought about it.
He didn’t like to share stories from his past. What was the point?
But there was something about Rose’s hopeful expression in the moonlight that made him break one of his own rules.
‘Never.’ He paused. ‘My parents were elderly and needed quiet. They were sick for most of my teens and a pet wouldn’t have been a good idea.
’ He waited for her to sympathise, to feel sorry for him.
Could feel a familiar deadweight in his chest, expecting it to get heavier.
Rose’s attention fluttered across his face and her lips pursed.
Her body was still, as if she’d somehow absorbed his emotions and was trying to process them.
He braced himself for her sympathy wishing he’d kept his mouth shut.
‘You should start with something small. Maybe a house plant?’ She studied him intently and he ground his jaw surprised.
‘A plant?’ He could feel the heavy weight lighten.
Rose nodded. ‘I’d suggest a cactus.
They’re difficult to kill and don’t take much effort.
’
‘Is that supposed to prepare me for being a pet owner?’ he asked, amused.
‘It’s supposed to prepare you for letting yourself get close to something.
’ She studied him, then nodded.
‘If you keep that alive, you’ll be ready for something like a hamster.
It’s important to take things slowly and work yourself up.
’
‘Another rule.’ Ben grinned.
‘I’d rather have a dog, something manly with big teeth.
’ His amusement faded as he looked across the lake.
He’d almost forgotten about Coco, he’d got so caught up in flirting.
Clearly, they both had.
‘I think we should go back to the villa.’
Rose looked surprised.
‘But we haven’t checked all the way round the lake yet.
’
Ben took a step closer to her, caught another whiff of strawberries and clenched his hands.
‘I don’t think she’s here.
Coco was frightened.
Instinct made her run, but it’s in her nature to find somewhere safe.
Safe isn’t a dark and cold lake, safe is with Luna or somewhere in the villa.
’
Rose stared at him.
‘You’re right,’ she said, looking surprised.
‘I had a gerbil called Biscuit once.’ She frowned changing the subject so quickly it took him a moment to catch up.
Rose didn’t give much of herself away either – so he appreciated the confidence.
Even if the change in subject was odd.
‘What happened to it?’ Ben could see from her face that something had.
Rose broke eye contact.
‘She died. I got her for Christmas and my parents had a fight.’ She paused.
‘Can’t remember why – it was probably the food, or wine, my mother’s dress or maybe it was that the presents she got were too expensive or just wrong.
’ She shrugged. ‘They screamed at each other for almost an hour. It was so loud I hid under my bed. And the next time I checked on Biscuit, she was dead. Dad took her back to the pet shop to complain and they said she’d likely suffered heart failure.
It can happen with too much noise.
Not all of us can handle the stress.
’ She straightened her shoulders as if confirming she could.
She was a strong woman – but with too much weight, even strong things broke.
He knew that from designing buildings.
‘Can any of us?’ Ben asked, wondering how many times Rose had needed to be strong.
Perhaps she followed all of her strict rules to stay sane?
‘Sometimes, you don’t have a choice,’ Rose said.
‘If we go back to the villa, where should we check?’ She began to walk, retracing their steps.
It was darker than before, and he contemplated taking her hand again.
But now Ben wasn’t sure who needed the contact more and he wasn’t sure he was ready to give in to this powerful need to touch her.
They walked in silence, then Rose suddenly stopped and turned so she could look up at him.
‘I was wrong…’
‘About what?’ Ben asked.
Rose gave him a shy smile.
‘About the cactus. I think you might be ready for a spider plant.’