Chapter Thirty
It had been a long and exhausting few days. Izzy had done remarkably well coping with the journey. They made sure they had regular stops to take her out of her car seat and get some fresh air, enjoying the spectacular scenery as they made their way south. Angus had been a real trooper, doing the majority of the driving, keeping Libby entertained with chatter, and generally providing excellent company. She couldn’t believe her luck that he was here by her side; that they were doing this together. She truly couldn’t think of anyone in the world she would rather be there with as she took this extraordinary, life-changing step into the unknown. As they drove through the picturesque Italian countryside, Libby’s heart soared.
‘I can’t believe we are actually here for good,’ she said. ‘This country is our home for the foreseeable future. Isn’t it crazy?’ she laughed.
‘It is the craziest thing we’ve ever done,’ Angus said. ‘That’s for sure.’
‘It’s so beautiful…’ Libby sighed as she stared out through the window.
‘Impossibly so,’ Angus agreed. ‘I can’t wait to start my first series.’
‘I can’t wait to see what you do. We’ll have to have your work all over L’Albero di Limoni.’
‘Definitely… I might get some sales and commissions that way too.’
‘Good idea,’ Libby agreed.
‘Do you feel weird having left England?’ Angus asked her.
‘A bit. It’s so exhilarating, though, to have a change. I think it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut, in the same old existence. It feels pretty liberating to leave it all behind and have a fresh start, don’t you think? Even though I know it’s going to be incredibly hard work at the same time,’ Libby added.
‘I agree,’ Angus smiled. ‘I feel over the moon. Terrified, but so excited at the same time.’
When they eventually arrived in Tremento, they were greeted by Lizzy, who was staying for one more night to do a final handover and exchange before she flew back to the UK. She was leaving her car behind and flying back with just a couple of suitcases. All her other possessions had been shipped on ahead, except for any furniture and fittings that Libby and Angus had decided to keep as part of the sale. The house was full of boxes ready and waiting for them to unpack. They decided to wait until Lizzy had left before tackling them. They both realised how hard it must be for Lizzy to leave the place that was so utterly steeped in memories of Giuseppe.
Lizzy had cooked a delicious meal for them and they toasted the exchange with champagne, finding out all about her plans for the foreseeable future. She would be staying with John for a while to give her a chance to find her feet and decide where she might settle down. It was an emotional goodbye the following morning as they waved Lizzy off in her taxi.
‘Poor thing,’ Libby said. ‘It must be utterly heartbreaking leaving this place.’
‘So many memories.’
‘Perhaps it’ll be good for her.’
‘I hope so.’ They had offered her permanent visiting rights should she ever want to come back and stay, which she had gratefully accepted. Libby wondered whether she would take them up on their offer one day.
Izzy was toddling around the place happily within no time. She seemed to love exploring, and thought the packaging boxes were wonderful playhouses. Luca came over frequently to see Izzy, taking her back to Positano for his agreed days of shared custody. They had worked out a schedule that suited them both, heavily weighted in Libby’s favour.
The first few weeks flew by as they unpacked, sorted and explored the local area, working out where the shops were, the supermarkets, the DIY stores. Libby sourced suppliers for local produce to ensure she could provide the freshest and best-quality ingredients for her breakfasts. She would serve pastries and bread from the bakery as well as homemade fruit tarts and traditional breakfast cake. The butcher would ensure a regular supply of cooked meats, milk, eggs and bacon, and she would get fresh fruit, jams, and honey from the farm shop several miles down the road.
They had inherited a charming older lady called Francesca from Lizzy. She had been at L’Albero di Limoni for years as a cleaner and housekeeper, and she had instantly taken a real shine to Izzy. It was great to have someone so reliable to help look after her. Francesca’s daughter Simona had agreed to help with childcare when the guests started to arrive, especially during the busy mornings when both Francesca and Libby would be rushed off their feet. There were lots of meetings with local carpenters, decorators, electricians, and the architect in charge of converting the barn. The first priority was sorting out their living area, redecorating the parts of the house which would be their home, and so that was where they started. As each room was completed, they began to feel more settled, a little more at home.
It was Izzy’s second birthday not long after they arrived. It was hard for Libby to believe how the time had gone by. They spent the day with Luca and his family in Positano, having a birthday lunch in a local restaurant. It was the first time that Libby had been back there since she and Luca had split up and, while it was lovely to see Mario and Chiara and the rest of the family, she had never been more grateful to have Angus by her side. She could tell that Nicola, Giovanna and Antonia were watching them carefully, trying to figure out whether or not they were together. She was more than happy to let them come to their own conclusions. As she watched Angus chatting to Luca’s family, she could see how they would be impressed with her taste. He was deeply tanned and so tall in comparison with the Morellis. His charm was completely different to Luca’s, much more rugged and less groomed; his masculinity was earthier and less manicured. At first it felt strange to be there with Luca’s family, but by the end of the meal it had begun to feel more natural. Luckily enough time had passed, and enough had changed for Libby, both in terms of her circumstances but also her self-confidence and self-esteem, that she found she could handle the situation much better than she would have given herself credit for.
‘Thank you so much for coming with me,’ she said, as Angus drove them back to Tremento.
‘It was my pleasure,’ he replied. ‘They seem like a really nice family, to their credit.’
‘They are… It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, seeing them.’
‘I’m glad. They must think Luca is insane to have left you. I could tell.’
‘I think they thinkweare a couple…’ said Libby.
‘Let them!’ laughed Angus. ‘It’ll do them good!’ An image of Angus kissing her flashed into her mind and she blushed to the roots of her hair. She turned to check on Izzy in her car seat, distracting herself from the inappropriate thoughts that were attempting to flood her imagination. Once again she was grateful that Angus couldn’t see into her mind.
In June Helen’s baby was born. Libby left Izzy with Angus and flew back to the UK to meet her nephew. As she pulled away from the drive in the taxi with her small suitcase by her side, Izzy wailed and wailed. Libby couldn’t bear leaving her, but she was longing to meet her little nephew. She looked at Angus, standing by the front door holding her daughter, and she felt overcome with emotion. He looked so handsome in his decorating clothes, paint-spattered jeans and a crumpled T-shirt. She knew she was going to miss them both immensely, even if it was just for a couple of days.
Back in the UK, Henry opened the door to their little flat. ‘Libby! Welcome! It’s so good to see you…’ He gave her a big hug and took the huge bouquet of flowers from her. ‘Wow, this is the biggest bunch of flowers I’ve ever seen! You shouldn’t have…’
