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Matteo seemed slightly on edge, but he beamed warmly at his uncle and aunt when they appeared to say hello and then disappeared just as promptly. He led her and William around the large, stone-built house, pointing out the path that led through the fields and down to the village.
An elderly man seemed to pop up out of nowhere, walking briskly towards them through the vines. His hair was white, his face lined from a lifetime in the sun, but his back was straight and his dark eyes had something of the melting quality of Matteo’s. He hugged Matteo as if he hadn’t seen him for the last twenty years.
‘This is Nannu Alberto.’
‘That’s grandfather? In Italian?’
‘Sicilian...’ Matteo winced slightly as Nannu Alberto picked up her hand and planted a kiss on it, then kissed her on both cheeks and finished up with a hug. Then he turned his attention to William, shaking his hand gravely and beaming with glee when the boy introduced himself in Italian.
Nannu Alberto turned to Matteo, berating him about something and gesturing towards Rose. Maybe she’d done something wrong. ‘What did he say?’
Matteo shook his head. ‘He said that he understands why I haven’t been to see them for such a long time. Only a woman so beautiful could be a good enough excuse for me to neglect my elderly relatives so shamefully. Don’t listen to him...’
‘I think it’s very sweet of him. Grazie.’ Rose smiled at Nannu Alberto, and he kissed her hand again.
‘It’s been three weeks...’ Matteo was obviously still put out by the suggestion and Nannu Alberto laughed, nudging him.
‘You will see the vines?’ The question was directed at William and he looked up at Rose, a silent plea on his face.
‘Go on, then.’ She let go William’s hand and he started to run towards the rows of bushes.
‘Nannu Alberto...’ Matteo frowned at his grandfather and the old man gave him an exaggerated shrug, before turning to follow William.
‘I’m sorry. I’ll get him back...’
‘Why? We have time, don’t we?’ Matteo seemed to have something on his mind, but for the life of her Rose couldn’t think what it was. ‘Or does your grandfather skin little children and eat them for breakfast?’
‘No, nothing like that. William will be perfectly all right with him. He might get a bit dirty.’
‘That’s all right. It’ll wash off, and I’ve got a clean T-shirt in my bag for him.’ She bit her lip. Matteo’s aunt and uncle had been a little standoffish and perhaps they didn’t like him bringing her here. ‘If your aunt doesn’t mind my taking him in the house for a moment.’
‘No...no, of course not. I just thought...’ Matteo shrugged.
‘Would it be all right if you thought in the shade?’ She pointed to some chairs, set around a table under the spreading branches of an orange tree.
‘Yes, that might not be a bad idea. They could be a while.’
Matteo sat down, dropping his panama hat onto the table. Rose waited, but it seemed that he wasn’t going to volunteer the reason for his apparent chagrin.
‘Is there something the matter?’
He shook his head, staring out at the vines. ‘No, I...’
She tried again. ‘It’s very good of Nannu Alberto to show William the vines. Look what a good time he’s having.’
‘Okay.’ He held his hands up. ‘All right, I was just hoping you wouldn’t find my family too...suffocating.’
‘They barely said hello...’ A thought struck Rose. ‘Did you warn them off?’
‘I just mentioned...’ He stopped short, as his aunt appeared around the corner of the house, walking across to them with four glasses of lemonad
e on a tray. She smiled hesitantly at Rose, putting the tray quickly down onto the table.
This was all getting a bit much. Rose jumped to her feet.
‘Grazie...um... Home-made?’
