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But she did not know her own role with Nico. She did not know what part she played in his life. She had been Geo’s carer, and at times she had been Nico’s lover, but what was she now? His employee?
Still, Aurora had worked hard for this funeral. And she took care of things as a wife would when the mourners moved back to Geo’s house. She oversaw the proceedings like a hawk.
The coffee needed to be served more seamlessly, she told Chi-Chi, who was trying to chat up a guy. And the people over there had not been offered food for a while.
Aurora dealt with it all. She was constantly watching, swooping when needed, and then returning to be beside her master.
She looked across the room and could see that Nico was struggling to speak with Pino and his wife Rosa.
‘Stay tonight,’ Pino said. ‘Come and eat with us.’
‘Yes, Nico,’ Rosa said. ‘Don’t go back to Rome tonight.’
Aurora, who had been speaking to her father, saw the strain drawing Nico’s features taut. She caught his eye and moved to his side.
‘We were just saying to Nico he can stay with us tonight,’ Rosa explained as Aurora joined the conversation.
‘My father has offered the same,’ Aurora said. ‘But Nico has to get back to Rome.’
‘When will you be in Silibri again?’ Pino asked him.
‘We’ll see.’
Aurora felt the cannelloni she had just eaten curdle in her stomach at Nico’s vague reply. Nico truly answered to no one.
And then, one by one and two by two, the mourners were gone.
There is no sadder place than a house after a funeral when everyone has gone home, she thought.
Just Nico and Aurora remained. They were alone again. But she was suddenly scared that it was for the very last time. That the next time she saw him it would only be about work.
The cups and glasses and plates were all washed and put away. None of the endless food that had been made and brought was left in the kitchen—Nico had asked his guests to take the leftovers with them.
‘You could stay at the hotel if you don’t want to stay here,’ Aurora suggested as she plumped the cushions in Geo’s empty chair and missed the grumpy old man. ‘I know it’s not open yet, but there are suites…’
‘I would rather go home.’
And that made her breath hitch—becauseherewas home. Could he not see that?
‘When do you think you will be back?’ Aurora could not stop herself from asking, hoping that although he had been vague with Pino he might not be with her.
‘I don’t know,’ Nico said.
He had an army of people who would take care of the small paperwork trail Geo had left. And the house…? He would send someone to shut it up properly, and work out what to do with it later.
Right now he wanted to get back to the cool order of his life in Rome.
He turned his mind to answer her question. ‘I’ll be back for the hotel opening.’
‘But that is four months away,’ Aurora pointed out, and dread clenched like a fist as she realised Nico was really putting Silibri—and her—behind him.
‘Yes.’
‘Will you sell the house?’
‘Probably.’Just stop with the questions, he wanted to tell her, for his head was pounding. ‘Yes.’
‘But wouldn’t it be nice to have a home here? Like you do in Rome?’
