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‘Thank you.’
‘It doesn’t go unnoticed.’
Was it still the bloodied sheet that she held in her hand that made her blush, or was she hearing a warning behind Francesca’s words? Had Rafe asking for her to service his suite set off an alarm? Or had they been seen driving off last night?
Surely Francesca didn’t know?
‘Let me help you,’ Francesca said, and together they made the bed with fresh linen, chatting while they worked. ‘After this we need to set up the Temple Suite.’
‘Is there a guest arriving?’ Antonietta frowned, because there had been no mention at handover.
‘Nico is flying in to take lunch with Signor Dupont in the restaurant.’
‘Oh.’
‘Birds of feather.’ Francesca gave a tight smile as she wrestled a pillow into its case.
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Oh, I know Nico is happily married now, but let us not whitewash his past and make him a saint. He was as much a playboy as Signor—’
‘Francesca,’ Antonietta interrupted, even though Francesca was her boss. ‘You know I don’t like to gossip. Aurora is my dearest friend and Nico is her husband. Gabe is my godson.’
‘Of course.’
The silence between them was a bit strained after that.
With the bed made, Antonietta swept out the fire in the main lounge and then ticked that off the list. Because it was a deep service there was high dusting and ledges to be wiped, but finally it was all finished. And then, because Francesca seemed to be watching everything she did, Antonietta checked each and every candle, despite knowing they hadn’t been lit.
It was possibly Antonietta’s only regret from last night—not to have seen the August Suite bathed in candlelight.
‘I think we are done,’ Francesca said. ‘Why don’t you head off? I shall head down to greet Nico.’
‘But we have the Temple Suite to prepare.’
‘You’re on a half-day,’ Francesca pointed out, and then stopped speaking as the door opened and Rafe walked in.
He wore black jeans and a black jumper and his hair was dishevelled. From the sand he’d brought in, Antonietta guessed he had been walking on the beach.
‘Buongiorno, Signor Dupont,’ Francesca said. ‘We have just finished.’
‘Buongiorno, signor,’Antonietta added dutifully, although her voice was barely a croak.
Rafe didn’t return their greetings and gave only the vaguest of nods as he walked past them with barely a glance.
She could have kissed him there and then for his arrogant ways, for surely this must put paid to any suspicions Francesca might have.
‘Have a nice half-day and a good day off tomorrow,’ Francesca said. ‘Do you still have Christmas shopping to do?’
‘No...’ Antonietta said, but then remembered the lipstick. ‘Yes—I still have Aurora’s present to get, and I would like to get something for Pino.’
And she wanted to get something for Francesca too, Antonietta thought as she left the Old Monastery. Oh, and Vera in the laundry. And then there was Tony and Vincenzo...
She had come back to Silibri to be reunited with her family, and if that didn’t work then her plan had been to leave and never look back. Yet, despite making no progress with her family, she was starting to make friends here. Real friends.
But still, it was going to be a very lonely Christmas. And for different reasons than those she had imagined when she had first arrived in Silibri. Christmas meant that Rafe would be gone, and she did not know how she would deal with that.
Nico’s chopper was hovering as she crossed the grounds, and she watched as the pilot skilfully landed the beast. To her delight it was not just Nico who stepped out but Aurora too, and she was holding little Gabe!
