CHARLOTTE LAMB - Dark Fate

‘Well, I hope you’re right,’ Terry said flatly, sounding unconvinced. ‘In your place, though, I’d think twice about taking him up on his invitation.’

Jamie frowned while he finished his main course, a dish of calf’s liver fried with fresh leaves of sage, served with onions.

‘That was delicious!’ he said to the waiter as the man whisked away his plate, looking cross because Jamie was the last at table to finish that course.

The waiter mumbled a reply and Jamie suddenly did a double take, catching his arm. ‘Giorgio! You were serving tea on the terrace this afternoon, weren’t you? Did you notice the man who joined me at my table?’

‘Signor Alessandros?’ The man shrugged. ‘Yes, signor .’

‘You know him?’ asked Jamie eagerly.

‘But, of course, signore —he owns this hotel!’ said the waiter, sniffing.

Saskia drew a shaken breath.

Terry sat up in his chair, staring at the waiter. ‘Signor Alessandros?’

‘He owns the hotel?’ repeated Jamie, his face incredulous. ‘Are you sure?’

The waiter nodded vehemently. ‘Very sure, signore . He bought it last year; he lives on the mainland, opposite Venice, in a very beautiful, historic house on the Brenta canal, and is often here, in the hotel. I have served him many times.’

Terry was scowling. ‘If you had told me his name was Alessandros, I’d have known who he was,’ he said, his face envious and faintly resentful. ‘I haven’t actually met him myself, but of course I’ve heard of him—he owns a number of hotels we use, his family own a hotel chain with hotels all over Italy; he must be one of the richest men in the country.’

‘Well, I’m relieved to find I was right to trust him!’ Jamie said cheerfully, drinking some of his red wine.

‘Good heavens, yes,’ said Terry, staring at him in a puzzled way. ‘You’re very lucky to be invited to his home! I can’t get over it. You say he just came over and introduced himself? It’s amazing. I tell you what, I’ll get down early tomorrow morning and see you off, just to check that it is him—I’d know his face anywhere; I’ve seen pictures of him in Italian papers a hundred times.’

Saskia gave him a dry look. Now that he believed Jamie had really met Domenico, Terry was eager to scrape acquaintance too. She wasn’t surprised; she had met that attitude far too many times during the years she’d spent with Domenico. Money had that effect on people; it drew them like a magnet.

Terry caught her cynical glance and went an ugly red. ‘Well, time to make my little talk to everyone,’ he said hurriedly, getting up. ‘I must get my notes for tomorrow, to check our itinerary. Excuse me.’

When he had gone, Jamie grinned at her. ‘I think he’s jealous; he’d have liked to meet Mr Alessandros.’

‘I think you’re right,’ Saskia said, smiling back at him.

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