Page 20 of Change of Heart
‘I’m very pleased to hear that, Alice, but I was asking Simonetta.’ She didn’t say it nastily, but she made it clear that she wanted to hear from her granddaughter. That was a brief pause before Simonetta replied.
‘Achille and I sometimes met him. We met both brothers, when we were younger. You know, at local fairs and football matches and things like that.’
‘Of course, but people can change as they grow older. Maybe he’s no longer a simple, innocent little boy.’
‘Yes, but…’
Seeing that Simonetta was floundering, Alice tried another intervention. ‘I heard that he had a major falling-out with his father a long time ago and apparently the two of them haven’t spoken for years and years. Surely that’s in his favour.’
‘Who told you that?’
Alice felt the baroness’s shrewd old eyes studying her. It had been Alfonso the groundsman who had first given her this piece of information but she felt she had better leave him out of it just in case he got into trouble as a result for talking out of turn.
‘Luca Montorso himself, when I visited his studio on Friday.’ The baroness nodded before redirecting her attention to her granddaughter.
‘But he didn’t tellyou, did he, Simonetta. Is there something you haven’t told me?’
After another long silence, Simonetta finally gave in. ‘Yes, there is, Nonna, and I’m afraid you aren’t going to like it.’
‘Why don’t you let me be the judge of that? The older I get, the less things seem to bother me.’
Alice shot a sideways glance at Simonetta and could see the worry on her face as she set about explaining the length and depth of her relationship with Tommaso, finishing with the words, ‘It all started years ago, but we’ve only really been together properly for the last three or four years.’
‘You and Luca Montorso?’
‘Not Luca. His brother, Tommaso; they’re twins.’
Alice did her best to make it look as if she was staring out of the window at the hills on the opposite side of the valley while at the same time keeping a surreptitious eye on the baroness’s face. She hadn’t been quite sure what to expect – outrage maybe – but the old lady’s features hardly changed at all.
‘So you’re telling me that you’re in love with a member of the Montorso family?’
‘Yes, I am.’ Simonetta was trying to sound resolute but Alice could hear the insecurity in her voice.
‘And you’ve felt this way for a number of years, but you haven’t dared say anything to your father or me about it?’
‘Yes, Nonna.’
Alice didn’t want to swivel her head around so as to look at Simonetta, but from the way her voice cracked, it sounded as though she was about to burst into tears. It must have seemed that way to her grandmother as well, because she was quick to reply.
‘I never cease to amaze at how silly people can be. What’s wrong with falling in love? Some people go through their whole lives without knowing love, so you can consider yourself a very lucky girl.’
‘Yes, but he’s a Montorso…’
‘My dear girl, in this day and age it wouldn’t matter in the slightest if he was a little green man or a two-headed woman. We’ve moved on since medieval times.’
‘You don’t mind?’ Simonetta’s voice was little more than a croak.
‘Of course I don’t. Times have changed. I just wish your father could get that into his head and, indeed, the same applies to the father of your beloved Tommaso. Now come over here and let me give you a hug. It takes me too long to get up.’
Simonetta jumped to her feet and almost flung herself into her grandmother’s arms. From the way her shoulders were shaking, it was pretty clear to Alice that she was crying now and she felt her own eyes stinging with emotion in sympathy. The two of them stayed like that for almost a minute before Simonetta pulled herself out of her grandmother’s arms and perched on the arm of the chair beside her, wiping her eyes with a tissue.
‘And you really don’t mind? You’re sure?’
‘Of course I’m sure. In fact, I’m delighted for you. I’ve been thinking for some years now that it was about time you found yourself a husband. So, are you planning on marrying him?’
Simonetta nodded vigorously. ‘We’d love to get married, but it’s so terribly complicated.’
‘Well, listen to me, it doesn’t need to be complicated as far as our family are concerned.Amor vincit omnia, remember that. Love conquers all. You’re free to marry whoever you like, and I look forward to meeting Tommaso… and his brother.’
