Page 54 of Far from Home

He looked surprised at the question. ‘Only about two dozen times. It’s one of the greatest movies ever made. Why do you ask?’

She left her other hand in his as she did her best to explain what was worrying her. ‘Right at the end of the movie, when Bergman tells Bogart she’ll leave her husband and stay behind to be with him, Bogey tells her something like, “if you don’t leave now, sooner or later you’re going to regret it.” Does that ring a bell with you?’

He nodded slowly. ‘I remember it well. The screenplay was a masterpiece by a guy called Julius J. Epstein.’ A shadow crossed his face. ‘Are you saying you think this might apply to me? Do you think I’ll regret giving up my current lifestyle for your sake?’

‘That’s exactly what I’m saying. I can’t ask you to give up such a major part of your life. Aren’t you afraid that sooner or later it might start to gnaw at you and rankle with you? It might even make you come to resent me.’ He started to protest but she held up a hand to stop him. ‘Over the past few weeks that I’ve known you, I’ve grown to like you enormously, in fact I suppose the truth is that I think I’ve fallen in love with you, in spite of knowing you for such a short time. My father wrote in his letter to me that when he first set eyes on my mother it was love at first sight for him and I now know exactly what he meant. What I’m afraid of is: what if we get together only for your job to tear us apart? It would break my heart. It might breakme.’

She felt his hand squeeze hers reassuringly. ‘I promise you that isn’t going to happen. Just like you’ve been able to modify the job you love so you can come and live here in Sant’Antonio, so I’m going to do exactly the same thing. If it works for you, it can work for me.’ He gave her hand a gentle tug and pulled her towards him. ‘You and your father aren’t the only ones for whom love at first sight was a real thing. I think I love you too, Amy, and I want to spend my life with you.’ Her eyes were already closing in anticipation of the kiss when she heard his voice again. ‘Unless there’s already somebody else in your life.’

A happy smile formed on her face as she pointed down at the Labrador.

‘Love me, love my dog.’

Epilogue

The arrival of Lucy and her new man on Thursday afternoon brightened Amy’s already joyous week. The moment she saw the two of them together and saw the way that Lucy looked at him, she knew that this had to be The One. She was delighted for her friend and the more she got to know Jack in the course of the evening, the more she approved of Lucy’s choice. Here, she felt sure, was a relationship that looked as if it should go the distance – just like hers with Adam.

Later that afternoon Danny and Pierpaolo called in to help her get ready for the evening’s party. Together they shifted furniture, washed dishes and prepared cutlery and napkins for the guests. At just after six there was a knock at the door and the boys introduced her to the musician they had arranged. To Amy’s delight this was a young Spaniard called Miguel who played classical guitar. Wonderfully.

Amy had told people to come any time after seven so she hurried upstairs at six to shower and change. Tonight she was determined to look her best and she dug out a gorgeous Dior dress she had bought in the Harvey Nicks sale for half price – although that had still been an awful lot of money.

As she was drying her hair, the strangest thing happened.

She was standing in the bathroom, humming along to the strains of theConcierto de Aranjuezdrifting up from downstairs, when she had a feeling. When she recounted it to Adam later she found herself struggling for words to describe what had happened. There was no question of an apparition or a haunting or anything scary, but she just suddenly started to feel a warm, cosy glow spread throughout her whole body. It was as if a loving, supportive arm had encircled her shoulders and hugged her. It only lasted for a few seconds but its effect on her was immediate and overwhelming. She walked through to her room and sat down heavily on the end of the bed, looking across at the closeup photo of her father she had hung on the wall. She could feel her eyes stinging with emotion but, as she told Adam later, she didn’t feel sad or sorry, she just felt a wave of contentment that she had never felt before flood throughout her whole body.

Half an hour later, she greeted the guests as they started arriving with a broad smile on her face that never shifted all night. The first to comment was the first guest to arrive: Adam.

‘Ciao, bella. You’re looking gorgeous but, above all, I’ve never seen you so happy. You should have parties more often.’

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him until the repeated prodding of a cold wet nose against her bare leg forced her to step back and reassure the Labrador, who was looking concerned. She crouched down and gave him a hug before straightening up and catching Adam by the hand and leading him across to the drinks table. As she did so, she responded to his comment.

‘You’re right about the happiness. I’ve never felt this happy before and much of it’s because of you.’ Before he could ask, she added, ‘But a lot of it’s down to Martin Thomas Slater, my father and your friend.’ She waved a hand around the massive room, from the vaulted ceiling to the ancient terracotta floor tiles. ‘You can’t imagine how it feels for me to know where I come from – the real story – and to know that my father was such a brilliant man. Everywhere I look in here I see him, and it feels wonderful.’

The party was a great success. Rosa and Vincenzo arrived with Coco, and the two dogs spent most of the evening wandering from guest to guest, doing their best to look as if they were on the brink of starvation. Signora Grande surprised Amy by suddenly launching into a very convincing flamenco that drew applause from all the onlookers and then she grabbed her nephew and whirled him around the room in a Viennese waltz. By the time Pierpaolo returned to the drinks table for a well-earned glass of spumante, he was looking flushed while his aunt continued to whirl. He took a big mouthful of wine and explained to Amy.

‘Zia Valentina’s famous around here as a dancer. She and my uncle used to win competitions. Not bad for eighty-two, is she?’

Amy shared his admiration and she also admired the way Lucy barely glanced at Lorenzo Pozzovivo, who arrived looking as hunky and appealing as ever. No, it looked as though Lucy only had eyes for her Jack, and Amy was delighted for both of them. Angelo and Emilio Rossi arrived with their wives and Amy was able to break the news to them that she had now discovered the truth about her paternity. They looked genuinely happy for her and greeted the news that she was settling down here in Sant’Antonio with enthusiasm. Domenica and Rolando arrived with smiles on their faces and Amy even took her little brother for a dance at one point. All trace of his former hostility had disappeared and she felt genuinely comfortable in his presence.

It was a warm evening and the French windows were wide open to the garden. Towards the end, after excellent food produced by Giuliano from the restaurant, Amy wandered outside, accompanied by Max, and stood there, looking down the hill and across the roofs of the town. The orange glow of the street lights illuminated the aerobatic antics of families of bats as they swooped between the houses in search of insects for their evening meal. It was a delightful view and she never tired of it. She heard a movement behind her and felt a pair of strong arms catch her around the waist and a familiar voice at her ear.

‘What a magical night. I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d like to be and I definitely can’t think of anybody I’d rather to be with.’ She felt his lips press against her ear lobe and she turned towards him, looking up into his smiling face.

‘Ciao, bello, and there’s nobody else I’d rather be with either.’ A cold wet nose nudged her knee and she glanced down. ‘It’s all right, Max, I haven’t forgotten you. I love you, too.’

Adam gently turned her towards him and leant forward, brushing her forehead with his lips.

‘You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Amy.’

She smiled back at him. ‘I thought the best thing to happen to me was finding out about my father, but it looks as though Sant’Antonio had another trick up its sleeve.’ She kissed him softly on the lips. ‘I love you, Adam. I’ve never been so happy in all my life and I never want it to end.’

He kissed her in return. ‘Amen to that.’

A big hairy head nudged her leg again. Max agreed.