Her mother had left the morning after his arrival. Much to the relief of everyone involved. Esther had hugged her with a fierce grip when they stopped on the marble steps leading down to the drive. As her husband stood behind her at the door, his usual courteous self, her mother had darted him a look and then whispered something about checking her emails in the next few days.
Lise had nearly snorted.
She always checked her emails. What was her mother nattering on about?
The concern was swept away, though, as soon as the taxi drove down the lane towards the airport. Leaving her alone with her husband.
She’d turned to smile at him, ready to say the three all-important words.
He’d been gone.
“Lise,” his mother exclaimed. “Look at this darling suit.”
A pasted-on smile was the best she could do. “It’s cute.”
His momma was in shopping mode, his sister was more observant.
“What’s wrong?” Chi’s eyes were grave. “You’ve been quiet all day.”
The villa had been very quiet for the last three days. The family had stayed away; perhaps thinking her mother was still in residence. But why hadn’t Vico alerted them they could come back? She wanted to ask, yet he was rarely around.
When he was around, he was quiet.
Quiet was not a word she’d normally use for Vico Mattare. His deep voice boomed through the halls of the villa and rumbled across the terraces leading down to the lake. His laugh roared at his brother’s jokes and rolled through her heart. His energy crackled, his body prowled, his words purred. He was movement and action and sound and passion.
“I’m fine,” she responded with another fake smile. “Only a bit of fatigue.”
His momma tutted. “What am I thinking? Two pregnant ladies and here I am dragging them around for hours on their feet.”
“I’m fine—”
“Vico will have my head.” The older woman patted her arm. “Vene. Let us find somewhere to rest and have a long, cool drink.”
She allowed herself to be ushered out of the store and into the Italian sun. Soon the ladies were sipping lemonade and watching the Milan crowds as they hurried past. She tried to keep pace with her side of the conversation, and it appeared she was somewhat successful because there were no more questioning looks from Chi or tut-tuts from his momma.
The last three days Vico had not been laughing or joking or smiling.
Business, he’d said, as he went into his home office and shut the door.
Busy, he’d said, as he drove off to his Milan office.
She’d been alone for the first time in months. A thousand photos had been taken as she tried to assuage her worries. A hundred walks by herself. A dozen hours doing nothing. The only time she’d seen her husband was at dinner. Where he watched her with blank eyes and slight smiles, adding little to her stilted conversation.
Tired, he’d said.
Distracted, he’d said.
Lise slid her finger down the iced glass, watching the drip of water as it clung to the rim. The gurgle of fear she’d been trying to push away for three days reared again in her throat. This wasn’t about her mother’s presence. He couldn’t possibly be this distant merely because her mother stopped by on an unscheduled trip.
Therefore, it must be something else.
The realization had come on the second day, when he, again, did his disappearing act. The first day, she’d bought it. Perhaps some crisis had erupted in one of his businesses. Hurt that he wouldn’t confide in her as he had before was dismissed. And it completely disappeared when he’d followed her to her room that night after dinner and made love to her with a desperate passion that had swept any thoughts or fears away.
She’d almost whispered the words. Almost.
Before the confession came, however, he’d been gone. Back to his own room.
Restless, he’d said.
Go to sleep, he’d said.
Lise had spent the rest of the night staring at the beautiful antique chandelier above her head. Remembering the previous night. The night his bedroom door was locked.
Locked to her.
She’d thought it a mistake at first. They always slept together now; even when she was too tired to make love. She’d even knocked. Getting no response, she’d finally crept back to her old bedroom. This must be because of her mother’s presence, she’d reassured herself that night. Everything was going to be all right.
Instead, something was very wrong.
“Don’t you think so, Lise?” Chi’s voice cut through her turgid thoughts.
“Si, si.” She smiled and sipped, not having a clue what she’d agreed with.
Si, it was something else.
Could it be…another woman? Had he tired of her bulging body and returned to his usual ways?