‘Sorry?’ the old woman exclaimed. ‘You should be happy you have won the heart of the winner of the Palio.’
Carrie turned to Nico in bewilderment. ‘What does she mean?’
‘She means I won,’ he said with his usual economy of words and emotion.
‘You won?’ He was so matter-of-fact, the change in him was stark. When he had professed his love for her he had shown more feeling than this. ‘I don’t understand how you could have won the race when you didn’t cross the line. What? Why are you smiling at me, Nico?’
‘Should a winner be sad?’
‘You won the Palio?’ Carrie shook her head, still not understanding.
‘I won your heart,’ he said, and as Nico stared at her Carrie felt his intensity and his need for her to believe him.
‘Yes, you did,’ she said softly, ‘but because of me you lost the race. You don’t have to pretend otherwise to try and make me feel better.’
‘Have I ever lied to you, Carrie?’
‘Never.’ It was true; he never had.
‘Then, believe me when I tell you that I won the Palio. Or should I say, my horse won the Palio.’ He stroked her face very gently, smoothing away the concern. ‘Fuoco’s headpiece was in place when he crossed the line, which is all that matters. No one cares about the jockey.’
‘I do,’ Carrie declared passionately.
‘Then, you’re on your own,’ Nico assured her, with a wry smile. ‘It’s enough to know that Fuoco won the Palio.’
As he spoke a cheer went up making further conversation impossible and Carrie’s heart soared as she gazed at all the glowing faces gathered around them. ‘I’m just so proud of you.’
‘And I’m just so relieved you’re safe, piccolo topo.’
She could see by his face he was teasing her. ‘What does that mean?’
‘Little mouse,’ Nico admitted dryly.
They were distracted by the sound of a resounding splash and some good-natured jeering.
‘Feel sorry for him,’ Nico said by way of explanation.
‘Sorry for whom?’
‘For the jockey who came second. He’s been pitched into the horse trough for his trouble.’
‘But if he came second he did really well.’ Considering the competition, he must have ridden extremely well, Carrie thought proudly, staring at Nico.
‘Here in Niroli second place is considered more shameful than coming last,’ he explained. ‘If you come second the belief is that you could have won if you had only tried a little harder.’
‘Well, I’m glad you were saved a soaking,’ Carrie said, nestling deeper into Nico’s embrace.
‘So am I…Though there were the odd moments when I doubted that I would…’
And now she doubted he was talking about the Palio. ‘Do you still have doubts?’
‘None,’ Nico assured her. ‘Now I am absolutely certain.’
And as cheers rose all around them for the hero, Nico Fierezza, who had won the Palio for the underdogs Nico drew his beloved Carrie into his arms and kissed her.
They were back at the palace where Nico had insisted Carrie must rest. He had called for a doctor, who had pronounced her fit and well, but said she was a victim of the heat that affected so many at this time of year. Nico had enforced his will on this occasion and had Carrie propped up on a daybed on a balcony overlooking the lake.
‘There must be no more skydiving from ridiculous heights,’ she told him, ‘no more diving with sharks, or dicing with death on white-water rapids and no more horse races—’
‘And how shall I change you?’ he said, pretending to ponder the dilemma.
Nico’s eyes were dark as sleep and Carrie felt a stirring of fear, knowing that he courted danger as assiduously as most people avoided it. She couldn’t bear to think about the possibility of losing him and had to know he would give up his love affair with extreme sports. ‘I’m being serious, Nico. You must promise me now that you’re going to be a father all risk-taking will stop.’
‘Then shall I leave you?’
‘No…And don’t tease me,’ Carrie warned him, ‘because this is serious.’
‘It’s easy to take risks when you have no one dependent on you,’ Nico observed.
‘No one’s dependent on you now,’ Carrie assured him, ‘but that doesn’t mean to say you can take risks.’
‘So is this a one-way relationship?’ Nico mocked her gently. ‘Maybe you don’t want to be dependent on me, Carrie, but our child will have to be dependent on both of us. And it wouldn’t be so bad if you were dependent on me, too, would it?’ There was a serious question in his eyes.