Heavyhearted, Dante drove into Herba. He encountered Signora Bruno at the door, but she was as mystified as he was. She had assumed the girl had gone to see him.
He found Elio drinking at the bar in Luigi’s. The old man was sobbing into his glass. “I’ve lost my daughter,” he wailed.
“Where has she gone?” Dante demanded.
“Just like her mother,” said Elio.
“What are you talking about?”
“Run off with her lover.”
“What lover?”
“A man she met at the market.”
“You’re confused,” snapped Dante.
“No, she’s a whore!” The old man cackled. “And you thought the child was yours. Ha! That’s the funniest part of the story. I’d laugh if I wasn’t so bloody miserable. Just like her mother. Now I am well and truly alone.”
Dante left the bar reeling. He knew in his heart that what Elio said could not possibly be true. The man was drunk and hallucinating. He had to find her, but where in the world would he start looking?
When he arrived back at La Magdalena, Good-Night was waiting for him at the gates in the pouring rain. At first Dante barely recognized him: he was sodden and bedraggled, and the fur about his face was gray, making him look old and sad. Dante climbed out of the car and ran over, lifting the animal into his arms. But as he staggered back to the car he was overcome with loss and sank to his knees. He buried his face in the dog’s soggy neck and cried.
“Where is she? Where has she gone?”
Good-Night wriggled out of his embrace and limped into the middle of the road. Then he lay down with a whine and placed his head between his paws.
29.
Devon, 2009
Rafa awoke to Biscuit jumping onto his bed with an enthusiastic leap. For a second he defended himself, forgetting about the rescue the evening before. Then, just as suddenly, it all came rushing back, and he laughed, pulling the dog into his arms affectionately.
“Oh, it’s you, Biscuit!” he said in Spanish. “You want to go out, I suppose?” Biscuit seemed to understand, for he sprang off the bed and waited by the door, wagging his tail.
Rafa dressed and made his way downstairs with his new companion. The hotel was gently stirring to life. He could hear the creaking of the water pipes beneath the floorboards and the gentle clatter from the dining room where a few early risers were already having breakfast. Shane was in the hall with Tom, while Jennifer was at reception, checking her mobile telephone for messages. When Biscuit clattered down the stairs, they all stopped what they were doing and greeted him enthusiastically.
“He’s none the worse for his fright,” said Shane, giving him a firm pat.
“He’s had a good sleep,” Rafa informed him.
“Isn’t he adorable?” Jennifer gushed, crouching down to tickle his ears. “I’m glad he’s allowed to stay.”
“By the skin of his teeth,” said Tom with a smirk.
Rafa took Biscuit round to the front of the hotel and watched him run down the lawn. It was a beautiful June morning. The sky was veiled in a light mist, the sun already burning through to reveal patches of blue. He put his hands in his pockets and thought of Clementine. The mental picture of her made him feel light inside. He imagined her smile and the way it transformed her face. Then his thoughts clouded a moment as he remembered why he had come. He knew it wouldn’t be in his interests to get too close, especially at this stage. But he was beginning to feel a warm sense of belonging, and he was beginning to care. The thought of seeing her later filled him with anticipation, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to wait until the end of the day. He strode into the vegetable garden while Biscuit sniffed the ground excitedly, taking in all the new, unfamiliar smells.
Rafa pulled out his BlackBerry. He felt the urge to call her, just to hear her voice. He scrolled down to her number and pressed it. It rang a few times before going through to her answer machine. He grinned as he listened to her recorded message: “Hi, it’s Clemmie. Not a good moment. Sorry. You know the drill.” There followed a long bleep.
“Buenos días, Clementine,” Rafa said. “I’m in the garden with Biscuit. It is a beautiful day. I don’t feel right taking our dog for a walk without you. He’s just found a very interesting hole in the grass. Luckily, it is not big enough for him to climb into. We need to buy him food, no? Let me know when you are free. Have a good day in the office. Ciao.”
As he hung up, he saw Biscuit accosting Harvey as he came out of his shed at the bottom of the vegetable garden. The old man was surprised to see a dog on the property and looked around anxiously to see where he had come from. Rafa hurried down to explain. “Ah, Rafa. Does this little fellow belong to you?”