The Silent Wife(35)

As he filled me in on all the things we’d be able to do, I could have hugged him for making me feel just a tiny bit welcome rather than a cumbersome suitcase they’d have to shell out extra for to put in the hold. ‘It will be great for Sam to have some company. He finds Mum and me a bit dull on holiday.’

Nico reappeared with a tray of drinks. ‘Be careful what you wish for. Massimo is the mastermind of holiday activities. We won’t just have a bit of a splash about in the pool, we’ll have the Olympics of swimming competitions. You know Massimo used to swim for the county, right? We’ll have to give him a handicap, otherwise he’ll have done five lengths in the time it takes me to do one.’

‘Meant to say, I gather Francesca’s been doing pretty well in the county trials recently,’ Massimo said.

‘Yeah, she’s got your killer competitive streak.’

Massimo pulled a face. ‘Doesn’t seem to have rubbed off on Sandro yet.’

Nico took a sip of wine. ‘Mate, you might just have to face the fact that he’s inherited my arty genes, not your Superman ones.’

Massimo frowned. ‘Nothing to do with genes, it’s about wanting it enough and being prepared to put the hours in.’ He turned to me. ‘I’ll get you all in training this holiday. You didn’t realise you were coming to the Farinelli boot camp, did you, Maggie?’

Although he was joking, my stomach tightened at the thought of being the fatty at the back. Nico slapped Massimo on the shoulder. ‘I’m not having you bullying my young bride.’ He squeezed my knee. ‘If Massimo suggests anything, say no. You’ll think you’re just going for a little walk, but Massimo will have you hiking up and down the nearest mountains in double quick time. And don’t even think about getting out a pack of playing cards. Never has a game of Snap been so fiercely contested.’

Massimo raised his eyebrows at Nico. ‘No point in participating if you don’t intend to win. Why be mediocre when you can be the best?’

‘I can’t get excited about a game of Snap,’ Nico said. He shook his head at me. ‘Massimo can’t even stand losing to Sandro, can’t bear to be beaten by a seven-year-old.’

‘Too right. Winning’s a state of mind, dear brother. That’s why you’re driving a Volvo and I’ve got a BMW.’

Nico laughed. ‘No point in ruining a posh car with all the muck from the garden centre. At least I’m not so tight that I won’t stump up for driving lessons for my wife.’

Massimo threw his hands up in the air in mock despair. ‘Maggie, help me out here. Is it really my fault that my wife is so environmentally conscious that she refuses to learn to drive? I’d love her to have a car but she won’t.’

I felt a rush of admiration for Lara and her right-on attitudes, though I wasn’t sure how she squared her conscience with the patio heaters and Aga. Mainly though, I was envious she actually had time to walk everywhere, rather than squealing about town rushing here, there and everywhere like I seemed to do.

Massimo winked at me. ‘And talking of tightwads, isn’t it time Nico got you a little upgrade?’

I glanced over at Nico to see if any of these little barbs – which appeared to pass for humour in the Farinelli family – were bothering him, but they seemed to be rolling off him, good-natured man that he was.

I jumped in. ‘I don’t want a new car. I love my old Fiesta because I don’t have to worry about it – no one is ever going to bother stealing that, when they could pinch a decent car instead.’

Nico said, ‘Save your breath, my darling wife. Massimo doesn’t understand being satisfied with what you’ve got, he wants to be the best and have the best.’

I wanted Nico to know I was on his side. ‘It was a good job you weren’t in my sports team at school, Massimo. I was the one who would start waving at my mum on sports day and forget that I was supposed to be sprinting.’

He laughed. ‘But you’re a girl, Maggie. You can get away with it.’

Jesus. The Farinellis did like their handsome prince, distressed princess up the tower shit. A fortnight of ‘my willy’s bigger than yours’ might get pretty wearing. I hoped I’d have a little bit of time on my own with Nico. I wondered if it would be sacrilege to suggest slipping off for a meal one evening just the two of us. I tested the water. ‘If you and Lara want to go out for dinner one night on your own, I’d be more than happy to babysit Sandro.’

Massimo grinned. ‘That would be great, Maggie. I’ll see if I can get Lara to agree, she doesn’t really like leaving him.’