Page 29 of A Chance in a Million
At noon she put her packed lunch and two bottles of water into her little backpack and went over to David’s house. She knocked on the door and there was a single loud woof from inside. The door opened and she couldn’t miss the frisson of pleasure that shot through her at the sight of David, but she tried hard not to show it.
‘Hi, David, I’ve come to borrow your dog if that’s still okay.’
‘He’s all yours. Take care in the woods.’
‘Thanks. Enjoy your afternoon and don’t work too hard.’
She set off on foot with the dog, and together they headed down a winding path into the valley before beginning the climb up the steep slope on the far side. David had shown her a route that avoided almost all roads so she didn’t need to put Dino on a lead. There was only one place where they had to cross a quiet lane, but otherwise she saw virtually nobody apart from a few men working in the fields. All around were vineyards, the vines covered in fresh green foliage and the young grapes – barely the size of green peas – already forming into bunches beneath them. No doubt this whole area would suddenly become a hive of activity in the autumn as thevendemmia, the grape harvest, took place.
She thoroughly enjoyed herself navigating with the aid of her map and compass as she scrambled up towards the top of the hill. Although far from complicated, it reminded her of operations she had undertaken in the army and she felt genuinely nostalgic for what had been an exciting period of her life. Although this brought back the memory of Mark, she didn’t descend into melancholy and she found herself smiling contentedly as she soaked up the natural beauty of her surroundings.
Once she had climbed past the last of the vineyards, she found that David’s route took her into thick deciduous forest, mainly composed of chestnut trees, with the ground littered with the spiny cases of the nuts left over from the previous autumn. She kept a weather eye out for squirrels but neither she nor Dino spotted any, although she did see a big bird of prey with bright yellow legs, and then a moment later a curious black and white striped bird with a chestnut brown head sporting an extravagant crest and a long curved beak. With the aid of her phone, she discovered that this was called a hoopoe and she tried to take a photo, but it flew off before she could get more than a blurred snap.
Oblivious to the birds, Dino trotted ahead of her most of the time and was evidently enjoying his long walk as much as she was. At one point she crossed what was obviously the track David had spoken of but saw nobody. Presumably most people were finding today too hot for strenuous activity. Finally they climbed the last few hundred metres to the top. By this time she was perspiring freely and was ready for a rest and a drink. By the look of the panting Labrador, so was he.
Perching on an outcrop of stone just alongside the TV masts, she took a good look around. From up here she had a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view and, even through the heat haze, she was able to make out the urban sprawl of Padua to the east and even what was probably the Venice lagoon in the far distance. To the north, again in the far distance, was the dark bulk of the Alps, arching around from west to east. To the south of her were the other pyramid-shaped hills that made up the Colli Euganei, rising up like an island in the midst of the plains far below. The sky was clear, the sun scorching but the air up here was definitely fresher than further down, and she breathed deeply, enjoying the spectacle, and could almost feel her batteries – both physical and emotional – being recharged. Compared to the last ten years of her life, this was an oasis of calm and it was doing her good.
After a while, she shrugged off her backpack and reached inside. Predictably, the Labrador raised his nose and adopted his familiar ‘I’m starving’ look. She grinned at him. ‘It’s all right, Dino, I haven’t forgotten you.’
She took out a plastic bowl and filled it from one of the water bottles she had brought. He slurped up half the contents in one go and she followed his example – although less messily. She then pulled out a large dog biscuit and held it out towards him. He took it from her delicately and then settled down with the biscuit gripped between his front paws to crunch it up as she helped herself to a sandwich.
She had just finished her sandwiches and was nibbling at a banana when her phone started ringing. She pulled it out and checked the caller ID. So the curator of the Mantua Costume Museum had decided to get in touch…
‘Ciao, Paolo, how are you? Where are you calling from?’
‘Ciao, Jane. I’m still in Mantua but I’m coming over to Monselice tonight to see my parents and I wondered if I could maybe take you out for lunch tomorrow. It’s Monday so it’ll be my day off.’
For a moment Jane hesitated. She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea and consider this as a date. At the same time, he had been very kind to her and her employer and it seemed churlish to refuse, so she agreed, telling herself that if it looked like he was getting ideas about the two of them, she could spell out to him that she just saw him as a friend. ‘I’d like that, thanks, but I’ll just have to check with Lady Cooper first. I wouldn’t think she’ll have any objections though. Where were you planning on going? I’m out for a walk in the hills at the moment and I’ve just had a picnic lunch. We could do something like that if you like.’
‘Another time I certainly would like that, but I’m afraid the weather forecast is for rain overnight tonight and throughout most of tomorrow morning. Let’s have a lazy day.’
She promised to call him that evening after she had spoken to Veronica. After he had rung off, she slipped her phone back into the pocket of her shorts and took stock. The interesting thing was that her head was filled with thoughts of a completely different man – one who looked like a woolly mammoth.
Chapter 16
The weather forecast was dead right. It rained all night and when Jane woke up next morning it was to wet grass and muddy paths and she decided not to take her usual daily run. It finally stopped drizzling but the air was a whole lot fresher by the time Paolo came to pick her up at noon, and she took a jumper and a waterproof with her just in case. She gave him a cheerful welcome but limited herself to shaking his hand rather than kissing him on the cheek.
‘Ciao, Paolo. At least the rain’s lowered the temperature.’ What was that thing about the English taking refuge in talking about the weather?
‘It’s been over thirty degrees and really humid all week in Mantua. It’s wonderful to be able to breathe again… and to see you.’
‘It’s good to see you too. What’s your plan for today?’
‘Lunch, but something a little bit different, if you’re happy with it. It’s a restaurant in the suburbs of Padua. It’s well outside thecentro storico, in a very ordinary-looking place with no frills, but the food’s excellent. It started life as a project for former prisoners at the local prison – where there’s a very good restaurant as well by the way – and I often eat there. I think you might like it. Feel like giving it a try?’
‘Sounds exciting.’
The restaurant was a fairly unprepossessing large wooden structure set in the middle of a vegetable garden, surrounded by apartment blocks. It wasn’t exactly scenic but it was clear that the produce was going to be home-grown and completely fresh. They sat outside on a terrace that steamed as the sun broke through the clouds and rapidly began to dry everything out. Although she had brought her jumper Jane didn’t need it as the temperature climbed steadily from then on.
After ordering aspiedino mistoof grilled meat, she settled back with a glass of very good Merlot from the Colli Euganei and enjoyed Paolo’s company. They chatted about their respective jobs, his family and hers, and her ever-improving relationship with Veronica. She told him about her idea of writing a romantic thriller and he was supportive, telling her to go for it and asking if he could read what she had written so far. It was a most enjoyable meal and the chunks of grilled meat on a skewer were tender and tasty. Accompanying it were roast potatoes and a selection of vegetables cooked on the charcoal grill. There were slices of aubergines and courgettes, red and green peppers and, interestingly, half a red radicchio lettuce – all hot from the grill. Jane had never had cooked lettuce before but, doused with olive oil and with the charred outer leaves removed, it was delicious.
She found herself relaxing in his company, right up until he asked her what she had been doing since leaving university. After a few seconds’ hesitation she decided to tell him.
‘I was in the army.’
‘The army?’ He looked amazed. ‘You were a soldier?’
She nodded. ‘An officer in the British Army, for five years.’
