1952 - The Wary Transgressor Read online

  I didn't say anything. I was scared my voice would give me away.

  "Come with me to my car," he said abruptly, and walked along the verandah, down the path that led to the front of the house.

  Aware that my legs were shaky, I followed him.

  When we reached his car, he turned, saying, "You're an American?"

  I saw the danger of that at once. If he asked to see my permit papers and discovered I hadn't any, I could imagine he would notify the police.

  "Not exactly, signore. My father was an American officer during the first war. My mother was a foolish Italian girl who should have known better. I have retained his name at her request."

  That seemed to satisfy him for he asked, "Did Nurse Fleming engage you?"

  "No, signora Fancino."

  His face-hardened.

  "I see. Nurse Fleming tells me you have been reading to signor Fancino."

  "Yes; she objected, but I think he was glad of the diversion."

  "She won't object in the future," he said tartly. "You have my permission to amuse him during the afternoon, and when your other work permits you. I find him a lot brighter today."

  "I shall be pleased to do what I can."

  He pulled at his beard while he stared at me. I could see he was still a little doubtful of me.

  "Signor Fancino was considered one of the most brilliant men in Italy," he said abruptly. "It is particularly hard on him to be in his present position, cut off from any intellectual pursuits. The main reason why he isn't making any progress is because he has now no outlet to exercise his brain, and that fact depresses him. Nurse Fleming tells me you were reading Vasari to him."

  "I thought it would be a change from the tripe she insists on reading to him."

  "How is it you are interested in Vasari?"

  "I'm writing a book on Italian cathedrals. That is why I am here. The work gives me money to live on and enough leisure to complete my book. I told signor Fancino about it. It seemed to interest him."

  "Of course it would interest him. He was responsible for moving all the treasures from the various cathedrals when the invasion began. He is an authority on art, and has supervised the restoration of a number of frescoes that were damaged during the war. You couldn't do better than tell him about your book if you know what you're talking about."

  I laughed.

  "I know what I'm talking about," I said. "Is there any hope of his recovering?"

  Perelli shook his head.

  "He'll never recover the use of his limbs, but his speech might return. That is mainly psychological: due to shock. If his interest is sufficiently awakened, or if he experienced a violent shock, or if he could create the desire to express himself again, he could very easily regain his speech."

  "Medical treatment won't do it then?"

  "No, but if he made up his mind he could do it himself."

  "Does he know?"

  "Not yet. I've told no one, and I don't want you to tell anyone either. It is too early yet. He must first get rid of his depression, and there must be a much greater improvement in his general health before he can make an attempt. I think you could do a lot for him, that is why I'm telling you this. He is much more alert and brighter since you talked to him. Of course, the news that his daughter is returning has also helped him." He put his bag in the car, then asked, "Have you a room here?"

  "I'm staying in the village, at the local garage."

  He looked happier when I told him that.

  "I shall be in again on Tuesday. I hope to see a further improvement."

  I watched him drive away.

  I had just finished packing when I heard the lock click back.

  Laura came in.

  She was pale and her eyes were deepset.

  "I saw the light, David, so I thought I'd come down."

  I put the suitcase on the floor beside the other, and straightened.

  "Your dream nearly came true," I said, looking at her. "I'm going to believe in dreams in the future."

  "It didn't quite come true."

  "No."

  She moved listlessly to the window.

  "I was scared, David. I thought you were doing to drop him."

  "I didn't intend to drop him."

  I sat on the bed, keeping away from her, and took out a packet of Lucky Strike. I lit one and put the packet away.

  "What did Perelli talk to you about?"

  "He told me it was a good idea to read to Bruno."

  She turned.

  "Is that all?"

  "He wanted to know who I was, who engaged me, and where I was sleeping. I told him I had a room in the village."

  "Did he say how Bruno is getting on?"

  "He said he was depressed, but if his interests were stimulated he would make better progress."

  "He didn't say if he would move again?"

  "He said he wouldn't ever regain the use of his limbs."

  She drew in a quick breath of relief.

  "He really said that?"

  "Yes."

  "And—and did he say anything about him being able to talk again?"

  I remembered what Perelli had said.

  "He didn't mention that."

  "It would be bad for me, David, if he could make another will."

  "If he could, I don't see why he should want to. You're his wife; you're entitled to a share of his money."

  She began to move restlessly about the room.

  "He hates me now, David. I suppose it's my fault. I haven't been very kind to him since he's been ill. I'm afraid I'm not very good with sick people."

  I didn't say anything, but I was listening.

  "We had a bad quarrel, the day before his accident," she went on, not looking at me. "He told me then he intended to change his will. Maria heard him. He said he was only going to leave me a third and give Valeria two-thirds. Then the accident happened, and he hasn't been able to change it."

  "I shouldn't worry about it," I said curtly.

  "No, perhaps you wouldn't, David, but I can't help it. If he had died tonight…"

  "Stop it!" I went over to her. "If you're going to talk like this, Laura, you'd better go."

  "Don't send me away, darling." She put her arms round my neck and leaned against me. "Now Valeria's coming home we shall have to be very careful. These next few nights may be the last we'll be able to spend together in safety." She pulled my face down and kissed me. "Say you love me, David."

  There was something about her that broke down my determination and will power. I found myself kissing her, and holding her to me as if I were afraid she would try to get away.

  "Wait a moment, darling. Let me take this off. You're crushing it." She slipped out of her dress. I picked her up and carried her over to the bed.

  As I knelt over her, she looked up, her hands pushing me gently back.

  "David, you're worrying me."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Why have you suddenly decided to be nice to Bruno?"

  I sat back, staring at her.

  "Nice to him? You mean why did I read to him this afternoon?"

  "Yes. Why did you do it?"

  "I was sorry for him."

  "Oh. Nothing more than that?"

  "No. He was up there alone so I thought I'd try to amuse him."

  "I see." Her eyes continued to search my face. "Have you read his will David?"

  "How could I? What do you mean?"

  "I didn't know if you had seen it by accident. I made a copy of it, and I keep it in my desk drawer. I just wondered if you had come upon it by accident."

  "Are you suggesting I accidentally searched your desk?"

  "Please, don't get angry, David. I might have left it lying around."

  "You didn't, and I haven't seen it. Why do you ask?"

  "Well, you see, David, you're in it."

  I felt suddenly like a man in a haunted house who hears a door creak behind him.

  "Don't talk nonsense. How can I be in it?"

  "
But you are: you're a member of the staff, and Bruno has left certain sums to each member of the staff who is working at the villa at the time of his death."

  "But he mentions them by name?" My voice sounded off key.

  "No. He mentions Maria, of course, but covers the rest of the staff by saying all members of the staff working for him are to have a certain sum of money. So you would get the money as well as Guilio and Nurse Fleming."

  "How much is it?"

  "Six hundred and fifty thousand lire, darling."

  "As much as that?" I said, trying to sound calm, but my heart was racing. That was the exact sum Jacopo wanted for a passport; the sum to a lira.

  "Yes: don't you wish you had dropped him, darling, after all? You've missed your opportunity. You won't be able to do it a second time."

  "How can you talk like that?" I said, feeling sweat on my face.

  Six hundred and fifty thousand! And no strings tied to it: no need to marry Laura; no need to accept anything from her: the exact sum that would get me out of Italy!

  "Why shouldn't I talk to you as I feel?" she said, reaching up and putting her hands on my shoulders. "It's not as if he meant anything to me—or to you. I wish you had dropped him, David. You would have had your money, and I would have had mine!"

  "Shut up!" I said, and broke away from her. "I'm not listening to this sort of talk."

  "You know, David, you sound as if you were tempted; are you?"

  "No! Now, shut up about it!"

  "Come and hold me, darling. Don't go away from me."

  I hesitated, looking down at her as she lay on the bed, then I sat at her side and put my arms around her again.

  "David, what will you do with the money when you get it?"

  "Can't you leave it alone? I don't want to talk about it!"

  She raised her face to mine.

  "All right, let's not talk about anything."

  As I bent to kiss her, I felt her suddenly stiffen and her fingers clutched hold of my arm.

  "There's someone out there!" she whispered.

  "I didn't hear anything."

  "I did. I'm sure. Go and see, David. Be careful they don't see you."

  I slid of the bed and went quietly over to the window. The moon was hidden by the willow trees, and I looked out onto a black patch of shadow. I couldn't see anything.

  Laura came over and stood at my side, keeping behind me.

  I heard a faint creaking noise of oars working in rowlocks.

  "Someone's down there in a boat," she whispered. I could feel her trembling against me.

  "It's probably a fisherman," I said, keeping my voice down. "There's no need to be frightened."

  "Go down and see, David. Fishermen never come to the villa. You might be able to see the boat from the swimming pool."

  "I don't think…"

  "Please, David!"

  I went down the stairs, along the concrete path to the swimming pool I could hear the faint splash of oars quite distinctly now. The boat was moving away and going fast, but it kept close to the shore.

  I couldn't see it; and, shrugging, I turned to go back to the boathouse. Then I stopped dead, and sniffed.

  Someone had been here very recently: someone who had been smoking a cigar.

  chapter five

  I didn’t see Laura the next morning. Nurse Fleming told me she was busy with Maria, preparing Valeria's room. Until lunchtime I was occupied in moving my things down to the room over Bicci's garage, and fixing myself up, watched interestedly by Bicci.

  I hadn't told Laura about the cigar smoke I had noticed hanging over the swimming pool. I had said someone had been close by in a boat, but I hadn't been able to see who it was.

  She had been uneasy and worried, and had left me almost immediately after my return.

  I wondered who the man in the boat had been. I wondered if it could have been Bellini, but I told myself Bellini wasn't the only man in Italy to smoke cigars.

  Having made my new room as comfortable as I could, I went back to the villa. On the way I thought about Bruno's will and the extraordinary coincidence of the sum of money that would come to me if I remained in his employment until his death. Six hundred and fifty thousand lire. It made me sweat to think of it: the price of a passport and my freedom!

  I was now in two minds what to do: to leave the villa when Valeria arrived or to give up that idea, and hang on in hope Bruno would die and I'd collect the money.

  If I left the villa I knew I should be saying goodbye to any chance of leaving Italy. I could never hope to raise six hundred and fifty thousand lire unless someone gave it to me or I inherited it. The temptation to stay was strong, but I knew I had to go.

  When I wasn't on my guard the thought that Bruno's death would be extremely convenient to me kept dropping into my mind.

  There had been moments, last night, as I had tossed and turned in the darkness, when I found myself wishing I had dropped him when I had stumbled.

  This couldn't go on. I had to get out as soon as Valeria arrived.

  It turned out to be a roastingly hot afternoon; too hot to sit out on the shaded verandah, and I found Bruno in his room. The shutters were closed and the electric fan churned up the heavy air. He looked tired and exhausted as he looked up at me.

  "Is it too hot to read?" I asked. "Or shall I try it and see how it goes?"

  His eyes told me to go ahead, so I sat down and began reading Vasari's account of the life of Giotto. Halfway through I heard the telephone bell ring. I glanced up. Bruno was looking towards the instrument. I hesitated, not knowing if Laura would take the call in the other room, and as I was about to get up, the bell stopped ringing.

  I went on reading. Twenty minutes later, Laura came in. She wore a pale blue linen dress and a big picture hat, and she brought in with her an atmosphere of suppressed excitement.

  "Sorry to interrupt," she said, "but I'm going over to Stresa. Stanito has just phoned to tell me my pearls are ready. I left them with him last month to clean. I shall want some money."

  I glanced at Bruno. I saw a puzzled, suspicious look in his eyes.

  He must have been wondering, as I was wondering, why she was going out on such a hot afternoon when the shops in Stresa would be closed for the siesta.

  He must have been aware too of her tense excitement, which she could scarcely conceal. Her eyes were very bright, and although she had been in the room less than a minute, she had twice glanced impatiently at her wristwatch.

  While she was talking, she moved over to a small reproduction of Titian's Venus that was hanging on the wall.

  "Please help me, David," she said sharply.

  I put down the book and went to her.

  "Signora?"

  "Take this picture down, please, it may be a little dusty, and I don't want to soil my gloves."

  Surprised, I lifted the picture from the wall. Behind it I saw a small wall safe.

  She began to turn the knob that controlled the combination lock.

  I heard the lock click back, and she pulled open the safe door.

  I stood watching her.

  She took out a thick packet of ten-thousand lira notes, stripped of fifty of them, threw the packet back into the safe and shut the door.

  While I rehung the picture she went over to Bruno.

  "I must run. I may be a little late. I promised Helen the next time I was over to look her up, and you know how she gossips."

  She waved a slim white hand in his direction and walked to the door.

  "Have a lovely afternoon," she said, and blew him a kiss.

  There was a long, awkward pause when she had gone. I picked up the book and sat down. I could see she had upset him, and he was worrying about her. He looked at me, then looked away.

  I began reading again, but I knew she had spoilt the afternoon for him. He was wondering where, she was going and whom she was going to meet.

  After I had read a page, I glanced up. He wasn't listening. His eyes were looking towards the
shuttered windows.

  "Perhaps I can find something more interesting to read to you, signore," I said.

  He just stared blankly at me.

  "Perhaps you would like to rest?"

  He didn't want to rest, but he wanted to be alone: that much he conveyed to me.

  I got up.

  "I'll tell Nurse Fleming you want to sleep," I said.

  He looked at me indifferently, then closed his eyes.

  I found Nurse Fleming in her room, reading a novel.

  "He wants to sleep," I said. "I'm going down to the village. I thought you'd want to know he's alone."

  "All right. I'll go in to him in a little while. I didn't think he'd want to listen to that dry stuff on such a hot afternoon."

  I went out on the verandah as the motorboat shot out of the harbour and headed across the Lago towards Stresa. I could see Laura sitting at the wheel. She was driving the boat flat out, and it was leaving a wide wake of foaming water as it streaked across the Lago.

  I didn't believe she was going to collect her pearls. Someone had telephoned her, arranging this meeting: someone who aroused in her intense excitement.

  Someone had been prowling around the boathouse last night; someone who smoked cigars.

  It looked as if Mario Bellini had returned.

  I didn't hesitate for more than a few seconds. Bicci's boat was within reach. I would go after her and see for myself. With any luck I would be able to pick up her trail even though she would have a good half-hour's start.

  By the time I had got Bicci's boat launched and the outboard motor started, Laura's motorboat was out of sight. She had been heading for Stresa, and I decided to go there first. It was possible she had gone to Pallanza as soon as she had put the Isola Bella between her and the villa, but I decided to try Stresa first.

  It was now rather a forlorn hope, and the sun was sweltering, but I wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. She was sure I was still with Bruno, and there was a chance she would be careless and give herself away.

  It took me just under the hour to get over to Stresa. The long waterfront was practically deserted, and the sun burned down on me as I walked up the beach to the promenade.

  I spotted an old, shabby man, sitting in the shade, staring with sleepy boredom across the Lago, and I went over to him. I asked him if he had seen a big motorboat come this way about half an hour ago.