Free Just South of Rome by Judy Nunn

years.’
    We sat side by side on the wooden bench, sipping our wine, eating our bread rolls and admiring the storm. I wondered if, a hundred years ago, another young couple had sat under these vines watching a storm. And I wondered if, in a hundred years from now, yet another young couple would be watching yet another storm.
    ‘This was a good idea,’ I said, finishing my bread roll.
    ‘I had to do something to get you out of there.’ Stefano was enjoying the whole experience as much as I was. He looked very boyish in his excitement, I thought. ‘You should have seen your face when you were attacking that steak.’ He laughed. ‘Poor Umberto, I feared for his safety.’
    His laughter was infectious. I joined in.
    He poured another glass of wine and we sat in silence while the storm rumbled its way towards the distant hills. Finally, its ferocity spent, we were left with nothing but the torrential rain and an occasional grumble of far-off thunder.
    I don’t know how long we sat there but, as the rain lessened, a wonderful sense of peace pervaded the garden. I couldn’t help but feel surrounded also by a strange sense of triumph, as if this timeless space, in once again escaping the wrath of the elements, was claiming an age-old victory.
    Possibly it was this sense of occasion or possibly I was cold, but I shivered a little.
    ‘You’re cold,’ Stefano said and put his arm around me.
    I was suddenly self-conscious. Was this the precursor to an embrace? Was he going to kiss me? I wouldn’t have minded at all if he had, in fact I wanted him to, but his hand was gently and firmly massaging my right arm, a natural gesture to warm me. How was I supposed to react?
    ‘I don’t know how you can defend him. He’s a dreadful man.’ When in doubt I always talk.
    ‘Who?’
    The arm continued to harmlessly massage. Yes, he was only intending to warm me, I thought, feeling vaguely disappointed.
    ‘Umberto. Do you know he leads Rosella and Natale on shamelessly? Theyhonestly think he’s going to make Rosella a star.’ He was looking at me, and once again I was disconcerted. Keep talking, I told myself, keep talking. ‘Well, I think that’s terrible, don’t you?’
    ‘No.’ He’d stopped massaging now but his arm remained around me. ‘Umberto is very good for Rosella and Natale.’
    I forgot my self-consciousness and stared at him, amazed. ‘Surely you don’t believe that. You couldn’t!’
    ‘There is little excitement in Genzano.’ Stefano looked out at the rain, which was falling gently now. I recalled my morning’s walk and the desultory air of the town. Well, he was right there, I thought.
    ‘Rosella is a shop assistant and Natale works for the local post office,’ he continued. ‘Every evening after work, they dress in their finest and come to the Hotel Visconti.’ He turned to me, his arm gently pulling me closer. ‘At the Hotel Visconti they find a world of promise and excitement,’ he was going to kiss me now, I knew it, ‘a world of romance.’ He gathered me in an embrace. ‘What matter if it is fantasy?’
    I returned his kiss – a long, lingering, beautiful kiss. I was a little breathless when we parted; my God but I’d never been kissed like that. More importantly, I’d never responded to a kiss like that. I desired him. He knew it too. And I knew that he knew it.
    ‘The rain’s stopped,’ he said, ‘shall we go inside? Your clothes are damp.’
    If that wasn’t an invitation what was? Oh, come along, Jane, I told myself, you’re hardly a virgin, you’ve had one-nighters before. Well, two, neither of which had been particularly pleasurable, and I’d avoided them since. But this was my Italian adventure, wasn’t it …? Well, wasn’t it , , ,?
    ‘Um … yes … We’d better go inside.’
    As we closed the front doors and he replaced the mackintosh on the hall stand, I stillhadn’t made up my mind.
    ‘I’ll see you to your room,’ he said.
    ‘Fine.’ I smiled a trifle too