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CHAPTER FOUR

I don’t trust Stephany

‘Who were you talking to?’ asked Ruth, coming into the sitting room now the children were asleep at last. ‘Stephany,’ said Carlo.

‘Why does Stephany want our flat for her holiday? Why can’t she find her own hotel or something?’ Ruth asked.

‘You know I promised Stephany she could use the flat. It was before I knew you. I can’t suddenly change my mind, just because we’re married.’

‘I just think giving someone my home is unnecessary’

‘But the flat isn’t your home,’ said Carlo. ‘You didn’t want to live in the flat, remember? You didn’t like living in the village.

You wanted a bigger house. This house is your home, not the flat. The flat is empty and it is much better if someone uses it.’

‘You never asked me how I felt about it,’ said Ruth. She knew she sounded a bit like a child, but she couldn’t help it.

‘I didn’t know you when I made the promise,’ Carlo said. ‘I can’t suddenly tell her she can’t have it. If I make a promise, I like to keep it.’

Ruth knew this. It was one of the things she loved about Carlo. He was very honest, and if he said he would do something he always did it.

Ruth was always surprised that Carlo had married her.

She didn’t think she was very pretty. Not like the Italian girls he knew, and she hated her red hair.

Carlo promised her he didn’t like women just because they looked good and dressed nicely.

‘One of the things I like about people from Britain,’ he said, ‘is they don’t worry about fashion. Not like Italian women.’

Carlo loved everything to do with Britain: the sense of humour, the green fields, the people, even the food and the weather!

The only reason he stayed in Italy was because he had a good job as a surveyor. But Stephany was from Britain and she looked good as well. Ruth felt jealous of her.

She didn’t say anything more to Carlo about it. She went to bed. She heard Carlo go out. He had probably gone for a drink at the bar.

Later on, towards midnight, she heard him come in again. The bedroom door opened. Carlo came in and sat on the bed next to her.

‘Listen,’ he said, taking Ruth’s hand. ‘You mustn’t worry about Stephany. She’s just a good friend. You are the only person I love.’

Ruth looked up. She was crying.

‘And anyway, Stephany is coming with a new boyfriend!’ Ruth put her arms round Carlo.

Perhaps things would be all right if Stephany had her own boyfriend now. She smiled at Carlo.

He was such a lovely man and she wanted to trust him.

She did trust him. The trouble was, she just could not trust Stephany.