"I hope so, for your sake!" He put his arm around Laura. "We want you to have lots of wonderful memories to take back with you to America."

  Laura looked up in surprise at Tomaso. Just as it looked as if Tomaso was going to give her a goodnight kiss, Laura pulled away from him and said, "We should be off. It's getting late." She waved goodbye as we passed through the gate and to our car beyond. We were only a few minutes into our journey when Laura addressed what was foremost on my mind. "I suppose you're wondering about the wealthy, future mother-in-law thing?"

  "Yes, I was wondering about that. I am comfortably off, thanks to some good investments over the last few years, but I wouldn't say I was wealthy, certainly not by Bartolini standards."

  Laura sighed. "I'm sorry about that. Early on in my relationship with Tomaso, I let them have the impression we were wealthy. I didn't want them to think I was after his money. It's no longer an issue, though. I've agreed to a separation of assets, no communal property. His mother insisted on it, not for the reason you might think," Laura rushed to explain. "Giovanna worked all her married life at the factory but was denied the chance to build up a pension because she was married to the owner and they had declared communal property at the time of their marriage. She doesn't want anything like that to happen to me. I'll correct the wealth impression if you want me to."

  I knew it would be unpleasant to have to correct that impression, now. But there was the even greater complication of my not actually being Laura's mother. Why bother correcting one lie, while perpetuating another? "Let's just leave it. I'll be in America in a few weeks and I probably won't be back here for a long while. That gives you some time to clear up both of our white lies, Laura, dear."

  Laura said nothing, seemingly intent on the road ahead.

  Monday: Murder

  Lunedí: omicidio

  "Bastardo!" Tomaso yelled at Antonio outside my bedroom window.

  It was the day of the party, but I was not due at the main house until later. After breakfast I had opened the window in my bedroom for some fresh air but got an earful of Italian instead. They were right outside my window, on the path from the guest garages to the main house. The fight ended on that one word, and then I heard one of the brothers walk down the path. The other brother stayed where he was and addressed some new arrivals.

  "Ernesto," said Antonio.

  I heard Graziella's voice, too, but a quick word from Ernesto stopped his wife from interfering. Graziella and the children continued down the path to the main house, leaving the men standing outside my window. Although I could not understand Italian, I felt sure Ernesto and Antonio were scheming together. I pictured Antonio as a snake in the grass. I hoped he would stay away from Laura, but I knew that if Laura married into that family, she would be fair game for his venom. I decided that for Laura's sake, I would keep my eyes and ears open during the next few weeks. The two men headed down to the main house together.

  *****

  "Good morning, Bert," Laura called from the kitchen. "Would you like some coffee?"

  "No, thank you, Laura." I entered the kitchen of the main house.

  Laura was putting away food Donatella Bianchi, the food historian, had brought for our lunch. Giusi, Anna, and Giovanna were seated at the kitchen table drinking espresso coffee. Giusi was dressed in her housecoat. Blond Anna was in an elegant outfit. Giovanna was strikingly stylish in a black pants suit. Each was very different from the other, and yet they looked like three old friends catching up on gossip.

  "I'm sorry I never got to show you the house," Laura apologized. "Feel free to look around on your own." Donatella handed her another package to put in the refrigerator.

  I wandered into the next room, which turned out to be the dining room. It was as large as the living room I had just admired. There was a built-in breakfront running along one wall and a rustic wooden table surrounded by sturdy chairs in the center of the room.

  Michela and Colin Whitehorse entered from the back garden. Michela smiled slyly as she asked, "How was last evening, Bert?"

  "I wish someone had warned me about how wealthy they are," I whispered. "It was a bit of a shock!"

  Michela laughed good-naturedly.

  Colin whispered, "It's more show than anything else. Most of what they have was bought years ago. They've sold the more valuable pieces. The only things of real value they own are the house and the land it sits on and the business, of course."

  "So that's why the boys want a piece of the factory," I mused aloud.

  "So they can sell it!" said Colin.

  "That's just gossip," Michela whispered.

  "Maybe, maybe not. Not so long ago, the boys had the company valued and were even soliciting unofficial offers! Their mother put a stop to it."

  "Tomaso seems to enjoy his work and Ernesto, too. I don't think they want to sell it. But I'm not sure about Antonio. He said he wants to be the Production Director, or something like that."

  "He would!" Michela turned quickly and went into the back garden.

  I was surprised to hear such a nasty tone from even-tempered Michela. I followed the couple into the back garden, and then took a seat at a table outside the kitchen. I watched as Antonio and Cinzia came around the corner of the house. She took a seat at a far table, but Antonio made his way to the crowd of people at the kitchen door. As he pushed pass Michela, I heard him say something in Italian under his breath. Michela responded with a few quick angry words in the same language. Antonio turned back and started to answer in a low, mean-sounding tone, but he did not manage to get out more than a few words.

  Colin quickly pinned one of the young man's arms behind his back, then twisted and pushed until Antonio was leaning over the stone terrace wall with both his feet off the ground. "Apologize to my wife," Colin ordered forcefully. He waited a second and when Antonio did not apologize, Colin shoved Antonio even more precariously over the edge. He said firmly, "Now!"

  "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Okay?" Antonio cried petulantly.

  "You will not address her ever again," Colin commanded. He then released Antonio, leaving him folded over the stone wall, his feet dangling in mid-air.

  Antonio struggled to stand up. He brushed the dust off his designer clothing and rushed to his mother's side. "Did you see that? I'll not stay if I'm treated like that!"

  "What did you say to upset them?" Giovanna asked.

  "Me? It's always me, isn't it? You always take the other side!" Antonio pouted and muttered to himself as he went and sat down next to Cinzia.

  Donatella sat down between her husband and I, and whispered, "Accidenti! Amazing!" She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That must be one of Colin's spy tricks."

  Aldo nodded in agreement. "Colin's full of surprises."

  Up to that moment, I had not thought of Colin, the librarian, as a particularly surprising man. But what was that about spy tricks? Maybe it was a private joke. Just as I was going to ask what they were talking about, I noticed Cecilio Cecchi in the kitchen. He exchanged a rare grin with his wife. I wondered why the caretakers were so pleased. It was all confusing to me. These people clearly did not get on together, but I had no idea why. One glance at Laura told me that she was at a loss to explain the tension, too.

  Tomaso announced, "Cecilio will give a tour of the property, now. Afterward, we'll have antipasti and aperitivi in the oil shed."

  Nearly everyone followed Cecilio down the stairs leading to the olive grove. I remained in the back garden with Laura, Tomaso, and Giusi.

  "I'll go get the bread. I'll meet you at the shed, Laura." Giusi smiled broadly at me. "Now you'll get to taste some of my specialty!" She hurried off.

  Laura sat down next to me and sighed heavily. "What a scene! I thought, for a second there, Colin was really going to toss Antonio over the edge. I don't think I've ever seen him like that before. Have you?" She looked up at Tomaso who stood next to her with a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  "Colin?" He hesitated and then said, "No. But he's English." Tomaso nodded wisely. "You never know about the English."

  I asked, "What was it all about? What did Antonio say to make Colin so angry?"

  "I didn't hear." Laura shook her head. "It was something to do with Michela. That's all I know. Did you hear, Tomaso?"

  "No, not clearly, but Antonio has a talent for offending people." He patted Laura on the shoulder. "I'll uncork the wine." He went into the kitchen.

  "Everything else is ready. We can rest a moment." Laura took a deep breath and admired the view over the vineyard. "The air can smell so sweet here, especially in early fall when the grapes are ripening on the vine."

  I said, "I didn't realize Michela knew Antonio."

  "I don't think she does. Not personally, anyway."

  "Donatella said Colin used a spy trick on Antonio. Is Colin a spy?" It sounded silly when I heard the words aloud. I laughed immediately at the idea.

  Laura laughed, too. "I don't know, really. If you ask Colin if he's a spy, he says he can't answer because it's a question of national security. He likes to talk about when the British Council was the favorite cover for British spies abroad."

  "Is that true?"

  "It was true, for a while, years ago. Colin actually accused me of being a spy not long after we first met." She laughed at the memory. "He said the spies today used journalism as a cover and that I was a perfect candidate."

  I looked at Laura questioningly, making her laugh again.

  "I am not a spy and never have been! Besides, today's spies are businessmen, accountants, engineers, or those people working with the non-governmental organizations, the charities."

  I looked in amazement at my journalist friend as she rattled off that information as if it were common knowledge.

  *****

  "Cecilio likes fett'unta," Giusi explained to me. "I'll fix you one." She soaked a slice of bread in the green oil and then sprinkled it with salt. "Cecilio says it makes him live long and healthy."

  Giusi looked on with pleasure as I took a timid taste and then ate the rest of the slice in two eager bites. "It's so fruity!" I said enthusiastically, to Giusi's delight.

  Cecilio's tour group arrived at the oil shed. They helped themselves to the appetizers and wine set up on a table in the center of the room, and praised Donatella and Giusi for the food, and Cecilio for the oil. With food and glasses in hand, we finally turned our attention to Cecilio who was eager to explain the oil press mechanisms. We gathered around the ancient press and listened as Cecilia explained how the grindstone moved with the help of gears and pulleys when he turned a handle. He let young Leo turn the handle, but was careful to keep everyone away from the rotating grindstone.

  "But how do you lift it?" Leo stopped turning the handle and went in close to inspect the ancient stone.

  "Over here. Come here." Cecilio had the children follow him to a corner of the shed. "You see the chain attached to the hook in the stone? I can pull the chain from here." Cecilio put his hand on a large handle and then pulled out a heavy wooden bar that blocked the pulley system. The pulley system carried much of the stone's weight, so he was able to lift the massive stone with only a few turns of the handle. Cecilio replaced the wooden bar so the stone was fixed a few feet above the trough where the olives were pressed into oil. "This bar keeps it in place, so I can get to what is left behind after the pressings." Cecilio went over to the grindstone.

  Leo pulled his sister, Beatrice, with him as he moved in close to examine the underside of the stone. After a moment's inspection, Leo said, "See how smooth it is? I bet it's smaller than when it was new. I bet the stone gets in the oil."

  "It does not!" Beatrice looked at me questioningly.

  I looked at the bottom of the smooth stone. "Maybe, but it still tastes delicious."

  "Via!" bellowed Cecilio. He rushed to where Antonio stood. I saw that Antonio had his hand on the wooden bar that kept the grindstone in place, as if he were about to remove it. Cecilio smashed Antonio's hand away with one powerful blow of his fist. Then he slammed the slim young man against the shed wall. Antonio's body made a dull thud as it hit the wall. He winced in pain and backed away as quickly as he could.

  "I wasn't going to do anything! I was just looking! Go away!"

  "Antonio! Go outside, now!" Giovanna shouted in anger.

  I was angry, too. If Antonio had removed the wooden bar, the stone would have crashed down on the children and me. I watched as Cecilio pursued Antonio half way to the shed door. The livid expression on the caretaker's face was enough to convince Antonio to leave the building quickly and quietly. Giusi stopped Cecilio with a cautious hand on her husband's clenched fist. She spoke to him softly in Italian. Cecilio listened to his wife and calmed visibly. He then motioned for the children and me to step away from the grindstone. Cecilio went back to the handle that lowered the grindstone into place and held it firmly. With his other hand, he removed the heavy wooden bar and lowered the grindstone carefully into the trough. When it was in position, he replaced the wooden bar.

  *****

  "I'd like all the women to join me upstairs. There's a surprise for Laura and Bertha." With this announcement after lunch, Giovanna led the way into the house. Only Graziella and Cinzia did not join us. Graziella excused herself saying she wanted to take a walk after the heavy lunch, and Cinzia disappeared without a word into the formal gardens.

  It was the first time I had been upstairs in Laura's home, and I was not disappointed. Each room shared the same comfort and simplicity as the rest of the house. Giusi and Giovanna stood in the center of the dressing room with two large boxes at their feet. They had us gather around them.

  "These are gifts for Bertha," Giovanna announced. "It's fabric from our factory. Giusi wants to make you some special outfits, like the dress you'll wear to the wedding!" Giovanna set that box to one side. "We'll look through those in a moment."

  "Thank you, both of you! That's very kind."

  "And now the surprise for Laura." Giovanna grinned with excitement as Giusi opened the second box.

  Giusi pulled away some tissue paper to reveal a white dress. Giovanna helped her remove it from the box and hold it up for everyone to see.

  "I finished your wedding dress early, Laura." Giusi laughed from joy.

  "It's so pretty!" Beatrice went up close to the dress. "Look at the tiny beads!"

  Donatella, Michela, Laura, and I admired the stunningly beautiful dress. They insisted on helping Laura try it on, which was accomplished very quickly. Laura posed before us in the gown, and Giovanna pinned up Laura's long hair.

  Giusi started to cry from joy and excitement. "I hope my Paola will be so beautiful on her wedding day!"

  "She will, Giusi! But don't rush her! She's still at University!" Giovanna teased her friend.

  "Thanks to you." Giusi looked at Giovanna with gratitude. Then she turned suddenly on Anna. "Your Cinzia will be a lovely bride, too. I'll make a dress for her. You tell her, Anna!"

  Anna smiled and thanked Giusi with a friendly hug. "I don't think it'll be any time soon. She doesn't even have a boyfriend!" she said with concern.

  The sight of Laura in the gown shook me. It made the idea of Laura getting married more real, and it magnified all the worries I had about Tomaso and his family. I wanted a moment alone to compose myself. I went into the bathroom and patted my face with a damp towel and breathed in the fresh air coming from the open window. I began to feel better.

  As I looked out the window into the front garden below, I noticed that Antonio and Cinzia were the center of attention. They sat on a garden bench and were speaking intimately. Ernesto and Graziella were watching them from the orchard beyond. Tomaso was watching them from the rose garden at the side of the house. Cecilio and Leo paused to look as they came down the path to the front door. What was so interesting about Antonio and Cinzia?

  *****

  "Attenzione, prego!" Antonio's voice rang out over the chatter in the back garden. Antonio continued speaking in Italian to the entire group.

  Michela whispered, "I'll translate for you, Bert. He's saying, 'I know this will make my mother very happy, so I can't wait any longer to make the announcement. I've finally realized that the woman for me was near me all my life.'"

  "Uh-oh," muttered Laura. She glanced at Tomaso and his mother who were a few steps away.

  Michela continued her whispered translation, "'I know, now, that she's the woman who'll make me happy and help me settle into my responsibilities as a member of the Bartolini family. I'm announcing my engagement to Cinzia Sanvincenti.'" Antonio paused, giving Michela a chance to insert a comment of her own, "I don't think his mother is as happy as he'd hoped."

  I saw Giovanna's expression and agreed with Michela. Giovanna's look of horror was mirrored in Anna's face. "But why are they so upset?"

  Michela shrugged. "I don't know, but it could be that you don't do it like this, in Italy, at this level of society. He should have spoken to both the parents first and dated her openly, but that's only a guess."

  Laura said, "I think it's because of how terrible Antonio is to women. They know he's going to hurt her like he's hurt others. This isn't his first engagement. But he does sound sincere." Laura took over the translation of what passed between mother and son.

  Giovanna spoke sharply to her youngest son, "You should have spoken to me about this, before the announcement!"

  "You're not my father," Antonio snapped back sarcastically before catching himself. "Sorry, it's just that I thought this was what you wanted!"

  Ovidio was red-faced with anger. "That's no way to talk to your mother and no way to act! And what about Anna?"

  Anna sat in a chair offered by a sympathetic Giusi, who sat down next to her friend and comforted her with soothing words. Cecilio stood back, clearly upset by the scene. He glared at Antonio with a look of hatred.

  Laura whispered, "This has to be serious for Ovidio to get involved. He never says anything about family matters. And why does Cecilio hate Antonio so much? Is he still upset about the oil press?"