These Tangled Vines(38)

“Yes. It was my sister, Mabel, who found out the truth. She learned it from my brother’s wife, who spilled the beans about how he had been keeping me in the dark the whole time, quite intentionally.”

“Do you ever speak to him now?”

“No. He divorced his wife and moved to New York with his millions. Now, he does nothing but live the high life in a penthouse apartment and sails on his yacht with a bunch of Wall Street types. It’s not my idea of a good time, but it was what he always aspired to. I think he knew that I would have turned down the offer to sell the company if I was still involved, and he just wanted the fast cash.”

“What sort of business was it?” Lillian asked.

“Computer technology. He was the business manager, while I was the math geek. He sold the software I developed to IBM, which cut me out of the industry with a noncompete clause. I didn’t even realize that that was buried in the contract when we dissolved the partnership, so it was my own fault. I should have had my own lawyer looking out for my interests, but I trusted my brother and the lawyer who handled our business affairs. He told me it was a good deal and that I should take it, but he knew all along about the offer from IBM.”

“Couldn’t you have fought that?” she asked. “It sounds almost like fraud.”

“I probably could have,” he replied, “but at that point, I just wanted to leave all that greed for the green stuff behind me and get back to . . .” He paused, as if he wasn’t quite sure how to explain it.

“Back to the land,” Lillian said, matter-of-factly.

“Exactly.”

They reached the end of Cypress Row, where the chapel came into view. The bell tower was silhouetted against the moon.

“Look at that,” she said. “It’s so magical. I don’t blame you for wanting to live here.”

He nodded. “I was here on holiday with my wife and spotted an advert in an estate agent’s window in Montepulciano. I’ll never forget that day. After what my brother did to me, I had ten million pounds burning a hole in my pocket, and the Maurizio family was desperate not to sell to one of their corporate competitors, so I thought . . . why not?”

Ten million pounds?

“Your wife was keen to buy a winery?” Lillian asked, fighting to recover from her astonishment.

He gave her a sheepish look. “Not exactly. But she knew how badly I wanted it, so she was willing to compromise, as long as I promised not to spend every last farthing we had. I also had to promise that she’d be able to fly home anytime she wanted, so that’s where we stand. I stay here, and she comes and goes as she pleases.”

“Does she always take the children?” Lillian asked. “Or do they stay with you sometimes?”

“So far, she’s been taking them,” he replied, “but she never stays away for too long.”

“That’s good. You must miss them.”

“I do.”

Lillian wanted to ask more about that, but they reached the bottom of the hill and arrived at the little cluster of stone buildings where the shed was located. All the guest suites were occupied. The windows were lit up, but Lillian’s apartment was dark.

“Looks like Freddie isn’t home yet,” she said.

Anton stopped as well. “Where was he today?”

“I’m not sure. He’s been going to Florence to do research, and sometimes he stops at coffee shops to write on his way home, but this seems late.”

“Are you worried?”

“I’m not sure. He could just be on a roll.”

“Do you want me to come in? Maybe he left a note.”

She thought about it for a moment and decided that it might not be a good idea to invite Anton inside. If Freddie came home, how would that look?

“I’m sure he’s fine,” she said. “And I should get some sleep. But thank you for walking me back.”

Anton hesitated a moment, shining the flashlight on the ground, studying her expression in the moonlight. “I enjoyed our conversations.”

“So did I.” There was a note of intimacy in her voice, and something about that made her feel guilty, as if she were on the verge of stepping over a line she shouldn’t cross. On the other side of that line was a deeper friendship with a man she found fascinating and very attractive. It was dangerous territory, to be sure.

“Call me at the villa if you need anything,” Anton said. “If you’re worried about your husband.”

“I will. But I’m sure everything’s fine. He’s just late. Like me.”

“All right.” Anton paused a moment, then turned to go.

Lillian stood on the gravel driveway, watching him walk up the forested lane with the flashlight illuminating his way through the darkness. There was a sudden chill in the night. Hugging her arms about herself, she continued to watch him until he disappeared over the crest of the hill, and then she dug into her purse for her key.

A moment later, she was switching on all the lights in the empty apartment, wondering where Freddie was. What if he’d gotten into another car accident? The roads in Tuscany were full of unfamiliar twists and turns, up and down the sides of mountains. It was worse after dark, when other cars came speeding around bends with their headlights blinding your eyes.

Not sure what she would do if Freddie didn’t come home soon, Lillian washed her face and put on her nightgown. She slipped into bed and tried to read but couldn’t concentrate. She was worried about Freddie.