Page 25 of The Girl from Sicily

25

JESSICA, JULY 2005

Late in the afternoon, the day after Piero took his children back to Palermo, Jess found herself showing him the strange ceramic figurine inserted into the wall at the baglio.

‘It’s the trinacria symbol of Sicily,’ he said.

‘I feel a little stupid for not knowing that.’ A flush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks.

‘How could you possibly know? I don’t suppose you’ve ever seen a Sicilian flag?—’

‘I didn’t realise there was one.’

‘It’s red and yellow, bisected diagonally,’ Piero said. ‘Sicily adopted its first official flag in the nineties, but there was a coat of arms at the centre. The current flag, implemented five years ago, has a trinacria. Today’s flag was originally used by the Sicilian Separatists.’

‘How amazing,’ Jess said, intrigued. ‘But why the trinacria?’

‘The three legs in the symbol represent the three extremities of the island. The head of the woman in the middle is the ancient Sicilian goddess of fertility, Hybla. As you know, Sicilia is an extremely fertile island.’

‘I wonder why my grandmother placed it here.’ Jess smoothed her fingers over the cool ceramic.

‘There was a powerful Separatist movement in this area back in 1944.’

‘Could Lucia have been involved?’ Jess tilted her head towards Piero.

‘Even my father was involved.’

‘Gosh! He must have been very young then.’

‘He’s eighty-three now, but doesn’t look it. People tend to live well into their nineties in Sicily.’

‘The famous Mediterranean diet?’

‘I expect so. But it could well be merely a matter of having the right genes.’

‘Probably.’ Jess smiled. ‘Thanks for telling me all about the trinacria and the Separatists. There’s so much I still have to learn about Sicily.’

‘It’s early days, Jess. Why don’t you show me the rest of the baglio?’

‘Come with me,’ she said.

* * *

Later, after she’d given him a tour of the rooms and shared her ideas about adding an extra floor on one side of the building, Jess suggested they went for a walk.

Piero agreed and turned to head through the entrance door at the same time as she did, bumping into her, dislodging her sunglasses, and almost knocking her to the ground.

‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, gently taking hold of her shoulders.

‘It’s okay. No harm done.’

Their eyes locked, and Jess’s heartbeat echoed in her ears. She took a step backwards, and Piero did likewise.

‘You go first,’ he said, waving his hand.

Jess pulled her sunglasses down on her nose and went outside.

You’re such an idiot , she told herself.

But she couldn’t help the fluttery feeling in her chest. Pressing her lips together, she led Piero around to the back of the house, where they came across Angelo watering the vegetables with a long irrigation hose.

‘The water is pumped from a well,’ Angelo explained as the two men eyed each other up. ‘So it doesn’t cost us anything. Giovanna and I have been paying for the electricity?—’

‘How about the property taxes?’ Piero asked.

‘They’re taken care of by the lawyer in Palermo.’

Jess should have asked those questions herself, she realised. She was feeling more than a little out of her depth, and said as much to Piero as they headed back to his car.

‘It’s not surprising.’ He opened the door for her. ‘You’re new to this country, and it’s a complicated place even for us Sicilians.’

It was on the tip of her tongue to say she should let Angelo and Giovanna inherit instead, but an image of Motorbike Man came into her mind. She wouldn’t allow him to defeat her. Instead, she told Piero about him.

‘No wonder you’re feeling daunted.’ Piero took the road past Villaurora. ‘What a horrible experience.’

‘I won’t let him put me off. I mean, what can he do?’

‘Hmmm. I hate to remind you, but this is Sicily, not England?—’

‘You’re thinking of Cosa Nostra?’ Jess felt her blood freeze.

‘Precisely.’ Piero shifted gear and the engine purred. ‘Perhaps it would be best if you didn’t go to the baglio on your own for the time being?’

‘You’re joking, aren’t you?’ She laughed.

‘No, Jess, I’m not.’

‘Should I tell the police about what happened?’

It was Piero’s turn to laugh.

‘The local carabinieri won’t interfere with the Friends of the Friends. Only the anti-Mafia police in Palermo would do that.’

‘You’re frightening me, Piero.’

‘I didn’t intend to. Let’s hope your Motorbike Man is simply a trail bike rider, not wanting you to spoil his fun.’

‘Sounds like a logical explanation,’ Jess said. ‘I mean, why would the Mafia want to scare me off my inheritance?’

‘Why, indeed?’ Piero glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

‘I wish I knew more about my grandmother’s life here,’ Jess said. ‘Her surname was Bonanno. I’m thinking of asking around the village if anyone knows a family with that name.’

‘Why don’t you leave it with me? I could ask my father if he knew your grandparents. He supported the Separatists for a short while back in the day. The trinacria on the wall might signify they were also Separatists.’

‘Did the Mafia back the organisation?’

‘I believe so. It was within their interests to wrest control from Rome.’

‘Why did your dad support the Separatists, Piero?’

‘He was ardently anti-communist, as were they. In the 1940s, the communists were stirring up the farm workers to revolt against the big landowners. My father saw Separatism as a way of carrying on with the life into which he’d been born. He was wrong, of course. Times were changing and agrarian reform finally took place after the war. Our latifondo was reduced by one half.’

‘That must have taken some getting used to.’ Jess caught her lip between her teeth. ‘Do the Separatists still exist?’

‘They do indeed and, just last year, the movement reconstituted itself. They’re aiming for complete independence from Italy.’

‘Would you like that too?’

‘I don’t think it would be good for Sicily,’ Piero said. ‘We have our own regional government, our own flag. Being independent from Italy might make us more vulnerable.’

Jess nodded, and they lapsed into silence while they listened to Piero’s eclectic choice of music. When they arrived back at the tenuta, Jess thanked Piero for going to the farmhouse with her.

‘I like the baglio a lot,’ she said, ‘despite all the mystery surrounding it.’

‘I agree it has masses of potential. Let me make a couple of phone calls.’ He smiled. ‘Would you like to have a light meal with me at my place later? We can talk more about it while we eat.’

‘Thank you. That would be lovely,’ she said.

* * *

After a quick shower, Jess put on a sleeveless white cotton dress, pinned her hair up in a bun, and made her way back to the main building. She found Piero sitting with Cappero under the Judas tree, his phone on the table in front of him.

‘There you are,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘Supper is waiting for us upstairs.’

She followed him and the dog inside and up a spiral staircase to the first floor.

‘Your apartment is lovely,’ she said, eyeing a comfortable-looking dark brown leather sofa in front of a fireplace. The floor had been tiled in terracotta, and a bookcase filled with paperbacks held pride of place on the wall opposite the hearth.

‘Thanks. I’m very lucky to live here.’ Piero smiled. ‘Come through to the kitchen. It’s time to eat.’

They passed under an archway into the next room, where he pulled out a chair at a round marble-topped table. She lowered herself onto it while Cappero flopped down on the floor. Through the open window, the sky had pinked with a magnificent sunset. Her ears rang with the song of the cicadas, serenading the dusk of the day in the courtyard below.

‘A glass of wine?’ Piero offered.

‘ Grazie ,’ Jess said.

He opened the fridge, removed a bottle of Melita Brut , the sparkling white wine she’d tasted the week before, and poured them both a glass.

‘ Salute! ’ he said. ‘Good health!’

‘ Salute! ’ She clinked her glass with his.

‘We have a selection of cold dishes. I hope you don’t mind, but the weather is too hot for cooking?—’

‘You cook?’ Is there no end to his talents?

‘I enjoy the creativity of it, when I have time. How about you?’

‘I’m a terrible cook,’ she admitted. ‘Thank God for ready meals.’

‘I have to confess that I didn’t make what we’re about to eat.’ He chuckled. ‘So you could say this is a ready meal. The dishes were prepared by Maria, the winery’s cook.’

‘Looks delicious,’ Jess said as Piero placed a couscous salad, caponata, and cold cuts on the table.

‘I’ve phoned my builder, and he’s available to join us at your baglio tomorrow evening,’ Piero said, pouring Jess more wine.

‘Thank you, but are you sure you can spare the time?’

‘Absolutely. We’re not due to harvest the grapes for another couple of weeks. My evenings are my own for the time being.’

‘I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ she said.

‘Just glad I can help.’ He took a sip of his wine. ‘I’ve also talked to my father. He said he’d like to meet you.’

‘Did he know my grandparents?’ She held her breath.

‘He did indeed,’ Piero said. ‘I asked him to tell me about them, but he said he’d prefer to speak to you in person.’

‘Oh, my God!’ She almost fell off her chair. ‘I can’t believe it?—’

‘It’s a small world, for sure.’

‘I’m flabbergasted. This is beyond my wildest dreams.’

‘Papà asked me to bring you to the villa in Mondello. My mother will organise lunch for us.’

‘I don’t want to put your parents to any trouble.’

‘My father wouldn’t have invited you if it was a problem.’

‘Then I happily accept his kind invitation. When are we expected?’

‘I told him you’re only in Sicily for another week, so he suggested Sunday, the day after tomorrow, if that’s all right with you.’

‘My stay here has gone by so quickly. I wish I had more time.’

‘If you decide to take on the baglio, you’ll be back before you know it.’

‘Yes, well. It all depends.’

They carried on eating and drinking, talking about different options for renovating the property, and how to get planning permission for a pool.

‘I can’t manage another mouthful,’ Jess said eventually. ‘The food was truly delicious, thank you.’

‘Cappero and I will walk you back to your accommodation, if you like.’ Piero put down his fork.

Outside, the night air was a warm caress to Jess’s bare arms. Gravel crunched under her feet and, before too long, they’d arrived at her front door. As she slipped her key into the lock, the dog scurried off and she turned to thank Piero, catching him gazing at her.

Before she could utter a word, he tilted her chin up, his hazel eyes questioning. She nodded, and he touched his mouth to hers. Her heart pounding, she raised herself onto the tips of her toes, kissing him back, looping her arms around his neck as he pulled her against him. She wanted him so badly it hurt, but she had to be sensible, so she pushed against Piero’s chest.

‘We can’t,’ she said.

She’d been in danger of letting things go further. Piero was still in love with his ex-wife. If Jess had sex with him, she would open her heart to him, which would only lead to pain. Her breakup with Scott had given her enough heartache to last a lifetime.

Was it disappointment she could see in Piero’s expression? Tears of regret welled in her eyes. She turned away before he could see them.

‘ Buona notte , Piero,’ she said as she went inside.

Jess half expected him to follow her, and was only slightly relieved when he didn’t. Upstairs, she got ready for bed before slipping under the cool sheets. She’d done the right thing, she told herself.

To distract herself from thinking about Piero, she focused on the events of that afternoon. The revelations about her grandparents and the Separatists. The fact that Piero’s father had known them. She couldn’t wait to meet him and find out more.