Page 65 of The Lost Story of Sofia Castello
64
PORTUGAL, 2000
Once the shock of discovering Gabriel’s true identity has faded, we take our glasses of wine through to the kitchen. Gabriel has set the table, and two red candles flicker away in the centre, next to a basket of bread rolls and a dish of butter.
‘I’ve made us some salted cod,’ he says, going over to the stove, where a couple of frying pans are sizzling away, filling the room with the most delicious smell.
‘I love your salted cod,’ Jane exclaims, and once again my mind is sent spinning as my perception of reality has to rapidly recalibrate. Gabriel is Sofia’s grandson and Jane is Judith, Sofia’s best friend, so of course she would know him well enough to have tasted his cooking.
‘My – mind – is – blown,’ I say slowly for dramatic effect.
‘I’m so sorry.’ Jane smiles as I sit down beside her. ‘It must be an awful lot to process.’
‘Yes, but a lot of things are starting to make sense too.’
‘Such as?’ Sofia asks.
‘Such as how Gabriel is so involved in your life,’ I reply. ‘I couldn’t understand why if he was supposedly just the son of a friend.’
‘It was very annoying,’ Gabriel says. ‘Especially when she asked me to follow you in Lisbon.’ He points his silver fish slice at Sofia accusingly. ‘I thought you were going to get me arrested.’
I laugh. ‘Oh yes!’ So much has happened since then, I’d completely forgotten about the fiasco with the alarm.
‘All I can say is it’s a good job you weren’t alive during the war,’ Sofia remarks drily. ‘Imagine if you’d had to tail a Nazi.’
‘Then I would have done a much better job!’ Gabriel exclaims. ‘I just didn’t want to stalk an innocent woman!’ He gives me a warm smile, and I feel that same spark of connection I felt with him on the beach, and I relax some more. But as Gabriel turns back to the stove, I’m hit by another lightning-bolt realisation.
‘So that means Gabriel – he’s Lawrence Bourne’s grandson?’
Jane nods grimly.
‘Only biologically,’ Sofia snaps.
‘Of course,’ I say quickly to placate her before glancing at Gabriel. He has his back to us so it’s impossible to read how he feels, but I notice that he’s standing dead still. Then I remember something else, and I turn to Jane. ‘That email you sent me about having lunch with Lawrence?’
She nods and shoots Sofia a sideways glance.
‘Is that part of your plan too?’
‘Er, yes, yes it is,’ Jane stammers.
Gabriel mutters something in Portuguese.
‘It isn’t crazy,’ Sofia snaps at him. ‘It’s going to provide me with – how do the therapists say? Closure. And it’s going to provide Lily with a wonderful final chapter for our book. The thrilling denouement.’
‘How’s that?’ I ask nervously. I really hope she’s not expecting me to confront Lawrence with the truth.
‘It will be the scene where our intrepid heroine – that’s me by the way,’ Sofia adds.
‘Naturally,’ Gabriel says drily.
‘Yes, well, it’s the scene where the intrepid heroine finally confronts the villain and gets her revenge.’ Sofia takes a hearty swig of her wine.
‘You’re not thinking of killing him, are you?’ I ask, only half joking.
‘Only with my razor-sharp tongue,’ she replies. ‘And, of course, with the revelation that I’m going to be setting the story straight and telling the whole damn world that he’s a murderous traitor.’