Italian Lover

The Part 11

“Your leg must be supported,” urged Cesare, while raising the foot support attached to Gina's chair. “Sick once huh?”

“Absolutely not,” said Gina reassured her. He let Cesare help him just because he felt that the situation would get more awkward if he refused Cesare's help.

“I've ordered orange juice for you,” said Lucius, as one of his male aides emerged from inside the house carrying a tray full of drinks. “Of course you can replace it with another stronger drink if you want.”

“Trims, but I did want orange juice,” said Gina reassured her, while the waiter placed a tall, cold glass in front of her. He took the glass with relief, and immediately finished a quarter of its contents with a single sip.

“Cold drinks should be sucked slowly so that our stomachs are not surprised,” comments cynical Donata. “Isn't that so, Lucius?”

“Maybe better so,” says Lucius approves. “If you feel hot here, we can move to the terrace

cooler,” he told Gina.

The only source of heat that makes me hot is Lucius, Gina thought to herself. “Absolutely no problem,” he said reassuring Lucius. “I always like sunshine.”

“That you can only get very little in the UK.”

“Oh, we have sunny days,” reply Gina lightly. “Sometimes several days in a row. You've been to

England?”

“Never for a long time.”

“Tomorrow is Palio day,” Cesare suddenly said in style as if he had been ignored for too long. “I have a ticket

the main seat I have booked for a long time, who wants to come with me.”

“Si!” donata shouted before the others could reply. “Vorrei andare!”

Lucius said something in the same language, wiping out the joy that appeared on Donata's face. While brushing her hair, the girl got up from her seat and left with an annoyed face, her body language reflecting the vexation of her heart.

“What exactly is Palio?” ask Gina after

the old silence. He felt he had to say something.

Cesare answered the question. “Horse races held twice a year between the Siena contrade. Jockeys must race around Piazza del Campo three times without saddle.”

“Horseful horse racing!” Gina tried to make herself sound excited.

“Slightly more than that,” says Lucius. “Seventeen districts of the city will race to get the silk flag as a tribute to Our Lady. It is a tradition that began centuries ago. The race itself only lasted no more than a minute or two

minutes, but the procession lasts all day. You'll probably like it.”

“You yourself have only come once as I remember,” said Cesare. “Why don't we all go together?”

“Now Palio has become a tourist attraction,” says

Ottavia was fed up. “I don't want to attend. And I think Marcello too

so.”

If Lucius refused too, then it would mean just himself and Cesare, Gina thought, not at all sure that she wanted to spend the whole day tomorrow with Cesare. Although Cesare was more or less the same age as Lucius, but he was not an adult, unlike Lucius.

“Then the three of us will leave,” said Lucius approvingly, as well as merta Gina relieved. “But I drove the car. I want us

get to the destination safely.”

Cesare laughed, not at all offended. “You don't believe me yes, amico, but I accept your offer.”

It was actually an ultimatum, not an offer, but Lucius did not seem willing to debate it. Gina realized that it was actually hoping that only the two of them would come along. But this is more

safe, he thought again with regret. With Cesare as the supervisor, the incident

this morning it will not happen again. Whatever the outcome of his trip to Italy, he did not want to risk getting involved in such a relationship.

Cesare begged for a farewell shortly afterwards, accompanied by Lucius who wanted to discuss personal matters. Gina, who is now only

both with Ottavia, tried to get the woman to chat, but she quickly gave up because her efforts were only responded to briefly and nonchalantly by Ottavia.

“I think I will find a cool place that was mentioned Lucius,” said Gina finally and got up. “Here is too hot until it feels like it can't think.”

The other woman did not respond to Gina's words at all, but Gina did not expect that either. He could understand Donata's attitude to his presence in the house, but why Ottavia had to

being hostile to him?

All day he had not seen Cornelia or heard her name mentioned. Maybe he doesn't like getting up early, or has gone outside, Gina thought. There was still about half an hour before twelve in the afternoon. Lunch will not be served before half-time or even two o'clock, Gina thought. Actually he was not hungry, only the day he had to go through was still long.

The coolest place at the time was inside the house. So Gina went in through the glass door to the salotto, with relief

a gust of cool air from a fan installed on the ceiling of the room. When he reached the hallway, he stood for a moment, confused as to which direction to take. From the rooms whose doors were open, he had only seen the room he had entered so far and the library where he had first met Lucius.

Although he felt himself like a bully, he opened the door on the right wing of the lower staircase, and quickly found it turned out to be a small room to store the furniture of the house that was no longer used, because the model is old.

As he was about to close the door again, his eyes caught a reflection in the mirror that was placed right in front of him. Donata, with his eyes closed sat in a high-back chair. Apparently, he's

crying out.

Gina thought Donata would definitely not like her presence, but she still stepped into the room and closed the door. He had no idea what he was going to say or do.

The floor of the room was covered with wood, but the pattern was not clear because it was covered with large furniture. Donata opened his eyes when he heard the sound of footsteps, and he immediately rose to his feet as he knew who had entered.

“Leave me alone!” donata Urge. “You have no right to enter here!”

Gina, who was still unsure of what she was trying to achieve, stopped some distance away. “I know I have no right to enter here,” said, “but

since I'm already here, how about we bury the battle axe?”

Seriate…