The Ghosts of N-Space - Barry Letts [75]
been her scene. So with a token titter she eagerly seized on this reference to the beloved.
‘When am I going to meet your lovely Giuseppe?’ she asked in what she hoped was the right sort of girly tone.
The TARDIS had delivered them far later than would have been convenient. It was already dark and starting to blow. Storm clouds were gathering on the horizon and the Barone was thinking of sending out a search party.
The Doctor had to come up with an elaborate story about having intended to walk through the woods to the little fishing hamlet on the north-west coast of the island –
and taking a wrong turning by following a brook – and so on and so on; a story which made him look very foolish.
Sarah could see how much he hated it.
Paolo Verconti had held back his supper for the Doctor and there was really no excuse not to join him at once, leaving the girls to escape to their boudoir at the back of the house and a delicate tray of little meat patties, fairy cakes and a jug of elderflower cordial. Better than a kick in the breadbasket from a blind horse, Sarah had decided surreally, pushing away from her mind the phantom taste of a large G-and-T, followed by a pepperoni pizza – or a bucketful of Chicago spare ribs washed down with real Czech pilsener beer.
262
‘Giuseppe?’ Louisa now said in answer to her question.
‘Why certainly, you must not leave the island until you have made his acquaintance. Now tell me, Sarah dearest’ – she was clearly changing the subject – ‘for you must know that I have come to value your opinion beyond anything – which do you think the more becoming? This lace cap with the pink ribbon? Or should I be plain as a quaker in the linen?’
Anything less quaker-like than the butterfly-wing scrap in her left hand could hardly be imagined.
Sarah laughed and pointed to the plain one. ‘I’m sure your beau won’t even notice what you’re wearing,’ she said.
Louisa, a little pinker as she pinned the cap onto her curls, primly pursed her lips and said, ‘To be sure, I have no notion what you mean.’ But then, unable to contain herself, she swung round on her stool and seized Sarah’s hand, ‘Oh Sarah Jane, if you but knew the things he says to me – and when he sings, my heart is singing too, singing the song the angels sing in Heaven! The day that Powly grants us his consent, I shall die of rapture, surely. Do you think he will say yes, dearest Sarah? For if he does not, I know that I shall die of grief!’
Sarah laughed. ‘Then either way you’ll die, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?’
Louisa pulled back her hand, and looked down.
263
Sarah gently took the hand back. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tease you. When the Barone sees how much you love him, how could he refuse?’
Louisa’s eyes were shining now, and her half-open lips were trembling slightly.
For a moment, Sarah had a pang of conscience. Here was this child flirting dangerously with a lusty young peasant boy and she was egging her on. But then she remembered that she was in fact trying to save her from a far worse fate.
‘In any case, he’s bound to like Giuseppe when he knows that he’s found the treasure; and then he’ll make him his heir and all. Isn’t that right?’ she said; adding disingenuously, ‘When is Giuseppe going to try to find it, then?’
Again Louisa retrieved her hand. ‘Oh, pretty soon, I dare say.’ She rose and walked over to her writing table in the comer. ‘Please excuse me, dearest Sarah. I have forgot to write a letter – a note of no great importance, but one that must be done.’
Sarah shrugged and turned away, picking up the copy of The Mystery of the Castello which was lying by the bed.
There was no great hurry to find out. Her job was to make sure of the facts without frightening Louisa off, while the 264
Doctor discreetly pumped the Barone for more information on the castello legend.
But the Doctor had been very insistent that their motto should be