Harlequin Romance March 2021 Box Set Cara Colter (the mitten read aloud TXT) 📖

best not to think about the poor slaves that he threw off those cliffs though. Or we could go across to Anacapri and get the chairlift. It’s up to you.’

‘I’ve had quite enough of being held up in the air by machinery for now,’ Charlie said. ‘I vote for the walk, gory history or not. But first, did you say something about coffee being an essential experience here?’

‘I believe I did. How about that café there?’ He gestured towards the tables and they took a seat at a recently vacated one in a shady corner spot with excellent views all around the square. He leaned forward confidentially. ‘Just remember how horrified you were by the price of those drinks we had overlooking the Pantheon in Rome.’

‘We could have bought an entire meal for the price of two small beers,’ she protested and he laughed.

‘Well, those beers may seem quite reasonable compared to what we are about to pay. Consider yourself forewarned.’

‘Then why don’t we go somewhere else; we don’t need to sit here.’ She half rose but Matteo laid a hand on her arm, staying her.

‘It’s a tradition. You’re paying for the view, the location. Besides, it’s not as if we can’t afford it.’

She shook her head at him. ‘Not all of us are accustomed to such wealth, you know; there’s no harm in being a little frugal.’

‘I like to treat my wife; is that such a crime?’ he asked, and she smiled.

‘I guess not.’

The coffee was ludicrously expensive, but luckily it was also delicious. They took their time, people watching, Charlie making up as outrageous a story as she could about many of the people they saw walking by, challenging herself to make Matteo laugh, to coax a smile out of him. It wasn’t hard; his memory might have returned but he was still like the Matteo of old, easy company, interested in everything she had to say, his mind on her and where they were, not on his phone or his tablet. As promised, his watch had been locked away in a drawer back at the villa and he had barely checked his phone since they’d left the villa earlier.

When she finally felt as if she’d got as much value out of the coffee as she could, they started to explore the small town, Charlie treating Matteo and herself to ice creams, watching the cones made fresh as they stood there, the hot batter expertly shaped and immediately hardening and cooling ready to receive her raspberry and lemon and his dark chocolate and liquorice gelato. Slowly, enjoying the intense flavours, they wandered along the route they’d chosen.

The road to Tiberius’ villa was well signposted and obviously popular. Shops lined the street, well-known designer names to cater to the privileged clientele who came to this beautiful island, and soon they ended up in a residential area, gorgeous villas hidden behind high walls and locked gates. Charlie peeped through every chink she could find, seeing just enough to whet her imagination. ‘Imagine living here,’ she said every ten or so yards as they passed yet another beautiful villa.

‘Ravello not good enough for you now?’ Matteo asked mock indignantly and she nudged him.

‘I have quite fallen in love with Ravello as you know, but this place is iconic; it was the playground of some of the biggest stars in the fifties and sixties. It’s obviously my spiritual home.’ She stopped to stare longingly at a white villa poised on the cliff, its infinity pool perfectly positioned as if a swimmer might dive straight into the sea far below. ‘That must be the worst part of being rich,’ she said. ‘You see a glorious place like this and you could buy it if you wanted. Where’s the fun in always getting what you like? While us more down-to-earth folk get to play If only and daydream. Much more fun.’

Matteo joined her at the gate. ‘Okay then, let’s play. How would you come to live there?’

She thought long and hard. ‘I come to Capri to be a companion to an ageing English film star,’ she said after a while.

‘And does said ageing English star have a dangerously sexy half-Italian nephew?’ He dropped a kiss onto her neck and she leaned back against him.

‘Maybe. He’s a playboy disgrace who doesn’t trust the companion as he thinks she’s out to get his great-aunt’s fortune. Oof, it’s hot,’ she said, abandoning make-believe to swig some water.

There were plenty of other people walking the same route but it didn’t feel too crowded as they climbed up and up, the sun beating down upon them as it neared noon. Enjoyable as the walk was, Charlie was relieved when they passed a tree-lined glade and Matteo agreed to her suggestion that they take the opportunity to stand in the shade and cool down. It wasn’t a long walk but steep, made harder by the temperature.

Taking a much-needed breath and more water, Charlie swivelled slowly to take in the view. Looking up, she could see the Villa Jovis perched at the very top of the cliff and shivered as she remembered some of the history detailed in her guidebook.

‘How could they have imagined back then that two thousand years later we would be coming to gawp at the villa when people were murdered and tortured there—just like the Colosseum? It seemed so surreal to be walking around surrounded by tour groups and running children, listening to spine-chilling tales of slaughter, unable to imagine how much blood was spilled there. And we’re shocked and say it’s barbaric but are we any different? There’s no respect for those thousands of lives lost there; it’s just another tick on the tourist list. Two thousand years make the horrors just seem inconceivable.’

She turned to Matteo but his mind was clearly elsewhere as he fished his phone out of his pocket. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s been vibrating. I know I promised, but…’

‘No, go ahead.’ She knew he wouldn’t be able to relax until he