Luckily Hope knew all about babies, and picked him up without the slightest fuss or bother. Polly had thought of so many things to say, but nothing was necessary. Hope cooed and smiled-until the noise died suddenly, and grandson and grandmother were left considering each other in silence.

He burped.

A broad smile broke over Hope’s face and she laughed in delight. At once he returned the smile, burping again. Hope pulled him tightly against her and dropped her head so that her face was hidden. When she raised it again there were tears on her cheeks.

‘My grandson,’ she said huskily. ‘Oh, yes, he’s mine. We knew each other at once.’

As they got ready to leave Hope said, ‘Why don’t you call your fiancé and invite him to join us tonight at Justin and Evie’s place?’

‘That’s kind of you,’ Polly said hastily. ‘But I don’t think he could get away-’

‘But you won’t know if you don’t ask him. Or you could slip out and see him now. We have a few extra hours, since Matthew is here early, so you could make use of them.’

Polly assented, because she guessed her refusals might start to sound unconvincing. It would give her a couple of hours to do some shopping.

‘Have you had a good time?’ Hope asked as soon as she arrived home.

‘Wonderful, thank you,’ she said brightly.

She just about managed to infuse her manner with delight, as befitted a woman who’d seized a few stolen minutes with her lover, but she wasn’t enough of an actress to carry it further, so when Hope would ask more questions she gave a little shriek.

‘Is that the time? We should be going or we’ll be late.’

Soon they were on their way to Justin and Evie’s home, and mercifully Hope dropped the subject. She talked instead about the phone call she’d had with Ruggiero.

‘I told him all about his son, how beautiful he is. I said you were out so little Matthew and I were getting to know each other. He sounded very pleased.’

Polly longed to ask if Hope had told Ruggiero that she was meeting Brian, but she didn’t dare. Instead she said how much she was looking forward to talking to Evie again, and soon they reached their destination.

After the tense misery of the last year it was wonderful to visit a cheerful home, with a husband and wife who loved each other, their baby twins, and Justin’s teenage son. Evie and Hope went into a happy huddle over Matthew, who was all smiles for a while, but then tried to play a rough game with the family puppy, who objected and ran away. The toddler vented his frustration in a screaming fit.

‘Just like his father,’ Hope observed, picking him up. ‘He always roared at the world when it didn’t dance to his tune.’

Her eyes met Polly’s and the silent message, And he hasn’t changed, flashed between them.

‘You two really understand each other,’ Evie said when she and Hope were alone. ‘Have you decided on her?’

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Hope said with an air of innocence.

‘Oh, yes, you do,’ Evie chuckled. ‘You pick out a daughter-in-law and pull strings until you get her.’

‘I merely like to ensure the best for my sons,’ Hope said.

‘And you’ve decided on Polly. Go on, admit it.’

‘She might be the making of him,’ Hope agreed. ‘But we have to go carefully.’

‘Yes, her fiancé might get in the way a little.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Hope mused. ‘No, I really don’t think so at all.’

They flew back to Italy the next day. Polly spent the last half hour looking out of the plane window, trying to understand the sudden nervousness that had come over her.

Ruggiero was in her thoughts all the time, but he’d been at a safe distance. Now she would be with him again, and the awareness that had come to her so suddenly, two nights ago, was disturbing her. She wasn’t sure what to think, but she’d know when she saw him.

It was just fancy, she tried to reassure herself. I’m a severely practical person. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen to me, because I don’t let it. I wonder if he’ll be at the airport?

He was. He and Toni stood there, waiting as they came out of Customs, Hope carrying the child, and Polly saw Toni’s face light up with joy. Then he was running forward, arms outstretched, to embrace his wife and grandson together.

Ruggiero’s face remained blank. Nor did he move as Toni and Polly greeted each other pleasantly.

‘All this has thrown him for six,’ Toni muttered in her ear. ‘Since my wife called he hasn’t known what to do with himself.’

That could be taken both ways, she thought. It didn’t tell her about Ruggiero’s true feelings. But then she saw him smiling at her with a hint of relief, as though he’d just been hanging on until she came back. And, despite her efforts to stop it, a spring of pleasure welled up inside her.

They had come in two cars, to ensure enough room for everyone on the return journey.

‘You and the baby go with Poppa,’ Ruggiero told his mother. ‘I’ll take Polly.’

The little surge of happiness was there again, irrational and reprehensible, but too strong to be fought. He opened the door for her and made sure she was comfortable before going around to the driver’s side. She looked at him, smiling. She couldn’t help herself. Something told her that his next words would be momentous.

As Toni’s car pulled away Ruggiero turned to her.

‘Let them go for the moment,’ he said. ‘There is something I must say to you first.’

‘Yes?’

‘You did bring them, didn’t you?’

‘What?’

‘The pictures. You promised faithfully to bring me pictures of Sapphire. Please, Polly, don’t tell me you forgot. You don’t know how important it is.’

So this was all he wanted-why he’d lit up at the sight of her. The depth of her bitterness warned her how far she’d strayed into danger.

‘Please, Polly,’ he repeated.

‘It’s all right. I’ve brought the pictures.’

With sudden resolution, as though he’d been given a reviving draught of life, he started the car and swung out of the airport.

Well, what did you think was going to happen? Polly thought scathingly. That he was going to forget her and see you? Get real!

On the way home she said, ‘Have you been sensible while I was away?’

‘No riding. I swear it.’

‘Short of that.’

‘I dropped in at work for an hour, but I behaved very feebly, and came home early. You’d have been proud of me.’

‘How about the pills?’

‘Just a couple at night. I’m on the mend.’

When they reached the villa Primo and Olympia were there. Apart from Carlo and Della, away on their honeymoon, they were the only Rinuccis who lived in Naples, so their arrival represented the rest of the family.

At first Polly stayed where Matthew could always see her, lest he grow alarmed. But he was easy in company-a natural charmer, who relished the attention.

Everyone was delighted when Ruggiero dropped down on one knee to look his son in the eye, and received a steady stare in return.

‘Buongiorno,’ Ruggiero said politely.

‘Bon-bon-’ he tried to repeat.

Ruggiero repeated the word and the tot responded by yelling, ‘Bon, bon, bon!’ in tones of delight.

Everyone laughed and clapped.

‘His first Italian word,’ Hope cried. ‘Why don’t you sit down and hold him?’

He sat on the sofa, and she helped little Matthew to get up beside him. He peered closely at this new giant, and finally became curious enough to try to climb onto his lap.

‘Better not,’ Ruggiero said quickly. ‘I’m still a bit sore, and I’d be afraid of dropping him.’

It was an entirely reasonable excuse. Surely Polly only imagined that he’d seized the first chance to back off?

He behaved impeccably, regarding the child with apparent interest, smiling in the right places, watching as he was bathed and dressed in the sleepsuit that Polly had brought with her, then put to bed. It was agreed, for the moment, that he should sleep in Polly’s room, in a crib that one of the maids had rescued from the attic.

‘I suppose you’re going to say that was mine?’ Ruggiero asked with resigned good humour.

‘No, this was Carlo’s,’ Hope declared triumphantly. ‘You managed to set fire to yours.’

Everyone laughed, including Ruggiero, but it seemed to Polly that he was doing everything from a distance, trying not to reveal that this first meeting with his son meant nothing to him.

When Matthew had fallen asleep, Ruggiero said unexpectedly, ‘Could you all give us a moment, please?’

Everyone smiled at this sign of fatherly interest, but when the door had closed behind them he said urgently to Polly, ‘The photos? Can I have them now?’

‘Of course. I unpacked them ready for you.’

She took the two albums from a drawer and handed them to him.

‘Thanks,’ he said briefly, and departed without a look at the sleeping child.

That night Polly stayed up late in her room, telling herself that she was watching over the little boy, but secretly knowing that she was watching over his father. Opening her window and looking out, she could see the glow from his window next door. There was to be no rest for him tonight.

She imagined him turning the pages, seeing ‘Sapphire’s’ face over and over, feeling fresh pain with every new vision.

Why had she let herself be taken by surprise? Deny it how he would, Sapphire had been the woman he’d loved so passionately that a few days ago the briefest imagined glimpse of her had driven him to madness, almost claiming his life. Perhaps he would have preferred that, now she was dead. He was, in effect, a widower, but denied a widower’s freedom to mourn openly-denied even the memories of a shared love that might have made his loss bearable.

Suddenly she remembered that Freda’s wedding pictures were in the second album. In the hurry and agitation it had slipped her mind, but now she wished she’d remembered and removed them. It was too late, but she might have spared him that.