Pride. It mattered, didn’t it?

The drumming of the rain seemed to give her the answer. Pride. Emptiness. A lifetime without love. Years of endless, searing misery.

Or the flowering that was there inside her at the thought of seeing him again. It spread, streaming through her veins, taking her over until there was nothing left but joy.

I could tell him that I love him, and that I got it wrong. Maybe there’s even a chance we can still find the way. But if not, if it’s too late, at least I can tell him that I’m sorry.

While she waited for the flight to be called she sat down for a coffee, and at once her cellphone went. It was Sol.

‘Where are you?’ he demanded. ‘I just got a text saying you were going away for a few days-’

‘I’m going to Naples.’

‘To see him?’

‘No,’ she said quickly. She couldn’t bear Sol to know the truth just yet. ‘I’m still looking over sites-tying up loose ends. I’ll be in touch.’

‘Yeah. Right. How long will you be gone?’

‘I don’t know. I have to go now.’

Della was hardly aware of taking her seat, fastening the belt. She was on edge until the plane rose from the ground, and then there was the relief of knowing that the decision was final.

The flight to Naples was three hours. She began to wonder what she would do, having made no plan of action beyond putting up at the Vallini.

I don’t even know where he is. He may not be at Pompeii now, or even be in Naples any more.

She tried not to think that she might arrive too late, closing her eyes, fighting the fear. But the thought took hold of her. Her whole life might be haunted by her failure to find him in time. Then a sudden violent lurch brought her back to the present. She opened her eyes to find everyone looking around in alarm.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing a little turbulence. Please fasten your seatbelts…’

She hated this, but comforted herself with the thought that it wasn’t far now. It was hard to fasten the belt because another lurch made it fly out of her hand.

You’re nearly there now. Concentrate on that thought, and on seeing him again.

She finally managed to fasten the clasp and sat back, taking deep breaths. She could feel that they were going down, so this was nearly over.

But then she heard the screams begin, and she knew that it wasn’t nearly over. The worst was just beginning.

‘So you’re off to Egypt?’ Hope asked.

‘I thought you said Egypt had been done to death?’ observed Ruggiero from further down the table, where the three of them were breakfasting on the terrace of the villa.

‘It’s just a stop on the way,’ Carlo said. ‘Then Thailand. Then-I forget.’

‘You sound as though it doesn’t matter,’ Hope said, alarmed. ‘But in the past when you started a new job you were always lit up inside. Today-you shrug. You do that too often, as though nothing mattered any more.’

‘You’re being fanciful, Mamma. Of course something matters-my new contract with Mr Forest, which will give me freedom to go anywhere and research anything.’

‘And it will keep you away for a long time-which is what you really want, isn’t it?’ she asked shrewdly.

He almost shrugged again, but stopped himself, conscious of his mother’s all-seeing eyes. It was true that he’d seized the chance of an alliance with the man he’d met in England. Alan Forest could fund his research, freeing him to travel anywhere for as long as he pleased. But he reasoned that any ambitious archaeologist would have done the same, whatever Hope might imply.

‘You’re lucky to be able to run away,’ Ruggiero remarked.

‘I am not running away,’ Carlo said sharply.

‘Like hell you’re not! You even tried to talk Forest out of staying in the Hotel Vallini.’

‘Because there are better hotels in Naples,’ Carlo said indifferently.

Ruggiero’s answer was to make a sound like a chicken clucking.

‘I’m going,’ Carlo said.

‘But you haven’t finished your breakfast,’ Hope protested.

‘I prefer not to listen to the ravings of this person,’ Carlo said coolly, jerking his head in his brother’s direction.

‘I just like a man who’s honest with himself,’ Ruggiero observed. ‘Running to the other side of the world is the reverse of honest.’

‘Now, listen, you two,’ Carlo said, in the voice of a man exasperated beyond endurance. ‘I am not running away. I’m simply not going to spend the rest of my life brooding. It’s over. Finished. Della made her decision and that’s that. And the more I think of it, the more I realise that she was right. Life goes on.’

Ruggiero drew in his breath. He might or might not have been going to cluck again. It was impossible to say since the look Carlo turned on him effectively froze his blood.

‘I’m off,’ Carlo said, draining his cup. ‘We should have signed that contract two days ago, but better late than never.’

‘And after you’ve gone, when will I see you again?’ Hope wanted to know.

‘That’s in the lap of the gods.’ He kissed her cheek and departed.

‘He’s really changed,’ Hope sighed.

‘I’ll say!’ Ruggiero exclaimed with feeling. ‘Another moment and he’d have killed me. You know why this is happening suddenly, don’t you? It’s because he saw her in England.’

‘He never talks about that,’ Hope said sadly. ‘We wouldn’t even know if Evie hadn’t told us.’

‘After that he thought she’d get in touch with him.’

‘He said so?’

‘No, but he jumped every time his phone went. It was never her.’

‘Why didn’t he just call her?’

‘Mamma, don’t you understand him yet? She rejected him. Very finally. He won’t go back to her and beg.’

‘But perhaps she called him when you weren’t there.’

‘No, she never called him.’

‘How can you be sure?’

‘Because he’s going away,’ Ruggiero said.

The sight of Alan Forest gave Carlo a shock. He had one arm in a sling, and a black eye.

‘Were you mugged?’ Carlo asked.

‘No, I was on that plane that crashed at the airport a couple of days ago. I expect you saw it on the news. It was a terrible business. Fifteen people dead, several more expected to die.’

‘But when you called me to say there’d be a delay in the contract you didn’t mention the crash,’ Carlo said. ‘You just said something had come up.’

‘I was out of my mind on sedatives and I just wanted to sleep. They take very good care of you in the Berrotti Hospital. But I’m fine now.’

‘Are you sure?’ Carlo asked worriedly.

‘Believe me, I was one of the lucky ones. But the others-there was even someone I knew-by sight, anyway. That TV producer you talked to at the awards ceremony.’

‘What?’ Carlo’s cup clattered into the saucer.

‘Della somebody-’

‘She was in that crash?’ Carlo asked in a tense voice.

‘I saw them carry her off on a stretcher, and she wasn’t moving. She could be dead by now. Hey! What are you-?’

He was talking to empty air. Carlo had fled.

Afterwards he couldn’t remember how he got to the hospital. He was functioning on automatic, blotting out the hideous truth. For two days she’d been lying within a few miles of him-alone, perhaps dying. And he hadn’t known.

At the hospital he parked the car in a hurry and hurled himself inside.

‘Signora Hadley,’ he said fiercely to the young woman receptionist. ‘Where is she?’

‘Are you a relative, signore?’

‘No, but I-know her very well.’

‘I’m afraid we have strict rules-’

‘For the love of God, tell me she’s alive,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Just say that. Say it!’

‘She’s alive,’ she said, regarding him in alarm. ‘Signore, please-don’t force me to call Security.’

‘No-’ He ran his hand through his hair. ‘There’s no need. I just want to know how badly hurt she is-she was in the crash.’

She relented, taking pity on his haggard face sufficient to say, ‘Yes, she was on the plane, and she was brought here.’

‘And she’s still alive? You said so, didn’t you?’

‘Yes, I did. She’s alive, although I must warn you-Perhaps you’d better talk to her son.’

‘He’s here?’

‘We sent for him at once. If you go up to the second floor, you should find him.’

He was gone before she’d finished talking. As he ran, the receptionist’s words hammered in his head. ‘I must warn you-I must warn you-’

He shut them out. He was afraid.

He saw Sol as soon as he turned into the corridor, standing at the far end, staring out of the window, so that at first he was unaware of Carlo’s approach. Even when he looked up he didn’t seem to recognise the man hurrying towards him, his face harsh and desperate.

‘How is she?’ Carlo demanded.

‘My God, it’s you!’

Carlo took a step towards him. He was closer to losing control than he’d ever been in his life.

‘How is she?’

‘She’s been unconscious since they dragged her off that plane,’ Sol declared in a flat voice. ‘The doctors talk a lot of guff, but we all know what’s going to happen.’

Suddenly his voice shook.

‘She’s dying, and there’s nothing anyone can do.’

CHAPTER ELEVEN

‘THAT can’t be true,’ Carlo said harshly. ‘I don’t believe it.’

‘Do you think I haven’t said that to myself?’ Sol demanded. ‘When I first got here and found her unconscious I thought she’d wake up at any moment, but she didn’t. It goes on and on. The longer she’s unconscious the worse it is. They had to operate, but she should have come round by now.’

‘Where is she?’

‘Behind that door. They sent me out while they did something with the machines. You should see all the things she’s attached to.’

He closed his eyes for a moment before he went on,

‘They say she took a terrible bang on the head. Even if she does come round we just don’t know how she’ll be-if she’ll recognise anyone, or know who she is-’

Carlo turned away swiftly, lest he betray too much.

‘I know the doctors expect her to die at any moment,’ Sol continued. ‘They don’t say so outright, but you can tell from the careful way they phrase things.’

Suddenly he glared at Carlo.

‘You took your time getting here, damn you!’

‘I came as soon as I heard. That was only half an hour ago.’

‘Yeah, like you didn’t know she was on her way.’ Sol’s tone was almost a sneer. ‘Why the hell couldn’t you leave her alone?’

‘What are you talking about?’ Carlo demanded harshly. ‘I haven’t been in touch with her since she left.’

‘Don’t give me that!’ Sol snapped. ‘Why was she flying to Naples if not to see you?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘I don’t believe you. I phoned her at the airport and she-I don’t know-Hell!’

‘She told you she was coming to me?’

‘No, she denied it. But I knew.’

‘What did she say?’

‘What does it matter?’

‘What did she say, damn you?’

Carlo had slammed his shaking hands down on Sol’s shoulders, and for a moment looked as though he might be about to throttle him.

‘What did she say?’ he repeated hoarsely, releasing Sol.

‘I can’t remember exactly,’ the lad said, moving away carefully. ‘Something about tying up loose ends-’

‘But that could mean anything,’ Carlo said, feeling dizzy. ‘It could be work. Was there nothing else?’

‘Just that she didn’t know how long she’d be away-’

Carlo wanted to shake him. Instead he took a step away. It was safer for them both that way.

He felt torn in many directions. He’d longed for Della to return to him, but not at this cost to her. Sooner than see her hurt he would live lonely all his days.

‘I didn’t know she was coming,’ he growled. ‘I only heard today that she was on the plane.’

Sol looked at him, his head on one side in an attitude that implied cynicism. Carlo hated him. Then he noticed that the young man’s face was pale and haggard, as if something had finally pierced his armour of selfishness. The hatred faded. They both loved the woman who lay beyond the door, fighting for her life, and for her sake he wouldn’t quarrel with her son. No matter what.

‘I didn’t know she was coming,’ he repeated. ‘If I had, I’d have been at the airport. Nothing would have kept me away. But since she didn’t tell me I think you’re wrong, and she came to Naples for another reason.’

Sol shrugged.

They both turned sharply as the door opened and a nurse looked out.

‘Signor Hadley-’

‘Has she come round?’ Sol asked tensely.

‘I’m afraid not. But you can come in now.’

Sol hurried back into the room. Carlo tried to follow him, but the nurse stopped him.

‘I’m sorry, signore, but only one person at a time-’

Carlo looked over her shoulder, feeling stunned. The figure on the bed could have been anyone, but his heart knew her at once.