Last Seen in Santorini by Vivian Conroy

Author:Vivian Conroy [Conroy, Vivian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008549268
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter Fourteen

She found Raoul in the nursery. He sat in a wicker chair by the window with Luca in his arms. The little boy had hidden his face against Raoul’s shoulder and was still sobbing. Raoul patted him on the back and spoke Italian with him. He looked up as she entered. “Is it over?” he asked in English.

Atalanta nodded. “The police have taken her away. Mrs Bucardi asked me to look after Luca for the time being. It seems Delilah doesn’t need me right now.”

Raoul didn’t make a move to get up. The protective way in which he cradled the sad little boy against him clogged Atalanta’s throat. Even if Raoul had decided that he wouldn’t openly acknowledge the child he had fathered, that didn’t mean he could not love the boy and want to care for him. Especially as all this misery unfolded. And Luca so needed someone to love him and make him feel safe. He obviously didn’t get this comfort and security from Mr or Mrs Bucardi.

Raoul said, “Can you get him some breakfast? There is food and other supplies in the cupboard there.” He gestured to a door in the far wall.

Atalanta nodded and went over. It was a nice diversion to prepare some crackers with cherry preserves and serve fresh milk from the pitcher a servant brought in. Behind her back she heard Raoul’s melodious Italian continue. She had no idea what it was about, a story perhaps, for distraction?

“There you are.” She put the food and milk beside Raoul on the small table and took a chair opposite. She said in French, “Can we discuss the murder without him understanding?”

“Yes. He knows a few words of English, but no French. Especially if we speak fast.”

Atalanta smiled at him. “Thank you for intervening and saving him from that blow from his father.”

Raoul held out a cracker to Luca who turned his face away. He said something to him and tried again. Now Luca accepted the cracker. Crumbs rained on Raoul’s neat suit as he ate. Raoul said to Atalanta, “When Bucardi is violent to him, I could break his jaw. But he is master of the house, and he feels entitled to exert his power on his family, the servants.”

Atalanta noticed that Raoul had not called Bucardi Luca’s father. Wouldn’t it have been more natural to say, “He is the lad’s father, he thinks he’s entitled to discipline him”?

She said, “I know from my pupils at boarding school that physical punishment is normal in well-to-do families, especially if the children are smaller. Even teachers apply it, slapping hands with rulers and the like. I’ve always felt that such force was the wrong way to get a child to obey you, but I don’t have children myself.”

Raoul’s expression didn’t change as she said it. But he didn’t meet her eyes either as he fussed with the milk glass to get Luca to drink. Luca turned his face away and refused to take any, but when Raoul persisted, he relented and did drink.

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