Murder Under the Tuscan Sun by Rachel Rhys

Author:Rachel Rhys [Rhys, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781529176575
Publisher: Transworld
Published: 2023-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

22

THE PROSPECT OF a ball seemed to give Evelyn renewed life and, over the following days, she darted around the castle corridors like one of the fireflies that gathered outside at dusk these hot summer evenings, dots of lights that swooped and soared and were never still.

I was worried about William and the toll entertaining on such a big scale might take on his health. I knew he would not want to appear weakened in front of his friends and neighbours and would push himself beyond what was healthy in order to see out the evening. But more draining than that were the endless preparations – the succession of tradesmen and musicians and florists and dressmakers. Evelyn had procured the legendary head barman from the Rivoire for the evening to mix cocktails and an English chef was being brought in to oversee the canapés, much to Renata’s outrage.

After much discussion the theme had been selected. Jules Vernes’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Evelyn had only ever flicked through the novel, but that didn’t deter her from deciding it would be a broad enough canvas to encompass women wanting to show off their figures as mermaids and sirens and men wishing to grandstand as pirates or mariners or naval officers.

Roberto was at first apathetic about the whole enterprise. I’d noticed he tended to reserve his enthusiasms for ideas that he had originated himself. He was soon won over, however, when Evelyn insisted the cream of Florentine society would be clamouring for an invitation, and declared he would have a water tank constructed in the castle grounds, where revellers could put their aquatic costumes to the test.

Evelyn had had to be dissuaded from having a model built of the Titanic, half submerged next to an iceberg.

‘Over a thousand people died in that ship. Children, even,’ I reminded her.

‘Yes, but it was so long ago,’ she argued. ‘Ancient history, really …’ She saw my face. ‘No, you’re quite right, Connie, I’m a monster.’

As Evelyn’s planning got underway, I kept a close eye on William. I knew he wasn’t happy about the steady stream of visitors, the noise of banging from various sets being built, but he did not have the energy for a fight, although once I heard him raise his voice to Evelyn when the two of them were alone and I was returning from an errand. ‘Just who is footing the bill?’ I heard him ask, but Evelyn claimed not to understand what he was saying.

Only once did I dare voice my concerns to Evelyn, as I sat opposite her at the table while she leafed through swatches of gauzy green fabric for the costume she was having made.

‘Oh, this is divine, isn’t it?’ she said, holding up a square of sheer material that changed colour in the light.

‘Yes, absolutely. Except … I worry the excitement might be too much for Mr North. He is so easily tired these days and—’

‘Oh, good god, Connie, the man is not dead. Allow him a little fun, for heaven’s sake.

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