The Mystery by Chantelle De Winter

Author:Chantelle De Winter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
Published: 2020-09-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

The Dinner Date

Valentina arrived in good time down at the quay where she waited for Jean Claude to arrive by boat as planned. The boat arrived five minutes early with a captain and a steward on board. Jean Claude with a beaming smile escorted Valentina on to the boat where they comfortably sat in rich upholstered tan leather seats, in a small cabin below the deck. A table was laden with an ice bucket containing a half bottle of champagne, together with green olives, and little salted biscuits.

“Valentina, you look amazing this evening, allow me to pour you a glass of champagne,” Jean Claude insisted.

“The journey will take 30 minutes across the lake then my chauffeur will be waiting to take us up to my villa,” he continued.

Valentina suddenly felt a little nervous and uncomfortable in the knowledge that she had not mentioned to her daughter she was going to dinner with Jean Claude. She wanted their date to remain private. Taking the flute from his hand, they both clinked glasses and cheered one another.

“To a wonderful evening,” he proposed.

After several sips of the delicious champagne, Valentina began to relax and was looking forward to her evening at his villa. She did not know what to expect and was feeling rather ravenous by now. They both took their last sips of the champagne as the boat approached the harbour. Valentina began to giggle as Jean Claude took her by the hand to escort her off the boat. As promised, his chauffeur was waiting for them as he stood against a large Range Rover, not at all what she was expecting.

The chauffeur greeted the couple with, “Buonasera, signore, signora,” as he opened the door of the car for them to get in. Valentina first, followed by Jean Claude, where they both sat together on the back seat.

The journey to his villa only took ten minutes. It stood on the top of a hill overlooking the lake. A white Bugatti stood outside in the grounds. It was certainly palatial with many rooms. They were greeted in the grand hallway by an attractive female in her 30s who escorted them into a large drawing room, decorated in golds and reds. Jean Claude’s furniture was very traditional. Mainly Italian design but there was evidence of French sculptures and paintings adorning the room. The windows were large from floor to ceiling that had a Georgian or Edwardian style about them, rich velvet red curtains hung from them.

There was also a magnificent marble fireplace against the wall in the centre of the room, with two large ornamental statues of dogs sitting either side.

“I’m sure you are wondering, Valentina, what I’m doing living in a villa of such enormity by myself?” he asked.

“Well, now that you’ve mentioned it, I suppose it is quite large for just one person,” she responded.

“It, in fact, belonged to a great uncle of mine on my mother’s side of the family. My mother was of Italian origin but settled in Paris after she met and married my father, who, of course, was French,” he continued.

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