Casalvento by Gudrun Cuillo

Author:Gudrun Cuillo [Cuillo, Gudrun]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

XXV

ERIKA WOKE UP PONDERING the same questions she’d gone to bed with. Were there ghosts? And where was her grandfather’s spirit? At Casalvento, or at the cemetery where he was buried? Those thoughts kept spinning in her head, threatening to overwhelm her. It would be so much easier, she realized, if she had someone to talk to, a friend who understood her and the situation she was in.

She hoped Todd would call soon. He and James would give her honest advice. And she needed to be more appreciative toward Paolo—he was trying so hard to be helpful.

Maybe a swim would clear her head?

Erika put on her swimsuit and appraised her figure in the mirror. Even with all that she was eating, she didn’t seem any heavier. How could that be? Was it that the food was so fresh and prepared with olive oil instead of butter? Or was she simply more active all the time, instead of working at the computer all day and just going for a run in the park or to a gym for a workout a couple of times a week?

She opened the front door and stepped outside into a fresh new day. The stone paving was freshly cleaned, the dead leaves all gone, and the cars were washed. Santo must have taken care of it all. The flowers in the terra-cotta pots had been watered. Paolo had told her that vases like these, called anfore or orci, had been used as much as six thousand years ago for winemaking. Now they served as flowerpots. There were lots of them at Casalvento—at the entrance to the house and by the garage.

She appreciated that Paolo was trying to teach her about Tuscany and winemaking. Learning things about a business had always been part of the way she ran her company. It helped make her a success, and she liked to absorb information. She wanted to know about everything here, from the way the grapes were grown to the names of the flowers in the garden.

She put down her towel and eased into the pool. The water was chilly, but, after a few laps, she appreciated how refreshing the water was.

When she heard Doris driving up, she hurried back to the house, went upstairs, and jumped into the shower. Now she was ready for the day. Paolo would be arriving soon to show her more about the vineyards.

Doris was working in the kitchen when Erika came down. “Good morning, Doris. It’s another gorgeous day!”

“Yes, it is, Ms. Erika. I bought all the ingredients for the penne della Nonna. I’ll make that for dinner. But when I came in a few minutes ago, the front door was open. Please don’t forget to lock it.”

“Don’t worry, Doris. I woke up early and went up for a swim.”

“In this cold water?”

“Yes, it felt good! You know, Paolo’s coming this morning to take me through the vineyards. I’ll need those rubber boots from the cabinets in the laundry room.”

Erika was putting on the gear as Paolo drove up in the truck.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.