Gollantz and Partners (The Gollantz Family Saga Book 7) by Naomi Jacob

Author:Naomi Jacob [Jacob, Naomi]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Jewish history, Jewish families, marriage and family, historical family saga, antique business, secrets and lies, politics
Publisher: Wyndham Books (Family Saga)
Published: 2016-08-12T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

On Thursday morning Guido talked long and earnestly to Bettina. With imploring actions of his hands, he begged her to scour Milano for the most perfect ingredients for the dishes which she was to make.

Bettina, still attractive, answered very calmly, ‘Signor Guido, I was out buying these things while you were still asleep! They are already here!’ Charles had made sufficient progress with his Italian to be able to gather the meaning of what she was saying. Had he not understood, Guido’s face would have conveyed the meaning to him.

He beamed at her, seized the hand of Luigi and congratulated him on having the perfect wife. Luigi was deeply moved; only Bettina stood watching them both, kindly, tolerantly, saying, ‘Oh, la la!’

All day Charles wandered restlessly about Milano. He allowed his imagination to run riot, gazed in the magnificent jewellers’ shops, and wondered which of the splendid rings he would give Maria Franconi when they were engaged. When Guido came in that evening, bearing more flowers, so that he looked like a walking bouquet, he gave his last-minute instructions to Luigi. This done, he turned to Charles, and said as if offering a half-hearted apology, ‘It may be that to give dinner-party is nossing. I don’t, know, but to me when friends arrive ‒ it is an occasion! You will wear dinner-jacket, no? Americans say ‒ Tuxedo! I wear with a white gilet ‒ waistcoat. I copy your Duc de Vindsor, for whom I have admiration. A very first-class fellow this “David” ‒ Italians all admire with greatness his sacrifice for love.’ He sighed deeply. ‘Right, wrong ‒ how can you know when it is the ’eart? The bravest ’eart is taken captive by love! I have seen him in Venice ‒ Excelsior Albergo at the Lido. He come running down the steps, I remove my hat and bow gracefully, and with all respectfulness. He saw, nodded his head in pleasant, friendly style, and said, “Hello!” A memory of great preciousness to Guido.’

He fussed over the dining-table, and he and Luigi almost came to blows. To Charles it seemed that a fight to the death was imminent, then, as suddenly as it had risen, it died and they were beaming at each other.

Charles ‒ a trifle nervous himself ‒ dressed and went into the big salotto. Guido, immaculate, looking as if he had been shampooed, manicured, and laundered, was waiting.

‘Nearly eight o’clock. On the moment of eight Franconi and his lovely daughter will arrive. He is all right, but prepotente. He thinks, poor fathead ‒ another English expression which does not mean that his head is really fat ‒ he thinks that to dine with me because I am partner in the Galleries is to make me a great favour! I don’t care a damn, he is gentleman, and good client ‒ never do I say customer, it is not dignified. He collects ‒ imagine this ‒ old coins! So dull, so ugly, but he pays a lot of

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