The Italian Girl by Anita Abriel

Author:Anita Abriel
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Published: 2022-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Marina paced around Bernard’s library. Since returning from Florence, she had tried to work on the collection but she couldn’t concentrate. Everything about Captain Bonner – his heavy boots, the red swastika on his armband – reminded her of her father’s death.

She jumped as the door to the library opened.

Carlos entered, holding two cups. ‘I brought you hot coffee. There’s something I have to tell you.’ He glanced around the empty library. ‘It couldn’t wait, and I wanted to make sure no one was listening.’

‘I have something to tell you first.’

She told him about running into Captain Bonner, and his dinner invitation.

Carlos sipped his coffee. ‘You must have dinner with him.’

‘What? You want me to go to dinner with Captain Bonner?’

‘Rumour has it that Bonner is forming his own art collection. He keeps a painting or two for himself and smuggles them to a safety deposit box in Switzerland.’

‘You think he wants my opinion on which pieces he should steal?’ she gasped.

‘I can’t think why else he would invite you,’ Carlos said. ‘Apparently, he’s one of the few Nazi officers who doesn’t fraternise with local women; he’s faithful to his wife in Berlin. You must have made quite an impression.

‘This might be our only chance to stop him. Think about it, Marina,’ he urged. ‘If Captain Bonner is able to keep paintings for himself, the pieces may never be seen again. The Raphaels and da Vincis he takes will eventually be sold to private collectors in other countries. They’ll disappear from Italy forever.’

The thought of any of her beloved paintings ending up in Captain Bonner’s hands filled Marina with horror. Carlos was right. Here was her opportunity to protect some of the artwork she loved and cherished.

‘But how would I be able to stop him?’ she asked.

‘He said he wanted your opinion on what was valuable,’ Carlos said. ‘Perhaps he’s planning to steal something and wants to ask you about it first. If we know what it is, we can get to it before he does.’ He paused. ‘We would keep it hidden until after the war, and then return it to its rightful owner.’

‘All right, I’ll do it.’ Marina remembered that Carlos wanted to tell her something. ‘You had something to say when you entered. What was it?’

‘Last night there was a raid on a safe house in San Gimignano, not far from here. German soldiers stormed the house, seizing the radio and guns and ammunition.’ He paused. ‘Then they shot everyone inside, including three small children hiding in the pantry.’

She gasped. ‘How do you know?’

‘A neighbour discovered them,’ he said. ‘One of the partisans was still alive then, but died a few hours later.’

Marina imagined the children cowering in the pantry. Soldiers flinging open the door and riddling the space with bullets.

‘I can’t imagine anything so terrible. But what does it have to do with us?’

‘That was the safe house where Sara and the children were going to go on their way to Switzerland,’ Carlos replied. ‘Now I have to find another route as well as getting them false papers.

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