The Olive Grove by Eva Glyn

Author:Eva Glyn [Glyn, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008453305
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

All the same, Antonia was a little concerned when Damir didn’t appear while she was preparing breakfast – indeed, he rushed in just ten minutes before the guests were due to leave for Vincenzo’s, and grabbed a coffee from the stove while she was clearing dishes from the terrace. They passed each other in the hall and he told her his alarm hadn’t gone off.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No. You have your cooking and Honey and Sara. I want to meet them but I haven’t checked my emails yet so my day could be anywhere.”

Antonia touched his arm, “Then let me take the guests to Vincenzo’s and go on to the market from there.”

“You are too kind to me.” He shook her gently away and disappeared to drink his coffee outside the front door by the people-carrier, leaving Antonia feeling rather puzzled.

Once Antonia had finished the shopping she stopped by Sanja’s to collect the girls. It would have been insulting to give their hostess pastries, so instead she’d bought her flowers, and Sanja exclaimed over them as though she had never been given any before. Honey and Sara were surrounded by the debris of their breakfast, but Sanja refused all offers of help to clear away, so they grabbed their bags and followed Antonia to the car.

She could not help but feel proud as she drove through Vila Maslina’s gates. In her own small way she had helped Damir make this place magical and for a moment she was almost overwhelmed by the achievement. Who would have believed it, just a few short months before? With growing excitement, she pointed out the old press house where Damir lived and Marco, who was sitting on the press itself opposite, cleaning his paws.

“What happened to the other kittens?” Sara asked.

“Two went to a vineyard not far from here and the other is still in the village. It bothers me Mackalina hasn’t been spayed but Damir doesn’t seem to be getting around to it.”

“You worry too much, Mum,” Honey told her. “Maybe he liked having kittens in his wardrobe. Maybe they were company for him.”

The girls helped Antonia carry the shopping into the coolness of the kitchen where she put it away. The hum of the hoover told her Ana was working upstairs, so she showed Honey and Sara the living room, then led them through the dining area and onto the terrace.

“It’s as perfect as you said it was,” Honey breathed. “Amazing.”

“Damir certainly has a good eye,” Antonia agreed.

Sara wandered back into the hall and stood in front of Tetka. “Who’s this lady?”

“That’s Tetka, Damir’s aunt. It was her house and she brought him up. Vincenzo did the sketch.”

“It’s brilliant – what a face! Every wrinkle tells a story.”

“Yes, but what story? I can never work out what she was like from the picture.”

Sara put her head on one side. “I’d say she was strong. Loving – there’s definitely some softness in her smile. It’s welcoming, but all the same I reckon she was a woman who knew her own mind.

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