wasn’t time to enjoy the view as she slithered down a steep rough bank, desperate to reach the cool green depths of the woodland below. Only when she plunged between the gnarled sweet chestnuts, ash trees and birches could she catch her breath and take stock of her surroundings.
As her eyes became accustomed to the cool gloom, a voice drifted through the trees towards her.
‘Ciao, Josie.’
Dario had looped the reins of his horse over the low branch of a tree and was crouched beside it. He looked like a magnificent animal poised to spring—but in his hand he held a delicate, wide-brimmed straw hat.
‘You made me jump!’
‘I intended to.’ He grinned. ‘You didn’t take any notice of my warning about sunstroke, so I’ve come to make you see sense.’
‘You seem to appear everywhere I go today,’ she said suspiciously.
He stood up and walked towards her, offering the hat.
‘I could say the same thing about you. Everywhere I go, you’re there ahead of me. I got my staff to look out one of Antonia’s hats for you. She won’t mind—but I would be very disappointed if you refused this as well as my champagne, Josie.’ He smiled.
The sight of Dario dominating the glade was almost enough to rob her of the power of speech. Although he was so tall and well built, he moved almost silently across the forest floor towards her. With his raven dark hair and beautifully honed body accentuated by his white shirt and dark trousers, Josie was reminded again of a panther stalking its prey. Realising what was likely to happen to her resolve if she didn’t keep Dario at a distance, she tried to put up a strong defence.
‘I notice you’re not wearing a hat yourself.’ Her voice was uncertain with nerves.
‘I’m used to the sun—although you’re quite right. Experience isn’t a licence to take risks. I make sure I keep to the shade wherever possible, as much for Ferrari’s sake as mine.’ He tipped his head towards where his bay horse was quietly pulling at some succulent undergrowth. ‘I’ve been exploring these hills all my life, so I know the best places,’ he said with a gleam in his eyes. ‘For instance, did you know this pool has a secret? We’re being watched.’
Crooking his index finger, he beckoned her towards the water’s edge.
‘When we were children, Antonia used to love being scared by the monster that lives behind that curtain of leaves up there.’ He pointed to where greenery hung down over the source of a waterfall tumbling into the pool. ‘She used to dare me to pull it back, then she’d run away screaming when I did.’
Josie watched the water splashing down from beneath heavy curtains of fern and ivy. It escaped over bare wet rocks to send ripples dancing out over the clean, clear water.
‘There doesn’t look to be anything to be scared of.’
Dario chuckled. ‘You say that now, but when you’re six years old an ancient carved face hidden among the rocks can seem very scary. Local legend says it’s Etruscan, but an expert like you would need to check it out to make certain. Antonia has never got around to it.’
Josie’s eyes lit up. ‘Now you’ve got me interested.’
‘I knew I would.’ His smile widened mischievously. ‘So—what do you say? Would you dare to come with me now and take a look?’
Josie couldn’t answer. She was studying the pool. It had been edged with wide stones, but everything was now worn with age and green with algae. It looked treacherous. Dario was already striding around the perimeter to the other side and calling across the water to her.
‘I’ll go first. Look, it’s perfectly safe—but, if you’re nervous, you’ll get a better view if you stand over there, beside that nearest alder …’
Josie had dropped her bag and reached his side before he finished speaking. Her fear of being thought not up to a task was greater than her fear of the water, until she saw where she would have to walk. The path to the spring’s source was narrow and cut into solid rock. In places, water splashed and played over it as though from a hose.
Edging along, she followed as close behind Dario as she dared. As he crossed the wettest place she took a step forward, felt her foot slip and caught her breath in a tiny cry of panic. Instantly, he grabbed her hand but she had already fought and won the battle to retain her footing. Once again she pulled herself from his grasp.
‘I’m fine, thank you.’
Dario wasn’t convinced, but grudgingly gave her the benefit of the doubt. ‘As long as you’re sure.’
‘I didn’t mean to alarm you. Water just isn’t my thing, that’s all,’ she said, gritting her teeth.
‘Does that mean you won’t be using the swimming pool down at the castello during your stay?’ he murmured as they pressed on.
She steeled herself to ignore the interesting tone in his voice.
‘Not if I can help it.’
‘A shame. Though I, too, much prefer the fun that can be had on dry land.’ His words were suggestive, but when Josie glanced at him suspiciously he met her gaze innocently, belying the wickedness she could see in his smile.
‘At a time like this I’m inclined to agree with you,’ she answered with grim determination as she concentrated on keeping her balance and ignoring the butterflies in her stomach. ‘Can you hurry up and show me whatever it is? This is turning into some kind of endurance test!’
‘As someone who is in the business of teaching, you should know that nothing good comes without effort.’
‘The benefits of hard work can be overstated,’ Josie said quietly before she could stop herself.
She had to concentrate grimly on her footwork, but Dario could afford to look at her quizzically.
‘What do you mean?’
Josie cursed the twin distractions of Etruscan art and the slippery surface. She had said too much. Furious with herself for accidentally bringing up such a sensitive subject, she tried to laugh it off.
‘Oh … while I was studying, my boyfriend found someone else to catalogue his artefacts for him. You know how it is,’ she finished lamely, expecting him to laugh.
He didn’t. Instead, he looked at her for a quiet moment, while Josie shivered under his leisurely, assessing gaze.
‘What a foolish man, not to see what he had,’ he said quietly, before turning away as if the compliment had never happened. Josie took a deep breath, trying to control the adrenalin suddenly fizzing through her veins.
‘Here we are … careful … now look at this …’
Reaching out, Dario pushed aside the curtain of young hart’s tongue fronds. Nourished by the run off from the slopes above, they were easily two feet long and covered the source of the waterfall with thick green ripples. As he moved the leaves apart, Josie saw that the water poured out from the mouth of a hideous grinning mask. It must have truly terrified Antonia when she’d played here as a child, more
