Read Online The Italian Girl by Lucinda Riley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lucinda Riley
Ads: Link
what’s done is done. Signor de Vito has been telling me he thinks you will one day be a big star. He wants you to go to a music school in Milan. He’s sure they will offer you a scholarship.’
Paolo shrugged. ‘As a director of the school and La Scala, I can take what you might call an executive decision.’
‘And what do you say, Papa?’ asked Luca anxiously.
‘Well, it’s all well and good to have such a talent, but I could not let my daughter go alone to such a big city. Who knows what would become of her?’ Marco sighed.
Rosanna felt the adrenaline of the evening leave her. She’d been right. In the end, it had all been for nothing. Papa was going to say no.
‘So,’ Marco continued, ‘Signor Vincenzi suggested that someone should accompany you. And of course, I think to myself, who? Who could I trust to take care of my daughter and keep her safe? And then it came to me. Luca, my son, who has paid all these years to help you.’
‘You . . . you mean, you’ll let me go to Milan if Luca accompanies me?’ Rosanna gazed up at her papa in amazement.
Marco nodded. ‘Yes. It seems like the perfect solution.’
‘But what about you, Papa? We couldn’t leave you alone.’ Luca was staring at his father as though he had lost his mind.
‘But I won’t be alone, Luca. Carlotta and Ella are home now. And my daughter insists that she will not return to her husband. So, she can look after her old papa and help in the café. And I will find a replacement for you, Luca. You were a bad cook anyway,’ joked Marco. ‘And as these two gentlemen have said’ – he nodded in the direction of Luigi and Paolo – ‘we must try to do everything we can to give your precious gift to the world, Rosanna. So, there we are. Are you happy?’
‘Oh Papa! I . . . of course I am! Thank you, thank you!’ Rosanna hugged him tightly, still unable to believe the longed-for future was hers to grasp.
‘And what about you, Luca? Will accompanying Rosanna to Milan suit you?’ asked Luigi.
Luca’s eyes shone. ‘I can’t think of anything that would please me more.’
‘Good, good, so that is settled,’ said Paolo. ‘Forgive me, but I must leave now. I have a post-performance supper with the director of the Teatro di San Carlo in the city.’ He stood up and turned to Rosanna. ‘I’ll speak to my colleagues about you on my return to Milan. If all goes well, then in the next few days you will receive a letter formally confirming you have been granted a scholarship. The term begins in September. I look forward very much to welcoming you to the school and after that, perhaps, La Scala itself. Goodnight, Rosanna.’ He took her hand in his and kissed it.
‘I can’t ever thank you enough, Signor de Vito,’ she replied, her voice thick with emotion.
Paolo smiled at her, then walked inside the house with Luigi to the front door. ‘You handled that very well, Paolo. I’ll always be grateful to you,’ said Luigi.
‘I’ve dealt with difficult parents many times.’ Paolo grinned suddenly. ‘You know, Marco even told me that Rosanna had inherited her voice from him! And I must thank you, Luigi, for entrusting Rosanna to me. I’ll do my best to see that her talent is nurtured.’
‘I know you will, Paolo. All I ask for is a ticket to her debut at La Scala.’
‘Of course. Ciao , Luigi.’
Luigi shut the door and was immediately waylaid by the mother of one of his students. Eventually, he made his way back to the terrace and sought out Luca.
‘I have something for you, young man.’ Luigi pressed a thick brown envelope into Luca’s hands. ‘This is for you and Rosanna, to help you with your expenses in Milan. You’ve been an exceptional brother to Rosanna. And I think, out of your kindness, you too have won your freedom, yes?’ There was a look of surprise on Luca’s face as Luigi patted his shoulder and went to join his other guests.
When the Menici family arrived home in the taxi Luigi had insisted he pay
Paolo shrugged. ‘As a director of the school and La Scala, I can take what you might call an executive decision.’
‘And what do you say, Papa?’ asked Luca anxiously.
‘Well, it’s all well and good to have such a talent, but I could not let my daughter go alone to such a big city. Who knows what would become of her?’ Marco sighed.
Rosanna felt the adrenaline of the evening leave her. She’d been right. In the end, it had all been for nothing. Papa was going to say no.
‘So,’ Marco continued, ‘Signor Vincenzi suggested that someone should accompany you. And of course, I think to myself, who? Who could I trust to take care of my daughter and keep her safe? And then it came to me. Luca, my son, who has paid all these years to help you.’
‘You . . . you mean, you’ll let me go to Milan if Luca accompanies me?’ Rosanna gazed up at her papa in amazement.
Marco nodded. ‘Yes. It seems like the perfect solution.’
‘But what about you, Papa? We couldn’t leave you alone.’ Luca was staring at his father as though he had lost his mind.
‘But I won’t be alone, Luca. Carlotta and Ella are home now. And my daughter insists that she will not return to her husband. So, she can look after her old papa and help in the café. And I will find a replacement for you, Luca. You were a bad cook anyway,’ joked Marco. ‘And as these two gentlemen have said’ – he nodded in the direction of Luigi and Paolo – ‘we must try to do everything we can to give your precious gift to the world, Rosanna. So, there we are. Are you happy?’
‘Oh Papa! I . . . of course I am! Thank you, thank you!’ Rosanna hugged him tightly, still unable to believe the longed-for future was hers to grasp.
‘And what about you, Luca? Will accompanying Rosanna to Milan suit you?’ asked Luigi.
Luca’s eyes shone. ‘I can’t think of anything that would please me more.’
‘Good, good, so that is settled,’ said Paolo. ‘Forgive me, but I must leave now. I have a post-performance supper with the director of the Teatro di San Carlo in the city.’ He stood up and turned to Rosanna. ‘I’ll speak to my colleagues about you on my return to Milan. If all goes well, then in the next few days you will receive a letter formally confirming you have been granted a scholarship. The term begins in September. I look forward very much to welcoming you to the school and after that, perhaps, La Scala itself. Goodnight, Rosanna.’ He took her hand in his and kissed it.
‘I can’t ever thank you enough, Signor de Vito,’ she replied, her voice thick with emotion.
Paolo smiled at her, then walked inside the house with Luigi to the front door. ‘You handled that very well, Paolo. I’ll always be grateful to you,’ said Luigi.
‘I’ve dealt with difficult parents many times.’ Paolo grinned suddenly. ‘You know, Marco even told me that Rosanna had inherited her voice from him! And I must thank you, Luigi, for entrusting Rosanna to me. I’ll do my best to see that her talent is nurtured.’
‘I know you will, Paolo. All I ask for is a ticket to her debut at La Scala.’
‘Of course. Ciao , Luigi.’
Luigi shut the door and was immediately waylaid by the mother of one of his students. Eventually, he made his way back to the terrace and sought out Luca.
‘I have something for you, young man.’ Luigi pressed a thick brown envelope into Luca’s hands. ‘This is for you and Rosanna, to help you with your expenses in Milan. You’ve been an exceptional brother to Rosanna. And I think, out of your kindness, you too have won your freedom, yes?’ There was a look of surprise on Luca’s face as Luigi patted his shoulder and went to join his other guests.
When the Menici family arrived home in the taxi Luigi had insisted he pay
Similar Books
