Read Online The Italian’s Rightful Bride by Lucy Gordon - Free Book Online

unrecognisable.
    Sometimes he would stop off and let them show him around the other tents, which contained tables on which small pieces of brick and pottery were laid out.
    He arrived one lunchtime, on his way back from the city, and saw Joanna, deep in discussion with Hal.
    Stepping inside, he found the air pleasantly cool, courtesy of the portable air-conditioning system imported on one of the trucks.
    â€˜It’s like an army on the move,’ he said.
    â€˜That’s down to Sally,’ Joanna said.
    Sally looked up long enough to intone, ‘Logistics. The secret of a good campaign.’
    â€˜It shows how ignorant I am,’ Gustavo said. ‘I used to think it would be a couple of people with trowels.’
    â€˜I’ve got a trowel,’ said Danny, who was by way of being the clown of the group.
    â€˜We use those too,’ Joanna told him. ‘But we also have radar, laser photography and computers. There’s a mass of equipment in the trucks.’
    Gustavo saw Billy in a corner, peering at the screen of a laptop and tapping something in with the ease of familiarity, and talking to Renata, who hung on to his every word. He watched them with satisfaction, and exchanged a glance with Joanna.
    â€˜Thank you,’ he said quietly. ‘He’s just what she needs right now.’
    â€˜I think she’s giving him something that he needs too,’ she mused.
    â€˜Yes, I imagine hero-worship can be very heady wine when you’re ten,’ he agreed, smiling.
    Casually he strolled over to the children, looking at the screen, asking about it. Billy answered cheerfully, andeven Renata, Joanna was glad to notice, gave him a faint smile. When he spoke directly to her she began to explain something to him. Glad for him, Joanna edged discreetly forward.
    â€˜You’re really learning about this fast,’ Gustavo was saying to his daughter.
    â€˜Joanna says I’m good at it,’ Renata told him solemnly.
    â€˜She is,’ Joanna confirmed. ‘She never has to be told anything twice.’
    â€˜Bright girl.’ Gustavo smiled at his daughter. She smiled back at him, and for once there was no strain in her face.
    Please, let it always be like this for him, Joanna thought.
    Something was making Gustavo do everything right. He pointed at the screen, declared himself baffled and begged enlightenment. Renata was happy to oblige until she got stuck.
    â€˜No—wait— Billy, is that the right word?’ she asked.
    â€˜No, you mean—hang on.’ His cellphone had shrilled. Holding it up, he grinned at something that appeared on the screen. ‘It’s my dad,’ he told them. ‘He sends me bad jokes by text message, and boy, is that a really bad joke! In fact, my dad can think of worse bad jokes than anyone else’s dad in the world.’
    â€˜I reckon I could manage a few,’ Gustavo said quickly.
    â€˜Nah! Dad’s the champion bad joker. Top of the class. I think he’s even got a degree in it. Look at that!’
    â€˜What does it mean?’ Renata asked, peering at the English words.
    He explained, but she was still puzzled.
    â€˜I think it lost something in translation,’ Gustavo said, touching her lightly on the shoulder.
    â€˜That’s the trouble with really bad jokes,’ Billy saidsolemnly. ‘When you try to explain them, they die a horrible death.’
    â€˜I’m sure you can think of one even worse to send back,’ Joanna observed. ‘After all, he may be the master bad joker, but you’re not his son for nothing.’
    â€˜You bet!’
    Billy began to key in letters with practised fingers, then triumphantly transmitted the text. The answer came a moment later and made him yell with laughter.
    â€˜That is the worst joke ever,’ he crowed.
    â€˜Don’t let him get away with that,’ Joanna said. ‘You can beat it.’
    He did so, receiving a response almost at