‘Please can I use your bathroom?’ Rose asked as her attention caught on the stain on her trousers and she winced. ‘I had an accident on the plane.’ She flushed as she realised what she’d implied. ‘Notthatkind of accident, someone spilled coffee on me.’ She pointed to the brown blob. ‘And my suitcases have gone missing, so I can’t change into fresh clothes. I thought I might try to clean this off.’
‘Sì, of course!’ Aurora declared. ‘Butun momento, I’ve plenty of clothes and –’ she studied Rose, ‘– you’re not quite the same size, but I’m sure it’ll work. I’ll get you something of mine to borrow.’
‘Oh I couldn’t,’ Rose said forcefully. The clairvoyant’s clothes were extravagant, and she didn’t do colour or glitter. Ever.
‘I insist!’ Aurora said, leaving Rose in the hallway as she disappeared up a swirling marble staircase at a jog. Rose heard her chattering to someone a few moments later, but when Aurora appeared again carrying a number of colourful dresses under one arm, she was alone.
‘Is everything okay?’ Rose asked as Aurora handed her some dresses, keeping a few extra colourful ones for herself.
‘You should change,’ the older woman said. ‘There’s a bathroom over there.’ She pointed to the back of the hallway and then went to get a large suitcase from where it had beenleft underneath the stairwell. She opened it and shoved the new clothes inside.
‘Did I just hear voices?’ Rose asked as she balanced the outfits on one arm and heard the dull ring of her mobile which was still in her handbag. She recognised the ringtone as ‘Heartbreaker’ by Pat Benatar – which meant her father was calling.
Rose ignored the call – she didn’t have time to speak to him now. Had no idea what to say to him or her mother. The two envelopes were still in her handbag waiting for a response, and she had no idea what to do.
‘Don’t worry about the voices. That was me talking to Aldo. I’m sure he’ll chat with you when we’re in the car,’ Aurora said as she wheeled her black suitcase towards the front door.
‘In the Citroën?’ Rose echoed. She hadn’t been expecting more company in the small car. Ben hadn’t mentioned any other passengers, and she wasn’t even sure how they were going to fit Aurora’s suitcase inside, let alone another man.
‘Go and change.’ Aurora wafted a hand towards the bathroom. ‘I’m sure we all want to set off soon. We’ve got an engagement party to attend!’ She grinned.
Rose nodded and looked through the dresses, choosing the one with the least glitter on it before hanging the others over the wooden banister at the bottom of the stairs. Then she headed in the direction Aurora had pointed. She didn’t want to change, but she didn’t want to remain in the soiled suit either. She prided herself on her neat appearance and didn’t want to turn up at the Marino home in dirty clothes.
Perhaps if she washed the trousers and laid them out in the Citroën for the rest of the journey, they’d be dry by the time they arrived? Feeling better now that she had a plan, she went to the bathroom.
Rose emerged ten minutes later carrying her damp trousers and wearing a pink dress with a flowing skirt and billowing sleeves that covered half of her hands. The top of the dress slid down her shoulder and she pulled it up feeling self-conscious. The outfit was a tiny bit too big, too long and way too extravagant, but at least it was clean and she wouldn’t be wearing it for long. Her luggage was bound to turn up soon. She paced the hallway, searching for Ben and Aurora.
She could see Ben was still in the garden, and he was throwing a ball to the demon, who was clearly besotted with him. Bemused, Rose watched them play for a moment, a little hurt by the way the shih tzu was behaving. For some reason, animals didn’t warm to her, no matter how hard she tried with them, and she had no idea why. She was rigid with her rules and pets liked boundaries.
Why were people like Ben adored by everyone without even trying, was it just his pretty looks? She didn’t know him well enough to judge but couldn’t help finding it irritating.
Aurora began to chatter to somebody again, and Rose spun around searching for her. She spotted an open doorway on the other side of the stairs leading into a dim room.
She silently made her way towards it and peered through. Aurora was sitting in the half-darkness at a round table covered in a blue lacy tablecloth. In the centre of the table was a huge, shiny crystal ball.
‘You wish to see my office?’ Aurora exclaimed when she spotted Rose. ‘Oh!’ she gasped as her eyes lit. ‘Bellissima! My dress suits you. I knew it would. You can keep it; I predict there will be plenty of opportunities for you to wear it in Bellemilia. Keep the others too, and I have more you might have need of.’ Rose didn’t comment and Aurora turned back to stare in the glass ball. ‘Come, come.’ She waved when Rose didn’t move.
‘Okay.’ Rose took another step into the room, trying to ignore the full skirt as it swished around her ankles. ‘This is not what I expected,’ she confessed. ‘Then again I’ve never visited a clairvoyant before.’
Aurora nodded. ‘You expected red tablecloths, flickering candles and ghosts shriekingboo?’ She chuckled, signalling at Rose to take the seat on the other side of the table. It was dim in the room, but her eyes gradually adjusted so she could see past the shadows to the furniture.
‘Yep,’ she admitted. ‘I think I expected to see ghouls too.’ She giggled for the first time in what felt like days – but it sounded odd. Then she pulled out the chair Aurora had indicated and sat. ‘Is there a secret compartment or a passage in here. I’m sure I just heard you talking to someone. Was it Aldo?’ She looked under the table but found nothing but wooden legs.
‘Sì.’ The older woman nodded. ‘It is Aldo.’
‘Where is he?’ Rose asked, twisting around to check the room thoroughly.
‘You won’t be able to see him,cara. He’s a spirit.’ Aurora quirked an eyebrow when Rose widened her eyes. She should have expected that, the older woman had talked about ghosts, but it was still a shock. ‘You don’t believe in them?’ Aurora asked.
‘I only believe in what Icansee – I’m sorry.’ Rose put her hands flat on the table as an urge to fiddle with them overtook her, suddenly aware Aurora’s gaze had grown more intense and she was trying to read her.
Isn’t that how clairvoyants knew so much about their clients? It was similar in her job, analysing people – although she never had to resort to making things up. Psychology was a science – a series of rights and wrongs, black vs white. There was no room for fantasy or wistful imaginings.
‘Ah. Yet you believe in love?’ the older woman asked, gifting her with a smile that wasn’t malicious. Instead, it was filled with understanding, and it was clear she wasn’t trying to catch Rose out.
Rose frowned. ‘That’s different,’ she said. Although she had no idea how to explain why it was.
‘Because you believe. I know trust is an issue for you,’ Aurora said, nodding at the globe.
