Luke released a tired sigh. This was the last topic of conversation he wanted to get involved in tonight. His head spun with all this new knowledge and at the moment he didn’t have the energy to try to work out whether Cat had kept the truth from him or not.
‘If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go home,’ he said as he got to his feet. ‘There’s a lot to think about and some decisions to be made. And I need to be somewhere quiet.’
‘Of course.’ Étienne stood up and offered Luke his hand. Instead, Luke closed the gap between them and gave him a hug.
‘It will take time for all this to sink in but I would like to come and visit. To see my father’s hotels and enjoy Italy.’
‘And your father will be delighted to see you.’ Étienne’s eyes were bright with tears as they stepped away from each other. He gave Luke a final pat on the back before they made their way towards the door.
In the foyer, they stopped to exchange mobile numbers and, after a final father-son embrace, Luke left. Étienne watched him halt in the doorway to pick up a call; something urgent from the expression on his face. Moments later, he disappeared into the darkness.
Back in the function suite, Cat and Nathan were at the bar. The evening was winding down, and Ruan was about to take Aunt Em up to her room. Étienne arrived, explaining that everything had gone well but Luke had decided to return home needing some time to himself. Nathan nodded to where a very dejected looking Raphael, with Jodie still beside him, stared gloomily into his wine.
‘He thinks he’s going to be sacked,’ he told Étienne with a grin. ‘You’d better break the good news to him.’
Étienne smiled and wandered over to see Raphael, leaving Cat and Nathan alone.
‘Poor Raphael,’ Cat said, seeing the look of relief which slowly spread across the young Italian’s face as Étienne pulled up a chair and began to speak to him. ‘He thought his days at Fiore Del Lago were over.’
‘It seems Étienne’s sorted everything out with Luke, doesn’t it?’ Nathan said, draining his glass ‘What are you going to do now?’
‘Absolutely nothing.’ Cat shrugged, trying to conceal her distress. ‘Because there is no point. You saw the way he reacted. Hearing Gareth arguing with me it must have looked as if I’d known all along. What does that make me look like? And afterthe way I criticised him over keeping secrets? No, he’d never have me back now. It’s over, Nathan. Finished.’
‘Oh, sis.’ Nathan reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a brotherly hug. ‘This isn’t like you. You’re a fighter, you never give up. You still love him, right?’
‘Of course I do.’ Her brother’s question made her eyes brim with tears and she quickly wiped them away. The thought of losing him forever was too painful to contemplate. But at the moment the possibility of staying together looked extremely bleak.
‘You want some advice?’ she heard Nathan ask, as he produced a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. ‘Go and see him first thing tomorrow. After all, what have you got to lose?’
‘My dignity, when he slams the door in my face?’ she said, as she carefully wiped her eyes.
‘Come on, that’s not going to happen and you know it,’ he said, reaching out to give her shoulder a comforting squeeze. ‘You heard Étienne say that Luke’s gone home because he needs some time alone. But tomorrow, after he’s thought everything through, I’m sure if you turn up on his doorstep he won’t turn you away. Besides, I don’t want you going back to Desenzano and moping over what you could have done but didn’t.’
‘Am I likely to do that?’
‘You might.’ Nathan’s sympathetic smile reminded her so much of Ruan. ‘And if that happened you know you’d never forgive yourself, would you?’
Cat considered the question, then handed him back his handkerchief with a shake of her head. ‘No, you’re right, I wouldn’t.’
‘So you’ll go and see him?’
‘Yes.’
‘Promise?’
‘Promise.’
The next morning after breakfast, Cat and Siobhan did a quick check of the function suite to make sure the clear up was well under way. Happy that housekeeping and catering had the whole thing under control, Cat left for Carrenporth.
Parking her Mercedes in the small visitors’ car park on the eastern edge of the village, she walked along the High Street and then turned left up the hill to where Luke’s cottage was situated.
Reaching the front door, she braced herself. Beyond it lurked the great unknown and she had no idea what sort of reception she would receive. She had quizzed Étienne over breakfast but his non-committal response led her to believe Luke still had issues over what she had known and for how long. Still, it was far too late to turn around and leave. Whatever waited for her behind that door she was determined to face it bravely and have her say.
She rang the doorbell twice and stepped back to wait. Eventually, she heard the sound of feet on the stairs followed by bolts being shot back. Finally the door swung open.
‘Oh.’ Cat stepped back in surprise as she came face to face with Mia Boscowan.
‘Hi, I guess you’ve come to see Luke.’ Her friendly smile only served to make matters worse. What was she doing here? Wasn’t she supposed to be living with Jordan? Cat felt confused. For a few seconds her head spun and then she raised her hands and began to back away. Time to leave.
