‘Do you know, Hildy, I would not live through those middle years of the war again for anything.’
‘I also. It is sad, but you read it so well, I like to hear what happened to all these people even though I know the truth. You remember the old Madam, how straight up she used to sit in that chair of hers?’
‘The truth of Connie was that she was too fragile a creature for an old bugger like my father.’
‘You don’t swear like that when Joshua is here, or I shall tell you sharp.’
‘What else? An old shit, as Connie called him? And he was. I believe I must always have known about his affairs, but it is not the kind of thing a girl wants to believe about her father. I once caught a glimpse of him in Winchester, helping a girl into his car… it was the way he did it, his hand accidentally-on-purpose on her backside… but I did not want to know.’
The old companion nodded.
‘Can you imagine how Connie must have felt? Sharing his body with who knows how many women, sharing the same shower where he washed them off… and always having to keep up appearances. But I believe that there was a time when she really loved him in spite of all that.’
‘How did Giacopazzi know?’
‘Some of it surmise, but she has a finger on the truth. A lot of it from gossip: locals always know what’s going on. Some of it from me: Georgia and I exchanged a lot of confidences, as girls do. But the thing one has to admire is that she observed us… knew us all so well. I suppose she must have been keeping some kind of journal. It is all so right.’ She lapsed into silence, then went on, ‘It was when I taught her to drive that we first became quite friendly, then again after Connie left, but closer. It is apparently the bits about Connie that she wants me to approve.’
‘And?’
‘The facts might not be exact, but it is probably nearer to the truth than any autobiography Connie might have written. Shall I go on reading, or shall we call it a day?’
‘Read some more. I have never learned to read English well. I should like to know it all before we leave for London. When we get there… cheee! We shall have no time to read books.’