'My analysis of the situation exactly,' he replied.

'Which is why it's doubly unfortunate that you are unwilling to put their fidelity to the test. As it is, your mother and I may have to wait a long time to see which of us has won.'

'Won?' snapped Orestina. 'Won what?'

'Are you saying that you and mamma have made a bet on our future happiness?' demanded her sister. 'How dare you do such a thing? As though our lives were a horse race or a football match!'

Aurelio Zen shrugged.

'All I wanted to do was to prove your mother wrong.

But since you won't cooperate…'

Filomena lunged forward impulsively and grabbed one of the sfogliatelle.

'And why should we cooperate?' she demanded.

'What's in it for us?'

'A trip to London, for a start.'

'London?'

'We'd need to make your sudden departure look natu ral, of course. What more normal than that two literature students in their final year at the university should go off to England to brush up the language?'

'I've always wanted to go to London,' murmured Orestina wistfully.

'Well, here's your chance,' Zen remarked with a broad smile. 'And if you turn it down, ladies, I shall be forced to conclude that, despite your fervent protestations, you're not really as sure of your boyfriends as you claim to be.'

'Sabatino would never be unfaithful to me!' said Filomena.

'I trust Gesualdo like my own self!' declared Orestina.

I've found a very good package deal,' Zen went on.

'Air tickets, nice hotel in the centre, generous discounts at selected shops, clubs and discos. True, it means flying Alitalia, but a colleague of mine knows someone who works for the ground staff at the airport and he can get you upgraded.'