‘I promise not to disappear,’ she said with a glimmer of humour that was evident even through her distress.

‘Just to make sure you don’t-Toni, on guard.’

The huge mutt came forward and laid his head on Ruth’s knee.

‘Stay like that, both of you, until I get back,’ Pietro said.

In the next room there was a couch that could be turned into a bed. He made it up, his mind in turmoil. What was happening was impossible. There was no way that this could be Ruth Denver.

He returned to the living room to find that both its occupants had obeyed him. Toni’s head was still on Ruth’s knee, and she was stroking it, regarding the dog with a smile of fond indulgence.

‘Your room’s ready,’ he said. ‘Try to get plenty of sleep. I won’t let anything disturb you.’

‘Thank you,’ she said softly, and slipped away.

As soon as he was alone Pietro poured himself a large brandy. He had never needed one so much.

He felt stunned.

At first he’d thought this might be one of Gino’s discarded girlfriends who hadn’t given up hope. It happened often, but there were reasons why it couldn’t be the answer this time.

As Pietro brooded on those reasons he grew more and more troubled.

Just over a year ago Gino had fallen in love with an English girl, a tourist in Venice. Pietro had been away at the time and when he returned she’d gone back to England, so he’d never met her.

For once Gino had seemed genuinely smitten, to the point of marriage. Pietro’s wedding gift was going to be a grand reception in the palazzo.

‘But I want to meet this paragon,’ he told his young friend. ‘She must be really special to persuade you to settle down.’

‘Yes, she really is special,’ Gino enthused. ‘You’ll love her.’

‘I hope not,’ Pietro teased. ‘I’m a respectable married man.’

‘And you don’t want Lisetta throwing pots and pans at you.’