Summer of Secrets by Rosie Rushton

he said, laughing. ‘I’ve cut you out and stuck you on the wall above my bed.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Look, I was
thinking. How do you fancy a trip to Southampton next weekend? That mate I told you about – he’s sailing his boat down there this week and having a party on Saturday night.’
    ‘Sorry, I’ll be in Italy,’ she said, enjoying the way it tripped off her tongue.
    ‘ Italy ? How come?’ Tom sounded as if it was incomprehensible that she would go anywhere without first consulting him.
    Caitlin gave him a few sparse details.
    ‘And that Ludo guy? I suppose he’ll be there.’
    ‘Sure he will,’ replied Caitlin.
    ‘So what about me and you?’
    ‘There is no me and you,’ Caitlin pointed out. ‘Not yet, anyway.’
    ‘So you mean – there could be? When you get back?’
    ‘Well, I . . .’
    ‘I do like you, you know.’ With each day that passed, it seemed he was less up himself.
    ‘I like you too,’ Caitlin replied, because she was going away soon and because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. ‘I’ll see you when I get back.’
    And hopefully by then, she thought, the entire universe will know that Ludo and me are an item and no one else stands a chance.
    ‘Bye Tom, take care.’
    She could afford to be magnanimous with a fortnight in the company of Ludo Tilney stretching ahead of her.
    Caitlin’s mother calmed down a bit after Sir Magnus telephoned her from Heathrow Airport.
    ‘Such a charming man,’ she enthused. ‘He was so sorry not to be able to meet us, but they’re flying out today to prepare the house for all you young people. I told him
you could be a bit headstrong . . .’
    ‘Mum, you didn’t!’ Caitlin gasped.
    ‘. . . and he said that he would keep an eye on you all and ring if there was anything at all to worry about. So that’s nice, isn’t it?’
    ‘Compared to what?’ Caitlin asked. ‘A playgroup outing? Mum, you are so embarrassing, it’s unreal.’
    ‘I just care, that’s all,’ her mother said.
    ‘I know.’ Caitlin smiled, hugging her. ‘But just care quietly for the next couple of weeks, yeah?’

 
  CHAPTER 5  
    ‘A good-looking girl with an affectionate heart cannot fail of attracting a clever young man.’
    (Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey )
    ‘Y OU’RE NOT SCARED, ARE YOU ?’ L UDO TOUCHED C AITLIN’S hand as she gripped the
armrest of her aircraft seat.
    ‘It’s the going up and coming down bits I hate – once we’re up there, I’ll be fine,’ she murmured.
    She flinched and closed her eyes as the jet engines revved and the aircraft gathered speed down the runway. So much for looking cool and sophisticated; she could feel the sweat breaking out on
her forehead and all she could do was hold her breath and pray that the aeroplane would actually get off the ground before it careered into the perimeter fence.
    ‘Lift off!’ Ludo said, nudging her elbow. She opened one eye and saw him grinning at her in amusement. ‘If this holds such terrors for you, how on earth will you cope with
Luigi and his Lamborghini? Or me and Gina?’
    ‘Who?’
    It had never occurred to her that Ludo might have a girlfriend waiting in Italy. Her stomach, already behaving in a very unpredictable manner as the aircraft banked and headed southwards,
lurched even more at the thought of losing him before she’d even got him.
    ‘Well, Luigi’s been with our family for as long as I can remember – he must be seventy if he’s a day. He’ll be meeting us at the airport. Drives like a maniac
– just wait till you’re speeding along round hairpin bends with him. This plane will seem as safe as a rocking horse.’
    ‘And Gina?’ Caitlin swallowed hard and tried to look as if she couldn’t give a hoot about this woman.
    ‘Now, Gina you have to see,’ he told her seriously. ‘She is exquisite. And such fun to take out. Last month I took her down to Portofino and I swear to you, even there,
everyone was staring at her, she’s so