Vettori's Damsel in Distress (Harlequin Romance Large Print) by Liz Fielding

The early-morning sun was slanting across the city, lighting up colourful buildings—deep rose-pink, pale green, yellow; spotlighting a Madonna painted on a wall; glittering off the glass towers of high-rise blocks and snow-covered roofs.
    Below her the pristine white of the snow had already been mashed to dirty slush by trucks bringing produce to the market stalls that had been erected along the street opposite. Everywhere there was colour, people wrapped up in thick coats and bright scarves, out and about getting on with their lives, and her heart gave a little skip of anticipation.
    There was nothing like a good market to put a spring in the step!
    She opened the bedroom door and stuck her head out.
    ‘Dante?’
    No response. Maybe he’d woken her when he’d left the flat. Not sure whether she was relieved or disappointed, she headed for the kitchen where she found a note pinned to the fridge door with a magnet.
    Kitty comfort station in the utility room. Coffee and breakfast downstairs whenever you’re ready. Lisa.
    There was a litter tray ready and waiting for Rattino in the utility room, as well as two little plastic dishes filled with fresh minced chicken and milk and Geli found herself blinking rather rapidly at such thoughtfulness, such kindness. She’d read that in Isola she’d find the truest, most generous spirit of old Milan.
    Clearly it was a fact.
    She introduced Rattino to the first and watched as he dived into the second and then set his box on its side so that he could eat, sleep and do what came naturally at his leisure. Then she closed the door so that he couldn’t wander and put the kettle on.
    She found tea bags and dropped one in a mug and topped it up with boiling water. She found milk in the fridge and carried her must-have morning mug through to the bathroom. Hair dry, make-up in place, she layered herself in clothes that would see her through the day. A fine polo neck sweater, a narrow, high-waisted ankle-length skirt, stout Victorian-style lace-up boots, all black, which she topped with a rich burgundy velvet cut-away jacket that exactly matched her lipstick. She chose a steampunk-inspired pendant she’d made from the skeleton of a broken watch and, after a spin in front of the mirror to check that she was fluff-free, she went downstairs.
    ‘
Ciao
, Geli!’ Lisa called out as she spotted her.
‘Come sta?’
    The men standing at the bar turned as one and stared.
    ‘
Ciao, Lisa!
Molto bene, grazie
. And Rattino thanks you for the litter tray. What do I owe you?’
    She waved the offer away. ‘Tell him to thank Dan. He called and asked me to pick it up on my way to work. Now, what can I get you? A latte? Cappuccino? Or will you go hardcore with an espresso?’
    ‘Vorrei un cappuccino, grazie,’
she replied, testing her phrasebook Italian.
    ‘Buona sceita!’
    She called out the order to someone behind her, piled pastries on a plate and came out from behind the bar and headed for a table in the centre of the room.
    ‘How are you this morning, Geli?’
    ‘Pretty good, all things considered. I thought I’d be tossing and turning all night, but I’d be lying if I said I remember a thing after I closed my eyes.’ She couldn’t say the same about Lisa who, up close, looked as if she’d had a sleepless one. ‘Thanks so much for offering me your spare room. It was a lifesaver.’
    ‘No point in paying for a hotel room when there’s an empty one going begging,’ she said, pushing the pastries towards her.
‘La prima colazione,’
she said, taking one. ‘Otherwise known as cornettos. The perfect breakfast food.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Geli took one and her mouth was filled with crisp pastry and cream. ‘Oh, good grief,’ she spluttered. ‘That’s sinful.’
    Lisa grinned. ‘Start the day the way you mean to go on,’ she said then called out something in Italian to the men at the bar. They grinned, put down the empty cups they’d been nursing and made a move to go.
    ‘What did you