The Italian Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

walked across the kitchen and opened the oven door.
    ‘No! I want to know what’s happened. Papa never shouts at Carlotta. She must have done something very bad.’
    Luca served the lasagne in silence. He put two full plates on the kitchen table and sat down, indicating that Rosanna do the same.
    ‘ Piccolina , there are some things you’re just too young to understand. Carlotta has made a bad mistake, and that’s why Papa’s so angry with her. But don’t worry. The three of them will sort it out and all will be well, I promise. Now, eat your lasagne and tell me about your lesson with Signor Vincenzi.’
    Knowing she was not going to acquire any further information, Rosanna sighed and picked up a fork.
    Rosanna was awoken by the sound of soft sobbing. She sat up in bed, blinking in the grey light of the approaching dawn.
    ‘Carlotta? Carlotta, what’s wrong?’ she whispered.
    There was no reply. Rosanna climbed out of bed and went across to her sister. Carlotta had a pillow over her head in an attempt to drown out the sound of her crying. Rosanna put a tentative arm on her shoulder and an agonised face appeared from under the pillow.
    ‘Please don’t cry. It can’t be all that bad,’ Rosanna soothed.
    ‘Oh . . . it is , it is . I . . .’ Carlotta wiped her streaming nose on the back of her hand. ‘I have to marry . . . I have to marry Giulio!’
    ‘But why?’
    ‘Because of something I’ve done. But . . . oh Rosanna, I don’t love him, I don’t love him!’
    ‘Then why must you marry him?’
    ‘Papa says I must and it’s all I can do. I’ve lied to him about the . . . oh . . .’ Carlotta sobbed again and Rosanna put her arms round her sister’s shoulders.
    ‘Don’t cry, please. Giulio is a nice man. I like him. He’s rich and you’ll have a big apartment and you won’t have to work in the café anymore.’
    Carlotta looked up at her sister and smiled weakly through her tears. ‘You have a kind heart, Rosanna. Maybe when I’m married, Mamma and Papa will notice you more.’
    ‘I don’t mind. We can’t all be beautiful – I understand that,’ Rosanna answered quietly.
    ‘Well, just look where my beauty has got me! Maybe you’re better off without it. Oh Rosanna, I shall miss you when I leave.’
    ‘And I you. Will you be getting married soon?’
    ‘Yes. Papa will go to see Giulio’s father tomorrow. I think we’ll be married within a month. Everyone will guess, of course.’
    ‘Guess what?’ asked Rosanna.
    Carlotta stroked her sister’s hair. ‘There really are some things you can’t understand until you’re older. Stay young for as long as possible, little sister. Growing up isn’t as much fun as it looks. Now, go back to your bed and sleep.’
    ‘Okay.’
    ‘And Rosanna?’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Thank you. You’re a good sister and I hope we’ll always be friends.’
    Rosanna climbed back into bed with a sigh, still understanding nothing.
    Four weeks later, Rosanna stood behind Carlotta in a blue satin bridesmaid’s dress as her sister made her marriage vows to Giulio.
    There was a party afterwards at the café. Although Rosanna knew that this should be the happiest day of Carlotta’s life, her sister looked pale and tense, and Antonia not much happier. Marco seemed cheerful enough, breaking open bottle after bottle of sparkling wine and telling his guests of the lovely apartment with two bedrooms that the young couple would live in.
    A few weeks after the wedding, Rosanna went to visit Carlotta in her new apartment near the Via Roma. Rosanna stared in awe at the television set in the corner of the sitting room.
    ‘Giulio must have lots of money to have one of those,’ Rosanna exclaimed as Carlotta brought in some coffee and they sat together on the sofa.
    ‘Yes, he has money,’ Carlotta agreed.
    Rosanna sipped her coffee, wondering why her sister seemed so subdued.
    ‘How is Giulio?’
    ‘I hardly see him. He leaves at eight to go to his office and doesn’t arrive