Hearts On Fire Episode 19
Against expectations, Mark had enjoyed his day.
That morning, falling asleep on his balcony to the sound of Julia’s voice had been blissful.
Then came that moment when she’d handed his breakfast coffee across the balcony.
Their hands had touched and their eyes met in a way that meant only one thing.
He’d been on cloud nine when they’d arrived at Montevecchi to make their sketches, even if Julia had blanked him after that moment when they nearly kissed.
All his fears had melted away and his pencil had flown across the paper, ideas crowding his head.
He’d had a doze in the sun, and then there was that glorious viewpoint Jacopo had recommended.
Julia provided very helpful tips as she sat in the shade behind him.
He wondered if she knew he would be there, but the shock on her face and the pallor when he turned to greet her suggested not.
Either way, she stayed.
“I can’t give Marianna any grounds to suspect favouritism,” she’d said with a smile as she slipped away before Jacopo arrived. “There have been issues in previous years.”
Wizzy and Charlie, no doubt.
The way Charlie went on about the previous tutor, he imagined they would have been insufferable.
Swirling a brandy around his glass as night finally settled over the hills, he marvelled that he was still here.
He dared to speculate on the possibilities the future might hold.
In the space of 24 hours, Jacopo’s rationality and Julia’s blue eyes and kind face had persuaded him to stay, when self-preservation had told him to flee.
If only he could get through the nights, when the fear was worst.
It was fine having an early warning system for forest fires when everyone was awake, but a fire might grow to huge proportions in the dead of night before anyone smelled the smoke.
He tried to push down memories of the fire at the Cremona factory.
That hadn’t happened at night, but it had happened on his watch.
And the decisions he made had led to the deaths of five men, including Dominic, who was on his first major shout.
His chest tightened.
The enquiry exonerated him because there were illegally stored chemicals at the plant that he couldn’t have known about.
Dominic had been capable of handling a major blaze, and the young man was starting to resent Mark for protecting him and sending him to small fires.
But Mark’s decisions still caused nightmares, tormenting him with the face of the boy next door.
He swallowed the last of the brandy, said goodnight to the guests still talking, and headed for the stairs.
His thoughts returned to Julia, who had ignored him for the entire evening meal because, he was sure, she was hiding their mutual attraction from the others.
If they weren’t allowed to get to know each other on a personal level while he was here, then when?
He had no idea if continuing a relationship when they returned home would be realistic.
Sleep would probably elude him again tonight.
He’d lie there waiting for the first whiff of smoke, the crackle of burning wood.
It was ridiculous. Jacopo and Marianna didn’t lie awake all night worrying about fire.
He sighed and let himself into his room.
Beyond the wall to his left was Julia.
He wanted to knock on her door and ask her to lull him to sleep with her relaxing yoga routine.
He went out on to the balcony in the vain hope that she would be there.
She was!
“Hello,” he greeted her.
“Oh, hi.”
“I’m surprised to see you.” He dropped his voice. “But also pleased.”
It was difficult to tell in the dim light, but he thought she blushed.
“I felt rude ignoring you over supper,” Julia said, rising from the chair where she’d been reading.
She crossed to where their balconies met.
“It’s just as well our rooms are the only ones at the back of the house,” Mark remarked. “Else you wouldn’t speak to me for the rest of the week.”
She laughed.
“Yes. Though we must be careful. Anyone could walk below and overhear us.”
A twig snapped and they both instantly turned to survey the ground below.
“It was probably one of the forest animals,” Mark rationalised eventually.
“Yes.” Julia lifted her blue eyes back to his. “Anyway, I just wanted to say I hope you sleep better tonight.”
“About that.” He paused.
She blanched.
“I just meant,” he hurried on, “I wondered if you would do that yoga again, to help relax me.”
“Oh, yes. It certainly worked this morning, didn’t it?” She laughed again.
Mark’s shoulders relaxed, the tense moment over.
“Just let me change into my sleeping shorts and T-shirt and do my teeth.”
Five minutes later, he was back on the balcony.
“Right. I’ve put my rug inside the door. If I fall asleep, I’ll be in my room, not outside.
Julia grinned and returned to her chair.
“Aren’t you doing it, too?” he asked.
“I don’t need to do it at night.” She shook her head.
He lay on the rug and listened to her calming tones as she gradually led him through the same moves as that morning, focusing on breathing, letting the tension flow out of his muscles, clearing his mind of troubling thoughts.
And if anyone was below listening to them, they’d hear the tutor doing yoga.
He was perfectly relaxed, and the warm fuzzy blanket of sleep had begun to swaddle his heavy limbs.
“Goodnight, Mark. Sleep well,” Julia’s soft voice said.
There was a click as her door closed, then silence.
He lay for a few more moments, wondering if he should remain where he was and sleep on the floor.
“Goodnight, Julia,” he whispered. “Sleep tight.”
With a sigh, he rose and climbed into bed.
With Julia’s soothing voice still in his ears and her face in his mind, soon he was fast asleep.
When he awoke, it was still dark, but he was on high alert, his pulse racing and his muscles taut.
Wood smoke. He could smell wood smoke.
To be continued…