The Sicilian Affair

Chapter 2 - Something About Sicili

Laurie Slade breathed in the fresh Sicilian sea breeze and the world was new again. A radiant smile grew on her heart shaped face as the sun slowly emerge from the other side of hemisphere.

Tens and thousands of miles between her and her family was exactly what she needed.

She needed to be away from their plots and plans to marry her off to Charles Winsley. Laurie had no intention whatsoever to be involved in a lucrasive business transaction. Those were the very words used by her mother to describe the type of marriage she would be living in.

But she had no interest of being anybodies payday.

Atleast here, on this private island they couldn't get to her.

Here, she could actually...live her life - for however long she was needed that is.

The long road twistsed up a slight hill and down again like a sinuous rollacoaster.They had left the jetty some ten to fifteen minutes ago and as the car rounded the ninth bend, Laurie watched as the main land seemingly disappeared from view.

Everything was green and colourful. It was amazing what a step outside an overcrowded city could do to one's senses. She stole another glimpse at her driver
Mario, she had discovered that he spoke fluent English even if his thick Italian accent lingered on every word. He earned a smile from her when he insisted on taking her bags even if she had persisted that she was well able to carry them herself.

"We are almost there, Ms. Slade." He declared as the car made a final crest around a bend.

Laurie caught her breath at the sight of the white fortress that loomed out of the overly tall chestnut trees. As the car pulled up on a cobbled stoned driveway and her eyes soaked in the grotesque architecture. Sure, her family was wealthy but this was beyond what she had ever experienced.

The evidence was in every detail and care given to the outside of the mansion. From finely sculpted statues to uniquely designed water fountains. She could only imagine what the inside would look like.

The car pulled into a stop, Laurie peered out of the window hesitating at first to step out. It was when Mario came to her side of the car and open the door, that she allowed her feet to moved.

"Please follow Me, Ms. Slade. Mrs Carsingni is waiting for you." He said once she was out of the car.

"What about my bags?" She asked.

"No worries, I will see to them. Now if you please, Miss Slade." He gestured inside.

Stepping inside the foyer, Laurie had to keep her lips tightly pressed together so that they would hang wide open. She was right, the internal design was way beyond what she could have imagined.

She followed closely behind him afraid that if she blinked, she might miss a step and get lost. The hallway seemed endlessly long and the walls beared no memorilia of a family legacy as she had imagined there would be. The sole sound of their harmonising steps fluttered echoes throughout the grand hall, the feeling of emptiness instantly crawled around her.

Mario steps finally halt once they had reached a big mahogany door. He knocked once and pushed open the door.

Inside was hardly what she would call a room, it was simply too big for anyone to call this a bedroom. She eyes instantly flew to the window, where a lady who looked well over her late forties sat in her rocking chair, staring out into the garden.

Her dark hair with visibly few grey strands was neatly pulled back into a bun, the front of her pearls half rested on her grey cashmere sweater and her white knee length dress. Her skin was slightly pale but probably from lack of time in the sun.