Next morning, Annie packed her bags and said goodbye to Janet and Guido, wishing them well as their busy season started. She knew they would have precious little free time now until Easter. She drove back to Santorso and hauled the bags up the stairs to the school. She stood at the window of the room where all her stuff was piled up and wondered how she was going to fit a bed in there. The room where she had been sleeping before was now draped with dust sheets and in the process of being redecorated. The bed she had used and the mattress were leaning, upright, against the corridor wall. Outside, it was a brilliant sunny day and it didn’t take her long to decide what to do. She could always sort out her bed later on. For now, the call of the slopes was overpowering.
She changed into her skiing clothes, picked up her skis and boots and headed for the car. Half an hour later, she was in the car park at Montalto, pulling on her boots. Being a Saturday, there were more people about, but as it was still very early in the season, there were no crowds and only a tiny queue for the lift. She travelled up on the chairlift alongside a young Russian couple who totally ignored her and spent all their time cuddling and kissing. For her part, Annie concentrated on the pistes below and was pleased to see them relatively empty. It was wonderfully quiet up there, the only sound the hiss of the snow beneath the skis.
She had a very enjoyable morning, skiing down a variety of descents, including the near-vertical Cock’s Comb, named after the famous Hahnenkamm piste at Kitzbühel in Austria. This run was still icy, particularly on the higher part, and it took a lot of concentration and a fair amount of nerve, but she got down without incident and felt very proud of herself as she reached the bottom, skidding to a halt in a huge cloud of snow. She then discovered that her efforts had not gone unnoticed.
‘Ciao, Annie.’ She looked round to see where the voice was coming from. She soon spotted him. It was Massimo Lagrange and he was sitting on the terrace outside one of the restaurants alongside a lady with a mass of black curls. Both were in their shirtsleeves, enjoying the brilliant sunshine. Somehow he had managed to get himself a table in the midst of all the crowds. Annie checked her watch. It was just after one o’clock and loads of people were queuing up for somewhere to sit down and have lunch. Massimo beckoned her over and Annie waved back. She took off her skis and stood them up in one of the racks and then picked her way through the crowds to get to him. As she passed, she heard a number of grumbles and what were probably Russian expletives, but she kept her head down and ignored them.
‘Ciao, Annie. Let me introduce you to my wife. Annie, Raffaella; Raffaella, Annie. We watched you ski down the last part of the Cock’s Comb. That was very impressive. You ski beautifully. Here, come and sit down.’ Annie shook hands with both of them, shrugged off her jacket, and took a seat. It was a wonderful view, out across the slopes towards the high mountains. She looked back at Massimo and smiled.
‘Thanks for the seat. I could do with a sit down. My leg muscles aren’t up to strength yet so early in the season.’ She glanced down at their empty plates. ‘I hope I didn’t interrupt your lunch.’ Massimo’s wife smiled back at her. She was a friendly-looking lady, probably in her early fifties.
‘Not at all. We’d already finished. We’re just about to order some coffee. Can we get you anything?’
Annie began to protest, but Massimo held up his hand. ‘No, you’re our guest here today. I recommend the lasagne al forno. Not traditional mountain fare, I’ll admit, but it’s really good here.’ Somehow, without Annie seeing him do anything, Massimo managed to attract the attention of a waitress who came across immediately.
‘Signor Lagrange, what can I get you?’
He caught Annie’s eye. ‘A portion of lasagne and a half litre of red wine?’
She smiled. ‘Just a glass of wine please, but some water as well or I’ll fall over.’
The lasagne was excellent and Annie found she was feeling very hungry. As she ate her lunch, she chatted to Massimo and Raffaella. They were very knowledgeable about the valley in general and Montalto in particular. As she listened, Annie realised that this was her opportunity to find out more about the Labrador and his owner, or, more precisely, the son of the dog’s owner. As she finished her pasta, she recounted the events of the previous day and soon realised that her notion that it had been Massimo who had revealed her identity was correct.
‘Alessandro told me all about it. He took Leo down to the vet in Santorso but he was back again within a couple of hours. The vet gave the dog some tranquillisers to keep him quiet, but he said he should be all right again by this morning.’ Massimo looked round. ‘I haven’t seen him today yet, but I’m sure he’ll be round here somewhere.’
‘And Alessandro lives up here?’ Annie managed to avoid calling him the man with the amazing blue eyes. Massimo nodded as Annie continued. ‘But the dog belongs to his father?’
Raffaella leant forward and explained. ‘That’s right. Alessandro’s father owns all of this. I suppose that’s why Leo gets to run wherever he likes. To him, it’s just like his own garden.’ She opened her arms to take in the whole ski domain. Annie was stunned. Raffaella went on to explain. ‘He’s an old man now and it’s Alessandro who’s in the driving seat most of the time.’
Massimo clarified. ‘Alessandro’s the CEO, the president of the company. Mind you, old Signor Lago still keeps an eye on most of what happens up here. I don’t think he’ll ever retire properly.’
‘So the man I met is called Alessandro Lago?’ The others both nodded and Annie filed the information away for future use. ‘And he and his father both live up here?’
Massimo nodded. ‘Alessandro’s got an apartment at the hotel, while his father lives in the big chalet in the trees over there. I bet you haven’t even noticed it. It’s tucked away out of sight. It’s an amazing place and the view from his lounge is incomparable.’ Annie followed his pointing finger and could just make out a chimney and the ridge of a white roof in the midst of the snow-covered fir trees.
‘And what about you, Annie? Where do you live?’ Raffaella caught the waitress’s eye and called her over. ‘Anything else, Annie? A coffee, maybe?’
‘An espresso would be lovely, thanks.’ After the waitress had left, Annie answered Raffaella’s question. ‘I’m afraid I’m still looking for somewhere to live at the moment. I hadn’t realised how difficult it was to find somewhere round here for a long let.’ She smiled. ‘At the moment I’m sleeping at the school.’
Raffaella and Massimo exchanged looks. ‘That doesn’t sound very comfortable. We’ll keep our eyes open and we’ll let you know if we hear of anything.’ Massimo glanced at his watch and stood up. ‘Well, we’d better make a move.’
Annie stood up as well. ‘Me, too. Thank you very much for lunch. You’re so very generous.’
‘You’re welcome, Annie. You’re welcome.’
Later that afternoon, Annie emerged from the shower at the school and started drying herself off. She was just thinking about where to start in the room piled high with boxes when the doorbell rang. As it was the weekend, the school was closed and she wondered who it might be. She was casting round for something a bit more substantial than the towel she was holding when the door opened. She squealed and ducked back into the bathroom for cover.
‘Ciao, Annie. Are you there?’
Annie relaxed as she recognised the voice. She poked her head round the bathroom door and saw that it was Paolina and, along with her, a pretty, red-haired girl who Paolina introduced as Rita. Annie emerged from the bathroom to greet them. Rita held out her hand and Annie shook it but, as she did so, she lost her hold of one end of the towel and squealed again, desperately and unsuccessfully grabbing it before it fell down at her side. She scrabbled around with her hand for the elusive corner of the towel, located it and wrapped it round her body again. The two girls exchanged glances and did a magnificent job of not falling about laughing. Annie, her face now glowing with embarrassment,