Читать книгу Not Just a Convenient Marriage - Lucy Gordon, Lucy Gordon - Страница 10

CHAPTER FOUR

WHEN PIETRO STILL didn’t reply she said, ‘Won’t you trust me? You never know, I might be able to help.’

But he shook his head. ‘Nobody can help. You can’t change things that have happened.’

‘That’s true. But you can change what you do about them. Is there something wrong at school? I remember when I was at school there was often something wrong. I kept getting into scrapes.’

She sensed at once that she was succeeding. Pietro’s intake of breath and his astonished look told her she’d hit a bull’s eye.

‘It’s school, isn’t it?’ she asked gently. ‘What happens?’

‘They laugh at me,’ he said morosely.

‘Why?’

‘Because of her, and the way she ran off.’

‘Her? You mean your stepmother?’

‘Yes, her. It was the school concert. I was going to sing a song all on my own. She and Papa were going to be there, but she didn’t come. He told me that she’d gone away.’

Sally drew a sharp breath. ‘You hadn’t known she was leaving?’

‘No. She was at home when I went to school that day, but she didn’t come to the concert. Papa was there. He thought she was coming, but she didn’t. Her seat stayed empty, and they laughed at me.’

‘Who did?’

‘The others in my class. They thought it was funny to see me look silly. Especially Renzo. The rest of them admire him, and if he laughs they all laugh.’

The class bully, Sally thought wryly. I’ve met a few.

‘But surely he’s not still laughing?’ she ventured.