Inspector Lynley 18 - Just One Evil Act

villages that shimmered in the warm spring sunshine, and a road twisted up to them from the alluvial plain far below. This road was something equally visible, and because of this, Sister Domenica Giustina saw him coming from a great distance.
    She and Carina had gone to feed the fish that shot through the waters of the
peschiera
like bits of orange flame, and they’d backed away from the pond’s edge to watch the fish gobbling at the food with their greedy mouths. When this was finished, Sister Domenica Giustina had turned the child to admire the view. “
Che bella vista, nevvero?
” she had murmured, and she’d begun to name the villages for Carina. Solemnly, Carina repeated each name. She was changed from that earlier day in the cellar. She was more hesitant, more watchful, perhaps more worried. But that could not be helped, Domenica decided. Some things took precedence over others.
    That was when she saw the car flashing rapidly in and out of the trees far below, climbing ever higher on its way to the villa. She recognised it even at this great distance, for it was bright red and its top was down and she would, of course, have known the driver anywhere on earth. His coming, though, represented danger. For bringing Carina to her also meant he could take her away. He’d done so before, had he not?
    “
Vieni, vieni
,” she said to the child. And lest Carina misunderstand her, she clasped her hand and scooted her along the narrow terrace and down the path. They went across the wide lawn at the back of the villa. They hurried in the direction of the cellars.
    Above on the building, the thick curtains on one of the windows twitched. Sister Domenica Giustina saw this, but what was inside the villa was no worry to her. What was outside the villa presented the danger.
    She could tell Carina was not happy to descend to the cellars once again. Sister Domenica Giustina had not attempted another time to bring her to the murky pool within this place, but she could tell the child was afraid that she might. There was nothing to fear in that pool, but she had no way to explain to Carina why this was the case. And now she had no intention of taking her to that part of the cellars at all. She merely wanted her to remain near the first of the old wine casks.
    “
Veramente, non c’è nulla da temere qui
,” she murmured. Spiders, perhaps, but they were harmless. If one feared anything, one should fear the devil.
    Thankfully, Carina understood at least something of what Sister Domenica Giustina said, and she seemed relieved when she apparently realised that Sister Domenica Giustina’s intentions were to take her no farther into the cellars than the second room. She hunkered between two of the ancient wine casks there, her knees pressed into the dusty floor. Still, she said in a whisper, “
Non chiuda la porta. Per favore, Suor Domenica
.”
    She could do that much for the child, of course. There was no need to close the door as long as Carina could promise to be silent as a mouse.
    Carina made that promise. “
Aspetterai qui?
” Sister Domenica Giustina asked.
    Carina nodded. Yes, of course. She would wait.
    By the time he arrived, Sister Domenica Giustina was among her vegetables. She heard the car first, its engine purring and its tyres rolling sonorously over the
sassolini
. She heard its engine stop, its door open and then close, and then in a moment his footsteps as he mounted the stairs to the small habitation above the barn. He called her name. She rose from the dirt, carefully wiping her hands on a rag that hung from her waist. Above, she heard two doors slam and then his footsteps coming down the stairs. Then the garden gate creaked and she lowered her head. Domenica, humble. Domenica, subservient to any wish that he might have.
    “
Dov’è la bambina?
” he asked. “
Perché non sta nel granaio?
”
    She said nothing. She heard him cross the garden, and she saw his feet when he stopped before her. She told herself that she had to be strong. He would not remove Carina from her care, despite the child’s not remaining above the barn as he had instructed.
    “
Mi senti?
” he said. “
Domenica, mi senti?
”
    She nodded, for she was not deaf and this he knew. She said to him, “
La porterai via di nuovo
.”
    “
Di nuovo?
” he repeated, incredulous. Why, he seemed to be asking, would he
ever
remove the child from her care?
    “
Lei è mia
,” she said.
    She looked up then. He was watching her. On his