Page 24
As the doctor left, she stepped forward to say goodbye, not wanting to draw the ire of the hospital team, but Peter spoke first.
‘Before you go, Valentina, what your father said about marriage…’
She took a breath and tried to sound optimistic. ‘Um, yes, sounds like they’ve formally shaken hands on their deal.’
Peter’s lips parted in horror and she gave a self-conscious laugh.
‘I’ve been sold.’
‘But that’s positively medieval!’ Then he lowered his voice. ‘I’m sorry, it’s not my place to take a shot at your culture, Valentina. Please accept my apology.’
‘It’s all right. I’m glad you care. But it’s just how it is.’
‘Are you’—he hesitated—‘well, feeling calm about it?’
She shot him a dark look. ‘I’m not calm at all.’
‘And this boy is fine with this arrangement? I mean him not having a choice either?’
‘Er… he seems content.’ Though who really knew what Lawrenz was thinking, odd as he was.
‘Have you discussed it with him?’
‘Once or twice. He says he is happy with the choice.’ She felt suddenly embarrassed to be talking about it with this older man.
‘That doesn’t sound altogether convincing,’ Peter said. ‘Maybe if both of you aren’t happy, then—’
Valentina sighed. ‘You don’t understand. Our fathers’ minds are made up. Have been for a long time, really. This is just the formal agreement.’
‘But your father wants what’s best for you, surely?’
‘My father wants what’s best for our family first. And our family joining with the Falzons is a good thing. They have money, they have more bars and…’ She knew she sounded distraught. ‘It’s a good match.’
‘Good for everyone except for you.’
She nodded, feeling helpless. ‘I can’t imagine spending my life with Lawrenz. I feel it’s going to be awful for both of us; his heart’s not in it either but he’s weak. He goes along with whatever his father wants.’
‘Maybe I can speak to your father if the right moment arises,’ he said.
Her heart briefly sped up with possibility, but then she felt disappointment deflate that momentary joy like a balloon sighing out its air. ‘He won’t listen.’
‘What about your mother?’
‘Mama won’t go against Papa in this sort of decision. Neither of them understand my passion to study history. Mama just wants me to become a good homemaker and wife like she did, a loving mother to plenty of grandchildren for her. It’s the Maltese way.’
He smiled at her sadly. ‘I’m sorry, Valentina. You deserve to follow your dream. I’ll help in any way I can.’
She nodded and backed away. ‘I’d better go, or I’ll get into trouble. Can I come and see you again? You won’t disappear, will you?’
Peter shook his head. ‘No. Actually, I’ve got an idea I want to run by my superiors and if they say yes, then you’ll be stuck with me for a while.’
That was happy news and she grinned helplessly. ‘Hurry up then! Bye, Peter.’ Shaking off thoughts of her impending marriage, she blew him a kiss from the doorway. ‘Don’t get well too fast.’
She left, excited by whatever plan he was hatching that might keep him near to her for a little longer.
As she walked back up the hill, the siren began its wail. Here they come again, she thought without fear, but this time she kept the promise she’d made to her mother and ducked into the first tunnel entry she encountered, hurrying down the stone steps with dozens of others.
In the gloom of the candlelit tunnel, she found a spot to wait not too far from the entrance. The damp smell meant she was near one of the city’s cisterns, and she tucked the skirt of her dress tightly beneath her so she wouldn’t have to feel the full chill of the stone immediately. It would seep through to her flesh soon enough. As the wail of the siren intensified and the distant roar of engines drew closer, she pulled her knees up and rested her head on them, wrapping her arms around herself. She briefly wondered where the rest of her family were; most likely they’d gone to their ‘apartment’ below ground, which she privately called the prison cell. It was surely no bigger than one. They would be safe there though. Safer, she corrected herself. Was Peter safe in the hospital? The Germans had never dropped bombs on that area before, but there was always a first time. They could claim it was accidental.
