The Baby Gambit

The caretaker frowned when he saw she was alone. ‘Signorina Calloway?’ he said, glancing meaningfully up the stairs, and Grace heaved a sigh before miming that she was going out alone.

‘Ah, no, signorina.’

The caretaker shook his head, his hands fluttering as he endeavoured to explain what he wanted to say. But his accent was thick enough to cut, and Grace could only guess what he meant.

‘I’ll be fine,’ she said, making a calming gesture, but the old man was not prepared to let her go without a fight.

He said something else, and Grace identified the word ragazzos in his anxious protest, which even she knew meant boys. It was obvious he was trying to warn her to be careful, and she felt a reluctant sympathy towards him for his concern.

‘No problem,’ she insisted. ‘I’ll get a—a taxi, yes? Back.’

The old man gestured towards his apartment. ‘Taxi now?’

‘No.’ Grace sighed again. ‘Really.’ She held up her hand. ‘I’ll be all right, honestly.’ She patted his arm. ‘Um—thanks, anyway.’

The old man had to let her go, and despite her assertion to the contrary Grace did become slightly nervous walking into town. There were people about, but as the old man had tried to warn her many of them were young men, who stared at her with amorous eyes, and turned to watch her as she hurried by. Some even called after her, making sucking noises with their lips. But she managed to make it appear that she was with someone else at these times, shrinking into the shadows whenever she could.