Read The Italian Affair for Free Online Page B

you almost lose your reason for living, like she’d felt she had when Jeremy had shut himself up like an unopened oyster and ended their relationship, experiencing feelings of unexpected joy and exhilaration took her by surprise.
    As did a blue Sita coach full of tourists which, appeared around the corner and just missed them as they simultaneously took a sharp turn around a hairpin bend. “If they were going to come off the coastal road and crash to their death it would be at this point,” Issy thought as she buried her head into the arch of Dan’s back unable to watch as Dan braked and the Vespa wheels struggled to hold the road.
    “Shit. That was a close shave” said Dan as they came to a full stop. “Ok. That’s made my mind up. We can go to Positano later. But given the traffic, I think we should leave the coastal road and go up here to a sleepy little village I found recently called Ravello.”
    Issy shouted back her approval. “Sounds good, I love the views as we’re driving but it’s a bit scary not knowing what’s going to come round the next bend. And sorry to be a pain but can we move away from this bit of the road quickly, it feels eerie.”
    “What do you mean?” Dan said as he started up the engine.
    “I don’t know. I can’t explain it exactly. It just feels like this is a place where death occurred many years ago. It’s strange I feel an incredible sadness at this point in the road it’s like I knew the people who met their end here I can almost hear them talking to each other and can feel the fear as they went over. They left this world together and were happy for that but were desperate not to leave someone behind. I can almost hear their screams. Please drive away.”
    Dan listened and nodded his head before pressing his foot hard on the accelerator as he turned round the Vespa and started the ascent into a mountainous valley away from the coastal road. “It was certainly a sheer drop and that road has probably claimed numerous lives.”
    “I’m sorry,” Issy said. “That was just such a strange experience I don’t quite know what happened.”
    As they climbed higher, their moods lifted and the vegetation became greener and the landscape much more fertile.
    “Ravello is my favourite place in the whole wide world so far,” Dan said as he manoeuvred the scooter. “I discovered it in July and come back here whenever I can. Just breathe deeply and you’ll get the most beautiful smell of jasmine, the citrus of the local lemon groves and fresh pine trees all mingled together.”
    “Um. It’s delicious” said Issy with her nose in the air inhaling as much of the heavy scent as she could.
    “Ravello has always attracted a lot of artists and writers,” continued Dan who had by this stage taken on the role of driver and official tour guide.
    “Villa Rufolo is one of the main attractions and it’s attached to that huge tower on your left. It dates back to 1200 AD. They hold a spectacular Wagnerian music festival there during the summer, on an amazing terrace overlooking the sea.”
    Issy was finding it difficult to keep up. There was so much to see. The sky was cloudless, the architecture was stupendous and little archways provided glimpses onto glorious displays of flowers on ancient terraces with small open doorways and windows providing a vista of the coastline beneath them.
    “Oh my God look down there Dan. The sea is the most amazing shade of turquoise,” Issy cried as she turned her body backwards to catch a better view of what she’d just glimpsed through one of the many small open windows providing a glimpse into paradise.
    Dan ran his fingers through his hair and laughed out loud. “I’m delighted you love it so much and agreed to share this joyous place with me. And we’ve finally arrived at Ravello” Dan said as they pulled into a little piazza at the top of the town, with an ancient looking church, a cafe and subliminal views. The remoteness, the exquisite smell of