Mount Asteria

Chapter Thirty Seven

Gianno's was a small, cosy Italian restaurant on a corner, only a few minutes' drive away from the house. It had always been a favourite of Hestia's. Her mother liked the restaurants you had to get dressed up for, her father just wanted his food as quickly as possible and Daniel...Well, Daniel never seemed to care much about such things. But Hestia loved the warm atmosphere of the two low-ceilinged rooms that made up the dining area. The walls were wood-panelled, a fire always burning in the large range and the lights only dimly lit.

"This is lovely," Alexandra said as Daniel - ever the gentleman, she noted - pulled out a chair for her, doing the same for Hestia a moment later.

"She always picks this one. Don't you, Hest?"

Hestia frowned. "Daniel, if you wanted to go somewhere else you should have said so sooner."

He rolled his eyes. "Who said anything about wanting to go anywhere else? Besides," he leaned in as if to reveal a secret, Alexandra and Hestia following suit, "I wouldn't want to rob my little sister of the chance to stare at that Italian waiter all night."

Alexandra laughed. Hestia pulled out of their circle, blushing furiously. "Really, Daniel, I don't know what you're - "

"Here he comes!"

All three looked up to see a young waiter coming towards them. He was definitely Italian - his handsome dark features were proof enough for anyone who could see. His t-shirt revealed tanned arms - but there were several burns from a pizza oven on the paler underside of his forearms. His hands still bore traces of flour and the knot of his clean apron was hastily tied.

"Ciao," he said, offering them three menus. He began to tell them of the evening's specials in very broken English.

Alexandra looked pityingly at Hestia. If only languages weren't her worst subjects.

"Thank you," Daniel said. "That is, gracias. Oh no, sorry, that's Spanish, isn't it? Alexandra, what's the Italian?"

Alexandra frowned. Unlike his sister, Daniel was an accomplished linguist. Hestia had told her he could speak all the romance languages fluently, as well as Mandarin, Russian and German. He was doing Japanese for his last term.

"Grazie," she told the waiter, casting a curious glance at Daniel.

The waiter nodded. "Prego." He strode away, his eyes lingering on them only a few seconds.

"What was that all about?" She turned to Daniel.

He grinned. "Hey, it's better to let your enemy underestimate you," he said, keeping his eye on the retreating back of the waiter.

"Enemy?"

"Well, if he tries anything with my little sister - "

"Oh, shut up, Daniel!" Hestia grumbled. "It was just one time."

"One time?" Alexandra asked.

"He once asked Hestia if she had ever been to Italy. They had a conversation for three minutes twenty-eight." Daniel smiled, patting Hestia affectionately on the shoulder. "So," he said, picking up a menu. "Pizza or pasta?"

His phone rang. Excusing himself, he left the table, saying, Salut to whoever was on the receiving end of the phone.

Hestia sighed. "Big brothers," she muttered.

Alexandra giggled. "I kind of wish I had one."

"Why?" Hestia looked at her incredulously.

"I don't know. I like the idea of a protective older brother, chasing away any boy who comes too close. And," she said slyly, "he might have some nice friends...Oh! Here comes your waiter."

"You have chosen?" the waiter asked, taking a pencil from behind his ear and holding it over a notebook.

Alexandra opened her mouth to reply-Hestia seemed to have temporarily lost her ability to speak-but Daniel rushed back to their table before she could utter a word.

"Right, I've got to go," he said, sounding anxious. "Hest, Stevens will be waiting outside in the car. Go straight home when you've finished here, okay?"

"Daniel, what's going on?" Hestia demanded, finding her voice again.

He glanced at the waiter who was lingering awkwardly by their table.

"Well, whatever it is we're coming with you." She sounded far more determined and firm than Alexandra had ever heard her before.

To the surprise of both girls, Daniel seemed too much in a rush protest. "Fine then, but hurry."

Looking very pleased with herself, Hestia marched out of the restaurant after her brother, leaving Alexandra to mutter a quick apology in Italian to their very bewildered and somewhat crestfallen waiter.

Stevens, the chauffeur, was parked across the road, but instead of approaching the car, Daniel led them down the street, round a corner to a large SUV.

"Get in," he said, his voice a little more brusque than usual. Still, he opened the door for them and ensured they were safely seated before climbing into the front passenger seat himself.

Alexandra and Hestia remained silent as the car pulled away and Daniel and the driver-who was as of yet unidentified-conversed quietly in French.

"What are they saying?" Hestia murmured. "Something about a sheep?"

Alexandra rolled her eyes. "Monteau, not mouton! A coat, Hestia."

"Okay, a coat. But I still don't get what's going on."

Daniel said from the front seat, "Look, Pierre and I - "

"Oh, is that Pierre?" Hestia cut in.

The driver turned around, showing his face. Alexandra recognised him as one of the Knightsbridge sixth years.

"Hi," he said, smiling only briefly.

"Hey, Pierre. Um...what's going on?" Hestia asked.

Daniel spoke from the front of the car as he typed furiously on his phone. "It's to do with our special assignment."

"During the holidays?" Hestia said incredulously.

Pierre confirmed this with a small noise.

"Special assignment?" Alexandra asked.

"All sixth years do a big assignment before they graduate. I don't really know what it's about, because they're not allowed tell us, but I think it's pretty important," Hestia explained quickly. Neither of the boys seemed too keen on speaking much more to them so Alexandra looked around her, trying to use whatever skills she had acquired in her Observation and Enquiry classes to find out more about their situation. Unfortunately, it was so dark and wet outside that it was nearly impossible to see much more than the glow of street lamps. The darkened windows didn't help either, she noted.

"So why do you have black coats?" Hestia's voice broke the silence.

"You'll see."