They’d gone out after breakfast to the yacht to update João and Aga on their plans. João had used that chance to present his idea of using the Deolinda to ferry tourists up the Douro, a proposal Duilio pronounced promising. The yacht was rarely used and due for refitting anyway. They left a beaming João with instructions to present the idea to Lady Ferreira, who was currently managing her son’s business affairs.“Want to talk about it?” Duilio had asked. That was all. Duilio hadn’t pried into his night with his new wife, hadn’t tried to embarrass him. That was one of Duilio’s best qualities. He talked a great deal, often about nothing, but he knew when to let a subject alone.In truth, Joaquim didn’t want to talk about it. Not because he didn’t want Duilio to know about what had, in his judgment, gone rather well. He wanted to keep it to himself. He wanted to treasure it. He wanted time to think over his changed relationship with Marina. So instead they drew the dory onto the beach in companionable silence, and Duilio took him to see Lieutenant Costa’s quarters, one room over from the room Joaquim had initially inhabited.Everything had been left untouched.
