A Final Dinner with the count.

We dried off, read and played Othello until dinner time came around. We were somewhat peckish as lunch had been a rather scratch affair. We tootled up towards the sitting room at about seven and found many of the Italians in the outer sitting room, the Belgians were there but not making eye contact with anyone. We were chatting with a nice elderly woman was born in Venice and lived in Milan. She told us that they were a long standing group of friends (the confraternity of?? a wine anyway). Then we headed to the other sitting room with the humongous fireplace. The staff came and brought snacks and the Italians pounced; apparently they had missed lunch and were ravenous. Ian (of the Moseleyites) opened the Count's wine and the festivities started, when the count (& Mrs Count) turned up they seemed slightly startled to fi d that things had started without them. The count did the tour in English today so we learnt that in the 17th c version of the house that room had been the kitchen, thus the huge fireplace, the family Arms - everywhere Inc the fireplace incorporated the scallop shell of Compostela. There was limoges China, a huge wall hanging of Mrs counts family coat of arms, ancient books and antiques everywhere. Then down to dinner where there seemed to be some sort of seating miscalculation. We were directed to the small table again with the Moseleyites but there was also a Dutch couple and the Belgians. The Belgians suggested that as we could all speak English we should sit together... I think they just wanted their own space they could manage in English just as well as the Dutch). It was a nice evening, much laughter, cod again for dinner but followed by an excellent chocolate mousse. Another surreal night. Back to our room to pack as the taxi was due at 10am sharp.Читать далее