A Cat Called Kat

Chapter Fourteen - Giulia

Giulia started to relax too. And, as she relaxed, it turned out that she was pretty good at the whole talking thing... rather too good, in fact - and there was this endless stream of words about people and things that I either didn't know or didn't care about. Her English wasn't too bad either but all the meaningless chatter was still sort of getting on my nerves so I sent her off to find some clean clothes for me.

And with her out of the way, I could give some serious thought to where I stood.

Unfortunately, I didn't much like the answers I was coming up with!

I was still deep in thought when she reappeared. She crashed about a bit in the main room then came into the bathroom. "Mr Andretti has found a really beautiful dress for you," she told me. "I've hung it up in the wardrobe."

I sort of winced when she called Slimeball 'Mr Andretti', and I was about to make some nasty comment...

But then I realised that she had just said it in Italian...

And that made me do a bit of thinking...

There were definite advantages to Slimeball not knowing that I spoke Italian. He might let something important slip if he didn't think I could understand him. So I needed to get back into the habit of only talking English. I didn't want him to catch me out... and, even if he did, I definitely didn't want to get Giulia into trouble for being part of my deception.

"I'm sorry, I'm half asleep here," I said. "What did you say?"

So she repeated it in English for me.

I let her wash my hair then I sent her off to go and find some afternoon tea - I'd missed lunch and I didn't want to make a total pig of myself in front of Slimeball. I realised that I was going to have to pretend to be nice to him. I didn't want to but I really didn't have any choice.

And, with her out of the way, I hopped out of the bath and went through to the other room to get dressed.

Of course, Slimeball, being Slimeball, hadn't thought about the fact that I might need something to wear when I wasn't with him. That meant the only thing he'd provided was a... I suppose you'd call it a cocktail dress. I mean... Giulia was right in that it was beautiful. But it was way, way too short... and it showed a ridiculous amount of back There was no doubt about what direction Slimeball's thoughts were running in. And it was pretty clear that the underwear... or, I suppose, you really have to call it lingerie... had been bought by a man too!

There was nothing I could do about it for now, though, so I just put the thing on.

Then I ran one of Caroline's 'situational awareness' checks on the place: two rooms, bit like a hotel suite: a bedroom, living room type bit and a bathroom; two doors, one out into the corridor and one out to a private terrace with a little gate out to the rest of the garden. I could probably climb out of the bathroom window, too, in an emergency.

Of course I didn't trust Slimeball so I wasn't in the least bit surprised to discover there were a couple of bugs in the room... at least they only seemed to be in the bedroom bit, not in the bathroom... and only sound and not cameras. Having him filming me on the toilet would have just been way, way too creepy. I decided to leave them in place. Moving them was just going to make people suspicious and, now I knew they were there, I'd be able to work round them.

At least the two doors, one to the corridor and one out onto a little private terrace, were unlocked so it didn't look like I was expected to stay in the room.

I was just about done when I heard the door opening followed by some distinctly unladylike language from Giulia. I mean... it was in Italian so I could pretend not to understand it but the meaning was pretty clear from the tone. "I sorry," she said, "I spill." She wasn't wrong; the tea tray was basically awash with tea. I could tell she was about to start curtsying again so I took the thing out of her hands.