Up at the villa door William Somerset Maugham

Summary, The story begins with a description of a beautiful house in Florence. The owner is a young widow who is very rich en pretty, found by everyone, her name is Mary. She lives there all by herself with a couple of servants, which keep in repair the house. There is also a much older man who knew her all her live and is a sort of guard over her. His name is Edgar Swift. Many people say that he fancy's her but she doesn’t believe that, because he knew her for so long! But after a time of happiness he comes to her and tells her that he had to leave the country for three days for his work, he is the Secretary of State for India. And have to go to meet someone or getting a job. And after a while he proposes her. Mary was a little shocked and said she had to think a little while to give the answer. So Edgar leaves the country and Mary was alone at the house again. Before Edgar left he said to her that, wherever she went, she had to take his gun with her, just in case. Mary doesn’t want that en says that to Edgar. But after a little wrangle she promised to take it with her. Edgar leaves. Later that night Mary went to a diner of princes San Ferdinando. The princess was an older lady and se was widow too. When Mary arrived she was the last one. At the restaurant there was also a young man called Rowley Flint, and she knew that he liked her a little bit more than she would like. During the diner there was a violist, a poor middle-aged man. He was new at the restaurant and the princess wasn’t really happy with him. But after a while it didn’t bother at al. when he was finished with playing he came by with a plate to lay money at. Mary was the only one who laid a hundred-lire bill on the plate, everybody looked very strange to her. But she didn’t mind. When the diner was over and everybody left, Mary went to her car to go home. When Rowley asked her to drive him home to the hotel she did. But in the car started a really strange conversation. Rowley committed that he was badly in love with her. She wasn’t shocked at all and reacted very calm, telling him that she was getting married herself and that he had to focus him mind on something else. Than they stopped at the hotel. When Mary drove home she stopped halfway the hill were she house was. She looked at the land around her en enjoyed the view when a man came to her and she recognised him from the restaurant, it was the violist. They began to talk about the view, her house, his house, which was a cottage at the same hill. After a little while she felt sorry for him and took him to her house to give him some food. When he ate the food she made for him they talked and talked. The man gave her a confidential feeling and they danced after a while. After that they sat and the man asked her if she loved him, she said yes but not in the way you mean I think. Than the man became a little bit angree with her and he said he would never leave her, she was soooooo good for hem, how could he prove that and so on… and how couldn’t she loved him than??? Than when Mary turned around the man took her gun and shot himself… Mary was very shocked and desperate. She called Rowley after all and without saying anything she asked if he could come as soon as possible. When Rowley arrived he knew right away what to do with the body. He drove the car at the front and they putted the body in the car and drove up and up the hill, stopped and looked for a good place to hide it. They didn’t want to involve the police with is because of the gun, they would think she shot the poor man. They talked a lot over what to do with the body but Rowley knew the whole plan he made in a couple of seconds. When they stopped and found a good place to hide the body there was a car coming… they stood both still, hearing how long it took for the car to get here. Rowley pulled Mary in the car and told her to act like they where a couple, and to kiss intense. She did and it was the most wonderful kiss ever. And she enjoyed it very much. Until Rowley looked up en said that the people in the car were very drunk and they hoped they wouldn’t bump into their car because it was a really small road. But it ended all very well and they could get on with hiding the body. Mary still wasn’t very happy with it. She was so afraid that someone discovered her secret, and most of all she was afraid of Rowley. If he had a couple of drinks he would tell some or another women the storey and than the fire was on. In a short time whole Florence would know it. And then, the people in the other cottages, they would miss him and look for him. They got home and Rowley went to the hotel. I will come along tomorrow. The next day the talked a lot and they discovered that at the moment the violist was staying in a caste a couple of kilometres away and they misted him but didn't bother at all. He has stolen a few things of the castle, that’s way. After a few days Edgar came home and Mary couldn’t leave it to tell her coming husband the whole storey. And Edgar gave up his job. Mary didn’t understand. Edgar says that he loved her very much and he couldn’t be a governor, with a woman, who, think people, had shot a man. Mary was flattered by the idea he would give anything up for her. But than se said that she wouldn’t marry him because he was so terrible in love with her, but she wasn’t that in love. He loved her much more than she did. There was a terrible silence and than Edgar stood up en said that he would go to India again and take the job. Mary felt sorry en said so, Edgar answered with "there is nothing to be sorry of" en Edgar left. A little while later Rowley called and asked if he could come along, and she said yes. So Rowley came and after a little chat he asked her to marry him!!! She was shocked and flattered together, and after Rowley convinced her with a kiss, because at first sight she didn’t want to marry him, she said yes!