4.5 A Villa in Italy

Up at the Villa is a short but powerful novel. The story takes place in Italy in the 1930s and follows the life of Mary Panton, a young widow. After losing her husband, Mary travels to a beautiful villa in the hills near Florence to rest and think about her future. The descriptions of the Italian countryside are so vivid and romantic that you immediately want to visit the place.

Edgar Swift, a friend of her late father, proposes to her. He is much older, but kind, handsome, and respected. He offers her a secure and comfortable life as the wife of a governor in India. Mary doesn’t love him, but she thinks about saying yes — she believes that being safe and respected is better than being alone. Edgar gives her three days to think about his offer.

But everything changes in those three days. Mary makes one impulsive decision that leads to a serious problem. Suddenly, she is not thinking about marriage or money anymore — she is fighting to protect her freedom, her dignity, and her place in society.

The author does a wonderful job showing us who Mary really is. She makes mistakes, but she is brave and honest. Instead of hiding the truth, she decides to face it. That takes real strength.

In the end, Mary finds something better than comfort and status — she finds someone who understands her. With him, she feels safe, free, and honest. She doesn’t need to pretend.

Highly recommend!