'Hotel Portofino's Second Episode Tries and Fails to Impart "Lessons"
Hotel Portofino opens with a surprising reveal. Hotel proprietress Bella and her husband Cecil have engaged in some marital activity the night before. While Mr. Ainsworth seems quite pleased with their evening of passion and assumes all is forgiven, Bella is irritable and has misgivings about what, on her part, was a moment of weakness. Their pillow talk turns to money and the family's lack thereof. In what sounds like an oft-debated point between the couple, Cecil lobbies for Bella to hit her wealthy daddy up for the necessary funds. Though he's rolling in the dough, Bella hesitates to ask her father for more since he has generously loaned her the money to bankroll her hotel.
It's already apparent that Cecil avoids an honest day's work at all costs but spends excessive time and effort trying to convince others to finance his lifestyle. Cecil's next scheme of the day involves calling his brother in England and ordering him to crate up their grandfather's (most certainly fake) Rubens paintings so the American art dealer staying at the hotel can authenticate them. As he doesn't want his conversation overheard at home, Mr. Ainsworth looks for a phone in town. He crosses paths with Danioni, Portofino's resident Fascist leader, who generously offers his phone free of charge. But we know nothing is free when dealing with a villain like Vincenzo.
Danioni wastes no time in worming his way into the Ainsworths' affairs. When Cecil invites him for refreshments, Vincenzo suggests a traditional afternoon tea service marketed to the locals would be a good moneymaker. He even offers to steer some customers from the council their way. Initially, Bella rejects this idea since it's coming from a man who threatened to blackmail her. However, long-term guest Count Carlo Albani (Daniele Pecco) confides she should probably tolerate him because he'll make trouble. Bella understands this more than he knows and agrees. Was there a twinkle in Alabani's eye when he suggested working with Bella's daughter, Alice, on the menu?
