“Great, Tasha, you’re not entering in the spirit of the thing. I wanted to wallow in self-pity, and you’re not letting me.”
“It isn’t your style.”
“I’m going to ask you both a crazy question. Do either of you ever feel strange, like there’s a beast inside of you, trying to get out?”
“Like a cat,” Paul said. He rubbed his arm. “Sometimes I itch, and I feel an incredible power.”
“And all your senses come alive,” Antonietta added.
“I don’t feel that way,” Tasha said, “but I can speak to Paul telepathically. We’ve done it ever since we were children. I can’t with anyone else but him.”
“You never told me.”
“Only because I didn’t want you to feel left out.” Tasha sighed softly. “Do you really love Byron, Toni?” There was a catch in her voice.
“More than I ever thought possible. I can’t imagine my life without him.”
“Where does he want to live? What does he do? Do you know anything at all about him?”
“He works with gems. He has his own money. We will have to take trips to his homeland, but we’ll reside here at the palazzo. He can make his jewelry here. He’ll travel with me when I tour.”
“How did you know for certain? Aren’t you afraid?” Tasha looked down at her hands. “I always marry the wrong man.”
“You marry for the wrong reasons,” Antonietta replied softly. “You know going into the marriage it’s wrong for you.”
“I really like Diego. I really do, Toni. He makes me laugh, and I feel good about myself. He talks to me like I have a brain. We’ve spent quite a bit of time together, just talking. I’d like to meet his children. But what if I can’t be married to a man like him?”
“You mean a man who isn’t wealthy?”
Tasha waved her hand exasperated. “It isn’t the money. I’ll have plenty of money in time. I can borrow money from you if I don’t have it. He would expect me to be a wife and mother. Full-time. I’ve never done anything full-time.”
Antonietta laughed. “Tasha, you don’t have to be anything but yourself. You spend most of the day with Margurite and Vincente. You watch
Nonno
like a hawk, even when it makes him crazy. I hear you pushing chairs in when I’m walking because someone else was careless and left them out.”
“I detest giving orders to the servants.”
“I doubt if Diego has servants.”
“I have to have servants, Toni. Certainly he wouldn’t expect me to do the laundry.” She shuddered. “The thought of touching dirty, smelly clothes is awful. But I did love cooking. I took that gourmet course, and I was really good. Cooking was fun. Sometimes Enrico let me cook in the kitchen, but I know Alfredo would never let me.”
“For heaven’s sake, Tasha,” Paul burst out. “Afredo doesn’t own the kitchen, we do. If you want to cook, tell him to get out and leave you to it.”
Justine knocked on the door politely as she entered. “Paul, you’re looking so much better.”
“Byron and Toni worked their magic on me.” Paul held out his hand to her. “Come and join us. I told Tasha and Toni I badgered you until you agreed to marry me. Toni has big news. Even bigger than ours.” He didn’t wait to see if Antonietta would relate the information. “Byron was able to heal her eyes enough that she can see.”
“That’s impossible. Toni saw every specialist possible, and they all said it couldn’t be done.” She turned to her employer. “How could he have healed your eyes?”
“He has the gift. It isn’t perfect, Justine. My brain doesn’t have the connections it needs between sight and objects. I try to keep my eyes closed most of the time and rely on my other senses. It’s much easier. If I have my eyes open, and whatever I’m looking at moves, I feel very sick. Sometimes I see strange shapes and objects, like I’m connecting with the wrong image. It’s weird.”
“But exciting,” Justine said. “Toni, I know you’re very angry with me. I know I deserve it, but I don’t want to lose our friendship. This is my family. I love you very much. It was wrong of me. I can’t change what I did, as much as I’d like to, but I’d like to find a way to show you how sorry I really am.”
“I’m hurt, Justine, not angry. I’m trying to understand.”
“I’m going to stand up for Toni on her wedding day,” Tasha announced, “so there’s no need to get all buddy-buddy, you two. And Marita can forget it, too.”
“Well, of course you’ll stand up for me, Tasha, but there’s room for Marita and Justine, too.”
“You’re really limiting your colors, Toni,” Tasha warned. “Marita looks awful in pastels, and Justine is so pale—”
“Tasha.” Paul reprimanded.
Celt suddenly lifted his head from Antonietta’s lap. His entire body tensed alertly. Antonietta moved uncomfortably, her skin itching, her stomach doing a strange flip. Dark dread gathered in the pit of her stomach. A shadow seemed to pass through the room. It was more in her mind than in reality. An ominous warning.
“Toni,” Tasha rubbed her arms as if suddenly cold. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. Do you feel something odd?”
Paul slumped back against the pillows, his hand in Justine’s, his eyes closed. Justine shook her head for both of them. “Everything seems fine to us, Toni.”
“The dog is acting funny,” Tasha reported. “He looks dangerous.”
“Stay with Paul,” Antonietta said. “I want to check on
Nonno
. Celt can go with me. He’s a good guide.”
“Do you really think something’s wrong? I can call Diego,” Tasha offered.
Antonietta didn’t answer. She didn’t bother to try to use her eyes. She needed speed, and it was so much easier to rely on Celt. He paced at her side, his body maneuvering her around every obstacle in the hall and down the stairs. Byron. She connected instantly with him.
How far away are you?
She sent the impression of the dark shadow. Of impending danger. Of dread.
Stay inside the palazzo. I will come to you immediately, and Eleanor and Vlad are on their way. I have tried to touch Josef, but he is not responding or is incapable of it. Vlad says the same. He was with
Nonno
in the courtyard. Stay inside, Antonietta.
“As if I would,” she muttered rebelliously. “Franco!” She raised her voice, something she seldom did, hating to interrupt what she knew was an important talk, but needing him. “Helena! Come out to the courtyard and help me find
Nonno
.” She leaned down toward the dog. “Celt, I’m counting on you. We don’t want anything to happen to
Nonno
or young Josef.” She pushed open the French doors leading to the terrace that opened into the courtyard.
Celt didn’t growl, but a nearly inaudible sound rumbled in his throat. His body seemed to vibrate with tension.
Antonietta inhaled deeply and caught a pungent odor. Something wild. Something deadly. She hung on to Celt. “Find
Nonno
, Celt. Show me where he is.”
“What is it, Signorina Scarletti?” Helena asked, coming up behind her.
“Have you seen my grandfather?”
“Don Giovanni was out in the garden as he is most evenings. That young man, Josef, was with him. They must have walked into the maze.”
“Please tell Franco to follow me. I’m going to look for
Nonno
.”
“Yes, of course, I’ll tell him immediately. Do you need me to help you?”
“If you would get Franco and tell him to be careful,” Antonietta said, “that would be wonderful.” She didn’t want Helena exposed to any danger. Cautiously she stepped down the terrace stairs into the courtyard. “Find him, Celt, find
Nonno
.”
The dog fairly shook with the effort to contain his need to hunt. He started off toward the maze, but just feet away from one of the entrances, he stopped and swung back toward the palazzo.