“With respect, my lord, what about the Curia?”
“It’s to our benefit that the Curia see us concerned with affairs of state and not looking over our shoulders. The threat of war with Venice should put them at ease with respect to their spies. Send Gregor.”
“If I may, Prince.” Lorenzo adopted a conciliatory tone. “Why not Aoibhe? She’d charm the Venetians easily enough. Tarquin is already taken with her.”
“Yes, I know,” the Prince muttered. “That was one of the reasons why we chose him. But Aoibhe is too valuable to risk losing.”
The Prince withdrew a single piece of paper and scribbled on it. Then he folded it to form an envelope and melted some wax with a nearby candle. He sealed the envelope with the wax, imprinting it with the ring that held the symbol of Florence.
He placed the second envelope on top of the first.
“Tell Gregor to read the top message and deliver the second one. He is to leave immediately.”
Lorenzo lifted the envelopes. “As you wish.”
“Order Gregor to return with the tribute as soon as possible. Once you’ve sent him on his way, I would like you to meet with Aoibhe.”
“To what purpose, my lord?”
The Prince frowned. “You are free with your questions this evening, Lorenzo.”
The lieutenant lowered his gaze. “I beg pardon, my lord. Lady Aoibhe is, shall we say, challenging. I prefer to arm myself before accosting her.”
“Too true.” The Prince indulged himself in a small smile. “In view of the brewing conflict with Venice and the new edict we’re enacting, I think the principality is in need of a diversion. I want you and Aoibhe to plan a Bacchanalia.”
Lorenzo’s eyebrows lifted. “Yes, Prince. But given the Curia’s scrutiny . . .”
The Prince was swift to interrupt him. “The time is ripe to reward my citizens for their loyalty and to inspire their fidelity. So long as there is no killing, the brethren should be free to eat, drink, and fornicate.”
“Of course, Prince. I live to serve you.” Lorenzo bowed and withdrew, leaving the Prince alone with his thoughts.
Chapter Nineteen
After almost a year of work, the restoration of the Birth of Venus was close to completion. The team had to contain their excitement so as not to rush any of the final stages.
Raven painstakingly continued to cover the magnificent painting with protective varnish, day after day. Her work was important and far from mindless, yet it led naturally to contemplation and the occasional flash of insight.
Raven had several intellectual virtues that made her an excellent art restorer. She was extremely focused and disciplined and she paid attention to detail, down to the smallest fleck of paint. However, these were not the mental powers needed to figure out why Professor Emerson had walked away from the investigation.
She knew William had interfered and that he’d done so to protect himself. He’d also interfered to protect her—using his influence to keep Batelli at bay. Having seen Professor Emerson’s anger at the theft and his wife’s sorrow, Raven was convinced it would take more than a survey of the past century’s art heists to convince him to wash his hands of it.
He’d made much of the strange disappearance of another Dante specialist, Professor Pacciani. Raven wasn’t clear on the connection between the two events, but whatever Emerson thought it was, it had intimidated him.
Raven was well aware of the antipathy that existed between the Emersons and William. She was the one who’d exacted his promise that he wouldn’t kill the man. But William wanted his revenge. He’d confessed to confronting the professor in Umbria. Funny how that confrontation came only a few days before Emerson’s visit to Vitali.
Raven meditated on these ideas, but as Monday became Tuesday and Tuesday became Wednesday, she was unwilling to mention them to William. She was concerned about Mrs. Emerson’s health and hoped that her return to Massachusetts would enable her to receive the medical care she needed. Certainly, the farther away the Emersons were from William, the better for them.
As she packed up her art supplies on Wednesday evening, she hoped the Emersons would reach their home safely and that they would stay safe, living long, happy lives that did not incur the wrath of the Prince of Florence. And she did not give up hope of persuading William someday to share his illustrations with the world.
Chapter Twenty
On Thursday evening after work, as Raven climbed the steps to her apartment, she was surprised to see Bruno on the landing.
She hadn’t seen him since she’d visited him in the hospital after he’d been attacked by the large, bearlike vampyre William called Max. Raven shivered at the recollection. It had been her fault he’d been hurt, since she’d foolishly gone out without wearing the relic William had provided for her protection. Bruno had almost died and she’d had to beg William to help him.
Looking at him, impeccably dressed as he was in a suit and tie and with a tall, thin blonde on his arm, he looked healthy.
Raven limped to the top of the stairs, pausing in front of her door to smile in Bruno’s direction.
The woman on his arm was the sole focus of his attention. They stood in front of his grandmother’s apartment and embraced, their mouths fusing in a passionate kiss. Raven blushed and turned away, fumbling for her keys.
“Hello.” Bruno greeted her.
The sound of her key and the scraping of the lock must have distracted him. Raven turned and smiled. “Hello, Bruno.”
“This is Delfina.” He gestured to the woman at his side, then looked back at Raven and blinked. It took a few seconds for her to realize he didn’t remember her name.
She stifled a wince. “I’m Raven, Delfina. It’s nice to meet you.”
Delfina smiled and returned her greeting.
“How is your grandmother?” Raven turned to Bruno once again.
“The chemotherapy is helping but she isn’t eating. We just brought a dinner that my mother made, and she won’t touch it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Raven paused, looking at her door. “Would she like some company? I haven’t eaten yet and I could bring my dinner over and sit with her.”
“That would be generous, thank you. We have dinner reservations so we can’t stay.”
Delfina murmured something that Raven couldn’t hear and Bruno laughed. He placed his hand on the doorknob to his grandmother’s apartment. “But, please, my mother made enough for both of you. Don’t bother bringing over anything.”
“Are you sure?” Raven asked, watching his reaction carefully.
“Please.” He extricated himself from Delfina and opened the door to the apartment, disappearing inside.
Raven could hear the dull murmur of voices. In a moment, Bruno returned.
“She’s eager to see you.” He stood to the side and gestured for Raven to enter. She quickly locked her apartment and made her away across the landing, nodding at Delfina as she passed.
“Have a good night.” She gave Bruno a small, awkward wave.
“Thank you.” He took Delfina’s hand and they disappeared down the staircase.
Raven sighed. How interesting it was that a creature such as William, who was far more intelligent and handsome than Bruno, could find her beautiful, while a human like Bruno couldn’t even remember her name.
William was the only one who’d ever looked at her with longing.