idle conversation.”

“I suppose not.” He growled. “I hated that she married him. Did he ever…

soften?”

“No,” Katerina replied without prevarication.

Carlo closed his eyes. “Did he kill her?”

“More or less,” she admitted sadly.

Carlo cursed softly. “My fault.”

“How?”

Sorrow crumpled his expression, making him look older than his years. “He

took her away because of me. I saw her after the wedding, so thin, so distressed,

and covered in bruises. We were only sixteen, you know. I went to him and showed him what it felt like to be beaten. He left the next day.”

Katerina shook her head. “It's a tragedy. I'm so sorry.”

“Was she a good mother?” he asked.

Katerina nodded. “The best. I miss her so terribly, but she's at peace now, Uncle Carlo. She's finally free of him.”

His gaze turned even more intense. “And you, Katerina? Are you also free of

him?”

“I am, thanks to my husband.” She glanced at Christopher and smiled.

“He seems like a good man,” Carlo commented.

“Yes,” she replied, “I owe him my life.”

“Don't think that way, cara,” her uncle urged. “You owe him your heart.”

“He has it,” she replied simply.

“Buono. You have his too.”

She smiled. It's a pleasing sentiment even though there's no way it can be true.

After dinner, the guests returned to the parlor. Alessandro remained, looking out the window onto his estate, his expression sad. Aimée was nowhere to be seen.

Several of the guests approached the master and talked to him privately. At last,

he shook them all off and sought out his granddaughter. “Cara, why did you agree to that competition?” he demanded.

“What do you mean, Nonno?” Katerina replied, not wanting to cause trouble.

“You didn't want it. I could tell.” His mouth twisted into a wry expression.

“No,” she agreed.

“Then why?”

She considered, and then admitted the truth with a sigh. “It was the

pianoforte. I wanted to play it. Madame St. Jean refused to let me. She said the

winner of the competition could have the rights to the music room. I didn't want

it all to myself, I just wanted to use it sometimes.”

“Dio mio!” Alessandro threw his hands into the air. “You mean all this was

over the piano?”

“Sì.”

He hugged her gently. “You should have talked to me. It's my piano. Of

course, you can use it.”

She gave him a pleading look. “I wasn't sure. I can see she has some

influence over you.”

“So do you,” he reminded her.

Katerina smiled.

“She's been tormenting you, hasn't she?”

Katerina bowed her head in lieu of an answer.

“Well don't worry. She won't be here anymore. After her scandalous behavior

tonight, I've sent her away.”

“Oh, don't do that,” Katerina pleaded.

“Why not?” his expression turned thunderstruck.

She touched his sleeve. “I know you care for her. Don't make her leave on my account.”