“Yes, thank you,” Christopher echoed in English.
CHAPTER 15
M orning dawned brightly sunny but with a winter chill that could
be detected even through the walls of the house. Christopher and
Katerina ate a quick breakfast of hot sweet rolls and powerful coffee before meeting Alessandro in the parlor of his spacious manor.
It was a gorgeous room, boasting delicate blue walls and several floor-to-ceiling windows decorated with ornately cream-colored wood frames and
moldings. The wood floor was covered with a mostly-red rug accented in a blue
that complemented the walls.
Cream and dark wood furniture stood in several seating areas, and in the open space between the furnishings, a small crowd of people in uniforms stood
stiffly at attention.
Alessandro rose from one of the dark armchairs at their approach.
“Everyone,” he boomed in a hearty, carrying voice, “my long-lost granddaughter
and her husband have finally come home. May I present Katerina and
Christopher Bennett!”
The staff applauded, their eyes curious and happy. One particularly round
barrel of a woman approached Katerina, chattering rapidly in Italian. She kissed
her on both cheeks and lumbered away, wiping her eyes with a plump hand.
“Who on earth was that?” Christopher asked.
“Oh, she's the cook,” Alessandro replied, eyes alight with laughter. “She
knew my daughter growing up. They were… friendly, I suppose.
“She thought I was too skinny and is currently planning to cook something
decadent to fatten me up.” Katerina grinned. “She might just succeed.”
“Do you think you might share?” Christopher asked, regarding her with
teasing silver eyes.
“It depends,” she teased him back.
“All right you two,” Alessandro growled, “don't shock my servants.” He
dismissed the staff with a word and led the couple on a tour of the house. On the
first floor, they left the spacious parlor, passed the dining room and peeked into
Alessandro's study, housed in a cavernous library with books stacked floor to ceiling on oiled wooden shelves.
Next, they arrived in the kitchen. The ceiling of rough-hewn and weathered
gray boards drew the eye upward, where shimmering copper pans dangled. The
size of the space caused Katerina to draw in a deep breath, filling herself with the aroma of garlic and olive oil. The cook grinned at them and handed them each a pastry. The sweet treat made Katerina's eyes roll back in her head. It won't be hard to gain weight in this place.
Last, they explored the music room. Compared to the tiny space in the
Bennetts' London townhouse, it was huge. It contained a beautifully carved pianoforte and a harpsichord along with various other instruments displayed on
tables and hung on the wall. In particular, a small instrument that resembled a guitar snared Katerina's eye. Clearly Spanish in origin, it bore ornate decorations
in inlaid wood. She looked at it for a moment before being drawn by the magnetic pull of the pianoforte.
Sliding onto the bench she played a series of lightning-fast scales and smiled.
Lovely tone. Then, her fingers itching to play, she added a spritely Chopin melody.
