Bang, thud, thump, thump.
Scanning their faces, I considered. They didn’t appear apprehensive about the Halloween Men. Bianca’s family was the same way. They followed the laws so they shouldn’t have to be terrified. Neither should I.
And now was the perfect time to shed the fear. I gathered my courage. “I’m interested, but I can’t make them in my father’s shop.”
“We have plenty of space you can use,” Mistress Cattaneo said.
My thoughts raced. I’d still have to follow my father’s rules and I couldn’t keep up with the late nights. I drew in a breath—time to be bold. “I’d like a sponsorship to set up my own shop.”
Thump, thump, thud, bang.
The details had been easy to work out. The Cattaneo family would become my patrons, setting me up in the house on Canal Street to start. They owned the entire row of homes and had used the currently empty one forty-two to make me feel more comfortable—apparently I had a reputation for being . . . skittish.
Once I’d made enough money to pay them back and be self-sufficient, I’d open my own shop. The deal seemed too good to be true, but Mistress Cattaneo assured me she didn’t need interest on her investment, she wanted my masks.
The hard part would be telling my father.
I waited until after Enzo brought me the paperwork to sign a week after they’d agreed to sponsor me. His family had cleaned out the moldy furniture in one forty-two and converted the upper three stories to a workroom and living quarters for me. The speed of the renovations impressed me and confirmed the Cattaneo family was well connected. Surely, the Halloween Men would never arrest them.
Filling a box with my masks that had languished in my father’s showroom—getting rid of the evidence, according to my conscience—I summoned my courage. As expected, he came out from the back room to see what I’d been doing. I blurted out my plans in a gush of words.
“You’re a fool,” he said. “The Cattaneo family will not be able to protect you.”
“From what, Father? I’ve broken no laws. I’m of age and it’s a legal agreement.”
His gaze burned right through me, reminding me of the Halloween Men on the street corners. Sweat dripped under my mask. The desire to flee from his anger pulsed through my body, but I stayed, determined to see this through.
“Haven’t you been listening to me all these years? They don’t need evidence to arrest you. Suspicion and rumors are all they need.”
“Suspicion and rumors about what? Other than telling me of crimes and punishments, you never give me details. Maybe if you told me why Mother was taken, I’d understand.”
He jerked back as if I had just slapped him.
“I saw them. What did she do?” I asked.
“You saw . . . ?” He recovered a bit. “What did you see, Antonella?”
“I saw enough.” I yanked off my mask. Cool air caressed my hot skin. “You should be happy I’m leaving. Then there’s no chance of seeing my face. Of seeing what you lost.”
Openmouthed, he stared at me. I returned to packing.
A pounding on the door shattered my concentration. I jerked in surprise, knocking over a container of beads. My heart beat extra fast as I peeked out the window of my workroom. Bianca pressed against the door. Relief coursed through me. When would I be able to hear knocking without panicking?
Bianca banged again with her free hand. She held a white box in the other and she’d hitched her robe up to avoid soaking the hem in the ankle-deep water. I hurried down two flights of stairs to let her in.
She surged in with a wave of water, sputtering with exasperation. “You could have warned me to wear my waders.”
I closed and locked the door behind her. “You said you’d be here this morning. That’s low tide.” Then when she continued to gaze at me, I added, “Sorry.”
“It’s worth the soggy socks to see your face, Nella.”
I ducked my head. The desire to cover my cheeks and nose flared. It would take more than a week for me to get comfortable with being with people without my mask on. “You saw me last Halloween at your party.”
“Barely. You arrived with your mask on, and then after an hour of hiding in a dark corner, you left.”
“I wasn’t hiding.”
“So you say. This year you are to leave your mask at home and you must mingle. I invited Enzo Cattaneo and he accepted.”
“Bianca!” My fingers itched to tie on my Columbina and hide the flush of heat in my face. Enzo had visited me every day since I’d moved here. Each time I had my mask firmly in place.
She held up two fingers. “You have two weeks to get used to the idea.” Then she handed me the box. “Here are the pastries for Mistress Cattaneo to sample. They’re all colored and shaped to match the butterfly masks, and the decorator will have examples of the complimentary decorations for her soon.” Bianca twirled. “Our first client!”
In my head, my father’s voice muttered, if this party is a failure, she’ll be your last. I gritted my teeth. It had been easier to move out of his house than evict him from my thoughts.
After Bianca left, I settled my favorite Columbina on the bridge of my nose and tied the ribbon. The familiar pressure helped me concentrate on my work and kept Master-follow-the-rules-to-the-extreme Salvatori at bay.
The squeaky left wheel of my old rusted cart didn’t quite cover the click-clack of boots following me. I tried hard all day to ignore the Halloween Men. Their interest in me was no different than the other masked citizens shopping in the crowded market piazza in the misty drizzle. Plus they all dressed the same, no way to confirm a certain two took particular notice of me. I was being overly fearful.
But after I left the busy downtown and headed for the quiet rows of homes, it became difficult to ignore my fears. In fact, they lingered and grew until sweat caused the cart to slip from my grip, spilling its contents onto the wet pavement.
I scooped up my packages in a panic, but it didn’t matter. Mere steps away, the Halloween Men stopped to help.
“Good evening, Miss Salvatori,” the shorter Halloween Man said as he righted my cart.
All moisture fled my mouth. I rasped. “Good evening, sirs.”
“Returning home?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“We noticed you moved from your father’s house. I hope under pleasant circumstances?” He took the bundles from me and stacked them in the cart while his partner picked up the remaining mess on the ground.
My insides twisted. They’d been watching me. “Ah . . . yes. I’m starting my own mask shop.” I touched my Columbina, ensuring it remained in place.
He aimed a soul-burning stare at me. “We haven’t seen any paperwork . . . ”
“Eventually. I’ve a patron right now.” But they already knew all this. So why bother to ask?
“Ah, yes. The Cattaneo family. An interesting . . . choice for a patron. Their reputation is . . . well known. Perhaps you should resume your apprenticeship with your father. His reputation is . . . well regarded.”
“I will think about it, sirs.”
“You should do more than think. He’ll keep you out of trouble, Miss Salvatori.”
In a blur of motion, the Halloween Man pulled on the end of one of my ribbons holding my Columbina in place.
“No,” I cried as the silky material slid then held tight, jerking my head to the side. I’d double knotted it, but I still pressed my hand to my mask in case he tried again.
“See? He has already taught you well. Most of the citizens are trusting fools. With one yank on their ribbons we have cause to arrest them. Understand?”
Fear swept through every part of my body. “Yes, sir.”
They touched the brim of their black leather hats with tips of their right fingers in what might have been a salute before heading toward downtown.
My heart resumed beating in a sudden rush. If my mask had fallen off . . . Could they really arrest me if they were the ones who caused it? That would be cheating,
even illegal. But I suspected they didn’t care.
Once I calmed down, I analyzed the Halloween Men’s comments and didn’t like what they’d implied. After I dumped my supplies in my workroom, I rushed over to my father’s shop. The showroom was empty, but he heard the bell and came out from the back room. We stared at each other in the semi-darkness for a moment.
“What happened?” he asked. Neither anger nor annoyance colored his tone.
I told him about my encounter with the Halloween Men. “Did you tell them about my masks?”
“Of course not. You are my daughter.”
It took a moment for that simple sentence to sink in. The feelings behind it were more than just a statement of fact. They implied . . . affection. “Why are the Halloween Men so against my masks?”
“Because they will become popular. The other mascherari will copy you and even our everyday masks will transform into exotic shapes and designs. The Halloween Men don’t want that. When they invaded hundreds of years ago, they used the masks to remind us of our sins. Masks were once used to cover those who had been deemed ugly by our citizens. Beauty had been valued above all else and those considered unworthy had been forced to wear a mask in public. Due to our ancestors’ vanity, the masks are a burden we must all bear, a punishment. They’ll arrest all the mascherari and those who survive will return to making stark utilitarian masks.”
“How do you know all this?”
“You’re not the first to embellish masks. Every generation has at least one of the mascherari who goes against convention. The Halloween Men have learned this and now stop the cycle before it can even begin.”
And then it clicked, explaining that box in the attic. “Mother did it, too.”
“No.”
“But she—”
“The Halloween Men came for me that night, Antonella. Your mother left me after. She could not . . . I don’t blame her. You were so young at the time, I thought you didn’t remember.”
Shocked, I stared at him. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“It is . . . difficult to talk about.”
“What did the Halloween Men do to you?”
His lips pressed together and he held his arms straight down by his sides. The familiar posture meant I’d get no more information about that no matter how hard I tried.
I switched topics. “How did they find you?”
“I didn’t hide. My masks filled the shelves.”
The knot in my chest eased a bit. They didn’t know about me.
Father watched me. “They suspect you, Antonella. That’s enough. Come home.”
“I can’t. I have a patron. I signed a contract.”
“I can fix that for you.”
I crossed my arms. “Are you working for the Halloween Men?”
“I aid them on occasion.”
Horrified, I stepped back.
“You’ve no idea what they’re capable of, Antonella.”
“Actually, I do. You’ve been telling me for years.” I headed for the door. With my hand on the knob, I turned. “Just stay out of it. I can handle it on my own.”
I strode out into the rain. My brave words fueled my steps. But as I passed more and more Halloween Men, my courage wavered.
“Do not worry, Nella,” Enzo said after I told him about my visit with my father. He picked up one of my masks from the drying rack in my workroom and inspected it. “You’re an employee of my family’s business and under our protection. That’s why they told you to return to your father. He can’t protect you.”
“Has your family ever . . . had trouble with them.”
Enzo laughed. “All the time. We manufacture goods and sell them beyond the city’s limits. My family gives the Halloween Men some extra . . . wine to look the other way.” He returned the mask to the rack. “I have something important to ask you.” Enzo took my hand in his. “Will you accompany me to Bianca’s party?”
A strange and unfamiliar emotion pushed out my fear. I grinned. “Of course.”
“Ah, you do know how to smile.” He reached up and cupped my cheek. “Take off your mask, Nella. You don’t need to hide from me.”
True. With a sudden surge of courage, I untied the ribbons and placed it on the table. And even though I wanted to duck my head, I gazed at Enzo.
Enzo tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “It’s a shame you have to hide such beauty under a mask. Even the Halloween Men would fall in love at the sight of you!”
My heart spun in my chest. “Don’t be silly.”
“I’m serious, Nella. Every man is going to envy me at the party.”
And then he pulled me close and kissed me. New sensations surge through me, buoying me up like a boat at high tide.
Halloween festivities started at midnight. Most citizens gave up sleep for this once-a-year chance to be outside without a mask and robe. Enzo collected me and we walked through the piazzas hand in hand. I’d worried my skittish nature wouldn’t allow me to enjoy the day, but with the streets filled with people without masks, I just blended in. I relaxed.
Jugglers, comedians, and acrobats entertained the revelers. Young children collected candy from those who stayed inside. We sipped wine and ate linguini mixed with a white clam sauce. The sun peeked out from time to time.
By mid-afternoon, we collapsed onto a bench exhausted.
“You’re so fun to watch,” Enzo said. “It’s like all this is new to you.”
“It is,” I confessed. “My father never let me go out on Halloween until I was eighteen. And that first year . . . ” Bianca had told the truth about me.
He laughed over my hiding in a dark corner. “This year is already better.”
Yes. Much better. My life had started and I planned to embrace it.
“Come on.” Enzo pulled me to my feet. “The Harlequins are putting on a show in Piazza Piccione. You don’t want to miss that!”
He was right. I haven’t laughed so hard . . . ever. My sides hurt and tears rolled down my cheeks. Afterwards, we ate in a sidewalk café and then headed to Bianca’s party.
Since the rain held off, her family set up in the street outside their bakery. A band played and pyramids of pastries filled the tables.
Bianca squealed when she spotted us. “You came!”
“Don’t act so surprised,” I said.
“I was talking to Enzo,” she teased.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said.
After she introduced us to a few of her friends, Enzo asked me to dance. The evening flew by as we stuffed ourselves with creamy cannoli and burned off the sweets on the dance floor.
Despite the party, I couldn’t completely shake my worries. During one break, I sought Bianca for a private chat, pulling her inside the bakery for a moment.
“Have the Halloween Men asked you about me?” I inquired.
“No. Since I stopped selling your masks no one has asked. Why?”
“Just checking.” Relief raised my spirits. The Halloween Men hadn’t taken any more notice of me since that time when I spilled my cart.
Enzo and I left the party with barely enough time to reach my house. At midnight the Halloween Men would return to the streets. We ran through the city, laughing and jumping over puddles.
Slipping inside one forty-two, we gasped for breath. Mere minutes later, the bell tolled midnight.
“Looks like I’m stuck here,” Enzo said with a sly smile. “I left my mask at home.”
I opened my mouth to remind him I had a dozen of them upstairs, but clamped it shut as he closed the distance between us.
Enzo wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. Heat spiked, shooting to my core and igniting another new, but wonderful feeling. I desired more.
He broke away and gazed at me, questioning.
“Guess you’ll just have to spend the night,” I said.
“Rotten luck,” he murmured, tangling his fingers in my hair.
“The worst.” I slid my hands under his shirt.
After that we didn’t talk.
It wasn’t until late the next morning that we’d discovered someone had stolen all my butterfly masks for the Cattaneo’s New Year’s party. I blinked at the empty tables and drying racks in shock, thinking if I closed my eyes longer, all my weeks of hard work would reappear. They didn’t.
Enzo checked the other rooms, looking for the culprits. He found nothing. Not even evidence of burglary. When he returned he asked, “Who knew about these?”
“Bianca, your family, my father, and according to him, the Halloween Men suspected.”
“We can rule out my family and the Halloween Men. They wouldn’t bother to steal the masks.”
“Why not? You said your family has dealings with them. Perhaps they thought this was the best solution. We can’t prove they took them.”
Enzo shook his head. “It’s not their style. They’d arrest you and then we’d bribe them to release you.”
“You’d do that for me?”
The hard anger in his face softened. “Of course.”
“Would it work?”
“It has in the past. How do you think the Halloween Men are able to afford new masks and robes every year?”
I’d never thought about it. Along with many other things.
“We can rule out Bianca, too,” I said. “She would profit from the party’s success.”
“I’ll talk to my mother,” Enzo said. “We have a rivalry with the Farina family who is also having a big New Year’s party.” He swept his hand out. “If they knew about the masks, this might be a form of sabotage.”
Which left my father. Which made the most sense to me especially if he wished to protect me. But I wouldn’t tell Enzo my suspicions until after I visited him.
The rain faded the bright Halloween colors from yesterday, coating everything in dark gray. A few people hustled along the slick sidewalks, while the rest probably slept off their hangovers. Water sloshed and slapped. Empty bottles and confetti floated on the rough surface.
My boots tapped out a steady rhythm as I debated. Should I be angry that he interfered or glad that he cared for me enough to go to such extremes? Both feelings swirled inside me.
HALLOWEEN: Magic, Mystery, and the Macabre Page 16
