Christine Feehan 5 CARPATHIAN NOVELS

by Christine Feehan

  “Have you forgotten we share the same birthday?”

  Tasha hissed out a soft whisper of aggravation. “I don’t know you in this mood, Toni. Do you see? Already he is driving a wedge between you and your family!”

  “I’m not having this conversation with you, Tasha. I don’t interfere in your personal life, no matter how bizarre I think it. All I ask is the same respect. What I do is my business, no one else’s. Don’t you dare bring up Byron to the rest of the family.”

  “Are you really going to talk to Nonno for me?” Tasha asked.

  “Yes, I said I would.”

  A knock on the door was loud. Antonietta recognized Marita’s distinctive way of announcing herself. Marita tried very hard to come across with authority and importance, even in minor things. “Come in, Marita.” In another few minutes, all of her cousins would be crowding into her room.

  “My husband, Franco, has sent me out of concern for your well-being, Antonietta.” Marita made the announcement formal and loud. “You have never slept this long in all the time we can recall.”

  “You’ve been married to Franco for ten years, Marita,” Tasha said with exasperation, “we know he’s your husband. Do you have to announce it every time you walk into a room? You do have your own identity. If you’d just see Dr. Venshrank, you wouldn’t need to identify so strongly with Franco.”

  Marita stuck her chin in the air. “Just because I’ve managed to stay married and happy for ten years and you’ve gone through two husbands and three fiancés doesn’t mean I need to see your doctor, Tasha. Franco is a good man, and I’m proud to be his wife. In any case, it reminds you I am a member of the family, too, if only by marriage.”

  “You are so insecure,” Tasha said, rolling her eyes in disgust. “You’ve been in the family for ten long years, you have two children, and you’d think you’d get over the fact that you had totally inferior breeding and no social status whatsoever when Franco found you. We all have.”

  “Don’t start, you two. I have to speak with Signora Helena immediately and find out what is happening, or you may not have food for the next few days.” Antonietta was exasperated with the both of them, grown women always feuding.

  “Marita would live just fine for a day or two, but I wouldn’t survive.” Tasha patted her flat stomach lovingly.

  Marita nearly screamed in frustration. “My stomach is a badge of courage, two bambini, and you with none.”

  “Enough!” Antonietta nearly yelled it. “I don’t want you to ever say that again to Tasha in my presence, Marita.”

  “I’m sorry, forgive me, Tasha. Toni is right, I shouldn’t have said such a thing.”

  “I don’t pay attention to anything you say,” Tasha said belligerently, but her voice trembled.

  Marita turned her attention to Antonietta. “Toni, I really needed to talk to you about Franco. He’s in a meeting with Nonno. I don’t want you to interrupt them. You must see he deserves another chance. It is time Nonno realized his worth and paid him accordingly. He should be vice president and respected by all.”

  “You know I have no say in what Nonno’s decisions are, Marita.”

  “Just promise me not to ruin Franco’s chance. I must insist, Antonietta. You know he works hard and deserves so much more than Nonno gives him. One little mistake should be forgiven.”

  “It wasn’t a little mistake, as you well know, Marita. You pushed him until he was bitter and angry and wanting your respect. He betrayed his family and our company. He was lucky charges weren’t brought against him and that Nonno listened to Tasha’s and my pleas to allow him to stay here. If you’re pushing him again to do something he will later regret, think hard, Marita. Nonno won’t forgive another betrayal, not even for the children, and Marita, neither will I.”

  “He turned down a huge offer from Christopher’s company to join with them. A merger would be good for both companies. Franco has proved his loyalty even though he knows the merger would make us all wealthy.”

  Antonietta sighed. “We are wealthy already, Marita, and there is no advantage to our company from a merger, only on the Demonesini side. You know very well Christopher’s father even tried to court me in hopes of a merger.”

  “The families will merge when Christopher marries Tasha.”

  A loud crash followed by a bloodcurdling scream of pain interrupted the two women. There was no mistaking a child’s continuous scream of agony. Tasha turned toward the sound instantly. “That’s little Margurite!” She was already racing from the room as she called out the warning.

  The screams emerging from the lower story were appalling. Antonietta had never heard anything like it. “Something is really wrong with Margurite.”

  “She just wants attention.” Marita pressed her hands over her ears. “Tasha should make her stop that noise, no Scarletti should make such a scene. That’s Tasha’s influence. If Franco hears her, he’ll rush to her side instead of keeping his mind on business as he should!” But she was running even as she complained.

  Antonietta listened to her tone, not the words. Marita was terrified, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Antonietta took her hand as they hurried down the wide hall toward the sound of the screams. She had to slow down on the sweeping staircase, not wanting to chance a misstep. Marita suddenly pulled her hand away, pressing back against the wall.

  Antonietta could hear Tasha soothing the six-year-old girl. “There, there, Toni’s here now, and she’ll see to it that the doctor comes. He’ll fix you right up. Your madre is here. It’s going to be all right now.” Antonietta judged by the direction of the voice that Tasha was sitting on the floor beside the child right at the bottom of the stairway. She stepped cautiously off the last stair and stopped walking, careful not to trip over them.

  Marita screamed, a terrible sound, adding to Margurite’s cries of pain. There was a thud as her body crashed to the floor.

  “What is it? What happened to her, Tasha?”

  “Don’t mind Marita. She fainted like she always does in a crisis. Here, Toni.” Tasha caught her hand and guided her to the floor beside the crying child. Already the screams were becoming sobs as Margurite tried to regain control. “It’s her right leg. Tell me what you think. Hold still, piccola, it will take only a moment to examine you, and Antonietta is always so gentle. Your madre is fine. She just fainted. You’ve seen her do that before.” Tasha kissed the curly head over and over, brushing at the tears running down the little face. “Watch yourself, Toni, there’s rubble everywhere.”

  Antonietta ran her hands gently over the thin leg. Her breath caught in her lungs when she felt the jagged bone protruding. “Tasha is right, cara mia, we need the doctor immediately for you. You’re so brave to stay here with Tasha.” She raised her voice, knowing her assistant would be close, drawn by the screams. “Justine! We must have an ambulance at once.” Justine Travis had been her assistant for thirteen years, and she acted as her eyes and ears in the ever-changing household.

  “Right away, Miss Scarletti!” Justine answered from where she hovered in the hallway. “Helena is calling straightaway.”

  “Tell them to hurry, it’s most urgent!” Antonietta kept her voice calm, not wanting to alarm Margurite. “Try to wake Marita. And get Franco in here.”

  Marita moaned. “Bambina. Mia bambina. How could this happen?” She kept her face averted, allowing Helena to help her to her feet. “There’s so much blood, and the bone. She’ll be crippled for life.”

  “Marita!” Tasha hissed her name. “That’s not helping. Go to Vincente. He must be frightened by Margurite’s cries. Franco will attend her.”

  “Yes, yes, you’re right, Tasha.” Marita pressed a hand to her stomach, turned her head, and was sick. “Grazie, take care of my poor bambina.”

  Franco gathered Tasha and his daughter into his arms. “Helena, take Marita up to the room. She’s ill, and this is too much for her.”

  Helena complied, wrapping her arm around Marita while one of the maids immediately
began to clean the floor.

  Tasha rocked back and forth in an effort to soothe both the child and herself. “Do something Toni, I can’t stand to see her in such pain,” Tasha begged in a whisper. “How did such a thing happen?”

  “Hurry, Toni, take the pain from her,” Franco urged.

  “Describe for me what you see.”

  “The Scarletti coat of arms above Nonno’s door has come down. Didn’t we just have that inspected and secured? Margurite was coming out of Nonno’s room, and it came right down on her. She could have been killed.” There was a sob as well as anger in Tasha’s voice. “She went to visit Nonno but he was gone.”

  Antonietta stiffened. The palazzo was undergoing repairs, and she had been with the inspectors when they had gone through her grandfather’s wing of the house. She knew they had paid particular attention to the Scarletti coat of arms, due to the heavy weight of it. “Don’t touch anything. We’ll let your policeman take a look around.”

  All at once the home Antonietta loved, the home with which she was so familiar, took on a sinister atmosphere.

  Margurite lay against Tasha, keening her distress softly while her father caressed her hair and face, murmuring how much he loved her. Tasha’s fingers tightened around Antonietta. “Do something, take her pain away, Toni. Do it right now, I can’t stand her being in so much pain.”

  “The ambulance will be here soon,” Antonietta whispered back, but her hands were still on the little leg. She took a deep breath and concentrated, blocking out the sounds of weeping, blocking out the overwhelming emotions of everyone in the room. She let everything flow through her, around her, finding the deep well inside of her where she could free the energy that was so strong, so much a part of her and her heritage.

  Antonietta knew Byron Justicano was capable of healing because the ability to heal was also a part of her family legacy. She couldn’t heal in the same way he did, but she could diagnose a problem, lessen the pain, and speed her people onto the path of recovery. She felt the heat building, spreading, moving through her body to her hands, to the child’s leg.

  Almost at once, Margurite became quieter, her sobs reduced to sniffs and small shudders. Antonietta felt most of the tension leave Tasha’s body.

  Franco leaned over and kissed his cousin. His face was wet with tears.

  “Grazie, Toni. I wish I could do that.” Tasha hugged Margurite closer to her.

  “The ambulance is on the way, Antonietta,” Justine said as she picked her way carefully through the mess. “I also notified the authorities. The bolts holding the Scarletti shield are completely sheared through. This was no accident.” Before her employer could protest, she hastily reassured her. “Don’t worry, I was careful not to touch anything and leave fingerprints. I’ve seen enough movies to know you’re not supposed to do that.” She crouched down close to Antonietta. Almost protectively. “This was no accident, and coming on the heels of last night, I don’t think you should take any chances.”

  “I believe you’re right, Justine,” Antonietta agreed. “Please give Joie Sanders a call and let her know I need an appointment. Ask if she would be willing to come here to the palazzo.”

  “I’ll set it up immediately. Sanders is renowned for her security measures, but she’s very hard to get. She might be able to recommend someone to us though. Shall I cancel your performance at the local charity event next week?”

  Antonietta shook her head. “No, it’s for a good cause. But I want Nonno protected, too; that’s important, Justine. See to it that our security people keep a close eye on him until I can work something out with Sanders.”

  Don Giovanni hurried into the hall, his breathing heavy from trying to run. “What is it, what has she done? Franco, is she going to be all right?” His usual authoritative voice trembled.

  “We’ll take her to the hospital, Nonno,” Franco said gently. “They will fix up Margurite’s leg in no time.”

  “Sit down, Nonno,” Tasha said, concerned. “Toni has taken some of the pain away, and Margurite is much more comfortable.” Quickly she hugged the child’s shoulders in reassurance. “You’re so brave, cara mia. Isn’t she brave, Toni?”

  “Very brave.” Antonietta kissed the top of the child’s head, still keeping contact with the little leg in hopes of keeping the pain at bay.

  The child fumbled until she managed to clutch Antonietta’s sleeve. “Am I a true Scarletti then?”

  Tasha made a single sound, turned her head to glare at Franco, angry that Marita’s continual nagging made the child insecure. “You have always been a Scarletti, Margurite. You are brave and wonderful and a joy to us all. Isn’t she, Toni? Franco?”

  “Margurite, you are a Scarletti through and through,” Antonietta agreed instantly.

  “You have always been just like me, Margurite,” Franco said, kissing the top of the child’s head. “Hasn’t she Nonno?”

  “You have your father’s eyes and his sunny disposition,” Don Giovanni assured.

  “Signorina Scarletti, the ambulance is here,” Helena announced. “This way.” She waved the attendants through.

  “Grazie, Helena,” Antonietta acknowledged. She trusted Justine to guide the medics around the debris and to the child.

  After an examination and a brief discussion with Franco, it was agreed they must move Margurite to the hospital where her leg could be properly looked after.

  “Please make certain there is no pain,” Tasha pleaded, hugging the child protectively. “We’ve waited a long time for you, and she’s very frightened.”

  “We will see to it that she does not hurt more than necessary,” the attendant assured. “We can give her pain medication to help while we move her.”

  Antonietta waited until Margurite was settled in the ambulance with her father and Tasha and was on her way to the hospital before attempting to sort out the damages. “Justine, make certain the area is cordoned off so no one touches anything and none of the maids attempt to clean this up before the police have a chance to take a look at everything.”

  She knew her housekeeper was close by the faint perfume. “Helena, tell me of Enrico. What do you know of his disappearance?”

  “Nothing, signorina, he was simply not in his room. Nothing has been taken, his clothes and personal belongings are there. He prepared today’s menus last night, and we discussed what we needed for the kitchen so I could send the boy this morning. We had a glass of wine together about ten, and he retired to his apartment as he always does. This morning he did not appear to prepare the morning meal, and I sent one of the maids to check on him. He was not in his room. When she told me this, I immediately went to his room myself. I did not see anything out of place.”

  “Has anyone heard from him? Does he have a woman?”

  “No.” Helena’s sigh was loud, and Antonietta could not turn down the volume. Everything seemed overly loud, even the sound of shoes on the highly polished floor. It was a bit distracting. She could hear insects buzzing and creaks and groans in the house. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance and outside, the rain was steadily drizzling.

  “Would he just go off like that? He’s never done such a thing in all the years he’s been with us. This is his home. Surely someone knows where he would have gone. His friends? Someone outside the palazzo.”

  “I’m sorry, signorina, but Enrico stayed only here. The people here are his family. This is his home. He didn’t go other places,” Helena insisted. “I know this to be true. Enrico told me often he preferred the palazzo. At night he sometimes wandered the grounds and looked up at the sculptures. He loved the architecture and felt it was a privilege to live in such a place.”

  “Have the grounds been searched? He could have become ill and is lying somewhere hurt.”

  “I should have thought of that, signorina,” Helena said. “I’ll have the servants search the grounds immediately.”

  “One of my cousins should have thought of it,” Antonietta corrected. Sometimes she wondered what her fami
ly was thinking. That the palazzo magically ran itself? Not even Don Giovanni had thought to do a search of the grounds for poor Enrico. She could not imagine her chef had walked off leaving behind all of his possessions. “Grazie, Helena, as soon as you hear anything, please let me know. Meanwhile, who do we have that can help out in the kitchen? I know you’re already way too busy, and I don’t want you to fill in. Justine can hire a temporary if we don’t have an assistant that can manage.”

  “I’ll move Alfredo up until Enrico returns,” Helena said. “He’s a decent chef and has worked with Enrico for the past seven years. He likes his way and is a bit difficult, taking to his bed with headaches and spasms, but I’m certain he’ll do fine until Enrico returns. And my nephew, Esteben. You remember we hired him to work in the kitchen as an apprentice chef some time ago? He has been working out well. He can step into Alfredo’s position for the time being.”

  “Are you certain, Helena? Alfredo will need someone to be fast and efficient. There were one or two complaints about Esteben. I thought he didn’t care for the job.”

  “Oh, no, no, signorina. Esteben is most grateful for the job. He had the big date and wanted time off, and Enrico refused him. They had words, but Esteben was only trying to impress his amore. He understands the importance of his work.”

  Antonietta nodded. “Justine, please tell the bookkeeper to compensate them accordingly.”

  “Yes, of course, I’ll make a note of that. You really must go to your grandfather. He was very agitated. I don’t know if he took his heart medication, but he was upset.”

  “Very well.” Antonietta placed her hand lightly on Justine’s arm. “Thank you for all you do for me, Justine. I hope you know I consider you invaluable, both as my friend and as my assistant.”

  “I know, Toni.” Justine was less formal when they were alone. “I love this job and the palazzo. I love that I can travel all over the world with you. Most of all, you’ve become the family I never had, so it is mutual.” She led with confidence, moving quickly around any object in their path, and Antonietta didn’t hesitate to follow her. “I was appalled at the rumor that you were attacked. Is it so?”