propose marriage to Cousin Lucia. That way the dissenting faction in Fortezza could see that there would be a male di Chimici to rule beside her.’
‘Brother!’ said Gaetano. ‘Have you not done enough damage with your marriage schemes for Filippo already?’
Alfonso had also heard something about that. If he was called upon for his opinion, he resolved to oppose the scheme. Filippo was a decent enough fellow but a bit of a fool.
Filippo was glad not to have to answer straight away. It was only a few weeks since his first intended bride had married his namesake, Filippo Nucci, and made a new home in Classe, where the Nucci was now Governor.
Fabrizio frowned. It was true that his previous plan – to marry Cousin Filippo to his sister, Beatrice – had not gone well.
‘And what will happen when Jacopo of Bellona dies?” asked Alfonso. ‘Filippo will be Prince there – though let us pray that won’t happen for many years yet.’
Filippo bowed in acknowledgment, though he had often wished he knew himself how many years he would have to wait before he could rule in his city.
‘That is perhaps a better point than Gaetano’s,’ said Fabrizio. ‘But who else is there? Ferrando is too old, Rinaldo a cardinal of the Reman Church – oh, if only poor Falco still lived!’
‘He would have been too young for Lucia,’ said Gaetano, more gently than before. He was the only one of the family to know that Falco did still live, but in another world, and he knew how much Fabrizio had loved him.
‘Perhaps Lucia does not wish to marry again, cousin?’ said Filippo. ‘She has hardly had a good experience of matrimony.’
‘All the more reason to find her another husband!’ said Fabrizio. ‘She deserves one after losing Carlo so cruelly. And it’s over a year now since the massacre.’
‘But maybe she would like to choose her own husband next time – if there is to be a next time,’ said Gaetano. ‘Even though she liked poor Carlo, it was Father’s idea that they should get married.’
Fabrizio waved this idea away impatiently. ‘ All the marriages were Father’s idea but they have worked out well for the rest of us, haven’t they?’
‘There are other families besides ours in Talia, you know,’ said Gaetano.
Luckily they were interrupted by the arrival of Lucia herself. All four men looked guilty the way people always do when someone they have just been talking about joins them. But the Princess seemed a little flustered herself.
‘Ah, cousins, you are all here,’ she said. ‘I am expecting visitors but I shall ask for them to be shown into the small salone .’
‘Are you sure?’ asked Fabrizio. ‘Please do not let us cause you any inconvenience. I know you weren’t expecting us still to be here.’
‘It is no trouble,’ said Lucia. ‘But you are all looking very serious. Is there some news?’
‘No, Lucia,’ said Gaetano. ‘There will be no news till this evening. And we are all hoping it will be the right decision for you.’
Lucia smiled and backed out of the room.
‘It’s about time we decided what to do if it is the wrong decision,’ said the Grand Duke. He tightened his hold on the sword he wore at his side.
*
Laura and Fabio were admitted to a pleasant, almost homely room in the forbidding castle. It looked like a private parlour in which the royal princesses might sit to sew and gossip.
They were still standing when Princess Lucia herself came in, accompanied by Guido Parola.
‘Oh good, you are here!’ she said. ‘Please sit down.’
She asked a footman to bring them wine and pastries, though Laura would have far preferred a cappuccino.
‘Guido has told me about you,’ said Lucia, after the refreshments had arrived and they had been through the formal introductions. ‘And about your . . . Order.’
Laura hoped Fabio would answer for them both, but the Princess was looking at her rather than the swordsmith.
‘I don’t know very much about it, Your
‘Brother!’ said Gaetano. ‘Have you not done enough damage with your marriage schemes for Filippo already?’
Alfonso had also heard something about that. If he was called upon for his opinion, he resolved to oppose the scheme. Filippo was a decent enough fellow but a bit of a fool.
Filippo was glad not to have to answer straight away. It was only a few weeks since his first intended bride had married his namesake, Filippo Nucci, and made a new home in Classe, where the Nucci was now Governor.
Fabrizio frowned. It was true that his previous plan – to marry Cousin Filippo to his sister, Beatrice – had not gone well.
‘And what will happen when Jacopo of Bellona dies?” asked Alfonso. ‘Filippo will be Prince there – though let us pray that won’t happen for many years yet.’
Filippo bowed in acknowledgment, though he had often wished he knew himself how many years he would have to wait before he could rule in his city.
‘That is perhaps a better point than Gaetano’s,’ said Fabrizio. ‘But who else is there? Ferrando is too old, Rinaldo a cardinal of the Reman Church – oh, if only poor Falco still lived!’
‘He would have been too young for Lucia,’ said Gaetano, more gently than before. He was the only one of the family to know that Falco did still live, but in another world, and he knew how much Fabrizio had loved him.
‘Perhaps Lucia does not wish to marry again, cousin?’ said Filippo. ‘She has hardly had a good experience of matrimony.’
‘All the more reason to find her another husband!’ said Fabrizio. ‘She deserves one after losing Carlo so cruelly. And it’s over a year now since the massacre.’
‘But maybe she would like to choose her own husband next time – if there is to be a next time,’ said Gaetano. ‘Even though she liked poor Carlo, it was Father’s idea that they should get married.’
Fabrizio waved this idea away impatiently. ‘ All the marriages were Father’s idea but they have worked out well for the rest of us, haven’t they?’
‘There are other families besides ours in Talia, you know,’ said Gaetano.
Luckily they were interrupted by the arrival of Lucia herself. All four men looked guilty the way people always do when someone they have just been talking about joins them. But the Princess seemed a little flustered herself.
‘Ah, cousins, you are all here,’ she said. ‘I am expecting visitors but I shall ask for them to be shown into the small salone .’
‘Are you sure?’ asked Fabrizio. ‘Please do not let us cause you any inconvenience. I know you weren’t expecting us still to be here.’
‘It is no trouble,’ said Lucia. ‘But you are all looking very serious. Is there some news?’
‘No, Lucia,’ said Gaetano. ‘There will be no news till this evening. And we are all hoping it will be the right decision for you.’
Lucia smiled and backed out of the room.
‘It’s about time we decided what to do if it is the wrong decision,’ said the Grand Duke. He tightened his hold on the sword he wore at his side.
*
Laura and Fabio were admitted to a pleasant, almost homely room in the forbidding castle. It looked like a private parlour in which the royal princesses might sit to sew and gossip.
They were still standing when Princess Lucia herself came in, accompanied by Guido Parola.
‘Oh good, you are here!’ she said. ‘Please sit down.’
She asked a footman to bring them wine and pastries, though Laura would have far preferred a cappuccino.
‘Guido has told me about you,’ said Lucia, after the refreshments had arrived and they had been through the formal introductions. ‘And about your . . . Order.’
Laura hoped Fabio would answer for them both, but the Princess was looking at her rather than the swordsmith.
‘I don’t know very much about it, Your
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