“Yes sir,” everyone said in unison.
“First, the basement of this estate no longer requires cleaning. No one should go down there foranyreason. Anyone caught in the basement against our wishes will be swiftly dealt with,” Angelo explained. “If anyone other than me tells youtoclean the basement, that is to be reported directly to me with haste.”
“Yes sir.”
“Second, Philippa.”
My heart thundered in my chest as I looked up at Angelo. “Signore?”
“Effective immediately, you will be training with Alegna to serve a member of the family directly. More than just bringing meals or collecting trash, you will learn the nuances of being at someone’s beck and call, any time of day or night. It is important that you do exactly as you are told, and do not give any member of my family any difficulty. You arenotallowed to say no.”
The last statement gave me pause, but I tried not to get hung up on it. “Yes,Signore.”
“Alegna has been given the specifics and you will start your training immediately,” he said.
“Of course,Signore,” I replied.
“That is all. Remember what I’ve said here today. Anyone caught not following these orders will have to answer to me.” Angelo gave the staff one final scan, his eyes landing on me for a few beats longer, then he left the room leaving grime in his wake.
Alegna stood up and turned to face the room. “Master Cavetti’s orderswillbe followed,” she ordered. “Get to work.” She looked down at me. “Come with me. We’re going to announce these changes to Mr. Cavetti.”
Mr. Cavetti? There were four of them. Which one was I being trained in to serve?
I followed Alegna out of the staff quarters, and oddly, up the front stairs to the second floor. All of the Cavetti siblings’ bedrooms were on that floor. Four of them had bedrooms to the right, and just one had a bedroom to the left.
The one I’d been to most frequently.
Almost as if she wanted to build suspense, Alegna stopped at the top of the stairs. She gave me a curious look and opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but then she didn’t. She took a deep breath and turned to the left, and I felt like I was going to pass out. She walked in front of me silently, all the way down to the last room on the left, and then she knocked on the door.
“Mr. Cavetti, it’s Alegna. May I come in?”
“Come in,” a familiar voice called back, sending my heart pounding double time. Alegna opened the door and we stepped inside, where Gianni was sitting in the armchair in the corner of his room, reading a book. He looked up and when he saw me, a quick smile flashed over his face. He stood up and walked over to us, and I tried to pretend that there wasn’t a sparkle in his eye all of a sudden. “What can I do for you?”
Alegna bowed and I followed her lead bowing my head as well. We stood upright and Alegna held her hand out towards me. “We received word today from your father that Philippa will be training to be your personal handmaiden. She’ll shadow me in this duty for a few weeks, and once I am confident she’s ready, she will take over full time.”
“My father ordered this?” he said, looking at me.
“Yes,Signore,” I said.
He crossed his arms. “Then I suppose it shall be so. Thank you both in advance for your service.”
“I wanted to let you know that beginning tomorrow, we will be at your service. Whatever you need, please let me know.”
She looked at me and I gave Gianni another curt bow. “I am at your service,Signore.”
“We’ll take our leave,” Alegna said. “Come along, Philippa.”
Alegna turned around, and after taking one final glance at Gianni, I turned around as well. Just before I’d escaped the threshold of the door, a hand wrapped around my arm. I looked back and Gianni was staring down at me with a blindingly brilliant smile.
“This is wonderful,” he said. “Now we can see each other every day.”
My heart thundered so hard, I thought it was going to explode from my chest. “Yes. It is wonderful.”
He released me and I slipped out before Alegna could notice I wasn’t behind her. I made my way back to her side and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. “Do you know what this is all about?” Alegna asked.
I looked over at her. “N-no. I was hoping you did.”
She glanced at me up and down as if she was reading me for truth in my words. Whether or not she found it, I wasn’t sure, but she turned away from me. “Well, just remember that this is a job. Do not jeopardize your life chasing something impossible.”
