“Capri,” my grandfather snapped.
She blinked at him, then started sobbing, running from the room, screeching, “You embarrassed me!”
“Capri!” Mamma stood so fast, her chair toppled over, and she ran after Capri.
I felt the weight of a stare on my face. It was not my husband or my father, nor was it my cousin. It was Scarlett. It was almost as if she was looking at me in a different light. It was hard to tell. I only understood, past my bones, that she and I had connected in that moment for some reason. This was confirmed when I noticed that she squeezed her husband’s hand.
Signor Dandolo cleared his throat. “With that matter settled…” He pulled forth another paper, and the feather on his pen wavered with a cool breeze coming in from the window.“Who were the witnesses at the wedding? Did it take place in Italy? Or someplace else?”
Angelo stood from his seat, taking Atta up with him.
“My wife and I were witnesses to the marriage,” Angelo announced proudly.
Marciano seemed resigned. He had known this. Mia, Matteo, and Maestro seemed stung by the news.
“Coup!” My father came close to shouting. “I am sure his siblings were there. My daughter might have been forced into the marriage.”
“I was not!”
“Were there any more witness to the marriage?” Signor Dandolo asked Mariano.
Mariano looked at Marciano when he answered. “No.”
Signor Dandolo sighed. “This is good. This proves the marriage was not forced. More witnesses could have changed the course of this meeting—and not for the good of all involved.”
“It wasnotforced,” I said, but no one seemed to acknowledge me, except for my husband, who squeezed my hand.
“The wedding took place?” SignorDandolo asked Angelo.
Angelo gave him all the details, and then he held out Atta’s seat for her.
“This law does not extend to America,” Signor Dandolo stated. “However, love is love, and it does not matter what soil it stands on, if it stands. Presumably, you both were standing when the vows were taken?”
“Yes.” I grinned a little.
SignorDandolo gave me a quick grin in return. Perhaps he did not want to be dismissed from this matter on grounds that he was being human to me, and then, of course, looked at Mariano for confirmation. Perhaps because he was a man? Or because this man knew Mariano could not, would not, lie? I would lie to save Mariano, and this entire table knew it.
Mariano only nodded.
“What is the Capella family asking for, as far as justice?” SignorDandolo asked my grandfather and father.
My grandfather was the one who answered. “We want the blood diamond.”
This was where things were going to get dicey.
“My wife will wear the blood diamond,” Mariano said cooly.
My eyes shot to his, but he was looking at my grandfather. All of the men’s eyes were on my grandfather, since he held the floor, so to speak.
“Iffate permits,” my grandfather said.
“When,” Mariano corrected.
“You are so bold to challenge fate, Mariano Fausti?” my grandfather asked.
“I am not challenging fate,” Mariano said in Italian. “Fate spoke to me. Told me the woman sitting beside me is mine. Adone Capella. Flavio Capella. These are the only men in this room who challenge fate.”
“Hearing voices?” my father asked, laughing at his own stupid joke.
