In front of my brother and Lucia she'll play the role her position as my wife requires.
"You had trouble with your dress?" I murmur as she comes to my side.
"The zipper stuck. Lina helped me."
I don't point out that I could have helped her with that because she already knows. It would have been easier for her to cross the hall to my room than to summon Lina but she chose not to because she didn't want me to touch her. I shove that thought away for tonight.
"I'm Lorenzo Volante," my brother says, obviously sensing some tension. He steps forward and kisses Violetta's cheeks.
"I know." Violetta laughs. "I've had to scrape you up off the floor at La Stanza Rossa several times."
Lorenzo shoots her a who, me? look and reaches for Lucia. He pulls her forward.
"And this is Lucia."
Violetta greets her warmly. "I hope you'll enjoy dinner tonight. Lina's gone all out but she's a little nervous about cooking for such a highly respected chef."
"Any food is good if someone else cooked it," Lucia assures her.
Lorenzo scoffs. "You didn't say that about my French toast this morning."
"Because you burned it to a crisp." She turns to Violetta. "Honestly, it was like eating a roof tile. Is Damiano's cooking as bad?"
"I have no idea. He hasn't cooked for me yet."
I try not to read too much into that yet. It could mean she's thinking of our future together or it could just be that she's putting on an act for our guests. I choose to believe the former,
"Let's sit, shall we?"
While I take my usual seat at the head of the table, Violetta sits to my right. Lorenzo pulls out the chair to my left for Lucia, surprising me. I'd have thought he would want to sit between me and his woman but he seems content with this arrangement.
Gianni brings in a bottle of wine, a Vermentino. Lorenzo takes it from him and shoos him away.
"Is this from Donatella Scava's vineyard?" he asks as he examines the label. "I've been wanting to try this."
"Difficult to imagine he drank nothing but beer until a couple of years ago, isn't it?" I say wryly. In all honesty I'm impressed by how quickly my brother has learned the ins and outs of the wine business.
Lorenzo pours three glasses and then fills Lucia's with water. Violetta slants her a curious look.
"I'm pregnant," Lucia says. "In case you haven't noticed the swollen boobs and rounded tummy."
"I hadn't. How far along are you?"
"Not long enough to have swollen boobs and a rounded tummy," Lorenzo says. He curves a hand around Lucia's cheek. "I've told you already. You're perfect in every way."
"That's so sweet," Violetta says warmly. "Congratulations to both of you. Are you planning on getting married?"
"After the baby comes." Lucia's tone is decisive, pre-empting any disagreement from Lorenzo, who I know would drag her to the altar tomorrow if he could. "I don't want anyone to think we're marrying to conceal something."
Violetta tilts her head. "Is having a baby outside of marriage such a scandal these days?"
"In certain circles," I reply before Lucia can. "Many of the men we deal with hold traditional views. They care about such things."
"And you?" Violetta looks me in the eye for the first time in days. "Do you care about such things?"
"I find I'm surprisingly adaptable." I hold her gaze.
Getting my meaning, she nods and looks away. I'm giving her leeway many in my position wouldn't. I've arranged an education for her, allowed her to expand her work and I haven't insisted she return to our bed when she clearly doesn't want to. None of that makes me a good man, of course.
