"Hello, my name is Katya Kuznetova."
"I think you mean Volante," he says, with a hint of amusement.
I go still for a moment. "He told you about me?"
"Gabriele didn't tell me anything." The intonation in his voice tells me someone else does. I wonder if my husband knows we have a spy in our midst. "Congratulations, by the way.Beauty and the Beast,right?”
Ah, he saw those trashy headlines too. The bitterness in his voice speaks of an instinct to protect his older brother. Gabriele is lucky he has at least one brother who cares for him. Whether he realises that or not is another matter.
"Thank you."
"So, to what do I owe the honor of this call?" Lorenzo asks.
"I wanted to thank you for the wine. It's a thoughtful gift."
"It's nothing." I imagine him shrugging. "Does he know you're calling me?"
"I didn't tell him, but yes." I know how this house works. Nothing happens without Gabriele being informed.
"Of course." Lorenzo pauses. "How is he?"
Answering that is far more difficult than it should be. I settle on, "He's okay."
"Good." Lorenzo sounds unconvinced. "Take care of him."
I'll try. I end the call and place the phone down. The room has turned dark around me. I sit for a moment and think about Gabriele. It's like sharing a home with a ghost at times. Some days I would barely know he's there. We move past each other barely connecting. Then in here, in the bedroom, we come together. For now it's enough but I don't know how much longer I'll feel that way.
With a sigh, I lie back on the bed and wait for him to come to me.
"Will they come for his birthday?"I ask. "His brothers and their wives?"
Lukas shakes his head.
"Pity." I glance at the label again. Why does a wolf's head seem apt for a Volante? "He doesn't talk about them. Have they fallen out?"
"Leave it, Katya." His voice is firm but not unkind. "Believe me, nothing good will come from picking at that scab."
What a lovely turn of phrase he has. I put down the bottle and turn to Santo.
"I'm going to go to my room for a while before dinner. Why don't you put our game away. Don't forget all the pieces you have hidden up your sleeve or wherever you've got them."
"Madre di Dio!" Santo rolls his eyes heavenward. "I did not cheat, Signora Volante. You are like a dog with a bone."
Yes, tenacious. That's me. I won't rest until I've discovered all my husband's secrets, including what's going on with his brothers. When I get to my bedroom, I retrieve the cellphone I finally received yesterday and open my internet app to search for Casa di Lupo. Several articles come up but I click on the link to their website.
It's an impressive organization producing internationally recognized wines. There's a restaurant attached that's won several awards. It's run by Lucia Volante. There's a picture of her, a stunning brunette in chef's whites. I search through the website, gaining a sense that this is a high-end place that somehow retains a family feel.
The sole image I find of Lorenzo is of him holding a glass up to the light to inspect its contents. Something about the serious look on his face reminds me of my husband. There's no mistaking that they're brothers, but Lorenzo's hair is tousled and he has facial hair that suggests laziness about shaving rather than a deliberate attempt to grow a beard.
I set my phone down and go to change for dinner.
When I enterthe dining room, the table is set, as always, for one. I shove down the pang of regret that causes me and take my seat. Maria brings in a bowl with rigatoni and the ragù she obviously spent hours making. I pick up my fork as she pours me a glass of red wine, then set it down again.
"Does my husband eat dinner?" It's painful to admit I don't know.
"He does, Signora Katya, at his desk."
Nodding decisively, I get to my feet. I place my fork on my plate and pick it up along with my glass of wine and head for the study. Gabriele looks up from his desk when I push open the door. He isn't wearing his patch. I haven't seen him without it before and I have to work hard not to recoil. The skin around his ruined eye is red and irritated.
