Chapter10
The Morning After a Ball
The following morning
From her seat in the breakfast parlor of Villa Montblanc, Barbara watched as a phalanx of footmen passed by the arched doorway, their direction suggesting they were on their way to the front door.“They’re here,” she said with excitement.
Will glanced up from the Italian news-sheet he had been attempting to read.“They must have awakened rather early,” he remarked, knowing immediately she referred to Donald’s family.
David was already on his feet.“I’m off to meet my niece,” he announced.“With any luck, I’ll have her playing cards before the week is out.”He disappeared from the breakfast parlor.
Everyone else in the room scoffed in surprise, but soon they, too, rose and hurried to follow David.The coaches had already come to a halt in the courtyard when they emerged into the bright sunshine.
The carriages weren’t carrying Nicoletta, Donald, Antony, and Amalia, though—merely their trunks.“DonnaMontblanc sends her regards,” a servant explained in halting English.He held out a folded paper.“We are to wait for you and take you to the Palazzo D’Avalos.”
David opened the note and quickly read it before announcing, “It seems our hosts don’t plan to come here until later in the day.They have requested we join them for a late breakfast at Palazzo D’Avalos before we go on a walking tour of Rome.”
“Why, that sounds delightful,” Barbara remarked.“I’ll only be a moment.I shouldn’t need more than a hat and a pelisse on such a fine day.”
“Me as well,” Diana and Helen said in unison, following the matron back into the house.
“Mayhap a parasol, too.The sun is rather bright,” Helen added as she blinked several times.
“Gentlemen, we need hats,” Will said, following the ladies back into the villa.
Fifteen minutes later, they filed into the carriages and set off for Palazzo D’Avalos.
Meanwhile, in Vittoria’s bedchamber at Palazzo D’Avalos
“After such a successful ball last night, it’s important you be seen in the company of visitors to our city,” Nicoletta said, watching Vittoria’s lady’s maid iron another curl into her hair.She held Amalia in the crook of her arm, the babe happily jabbering.
Vittoria glanced at her aunt’s reflection in the mirror over her dressing table.“Are you referring to your husband’s family?”she asked, her suspicion evident in how she narrowed her eyes.
“Sì.Donald and I are going to take them on a walking tour, but we’ll have the coaches follow us in the event the sun is too much.Will you join us?”
Sighing in resignation, her niece lifted a shoulder.“I will if I can wear my newest walking gown.”
“It is why we had the modiste make it for you,” Nicoletta countered.“I expect our guests to arrive within the hour?—”
“Thehour?”Vittoria repeated in shock.“I still have to dress, and I haven’t had a bite to eat since before the ball last night.”
“There is coffee and cornetti on its way,” Nicoletta assured her.“But we’ll have a real breakfast before we depart.Oh, and you might wish to leave that lock of hair down in front of your shoulder,” she suggested, waving a finger to indicate her own coiffure.“Much like you did last night.”
The lady’s maid paused with said lock held aloft, a hairpin held in anticipation of it being added to the ornate coiffure she had started a half-hour earlier.
“Why?”Vittoria asked, turning her head to regard her aunt directly.
Nicoletta simply winked and took her leave of Vittoria’s bedchamber.
Amalia fell asleep in her arms as Nicoletta made her way downstairs.The familiar clatter of horse hooves in the courtyard had her hurrying to the entry at the same time the butler opened the doors to admit Donald’s family.
“Oh, me first,” Barbara murmured as she reached out to take Amalia from Nicoletta’s arms.
“You are welcome to her,” Nicoletta said, grinning at the sight of her guests.She giggled softly at hearing her mother-in-law’s cooing as Barbara held the babe.“I do hope you’re all comfortable in your rooms at the villa?”she asked, turning a cheek so David could kiss it.
“The accommodations are far finer than what we could ever imagine,” Diana assured her.She glanced over at Randy.“We certainly didn’t require an entire apartment for only the two of us.”
“That’s the only way they come,” Nicoletta replied, letting out a squeak when Will pulled her into an embrace.
