Eternal Rose 02 - Belladonna by Fiona Paul

Author:Fiona Paul [Paul, Fiona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Love & Romance, Juvenile Fiction, Mysteries & Detective Stories
ISBN: 9781101602874
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2013-07-16T07:00:00+00:00

“All pages pertaining to meetings, theories, subjects, and trials must be maintained in a single place, carefully guarded by the leader of the Order.”

—THE BOOK OF THE ETERNAL ROSE

seventeen

Cass thought about the painting for the rest of the evening. She woke early the next day still thinking of it. Over and over, she replayed her terse conversation with Falco’s patroness in her head. “What a . . . lovely background,” Cass had managed to say when Belladonna had asked her opinion. “Such a unique color scheme.”

“That piece was actually painted in my bedchamber.” Belladonna had seemed very pleased to relay this fact. According to her, Falco had insisted on the location because the light through the southern windows was best for sitting. Belladonna had then raised a gloved hand to her forehead, adding that she had spent several excruciating days posing for the painting, saved from a cruel death from boredom only by Falco’s witty conversation.

“Signorina Cass. Am I hurting you?” Siena had finished lacing Cass into her favorite topaz gown and was now brushing her hair.

Cass snapped back to reality. She had unconsciously balled her hands into fists. “No. Why do you ask?”

Siena pulled Cass’s silver-plated hairbrush gently through a tangled area. “You’re making the most dreadful faces.”

“I’m sorry, Siena. I was just . . . thinking about something.” Cass took in a deep breath and uncurled her hands. She didn’t know if she was mad at Falco for painting his patroness exactly as he had painted Cass, or if she was angry with Belladonna for her baiting, suggestive remarks. All she knew was that she was in an exceptionally foul mood. Were it not for the chance to scour the library once again in search of the Book of the Eternal Rose, she might have decided to skip Belladonna’s party altogether.

Siena patted her shoulder awkwardly in a feeble attempt to soothe her. “Has there been any word from Signora Querini?”

“No,” Cass said. “No news of Luca.” She’d received just a single letter from her aunt since she’d arrived in Florence. The short note said only that Agnese was getting on fine without Cass and that she would send word if Luca’s status changed. Just over a fortnight remained before his execution.

“You must be so worried,” Siena said. After a pause, she ventured, “Perhaps coming here was a mistake.”

Cass didn’t answer. She wished the little room at Palazzo Alioni had a mirror. She felt different since coming to Florence. Older. More tired.

Outside her window, the piazza was growing crowded: another trial, and another execution, had been scheduled. This time, a pair of girls no older than Cass were to be drowned up on the wooden platform. Cass had seen them being dragged into the square when she first woke up. They had the same honey-colored hair and heart-shaped faces. Sisters, undoubtedly.

Now, as she listened to the shouts and roars from the assembled crowd, she was surprised to feel tears pressing behind her eyelids.

She blinked them away. “Could you latch the shutters?” she asked.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.