Playing by Heart by Carmela Martino

Author:Carmela Martino [Martino, Carmelo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: inspirational fiction
Publisher: vinspirepublishing
Published: 2017-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty: Playthings

A few weeks after Father’s academic meeting, Adriana took ill. She vomited so violently Father sent for the physician immediately. As it turned out, she wasn’t ill. She was with child. Father was overjoyed. Of course, Adriana was, too.

She called Maria and me to her room to give us the news. Adriana was sitting up in her huge bed—she’d refused to sleep in the one Mamma had died in and had ordered this one shipped from Florence. Adriana looked like a porcelain doll propped up in a sea of pillows, her skin strangely pale next to the bright pink of her dressing gown.

“Come,” she said, waving us over. “Sit.” She patted the bed.

Maria and I sat on either side of her.

“Isn’t it wonderful, girls?” Adriana said. “I’ll finally have a child of my own.” She caressed her belly. Then she must have realized what she’d said, because she quickly added, “Of course, I already love Paola and Vincenzo as my own. It’s just not exactly the same.”

Maria smiled and said, “We understand.”

We understand all too well. Once this baby was born, it would become the center of Adriana’s life. I cared not if she ignored me, but I did worry about the little ones, especially Vincenzo. My five-year-old brother barely remembered Mamma, and he had already grown quite attached to our stepmother. I prayed to the Blessed Virgin that no matter what happened, Adriana would not abandon Vincenzo or Paola.

***

A few days later, Nina announced an unexpected visitor—Gabriella. “Show her to the parlor,” I said.

The early summer heat had already made the parlor uncomfortably warm. I opened the balcony doors for some fresh air. On seeing Gabriella, I said, “What a lovely surprise,” then paused. The strained expression on my friend’s face told me something was wrong.

To Nina, I said, “Please bring us some cold refreshments.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Gabriella, won’t you sit down?” She moved to the high-backed chair near the balcony doors but didn’t sit. As soon as Nina shut the parlor door, Gabriella exclaimed, “The nerve of that woman!”

“What woman?”

“Lady Elizabeth.” Gabriella stiffened her posture and feigned a haughty air. “The future Duchess von Hildebrandt.”

“What has she done?”

“She’s gone back to Austria.”

I still didn’t understand why Gabriella was upset. “Isn’t that good news?”

“It would be if Lodovico Volpi hadn’t gone after her.”

“What?” I sat down on the sofa across from Gabriella. “Why would he do that? I thought he was one of your suitors.”

“I thought so, too, until today.” Gabriella clutched the top of the chair. “This morning my brother heard a rumor that Volpi was planning to pursue Lady Elizabeth instead. Rather than bother Father with what might be idle gossip, Raffaele went to see Volpi himself. Well, when Raffaele arrived, Volpi was climbing into his carriage. The scoundrel admitted to my brother that he was headed for Austria. Raffaele asked him what his intentions were regarding me. And Volpi said he had none!” Gabriella slapped the top of the chair. “Can you believe it?”

Unfortunately, I could. But I didn’t want to remind Gabriella of how she’d ignored my warnings at Father’s meeting.

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