The Murano Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Retelling (Fairytale Masquerades Book 2) by Victoria Leybourne

Author:Victoria Leybourne [Leybourne, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Victoria Leybourne
Published: 2017-11-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Rosalinda was sitting in the corner of the empty bar when Domenico came down the next morning, reading a book with her feet on a table. She looked up as he entered.

“Ciao, stranger. We missed you last night.”

Domenico blinked. “Really?”

“Oh yes.” Rosalinda lowered her book. “No one trying to wheedle free drinks out of Lupo on the grounds that they were very-nearly-almost up to date on their rent, no one involving me in any kissing-based scams, it was a nightmare. Hellish.”

Domenico snorted, taking a seat at her table. “Marco and Cesare didn’t come in, then?”

“Oh, no, they were here,” said Rosalinda. “But they’re actually very good boys when you’re not around, you know. No trouble at all. You’re obviously a bad influence on them.”

Domenico made a face. There was a half-eaten bunch of grapes on the table. He reached over and helped himself to a few. “You’re probably right,” he said, grinning at her scowl. “But I think I might have outgrown the kissing scam now. I’ve moved on to bigger things.”

“Is that so?” She seemed less than convinced.

“Oh, yes. I was at a ball at the Adoldos’ last night, I’ll have you know.”

“Who are the Adoldos?”

“I don’t really know.” It occurred to him now that all he’d really learned about the Adoldos was that they had a daughter with questionable taste in men. “But they throw a decent ball. A little heavy on intimidation and a little light on drinks, but it’s not in my nature to complain.”

Rosalinda cocked an eyebrow. “Have you met yourself?”

Domenico considered this, then amended his statement. “All right, it’s not in my nature to complain when there’s free food and drink on offer.”

Rosalinda pulled the plate of grapes across the table, out of his reach. “So, tell me, did you dance with any pretty rich girls?”

“I did.” His feet were still sore—although he was prepared to entirely blame his footwear for that.

“And do you love any of them?” Rosalinda opened her eyes wide with fake innocence.

“If you think,” said Domenico, “that I’m the sort of fool who would fall in love with a girl the first time I met her...” Then you’re absolutely right, he finished silently.

Rosalinda shrugged. “Well, did you like any of them?”

“Some of them were all right.”

“One of them in particular?”

Domenico sat up in his seat, suddenly restless. “How did you know?”

“You’ve been getting progressively pinker since I brought it up,” said Rosalinda, before triumphantly swallowing a grape.

“Oh.”

“So, go on.” She raised her eyebrows. “Tell me about her. I need the gossip. All I ever get to hear about around here is who’s threatened to go round to whose house and give them the thrashing of a lifetime, and none of that ever actually happens. You’re all pussycats, really—like Lupo.”

Domenico laughed. He’d never heard Lupo called a ‘pussycat’ before. “You’re a very unusual woman,” he told her.

“No, I’m not,” she said. “I’m just not what you and a lot of men like you think women are like. How many women do you actually know well?”

Domenico thought about this while he stole another grape.

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.