Falcon in the Glass by Susan Fletcher

Falcon in the Glass by Susan Fletcher

Author:Susan Fletcher
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books


22.

Cold Fire

He had thought that Mama would be asleep. It was well past midnight now; surely she wouldn’t wait up this long. But a rustling of cloth caught his ear as he shut the door. He turned and saw her in the light of the glowing embers. Sitting on a bench, perfectly still, her mending in her lap. Looking up at him expectantly.

“It’s done,” he told her. “I passed.”

She made a little sound then, something between a gasp and a sob. She dropped to her knees, her mending falling to the floor, and clasped her hands in silent prayer.

He waited awkwardly, feeling that he should go and pray beside her but not knowing if he could accomplish the feat of kneeling without stumbling or tipping over.

Mama rose, walked to him. She set her hands on his shoulders, kissed him on both cheeks. Then she held him at arm’s length, seeming to search for something in his eyes. “I’m proud of you, Son,” she said at last. “And your father would be too.”

◆ ◆ ◆

It was Taddeo who reminded Renzo what he’d forgotten. He was shuffling out the glassworks door just as Renzo came in to work the next morning. At the sight of him Renzo halted in his tracks.

Letta.

Taddeo scowled at Renzo, leaning in as he passed, to whisper: “We were all waiting for the news. And you never came, then, did you?”

But it was worse than that. Renzo was supposed to warn her. “Listen, Taddeo. They can’t — ”

But Ettore called to Renzo and motioned for him to come inside.

He searched for Sergio and the padrone and found them together by the furnace. In their faces he saw nothing that seemed amiss. It was true that the padrone hadn’t seemed to care about the feather when Sergio had shown it to him. So maybe there was no need to worry.

And yet . . . Sergio knew about the children. Or at least he suspected.

Dangerous.

Well. Renzo would warn them tonight.

◆ ◆ ◆

And so it began, his new life in the glassworks. That day Renzo slipped easily into his role with Ettore, eager to learn the skills he’d missed. Ettore worked steadily and hard. He was quick and exacting, and expected Renzo to keep up. Renzo pushed through fatigue and headache, willing his mind to stay alert. He cocooned himself in glasswork and allowed nothing else to penetrate. When at last they broke for the midday meal, Ettore nodded and said, “Well done.”

Renzo’s entire body ached; his arms shook; his head throbbed. And yet he felt happier than he had in a long time.

This was what he was meant to do. This was what he’d been made for.

Again he did not go home for the midday meal but worked with the padrone, who could soon make the falcon as well as Renzo, and more consistently. But there was something of clockwork about the padrone’s methods: Now let it cool to the count of ten. Now blow three quick huffs into the pipe.



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