The House of Serenades by Lina Simoni

Author:Lina Simoni [Simoni, Lina]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9781937700010
Google: -mEGywAACAAJ
Amazon: 1937700011
Goodreads: 13554236
Publisher: Moonleaf Publishing LLC
Published: 2012-06-04T07:00:00+00:00

10

ALL WAS QUIET AT THE PALAZZINA following the turmoil the dead cat had caused and the departure of Antonio Sobrero. On the second floor, in his bed, out of the corner of his eye, Giuseppe saw Matilda approaching.

“Where’s everybody?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

“They all left but Costanza,” Matilda replied. “Umberto drove Eugenia and Doctor Sciaccaluga home. He’ll be back shortly. He and Costanza will spend the night here. How are you feeling?”

“Horribly,” Giuseppe said. “I have no strength. It’s him, you know, I’m sure.”

“Rest,” Matilda said. “Close your eyes and don’t worry about anything. Damiano will be here first thing in the morning. You’ll feel better by then, you’ll see.”

For once, Giuseppe did what Matilda said. He closed his eyes, and to purge his thoughts of Ivano, the horse, the letters, and the dead cat on the door, he reenacted in his head his favorite and most successful legal cases. It was a trick he had learned from his father, who had always been a promoter of the idea that the best way to free the mind from negative thoughts was to concentrate on professional successes.

Eugenia, on the other hand, could think of nothing but the letters and the dead cat on the door. She was at that point in Umberto’s car, ensconced on the passenger’s seat. Umberto was at the wheel, and in the back sat a rigid Damiano. The atmosphere inside the car was strained and nervy, filled with awkward half sentences and uncomfortable silences. Throughout the first half of the trip Eugenia hardly spoke, concentrating more on overcoming her fear of automobiles than on making conversation. Damiano, too, was in no mood for chit chat. The bizarre cat incident had upset him beyond anyone’s imagination. And the unexpected arrival of Antonio Sobrero at the palazzina had only added to his worries. Antonio would investigate—no question. Would he interrogate everyone present? Would he ask him questions? Could the dead cat be bad omen? With jittery hands, he loosened the tie around his neck, as if he needed extra air.

At some point Eugenia turned around and said, “Doctor, I heard about your nurse’s death this morning. I was told that her funeral is going to be held in the cathedral. I find it queer. Don’t you, Umberto?”

Umberto hummed as Damiano held his breath for a moment.

“Yes,” Damiano said edgily, “the funeral is set for day after tomorrow at five.”

“Will you be attending?” Eugenia asked.

Damiano cleared his throat. “Of course,” he said.

Umberto decided it’d be courteous to take part in the conversation. He hadn’t heard about Palmira Bevilacqua’s death, so he asked, “When did your nurse die? How?”

Damiano coughed repeatedly before saying, “Influenza. It’s a terrible illness to catch these days.”

“I heard it was a sudden death,” Eugenia went on. “And if you ask me, it’s not right that she should have her funeral in the cathedral. Not right at all.”

Damiano changed positions on the seat.

Umberto said, “It’s unusual, I agree. Did you make the arrangements, Doctor?”

“No,” Damiano was quick to say.

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