Page 40 of Where Quiet Hearts Scream
I glance at a clock on the wall. It’s still too early for a double measure. “Espresso, please.”
Allegra nods from behind Castellano. “Three espressos coming up. Sit, please. Make yourselves at home.”
Tony sits on the opposite sofa and looks strangely nervous.
“How’s business?” Arrow asks.
We explore the ‘safe’ topic of the port for a while before Castellano broaches the subject of his daughter’s life after the wedding.
“We’d like to buy her a new car as a wedding gift,” he says. “So she can visit us whenever she likes. She’s so close to her sisters and she won’t have much else to do I imagine.”
“I have a car for her,” I reply. “It’s being built as we speak.”
“Being built?”
I tent my fingers and watch Serafina’s father carefully.
“It’s bespoke,” Arrow explains. “Only the best for Andreas’ wife.”
Castellano’s eyes widen. “She will appreciate that, I’m sure.”
“And as for her having not much else to do,” I add. “I can assure you, Tony, as my wife she will have plenty to occupy her. We plan to embark on a significant campaign to engage high society and government bodiesacross New England and she will have an important role to play. Her experience working in hospitality will be an asset.”
He nods. “She will miss her sisters.”
This doesn’t come as a surprise. “There will be many opportunities for her to spend time with Trilby and Contessa, as the Di Santo-Corioni Alliance will require that our families meet frequently. We can find a way to ensure Bambalina can attend those gatherings, providing you feel it’s appropriate at her age.”
“She’s almost seventeen now,” Tony muses. “I don’t think it will be a problem. The benefit she’ll gain from spending time with her sisters will outweigh the potential downside of having her in close proximity to the family’s…commercialactivities.”
“I agree,” I state, roughly.
A door closes upstairs and a minute or two later, the seamstress appears in the entrance hall. We hear her exchange a few hushed words with Allegra and then the front door closes.
Tony looks a little anxious. “Excuse me for a moment.”
I nod and we watch him disappear from the room, then we wait.
After five minutes, I’m starting to feel itchy with impatience. Something’s going on—I can feel it in the air. When I walked into Castellano’s home, the scent of comfort and warmth filled my nostrils but it was chased by an underlying tension that I put down to my unexpected proposal and the fast pace of our arrangement.But now, I’m beginning to think there’s another reason for the tightness in the atmosphere.
I hold up a hand telling Arrow to stay put, while I make my way to the entrance hall to hear distant voices coming from a room above. They get closer as I walk up the stairs, then I quickly recognize them as belonging to Serafina and Trilby.
“He’s asked to see you.”
“But, why is he here? The last thing he said to me was he’d see me at the church. Do you think he’s here to call it off?”
To my surprise there’s a thread of disappointment in her voice and it gives me hope. Hope that, despite me lying to her about who I really am, her original feelings for me haven’t gone away. We didn’t kiss, and we barely touched, but the chemistry between us was undeniably strong. I know that with time I can bring that back.
“He isn’t ‘summoning’ you and you’re not just a shiny new toy, Sera…”
My brow dips and my chest hollows. How can she believe such a thing about herself? It pains me she thinks anyone would consider her to be merely a toy. I make my way quietly up the stairs.
“He’s forcing me to marry him, Trilby. He’s put an end to my dream career and he’s ruined my life. So, no. I don’t think there’s a chance he might be a nice person. He’s an arrogant, self-serving, lying, cheating murderer who?—”
I’ve had enough. I’m not going to stand in theshadows any longer and allow her to continue spouting this crap. Sheknowsme. And deep down, she’s shit-scared because shewantsthis life, with me.
“Hello Sera.”
Her head darts to one side as she peers over Trilby’s shoulder. Her eyes widen and a blush floods her cheeks.
