Page 12 of What Dreams May Come
She straightened and beamed. “I’m so glad. He’s a good man, Rosie, and you’re an intelligent,capable woman.”
“So I’ve been told.” Not to be bitter, but... “And not asa compliment.”
“Pshaw!” She dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “You’re what he needs to direct the city and give him a private life of warmth, passion and humor. It’sa good match.”
“I’m glad you approve.” Although most people wouldn’t care what Verona’s shrewdest madame thought, I knew her to be, of necessity, smart about people and how to match them. If I had to be married, I’d like to think my husband and I would enjoy a private life of warmth, passion and humor. I only hoped with Escalus I wouldn’t be alone in supplying those traits.
I rubbed my forehead again. Such absurd thoughts. I desperately needed more sleep. “Madame, you were telling me how Prince Escalus the Elder obtained the ring which this night PrincessIsabella lost.”
“When Prince Escalus wished to buy Eleanor a kingly gift, he asked my advice and I steered him to an honest merchant who sold him a ring.Thatring.”
“You told Count Prospero the truth? You told him that lad was...Princess Isabella?”
“To myshame, I did.”
“Who services him? Is he here now?”
“Uria. He used her quickly and left.”
I covered myface in horror.
Grimly, Madame Culatello said, “I’ll question her about their activities; I suspect she’s betrayed us.”
“Perhaps he hurt her.”
“Uria is motivated merely by the lure of gold. Nothing more holdssway with her.”
Hiding my eyes couldn’t solve this problem, so I straightened. “What ransom does he demand?”
“A hundred gold pieces in a wooden strongbox to be delivered tonight to the masquerade.”
“Tonight? Tonight?” I was incredulous. “I’m supposed to find and deliver a hundred gold pieces tonight?”
“I have a hundred gold pieces. You can take them as payment for my failure.” Madame Culatello sounded brave, but she lifted her bony hands as if she could see the coins trickling between her reluctant fingers.
“Don’t be silly, Madame. I can handle it.” I lifted the leather bag from my belt, jingled it and with sarcasm said, “I’ve got a good start. Two gold pieces, a handful of silver and—” I halted.A mask.I had a mask, given to me by Count Prospero’s lover.
My first thought was that it didn’t take a Hamlet to realize I’d been manipulated by a mastermind, but for what purpose?
The second thought followed swiftly on the first... It would take a mastermind to counter Count Prospero’s machinations. A slow smile stretched my mouth as I considered Madame Culatello. “Madame, Count Prospero is known as a gambler, a cool gamesman who takes all wagers. Is that not so?”
“Truth.”
“And he honors his debts?”
“That is his reputation.”
“Very good. I’ll take temporary custody of your gold, with the hope of losing only a few coins, if I can count on your cooperation and the assistance of some of your ladies.” I smiled with diabolical glee. “I have a plan.”
CHAPTER NINE
Madame Culatello, Quartiglia and I watched from the street’s shadows as, unnoticed as part of the crowd, Venera, Fennina, and Gordiana mingled with the masked and costumed partygoers. Like me, like Madame and the other ladies who’d volunteered for this caper, they wore cat masks and dressed like lads, and like me, each carried a wooden strongbox. One by one, they climbed the steep steps and entered the oak double doors of Count Prospero’s tall mansion.
Unsmiling, burly men wearing Count Prospero’s livery held torches and scrutinized each guest. At one point they blocked a masked gentleman from entering, and when he tried to force his way in, they scuffled with him until he abandoned his quest and fled. What he’d done to incur Count Prospero’s wrath, I didn’t know, but clearly these men were no simple servants. Rather they were bodyguards hired to protect their cruel lord, his belongings andhis debauchery.
Intent on her mission, Berengaria disappeared around the corner into the darkness which shrouded the count’s house in secrecy. When the city clock rang out the hour, Madame Culatello, Quartiglia and I followed and discovered the gate in the wall that protected Count Prospero’s garden gave way when we touched it. Berengaria had picked the lock. We entered the grounds and hurried along, holding close to the tall house, until we reached an open window set on the wall above where we could see a singlecandle burned.
“What is that place?” Madame Culatello murmured softly. “Is itsafe for her?”
