Page 55 of Vengeance in Venice
“Not entirely. But she is better than she was.”
“Oh, good. You have not been married for long, have you?”
“No, just—”
“Your wife is very beautiful. Do you love her?”
Solomon blinked. “Yes. Do you love your husband?”
“Of course.” Her eyes fell to her wine, and she took a sip, then reached nervously for one of the savories. “He is a good man and kind to me. Not every man is kind.”
“That is sadly true. Who has been unkind to you, signora?”
“Oh, no one in particular.”
Constance was right—conversing with the girl was frustrating to the point of impossibility. She was an odd mixture of blunt and secretive. But with the attack on Constance, their inquiry had become urgent. They needed the truthimmediatelyand the culprit safely behind bars. For everyone’s sake.
“Was Signor Savelli kind or unkind?”
Her eyes shone quite startlingly for an instant, then faded into sadness. “Kind, of course. She did not deserve him.”
“Why not?”
“She is cold.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I watched her—watched them both when we dined. I could tell she made him unhappy. She did not hang on his every word,as I did.” She blushed furiously, then met his gaze with sudden boldness. She even tossed her head in an odd, coquettish gesture that was truly disturbing. “Do you think I am an unfaithful wife, Signor Grey?”
“No,” he said at once, and her shoulders drooped.
“I am in my mind. Still. I am a sinful woman.”
“In what way?” he asked. He almost wished Premarin would come. At the same time, he was afraid he would, thus ruining whatever confidence was imminent.
She lowered her eyes, a secretive little smile playing about her lips as she pleated the silk of her skirt with her fingers.
“I went to his house,” she said huskily. “At night.”
*
When Constance wokeup, Solomon was not beside her. Elena Savelli sat in the chair by the bed, reading her book in the sunlight shining through the half-open window. In sudden panic, Constance cast her gaze around the floor, which she had last seen strewn with her own and Solomon’s jottings about everyone, including Elena.
Of course, Solomon had tidied them away out of sight.
“You look better,” Elena said.
“I ate three spoonfuls of soup and they all stayed in my stomach.”
“Congratulations. I believe they are bringing you more. Try for four spoonfuls.”
“I don’t know if I am quite so ambitious. Where is Solomon?”
“I don’t know. They tell me he went out in the boat. Do you want help to sit up?”
“No. I think I can manage that.” Constance sat up with caution, mainly to avoid the return of the headache that had plagued her, especially with sudden movements. It remainedblessedly absent, so she regarded the other woman more cheerfully. “It is kind of you to come back.”
“It’s hard to be ill without female relatives to look after you and spoil you.”
