City of Secrets by Mary Hoffman Read Free Book Online

strangely.
    Matt shook his head. ‘I was in a university. But the only person I met was called Professor Constantin.’
    â€˜Is he your Stravagante?’ asked Sky.
    â€˜I guess so,’ said Matt, slowly eating cappuccino foam off his spoon. ‘He said he was a Stravagante – and he said I was one too.’
    â€˜Then you are,’ said Nick. He looked upset.
    â€˜Who was yours?’ asked Matt, not really believing that he was going along with all this.
    Nick looked really unhappy now. ‘I didn’t have one of my own,’ he said. ‘I had to share Sky’s. I’m not like the rest of you. I stravagated here from Talia and never went back – except as a visitor.’
    Matt stared at him. ‘You’re Talian? Like an alien or something?’
    â€˜Not any more,’ said Georgia firmly, putting her arm round Nick. ‘He belongs here now.’
    â€˜But I am really Prince Falco di Chimici,’ said Nick, straightening his back and looking every inch a noble. ‘I was born in Giglia and my father was Grand Duke of all Tuschia.’ Then he slumped. ‘Until I killed him,’ he said flatly.

    â€˜Her Grace is still in bed,’ said the flustered maid, when Rodolfo sent to see if Arianna was feeling better. It was late morning in Bellezza.
    â€˜Does that mean she is back from Padavia?’ said Rodolfo. ‘Or that she is still away and there is a bolster in her bed?’
    He didn’t seem angry but Barbara knew that he was often most dangerous when most quiet. He seldom raised his voice but she was nonetheless terrified of him. And what was she to do now, if he knew all about her mistress’s absence? That must mean he knew it had been her at the banquet last night.
    â€˜Did you enjoy the fireworks?’ he asked kindly and she burst into tears.
    â€˜Don’t tease the girl, Rodolfo,’ said his wife Silvia.
    Barbara was, perhaps unwisely, not nearly so afraid of Signora Rossi and looked to her for guidance.
    â€˜You can tell us,’ said Silvia. ‘My husband has great powers of divination, as I’m sure you know. You cannot expect that he would not have seen through your little deception.’
    This was not strictly speaking what had happened but it suited Silvia’s purposes for the maid to be less nervous of her than of the Senator.
    â€˜Madama,’ said the unhappy girl. ‘I believe that Her Grace has just returned.’
    â€˜Then please tell her we will wait upon her in her parlour in half an hour,’ said Rodolfo. ‘And please attend on her yourself.’
    *
    Arianna knew she was in for the worst scolding of her life. It was worse than the time she had disobeyed the people she thought were her parents – and the law – and stayed in Bellezza overnight on the Forbidden Day. Then she had nearly lost her life. But the person who had saved her was her real mother, Silvia, who was now waiting for her explanation of why she had run away to Padavia, instead of attending her birthday celebrations.
    But it had been worth it, however grave Rodolfo might look, whatever tongue-lashing Silvia might give her. She had been with Luciano and that was the most important thing. Arianna’s cheeks were glowing and her eyes sparkling, in spite of the hideously early start she had made in Padavia, to get back in time to get the Bellezza ferry from the mainland. She entered her parlour, freshly dressed in green silk, with her head held high.
    â€˜Good day,’ said Silvia icily. ‘How is your throat today?’
    â€˜Quite recovered, thank you,’ said Arianna more calmly than she felt. ‘You may leave us, Barbara.’
    â€˜No,’ said Rodolfo. ‘She must stay.’
    â€˜Let us drop this charade,’ said Silvia. ‘You know, as we do, that the girl impersonated you at your birthday celebrations, while you were in Padavia with Luciano.’
    Arianna sat down and