Lucianna by Bertrice Small Read Free Book Online Page A

yet ready to tell her faithful servant that the English earl had even more on his mind. “I will be most circumspect in my public behavior, I can promise you. Now bring me some warm soup, for I find I am chilled.”
    Balia hurried off to do her mistress’s bidding as Lucianna settled herself in a comfortable chair. “Well, Fredo,” she said, speaking to her deceased husband, “what do you think of this Englishman? I have to admit his charm has won me over, but I need to know more of him. How many men appear charming, but are really villains? My mother, of course, would be delighted to see me take such a man as a husband. Oh, the crowing she would do if I were wed to an English earl, a personal friend of their king. She would make certain every family reluctant to offer one of their sons to me would suffer with the knowledge of their foolishness. Then she would go seeking another titled son-in-law elsewhere for Serena. I know—I must be patient, as you were ever advising me, Fredo. Well, I promise you that I will be.”
    Balia brought her a small cup of hot soup and then left her to her thoughts. They were many. If Roberto actually asked her to marry him, she would have to leave Florence and go to England with him. She wondered if she could do that. She could if she loved him, Lucianna thought. And she had never heard it said that England was a savage or uncivilized place. It was green and fair, if Roberto was to be believed.
    Of course they had been at war with themselves over two ruling families, but that matter was now settled with the death of the Yorkist heirs, and the reign of the Lancastrian king called Henry VII. Fortunately, her earl was a member of the Lancaster faction. His person and his lands were safe from confiscation. But the question still remained: could she learn to love him enough to leave Florence? To even leave her family? Family was all-important, and unlike Bianca and Francesca, Lucianna was not certain she could be without them.
    The soup finished, she called for Balia, who prepared her for bed.
    Once in her bed, and Balia gone to her own little chamber, Lucianna considered further. How was the wife of an English lord meant to behave? Would she be part of the court? She doubted that the high-born ladies of the court would easily accept her, if they accepted her at all. Would that make her a detriment to Roberto? Even Orianna would seriously consider such a thing and worry.
    But her eldest sister, Bianca, had loved her prince enough to step into a new world. She had obviously thrived, if one was to believe Marco, who had managed to see her once after she had gone. Even Marco would not have lied in that matter. Even if their mother pretended not to care, she knew Orianna did, but more so their father.
    And Francesca had gone to Terreno Boscoso to wed the duke’s son and heir. She had been one of three maidens he would choose from, and Francesca had been the most blasé about the whole matter, much to Orianna’s distress. Yet the old duke’s son had chosen her, fascinated by her beauty and independent attitude. Francesca had been happy before her young husband was murdered. And she had no desire to return to Florence.
    But England was a long way away, Lucianna thought. Still, Bianca’s home was certainly as far, but Terreno Boscoso was a part of the Italian states. Lucianna sighed. If she could love Roberto, then she could certainly be as brave as her sisters. And she did want children one day.
And passion
. She knew nothing of it, admittedly, but she knew that a woman who found passion was a happy and content woman. While her brief marriage with her husband had been pleasant, Lucianna could not recall having really been happy and content since her childhood summers in the Tuscan countryside.
    She finally fell asleep without realizing it, and opened her eyes in the morning as Balia gently shook her shoulder, awakening her. “Time for church?” she murmured sleepily.
    “Yes, mistress,” Balia