The Angel of Soriano: A Renaissance Romance by Stella Marie Alden Read Free Book Online Page B

worry. I’m sure Signore Aggi will be compassionate. What did you learn of the dottore?”
    “I’m afraid he’s dead. Felled by intruders.” Her throat constricted at the mention of her father. If he was watching from heaven, she prayed he’d ask God to give her a helping hand. But she knew better. God and the angels only helped those that helped themselves.
    The farmer flicked a small switch at the donkey’s rear. It bucked, brayed, but moved along after a few more defiant moments.
     

Chapter 8
     
    In his personal chambers built into the tufa of the volcano, Bernardo gave up on his siesta and stood naked at the window. Below him, the red tiles of the village rooftops fell steeply away exposing hills filled with yellow hazelnut trees. His chest swelled. As captain of the guard, these farms and more were now under his protection.
    A welcome breeze stirred the clothes drying in his open windows. To the south, black clouds lowered into the valley covering what little view he had of Vignanello.
    Beautiful Aurelia. Did she ever think of him? Was she happy in her new life? If not, perhaps he’d offer her his warm bed and swollen lust. He’d stayed away several weeks as Pierpaolo had asked. Surely by now, it’d be appropriate to check on her well-being.
    He shrugged into a clean silk shirt, careful not to catch his hand on the many slits of the bulbous sleeves. Then he tied the lacing of his leather doublet tight. A pair of damp hose hung by a hook, drying beside the window.
    With a sigh, he buckled his sword’s belt and bounded down the dark tufa staircase. After passing under the arched doorway, he jumped over the odorous river of urine and horse manure. He’d speak to the lazy street cleaners later.
    At the top of the sharp climb, he shouted, “Ho. Wake up.”
    The gate guard jumped up from his nap and saluted.
    Bernardo laughed, “Sit back down. It’s too damn hot for formalities. But stay alert. Who knows what evil abounds.”
    Antonio lifted a skin of water to his lips and offered a sip to Bernardo. “I hearsay Rome is hotter.”
    “Oh, my friend, it is. With clouds of mosquitoes thicker than mud. It’s good you remind me that all in Soriano is not misfortune.”
    The words had barely left his mouth when a temper tantrum of the greatest proportion echoed off the walls of the keep and into the valley.
    Bernardo clenched his teeth and shuddered. His fiancé would need to find some grace at dinner or find another place to dine. Shaking off Antonio’s sympathetic look, he strode across the bricks, through the black stone arch, and into the main hall of the castle. Best to get this over with.
    Many of the higher ranking of the villagers were already seated upon benches. Twenty trestle tables sat in two neat rows of ten, laden with bowls of rice pasta covered in gravy.
    His noble family sat in chairs, with his father in the center, facing into the whole room. Next to Bernardo’s empty seat, the almost grown Lucella sat with tongue wagging at her grandmother in their native Spanish. Her eternal frown and red eyes made what could’ve been a pleasant enough face, downright disagreeable.
    His heart raced when his eyes shifted to the chair to his father’s right.
    Pierpaolo Nardini? What was he doing here? Perhaps he could get news of the sweet Aurelia, by now a married woman of Vignanello.
    Pasting a nonchalant look onto his face, he slowly meandered through the long hall, leaning over to say hello, winking at young ladies, and generally creating merriment. His next impulse was to run when his father cleared his throat and pointed to the empty spot next to his fiancé.
    Christo. The rest of the room stopped eating and stared.
    Doffing his cap with a comical wave of his hand, he bowed low to all. “Buona sera, my friends. Wish me luck. May the wolf not bite me in the ass.”
    Chuckles abounded at his theatrical entrance. A few banged knives on the table.
    He pitched his voice to charm the room. “Thank you all.