Lucianna Read Free Page A

handsome,” Lucianna replied. “Where is old Esta?”
    Serena nodded her head. “Snoozing. It’s all she does anymore.”
    “I shall suggest to our mother that you have a proper serving woman,” Lucianna. “I saw the family litter waiting outside from the window when I came up. It is time for you and Esta to go before it gets dark. Awaken the old lady. I will fetch your cloaks.”
    When Esta was full-awake and in her cloak, Lucianna said to her, “I think it is time my sister had her own serving woman, don’t you, Esta?”
    “Bless you,
signora
, if you could but convince your mama,” the old nursemaid said. “Your papa has promised me I may live out my life at the villa, which would please me, as that is where I was born and raised until your mother chose me to look after my young mistress. I will be happy to go home and not have to return again to this dirty city,” she said frankly.
    “Good, then you will support me when I approach Mama. I shall do so before you go to Tuscany in a few weeks,” Lucianna promised. Then she escorted Serena and Esta to their waiting litter, and watched as the litter made its way down her street.
    “Bless you!” Serena said as she climbed into the vehicle.
    Lucianna smiled. Orianna was really trying to keep her youngest child—
the baby—
as Serena had always been known. But her three older sisters were wed, though two were widowed. Her oldest brother, Marco, was a husband and a father. Her second brother, Giorgio, was a priest of some importance, now stationed in Rome. And Lucianna’s own twin, Luca, debated between marriage and the military.
    He was at their grandfather’s in Venice right now, inspecting the available young heiresses. Luca far preferred Venice to Florence, which pleased his elderly grandparent, who was a prince. Luca was an outrageously handsome young man, and his charm made him very popular with both mothers and their daughters. From what her mother said, Lucianna suspected her twin brother would find a wife in Venice and settle down there in Grandfather’s palazzo.
    Despite being the youngest son in his immediate family, Luca was likely to be given his grandfather’s title when the old man died, and he would inherit his palazzo. That would not please Mama’s sisters, but then, they only seemed to spawn daughters. Her Venetian aunts had given the Pietro d’Angelo children fourteen female cousins.
    Lucianna wondered if the English earl would visit Venice. One could not come to Italy without seeing Venice. Of course he would go to Venice eventually before he returned to his northern clime. He simply had to go. She sighed. She had never met a man except Alfredo that she really liked. But she did like Robert Minton. She wished she hadn’t had to refuse his invitation to attend Mass, but she could not be seen with him right now without causing a scandal. And when he left Florence, would other men consider her being with him an indication that the widow Allibatore was now accepting callers?
    She didn’t want to be importuned by men seeking a rich wife, or a mistress. Why was there no simple way for a woman to speak with gentlemen without becoming involved or suggesting a scandal? Wasn’t there a way for women and men to be just friends?
    Being seen with a man would encourage her mother to go looking for a suitable second husband for her, especially now that Lucianna had her own wealth. Whatever happened, she wanted to control her own life.
    Her bed beckoned. It had been a long day. Lucianna called to her serving woman, and she was shortly abed. She fell asleep quickly.

Chapter 2

    S he saw him at Mass the following morning. Their eyes met, but other than that he made no approach, either inside the church or outside of it afterwards. He was there the following morning.
    Should she be flattered? She wasn’t certain. All his appearance said to her was that he was a devout man, but to her maidservant, Balia, it said a great deal more.
    “He likes you!”