Read Online Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lisa Tawn Bergren
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Captain Rossi?” Marcello asked, every word clipped.
“Indeed,” he said, cocking his head and glancing at me. “My uncle would like you to attend a meeting in Siena, in three days’ time. And he, of course, insists you bring Romana and Lord Fortino—if his lordship’s health can tolerate the journey—as well as the Ladies Betarrini.”
“For what purpose?” Marcello asked.
“If you accept the invitation, my uncle shall host a festive ball, ostensibly prenuptial goings-on. But there is a rumor,” he said in a confidential manner, leaning forward, “that diplomats from Firenze shall be in attendance. He would like your brother and you to be there to listen to what they have to say. It is my uncle’s hope that we can again establish peace between Firenze and Siena. This unrest accomplishes little.”
Marcello straightened. “I shall be there at the appointed time. We shall send word as to whether the Ladies Betarrini will join us.”
Captain Rossi hesitated. His horse took a step back, then forward. “Mayhap I did not make myself clear. Lord Rossi prepares a feast to celebrate the Ladies Betarrini’s return. The meeting is merely providential timing, when all shall be in the city together. But he shall not abide anything but an affirmative answer.”
Marcello’s mouth was a steady, grim line. “Mayhap I did not make myself clear. I shall consult with my brother and then decide if the ladies might risk the journey.”
Captain Rossi cocked a brow. “You have left them vulnerable here,” he said, gesturing toward the countryside. “Would they not be far safer within the protective wings of Siena?” He turned away, not waiting to be excused. Even I knew it was a total diss. Luca stepped after the captain, as if he were ready to haul him off his horse, but Marcello grabbed his arm and stopped him.
The blond captain wheeled his horse around and looked down at them, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “M’lord,” he said to Marcello with a tiny dip of his head. “We shall be honored by the presence of your household. For Siena.”
“For Siena,” Marcello muttered. He stood there, watching Captain Rossi and his men thunder away in pairs, but his eyes shifted to the woods around us. He looked at Luca. “He’s right. I’ve been foolish, exposing the women as I have.”
“No, Marcello,” I tried. “We must be able to be out and about. As you said, to be confined to Castello Forelli would be like being prisoners in our own home. And you’ve taken more than enough precautions to ensure our safety.”
He turned and took my arm, and the four of us formed a small circle. “It may be different in Normandy ,” Marcello said. “But here, everyone thinks of you two when they consider our victory, even more than they think of my brother or me. The republic is transfixed with the idea of two female warriors. You caught a glimpse of it at our own little feast, inside the castle’s walls, before you left. But in Siena…” He shook his head, deciding. “It shall be utter mayhem.”
I stared at him for a long moment. From what I could see, there really was no way around it. I looked at Lia, asking her permission. She gave me a little smile. “I always thought it’d be cool to be homecoming queen, didn’t you?”
“Talk about an anthropological gold mine. Mom would flip.” She had a secondary degree in anthropology to back up her doctorate in archaeology. Lia and I’d always wished she’d put half the effort into contemporary relationships as she had with those in the past.
The guys were looking at us as if we really were speaking French.
“We shall attend the festivities with you,” I said to Marcello.
He frowned and glanced at Luca.
Luca laughed under his breath. “You know what these Normans are like, m’lord. If we leave them behind in the castle, they’ll take it upon themselves to climb over the wall. May as well keep them where we can watch over
“Indeed,” he said, cocking his head and glancing at me. “My uncle would like you to attend a meeting in Siena, in three days’ time. And he, of course, insists you bring Romana and Lord Fortino—if his lordship’s health can tolerate the journey—as well as the Ladies Betarrini.”
“For what purpose?” Marcello asked.
“If you accept the invitation, my uncle shall host a festive ball, ostensibly prenuptial goings-on. But there is a rumor,” he said in a confidential manner, leaning forward, “that diplomats from Firenze shall be in attendance. He would like your brother and you to be there to listen to what they have to say. It is my uncle’s hope that we can again establish peace between Firenze and Siena. This unrest accomplishes little.”
Marcello straightened. “I shall be there at the appointed time. We shall send word as to whether the Ladies Betarrini will join us.”
Captain Rossi hesitated. His horse took a step back, then forward. “Mayhap I did not make myself clear. Lord Rossi prepares a feast to celebrate the Ladies Betarrini’s return. The meeting is merely providential timing, when all shall be in the city together. But he shall not abide anything but an affirmative answer.”
Marcello’s mouth was a steady, grim line. “Mayhap I did not make myself clear. I shall consult with my brother and then decide if the ladies might risk the journey.”
Captain Rossi cocked a brow. “You have left them vulnerable here,” he said, gesturing toward the countryside. “Would they not be far safer within the protective wings of Siena?” He turned away, not waiting to be excused. Even I knew it was a total diss. Luca stepped after the captain, as if he were ready to haul him off his horse, but Marcello grabbed his arm and stopped him.
The blond captain wheeled his horse around and looked down at them, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “M’lord,” he said to Marcello with a tiny dip of his head. “We shall be honored by the presence of your household. For Siena.”
“For Siena,” Marcello muttered. He stood there, watching Captain Rossi and his men thunder away in pairs, but his eyes shifted to the woods around us. He looked at Luca. “He’s right. I’ve been foolish, exposing the women as I have.”
“No, Marcello,” I tried. “We must be able to be out and about. As you said, to be confined to Castello Forelli would be like being prisoners in our own home. And you’ve taken more than enough precautions to ensure our safety.”
He turned and took my arm, and the four of us formed a small circle. “It may be different in Normandy ,” Marcello said. “But here, everyone thinks of you two when they consider our victory, even more than they think of my brother or me. The republic is transfixed with the idea of two female warriors. You caught a glimpse of it at our own little feast, inside the castle’s walls, before you left. But in Siena…” He shook his head, deciding. “It shall be utter mayhem.”
I stared at him for a long moment. From what I could see, there really was no way around it. I looked at Lia, asking her permission. She gave me a little smile. “I always thought it’d be cool to be homecoming queen, didn’t you?”
“Talk about an anthropological gold mine. Mom would flip.” She had a secondary degree in anthropology to back up her doctorate in archaeology. Lia and I’d always wished she’d put half the effort into contemporary relationships as she had with those in the past.
The guys were looking at us as if we really were speaking French.
“We shall attend the festivities with you,” I said to Marcello.
He frowned and glanced at Luca.
Luca laughed under his breath. “You know what these Normans are like, m’lord. If we leave them behind in the castle, they’ll take it upon themselves to climb over the wall. May as well keep them where we can watch over