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his world now but he couldn’t just forget that he had been a twenty-first-century boy, and the idea that he might meet someone from his own time was excitingly disturbing. Even Doctor Dethridge, Luciano’s foster-father, who had left that same world, albeit from a time many centuries before, was affected by the news.
    â€˜Is she coming back?’ asked Luciano.
    â€˜I’m sure she will if she can,’ said Cesare. ‘She was so interested in the flying horse.’
    That of course raised more questions than it answered and the horsemen of the Ram had to explain everything about the black filly, the visit of Duke Niccolò and their night-time expedition to Santa Fina to hide Merla and her mother.
    â€˜It lyketh me noghte thatte such a felawe is in the citee,’ said Doctor Dethridge. ‘The Duke is up to noe goode, I trowe.’
    â€˜He is officially visiting his brother the Pope,’ said Paolo. ‘But taking the opportunity to check on horses in his rivals’ stables at the same time.’
    â€˜It’s all just a show, though, isn’t it?’ asked Luciano. ‘Rodolfo told us that the race is rigged every year for one of di Chimici’s favourites to win.’
    â€˜That’s what usually happens,’ admitted Paolo. ‘But we don’t usually have a winged horse born in the city. I’m hoping that means victory for the Ram.’
    *
    â€˜The Duchessa of Bellezza?’ said Gaetano stupidly; he was too surprised to stop himself. ‘What for?’
    His father sighed. ‘It will take a lot to make a diplomat of you,’ he said. ‘To make you Duke of course, and bring Bellezza into the fold.’
    â€˜Into the family, you mean,’ said Gaetano, playing for time. But he didn’t hate the idea. Surely as Duke of Bellezza he would have ample time for his books and his music? ‘What is she like?’ he asked.
    â€˜Very pretty,’ said Niccolò dryly, ‘and I should think about as easy to handle as Zarina.’
    It took Gaetano a moment or two to remember that Zarina was the Lady’s spirited grey mare.

    Supper was fish and chips, followed by ice cream. It was usually Georgia’s favourite because there wasn’t anything Maura or Ralph could do to ruin it. Only tonight she just wasn’t hungry. She wanted to rush through her homework and get an early night. Even Russell wasn’t making much impression on her.
    â€˜Homework on a Friday night?’ was all he could manage to hiss at her. ‘You’re turning into a real geek as well as a freak.’
    She didn’t remind him that it was her Saturday for riding tomorrow. She just wanted to keep her head down and not draw attention to herself. But the evening dragged on interminably. Maths, English, French, then bed. And once in bed no chance of sleep. She had the winged horse in her tracksuit pocket and a clear vision of the hayloft in Remora in her mind, but sleep refused to come. Perhaps it was because she was so eager to get there. Or it might have been something to do with Russell’s metal music blaring out in the room next door.
    â€˜Please,’ she wished as hard as she could. ‘Let me be in the City of Stars.’

    Luciano was pacing excitedly up and down the room. ‘I bet it has something to do with Arianna’s visit here,’ he said. ‘I don’t know how much you know about my stravagation, but Rodolfo thought I was brought to Bellezza to save the last Duchessa. Perhaps this girl from my world is needed because of a plot against Arianna? You know that’s why we are here, because she has been invited to the Stellata?’
    â€˜Yes, wee are supposed to lerne al thatte we canne about the citee,’ nodded Dethridge, ‘and its wayes and maneres during this race of such grete importe.’
    â€˜And I bet the Duke is up to something too,’ added Luciano. ‘It’s too much of a