Read Online The Last Gondola by Edward Sklepowich - Free Book Online

own.”
    â€œSo now the fruit of all your investigation is to tell me that Vitale and Silvia have a life away from the house and from me? What a shock!”
    She was aiming for levity, but the faint smile on her face soon faded. “But we’ve had our experience with the secret lives of my staff, haven’t we?” she asked, alluding to the tragedy last year surrounding her previous boatman.
    â€œWe can’t count it out,” Urbino said. “It’s not that I mistrust any of your staff, but we need to keep all possibilities open.”
    â€œYou haven’t mentioned Pasquale.”
    â€œThe best of the lot, perhaps. I’ll get to him. As for Vitale, he said that you didn’t ask him to repair the door knocker, as far as he can remember,” he added, although the majordomo had expressed no apparent doubt. “He doesn’t seem the type to admit to a mistake easily. And he’s adamant that no one got into the house. Not on his watch. And I advise you again, Barbara, you should install some kind of security system. As a first step why not at least have Demetrio Emo—”
    A quiet knock on the door interrupted him. Silvia, with a nervous smile on her pretty face, entered with the steaming kettle.
    Breaking into Italian, the Contessa said, “I’ve noticed, Urbino, that your sweet Gildo has been looking sad these days. Is he cross with you for some reason?”
    She threw a glance at Silvia as the young woman placed the kettle above the silver lamp on the table. The maid lingered, making unnecessary adjustments to the kettle and the teacups.
    â€œHe’s been abstracted,” Urbino responded in Italian, wondering what little game the Contessa might be playing. “But he’s as competent as ever. A friend of his died recently; someone in apprenticeship to be a remero.”
    â€œPoor boy. Yet it’s given him a melancholy air that suits his profession, considering how handsome he is.”
    Silvia closed the door behind her.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” Urbino asked.
    â€œSilvia has the biggest crush on Gildo. An example of the private lives of my staff.”
    â€œAnd so you want to torture the poor girl?”
    â€œYou know I like playing Cupid, although I may have a difficult job of it with Gildo. And besides, caro , since we were discussing my staff, Silvia included, we didn’t need to have her blabbing it all over the house.” She sliced into a trim loaf of cake on the table. “If you haven’t noticed, I’ve made some Madeira cake.”
    They were the only cakes Urbino had ever known her to make, and she did them to perfection. But she never turned them out unless she was in an agitated state, and then she was likely to bake enough to furnish a small pasticceria .
    â€œIn that case,” Urbino said, getting up, “I’ll have some of your Madeira instead of tea.”
    He poured himself some of the wine, a dry variety, and reseated himself. The Contessa handed him a generous slice of cake.
    â€œThere’s no need for Demetrio Emo or anyone from that security company you use,” she said, deftly picking up where they had left off before Silvia had come in. “There are locks on all the doors. Stout ones. The camera at the land entrance is enough. Do I want electronic beams in every corner setting off lights and alarms? Men rushing to my rescue when all I’m trying to do is get a glass of milk in the middle of the night?”
    â€œIt works well at my place, and I don’t have a tenth of what you have to worry about. Just look at what you have in this room alone.”
    He made a wide gesture. Almost every painting, print, bibelot, and piece of furniture crowded into the room came with a story—and, in most cases, a high price tag. He took a bite of the cake.
    â€œBut you have yourself to worry about,” the Contessa countered. “Your sleuthing has made you unpopular with