Carpathian 00 - The Scarletti Curse

tried to burrow closer to Nicoletta, refusing to look up. Her sobs increased in volume, verging on hysteria.
    The old man came into the room, a towering fury. "Stop that incessant wailing, you wretched little female!" He loomed over them, his fists clenched, shaking a stout cane at them. His eyes glittered like obsidian, his face twisted into a thundercloud. "It is thievery going on in here! Nothing less than thievery in the middle of the night!"
    Nicoletta was uncomfortably aware of the unblinking eyes of the various carvings and sculptures all around them—silent, taunting faces gloating at their misfortune.
    Maria Pia moaned and pushed herself to a sitting position. Nicoletta kept her attention on the little girl. It was obvious that Sophie was as terrified of the old man as she was of the shadowy specters that haunted her room at night. Nicoletta instantly began whispering soothing words to the child, knowing it best to leave the old man to Maria Pia, who wouldn't kick his ankle as he so richly deserved. Nicoletta had been frightened by the odd murmurings and shadows and the crashing chandelier, but this flesh-and-blood rude old man was now making her angry. It would not be wise to say or do anything to call a closer inspection upon herself; she dared not say what she thought. Nicoletta did her best to resume her role as a slow, frightened servant girl. The last thing she wanted was for the don to notice her. She didn't want the villagers to suffer punishment on her behalf. They might be able to go into the surrounding towns and make a modest living, but she doubted it. They had lived in the hills all their lives, depending on the tolerance and good will of the don.
    Maria Pia answered the old man respectfully but on the steadier ground her role as the healer provided Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    her. Unlike Nicoletta, she had much practice through the years in dealing with the aristocratici and their tyrannical ways, and obviously she had encountered this horrid old man before. "Signore Scarletti, we have suffered a terrible accident. We were nearly killed!" she said indignantly.
    "Stupid woman, I can see what has been going on here!" the elder Scarletti snapped, clearly angrier than ever that anyone should contradict him, and a lowly woman from the village, at that.
    A darker shadow fell across them all, blocking the light from the candles in the hall, bringing instant silence to the exchange between the healer and the old man. Even Sophie stopped crying to hiccup sorrowfully. Simultaneously they turned their heads to see the don standing in the doorway. "Nonno, what have you done? I left this chamber but a short time ago to return to my own room, as the healer had things well in hand."
    The elderly man erupted into a barrage of Latin and Italian and another dialect, but Nicoletta had the distinct feelings that the don's grandfather wasn't praying. With his gnarled hands waving his cane around wildly, and his face nearly turning purple, he seemed to be threatening everyone in sight. Once he leaned over and spat on the floor near the door, his fierce gaze fixed spitefully on the little girl.
    At his tirade Sophie clung all the harder to Nicoletta, not daring to look up at the old man. He accused the child of everything from being bad luck to being a witch. Nicoletta glanced quickly at Maria Pia. The older woman was devoutly crossing herself and piously kissing the crucifix that hung around her neck.
    The don looked completely exasperated, so much so that Nicoletta almost felt sorry for him. He was still feeling the ill effects of the poisoning; she could see it in his eyes and the slight way he hunched his body to bring relief to the painful knots twisting in his abdomen. He waved his grandfather out of the room, his voice quiet yet stern as he followed him into the corridor.
    The two men spoke briefly before the don returned to the women, eyeing the disaster in the room.
    "What happened here?" he asked quietly.
    Sophie peeked out at him from the safety of Nicoletta's arms. "They did it." She pointed at the silent, watching creatures on the ceiling.
    Don Scarletti's gaze settled on the little girl. "Do not start that silliness again, Sophie." His voice was mild but delivered a reprimand.
    The child flinched burying her face once more against Nicoletta's neck. Nicoletta's dark eyes, a hint of fire in their depths, jumped to the don's face. Maria Pia deliberately