Carpathian 00 - The Scarletti Curse

throat through the thin scarf, wondering, not for the first time, if evil was so locked into the walls of the palazzo that it would never be exorcised.
    She followed Sophie down the long corridor to the kitchen, grateful that in his haste to hunt down her attacker, Don Scarletti had failed to assign her guards.
    Ketsia threw herself into Nicoletta's arms, bursting into sobs, her little face already streaked with tear-stains. "I thought you were dead! I heard one of the maids say your new husband choked you to death because he found you with another man."
    Nicoletta's face drained of color. Her chin went up, dark eyes flashing with temper. "Bernado, is that what is being said by the staff? They are accusing Don Scarletti of strangling me?"
    He ducked his head, embarrassed. Nicoletta whirled around as a shadow crossed the doorway.
    Giovanni's grandfather hovered there uncertainly. His face was lined with worry, his eyes red and blurry.
    She could see he was much agitated. Still holding Ketsia to her, she immediately went to the older man to reassure him. "I am fine—a scuffle, no more, with a man who was angry because he lost his farm when he allowed his wife to die unaided. It was nothing, Nonno. I turned the man down once when he asked me to marry him, and he has nursed a grudge ever since. Giovanni is out looking for him now. I will not have anyone in our home whispering rumors behind Giovanni's back." She spun around, managing to look regal even in her peasant clothes. "Where is Gostanz? I want all of those serving in the palazzo to gather in the front hall immediately." Nicoletta used her sternest voice, determined to be taken seriously.
    The elderly Scarletti hugged Nicoletta clumsily, Ketsia and all. Sophie stared at him with big around eyes and tried a tentative smile when he glanced at her. The old man found himself smiling back at her before he hurried away, not wanting to be observed by so many condemning eyes.
    Gostanz assembled the servants in short order. Nicoletta was rather shocked that so few people tended an estate so vast. Most seemed to be outdoor workers. Reaching for courage, Nicoletta stepped in front of them, Ketsia still clinging to her. The child gave her the bravery to face the servants. "I am Donna Scarletti, for those of you who do not know me. Gostanz will bring to me any complaints or suggestions you may have to make the running of the palazzo smoother and easier for all of you. I do, however, want to address one issue immediately. There has been talk of the recent attack on me. It is whispered that my husband attempted to strangle me."
    At once the room fell eerily silent, absent even the shuffling of feet. Nicoletta was immediately aware of every eye in the room fixed on her. Slowly she unraveled the scarf so they could see the marks on her neck. A collective gasp went up. "I was attacked, but certainly not by my husband. I believe my attacker was here to harm Don Scarletti, not me. I was merely in this man's way. I want it known that I will not tolerate disloyalty to the don among those of you who work in our home. I do not wish to hear further rumors about him or us. If you have concerns, I will be happy to address them, but it will serve no Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    purpose to try to divide our home."
    Nicoletta grasped Ketsia's hand firmly in hers and reached out to Sophie, who was standing wide-eyed, fearfully staring at Nicoletta's throat. Maria Pia had her arms around the child. They immediately moved off as a family unit, presenting their loyalty toward one another before the servants. Maria Pia was beaming at Nicoletta with pride.
    In the next few minutes Nicoletta went through all the appropriate motions, attempting to carry on a conversation with the chattering girls, constantly reassuring them that she was, indeed, going to live. But her mind was busy elsewhere, occupied with the raven. If she was correct in her assumption that Aljandro had not intended to harm her, or even Giovanni at that precise moment, but had simply taken advantage when he came upon her, then it meant her strange ability was not necessarily gone. It merely meant the bird had had no time to warn her. Still, why hadn't she been warned of Cristano's death? If Giovanni had slain Cristano in the maze, so close to her, she would have felt it. And the bird would have come to her. "Nicoletta!" Ketsia stamped her small foot. "I have said the same thing to you