Carpathian 00 - The Scarletti Curse

others are conspiring against me, but I do not know who. Already you are in danger."
    "I want to go up to the ramparts. Do you remember when Margerita was running toward us in the corridor the day little Ricardo summoned me to Lissandra's deathbed?" Margerita rushing toward the Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    maid had triggered the memory in Nicoletta's mind. More than that, there had been something else, something about Margerita that eluded Nicoletta, but she knew it was important.
    Deep inside her, the shadow was creeping into her heart, her soul. Something was wrong, and her dread was growing. She glanced out the window and saw the raven circling in the long trails of white fog. It looked deceptively lazy, even serene, as it soared just outside the window. But Nicoletta saw it, and she knew. There was trouble somewhere. Instinctively she inhaled deeply in an attempt to draw cooling air into her lungs and read the signs.
    "You are not going near that upper walkway. I forbid it," Giovanni said sternly. "The guards have been given their orders, and they will follow them to the letter."
    "You can go up with me," Nicoletta pointed out, distracted from his absolute authority by the deepening shadow within her. "It is important. I want to see what the maze looks like from above, how much a person can see when they look down into it."
    "A good portion is covered over by bushes trained to form a canopy," Giovanni said tersely. "You will not go up there for any reason, with me or without me. Knowing you, you would slip and fall, and I would find you hanging by a fingernail. You will obey me in this, Nicoletta." He stopped walking to catch her arms, halting her so that he could examine her face for bruises.
    For no reason at all, other than the hot look in his eyes, Nicoletta found herself blushing. "Stop staring at me. I told you, she did not hurt me. And I really do need to go up to that walkway." There she would be able to sense the trouble.
    "Well, you are not going," he said. "You are not going anywhere for the next twenty years. I am in the middle of something I cannot share with you. I dare not. You will have to trust me and do as I say."
    Gostanz appeared behind them, clearing his throat to draw attention to himself.
    Giovanni spun around, his black eyes gleaming with displeasure. "What is it?" he snapped impatiently.
    " Scusa , signore, the healer is needed."

Chapter Seventeen
    Don Scarletti made a sound deep within his throat much like that of a drowning man. "No, Nicoletta."
    He shook his head somewhere between bitter laughter and total frustration. "I seem to have lost any semblance of control in my own home."
    "Tell them I will come at once, Gostanz, grazie," Nicoletta said firmly.
    "No." The Don shook his head again. "You have been through quite enough today, and there is still the danger of this madman loose. I will not have it, Nicoletta."
    "These are our people. I cannot imagine you shirking your duties and hiding in your bedchamber because there was danger. I am a healer, and if our people need me, then there is no other choice but to go." She rose up onto her toes and placed her lips against his ear. "You know it is inevitable that I go, Giovanni, so do not waste time arguing that could better be used finding a way to keep me safe."

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    Giovanni heaved an exasperated sigh and glanced up at his waiting manservant. "Gostanz, you are unmarried, no?"
    A hint of a smile crept into Gostanz's eyes. "That is so, Don Scarletti. And for good reason. I will tell those waiting that the healer will be with them immediately."
    "Tell the stableman to prepare my horse. I will take Donna Nicoletta myself." Giovanni's hand tugged at her knotted hair. "We should gather whatever you will need."
    "Grazie, Giovanni," Nicoletta said softly, her heart in her eyes, unknowingly giving him more of a reward than she could have imagined.
    Nicoletta gathered her satchel and cloak hastily, taking time only to make certain she had all her herbs with her. "I know you are busy, Giovanni. You really needn't come with me," she ventured cautiously as they hurried through the palazzo toward the entrance closest to the stables. "Truly, Francesco and Dominic guard me closely. I know you were frightened earlier when you snapped at them, but you did not mean it."
    "I am not about to allow you out of my sight. And do not