Carpathian 00 - The Scarletti Curse

arrive in the kitchen."
    They walked together out into the wide corridor, Nicoletta nodding to the two guards. As she took Sophie down the hall, Nicoletta couldn't help marveling at the beauty of the building. It did have a strange, haunted feeling to it, an oily evil that seemed to hang in the eaves and cling to the strange carvings. Perhaps it was emanating from the grim, demonic sculptures staring at them so solemnly. There appeared to be many eyes watching them at all times, and Nicoletta feared some of them were human.
    Sophie suddenly gasped and tightened her grip. "Nicoletta!" Panic-stricken, the child halted in the middle of the corridor, staring in stark fear at the man coming toward them from the opposite direction. He was tall and thin with silver hair sticking out in all directions. He would have been handsome still had his face not been twisted into a permanent scowl.
    Nicoletta watched as servants scurried out of the eldest Scarletti's way, crossing themselves, clutching crucifixes to them as talismans. As the don's grandfather approached several workers, they hastily turned away from him, as if they thought him a devil and dared not look upon him. She watched the old man's face. It was proud, arrogant, twisted with a kind of fierce anger. His head was high, and he struck several retreating servants with the cane he used more as a weapon than as an aid for walking.
    "Run, Nicoletta," Sophie whispered. "We must run." She tugged and pulled at Nicoletta to get her going but did not let go of her hand. Sophie would not run away herself and abandon her only friend. When Nicoletta refused to move, Sophie scuttled behind her for protection, attempting to hide in the folds of her wide skirt.
    Nicoletta squeezed the child's hand in reassurance. She waited calmly while the older man came toward them, his scowl darkening with every step, his bushy brows meeting in a fierce, straight line. Nicoletta smiled at him when he was almost upon them, dropping a graceful curtsey and pressing Sophie to do the Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    same. "Good morn, Signore Scarletti," she said determinedly. "We are going to the kitchen to see if we can coax Bernado to fix us something to eat, though we are very late. Would you care to join us?"
    The old man's step faltered. He spluttered an unintelligible answer, looking suddenly vulnerable. He stood still for a moment in apparent indecision, then resorted to shaking his cane at her. It looked a halfhearted attempt to Nicoletta, but Sophie ducked her little head back behind Nicoletta, frightened, and the guards rushed forward protectively.
    Nicoletta laughed softly, the sound merry and inviting in the wide halls. "If I had a cane, good signore, you could teach me how to duel. We could have much fun here in the big palazzo, although I am certain we would be severely reprimanded by the don." She leaned close to him. "He can be quite fierce in his reprimands, but I am willing to risk it if you are."
    There was a small silence. Nicoletta sensed the guards tensing to spring should they need to protect her from her own folly. Several of the servants had turned and were watching the exchange in horrified silence.
    The old man stared at her. For a moment his mouth appeared to twitch as if he might be struggling to smile, but he seemed to have forgotten how. Muttering beneath his breath, he pushed past her without speaking and hurried on down the corridor. Once he looked back, and it seemed to Nicoletta, as she watched him, that his old eyes were watery.
    "Nicoletta," Sophie said softly, "the don's nonno does not like anyone, and no one likes him. Zia Portia says he will kill me one day in my sleep if I do not stay out of his way. He killed his own wife. Even Margerita is afraid of him. You cannot talk to him, Nicoletta. It is possible even Zio Gino cannot protect you from his nonno."
    "It is possible we need to be his friends," Nicoletta pointed out gently. "It is not good to be always alone, Sophie. And I do not think your Zio Gino would ever allow his grandfather to kill you in your sleep. You are much loved by your Zio Gino, and who else would keep track of my shoes for me if you did not?"
    Sophie laughed. "I have never seen you wear shoes, Nicoletta. Do you even have shoes?"
    "Little imp," Nicoletta scolded teasingly. Sophie was exactly what she needed after the trauma of the night before. The child was engaging and sweet and eager to