Carpathian 10 - Dark Symphony

and find out what is happening, or you may not have food for the next few days." Antonietta was exasperated with the both of them, grown women always feuding.
    "Marita would live just fine for a day or two, but I wouldn't survive." Tasha patted her flat stomach lovingly.
    Marita nearly screamed in frustration. "My stomach is a badge of courage, two bambini, and you with none."
    "Enough!" Antonietta nearly yelled it. "I don't want you to ever say that again to Tasha in my presence, Marita."
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    Dark Symphony
    Page 36 of 188
    "I'm sorry, forgive me, Tasha. Toni is right, I shouldn't have said such a thing."
    "I don't pay attention to anything you say," Tasha said belligerently, but her voice trembled.
    Marita turned her attention to Antonietta. "Toni, I really needed to talk to you about Franco. He's in a meeting with Nonno. I don't want you to interrupt them. You must see he deserves another chance. It is time Nonno realized his worth and paid him accordingly. He should be vice president and respected by all."
    "You know I have no say in what Nonno's decisions arc, Marita."
    "Just promise me not to ruin Franco's chance. I must insist, Antonietta. You know he works hard and deserves so much more than Nonno gives him. One little mistake should be forgiven."
    "It wasn't a little mistake, as you well know, Marita. You pushed him until he was bitter and angry and wanting your respect. He betrayed his family and our company. He was lucky charges weren't brought against him and that Nonno listened to Tasha's and my pleas to allow him to stay here. If you're pushing him again to do something he will later regret, think hard, Marita. Nonno won't forgive another betrayal, not even for the children, and Marita, neither will I."
    "He turned down a huge offer from Christopher's company to join with them. A merger would be good for both companies. Franco has proved his loyalty even though he knows the merger would make us all wealthy."
    Antonietta sighed. "We are wealthy already, Marita, and there is no advantage to our company from a merger, only on the Demonesini side. You know very well Christopher's father even tried to court me in hopes of a merger."
    "The families will merge when Christopher marries Tasha."
    A loud crash followed by a bloodcurdling scream of pain interrupted the two women.
    There was no mistaking a child's continuous scream of agony. Tasha turned toward the sound instantly. "That's little Margurite!" She was already racing from the room as she called out the warning.
    The screams emerging from the lower story were appalling. Antonietta had never heard anything like it. "Something is really wrong with Margurite."
    "She just wants attention." Marita pressed her hands over her ears. "Tasha should make her stop that noise, no Scarletti should make such a scene. That's Tasha's influence. If Franco hears her, he'll rush to her side instead of keeping his mind on business as he should!" But she was running even as she complained.
    Antonietta listened to her tone, not the words. Marita was terrified, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Antonietta took her hand as they hurried down the wide hall toward the sound of the screams. She had to slow down on the sweeping staircase, not wanting to chance a misstep. Marita suddenly pulled her hand away, pressing back against the wall.
    Antonietta could hear Tasha soothing the six-year-old girl. "There, there, Toni's here now, and she'll see to it that the doctor comes. He'll fix you right up. Your madre is here. It's going to be all right now." Antonietta judged by the direction of the voice that Tasha was sitting on the floor beside the child right at the bottom of the stairway. She stepped cautiously off the last stair and stopped walking, careful not to trip over them.
    Marita screamed, a terrible sound, adding to Margurite's cries of pain. There was a thud as her body crashed to the floor.
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    Dark Symphony
    Page 37 of 188
    "What is it? What happened to her, Tasha?" "Don't mind Marita. She fainted like she always does in a crisis. Here, Toni." Tasha caught her hand and guided her