Charmer's Death (Temptation in Florence Book 2) (13 page)

He gave her an enigmatic glance. “I dreamed you were kidnapped on the street.”

A mixture of fear and exhilaration shot through Carlina. He had dreamed about her. But kidnapping? “Any particular reason why you dreamed of kidnapping?”

“
None.” He shrugged. “But I was glad to see you safe this morning at Temptation.”

The fear left, and a deep happiness took its place. She gave him a small smile, then looked ahead. They had reached the end of the street and turned to the left, toward the Arno river. Carlina noticed he had matched his steps to hers. The wind pulled at her coat, but she felt warm, walking with Garini. Maybe talking right now wasn't necessary. Maybe she should just enjoy the moment, accept happiness even if it came with an unexpected surrounding. She didn't place her arm around his hip, instead, she kept both hands deep inside the pockets of her coat, but she also made sure she never moved away from him, giving him no reason to let go of her.

They walked downhill, the city center illuminated in front of them, glowing yellow in the light, like a town asleep, quiet and spun deep inside its dreams.

“
So why did you want to walk me home?” she asked. “It's not exactly the right weather for walking.”

“
I wanted to talk to you.”

“
You could have done that in the car.”

“
The car pool was booked out tonight, and it would have been too quick.” He sounded relaxed, sure of himself.

“
Too quick for what?”

He smiled. “Too quick for everything.” With his free hand, he touched the scarf above her forehead. “Warm enough?”

“Yes, thank you. And you?”

“
Fine.” Their steps echoed through the quiet night, but for once, it didn't sound menacing. They walked down a street with crooked houses. Many windows had Christmas decorations, their lights shining into the darkness.

Carlina smiled.
I'm exactly where I want to be.
She held onto that thought and wondered if she should insist on talking, insist on finding out whatever he wasn't telling her.
No. Don't destroy the moment. Go with the flow.

They walked on in silence. Once, she slipped on the cobblestone pavement, but he held her and made sure she didn't fall. It felt good to be with him, good to have no distraction, good not to be hurried into anything. The hazy air twirled around them like an enchanted veil, hiding them from the real world.
Why can't life always be like this?

As they crossed the foaming Arno river, Carlina broke the silence. “For someone who wants to talk, you're awfully quiet.”

He laughed. It was a low laugh, and she could feel it more than she heard it. “I don't feel like talking anymore.”

She smiled. “My very thought.”

The words disappeared between them without leaving a mark. She was content to be silent.

When they stopped in front of her door, she looked up at him. “Thank you.”

“Good night, Carlina.” He pulled her closer.

She lifted her face to him and closed her eyes.

Something shoved into her back and propelled her forward, against Stefano's chest. “Carlina!” Her mother shot through the front door. “I'm glad you're home! I was worried.”

Carlina suppressed a sigh and turned around. She didn't dare to look at Garini. “I'm over thirty, Mama, and it's not even midnight. Where's the problem?”

“The cards show me an impending tragedy!” Her mother lifted both hands. She had put on two identical bracelets with a multitude of golden trinkets that rattled against each other. A shudder ran through her body. “It's dreadful out here. Come in.”

She opened the door and pulled them inside.

Carlina looked at Garini. His face wore a bemused expression, as if he was watching a rare species in the middle of mating season.

“
Come in, come in.” Fabbiola pulled them upstairs to her apartment. “The cards are still on the table. I'll show you what I saw, and you will understand--”

She flung open the door to her apartment and rushed inside, her dress billowing behind her.

Garini held the door open for Carlina.

“
I'm sorry,” she said under her breath as she went past him.

“
I wouldn't miss this for the world.” His voice sounded amused. “I feel sure the future holds more than I can ever imagine.”

She rolled her eyes and followed her mother into the living room.

It smelled of incense, something intense, Indian maybe. Carlina went to the window and opened it wide.

“
Close the window!” Fabbiola waved both hands until her bracelets rattled like castanets. “The cards will blow away.” She picked up her favorite cushion and held it over the cards like a shield.

Carlina sighed and closed the window half-way, then turned around.

Her mother threw the cushion aside and bent over the low wooden table where all her cards lay, spread out in an intricate pattern.

She needs to re-do her roots.
Carlina averted her gaze from her mother's bent head and looked at Garini. He was watching her mother with a patient expression, both hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels.
I wonder what he thinks.

He looked up at that instant and gave her one of his rare smiles.

She could feel her face going hot.
I bet my ears are turning bright-red.

Fabbiola frowned and shook her head. “There,” she said with all the panache of a sorcerer who had conjured up his first white rabbit. She made a wide move with her right arm. “Look at this.”

“I can't read the cards,” Carlina said. “And I don't believe in them anyway.”

Her mother pointed at something in the middle. “The black knight. The black knight means death.” She picked up another card to the right. “And this!” She waved it in the air. “Children.” The way she said it, she might just as well have said, “Cholera and pest”.

Carlina rolled her eyes. “So what's bad about children?”

“
They're danger.” Her mother's voice turned sepulchral. “Great danger.” She lifted her head and fixed Carlina with a stare. “Beware of children.”

Carlina started to laugh. “I will take care that no children will attack me. Anything else, Mama? Should I be careful of . . . broccoli, maybe?”

“Broccoli? Why do you mention broccoli?” Her mother's eyes widened.

Carlina shrugged. “It's harmless. As harmless as children. That's why I thought of broccoli. I could also have said cauliflower. Or brussel sprouts.”

Stefano's mouth twisted.

Fabbiola bent over the cards again. “It's funny that you mention it. I had one card here, one I couldn't quite interpret. The color green. Do you think . . . broccoli?” The next words got lost in a murmur.

Carlina checked Stefano's face.

His eyebrows had climbed up so high, they almost disappeared in his hairline.

Carlina decided it was time to call it a night. She took a step forward. “Thank you for warning me, Mama. Now I think we'd better--”

“
Not only you.” Her mother didn't look up. “Him, too.”

“
You mean Stefano?”

“
Yes. There's danger. For both of you. Danger from the young.”

“
We'll keep it in mind.” Stefano turned to the door. “Good night, Mrs. Ashley-Mantoni.”

“
Buona notte, Mama.” Carlina gave her mother a quick peck on the cheek. “Don't worry. We'll heed your warning.”

Her mother looked up and gave her a sudden smile. “Good. You do that. Good night.”

She waved at them and turned back to her cards. The last they heard from her was a murmur. “Zucchini?”

As they left the apartment, Carlina said under her voice. “Don't worry, it's only a phase.”

“Good God,” Garini pushed a hand through his hair. “Don't tell me she has started on phases just like her father?”

Carlina suppressed a smile. “I'm not sure. But this is pretty harmless, compared to some of the phases granddad went through.”

“So far,” he said. “I shudder to think what might come next.” But he was smiling as he said it. He lifted one hand and touched her cheek, but before he could do anything else, a voice floated up from below.

“
Is that you, Carlina?” Emma poked her head over the staircase one floor down and craned it around to look up.

“
Yes.” Carlina suppressed a sigh.
Note to self: Never try to kiss someone with family in the vicinity of ten kilometers.

They went downstairs.

Emma frowned at them. “What did you discuss with Fabbiola?”

“
Oh,” Carlina waved a hand. “This and that. Vegetables.”

“
Vegetables?” Emma's eyes threatened to fall out of her head.

“
Yes, broccoli.” Carlina lifted one eyebrow. “Anything else you need to know?”

Emma sighed. “No. I just wondered when I heard your voices.” She turned to Garini. “Do you need to see the nylons again?”

“No, thanks. Once was enough.”

“
Oh. Then what are you doing here?” Her limpid gaze took him in.

Carlina cringed.
Emma, please!
“Stefano accompanied me home after the Florence Christmas Fair Meeting.” She gave her cousin a menacing stare.

“
Ah, I see.” Emma seemed to lose all interest in Stefano and took her cousin by the arm. “Carlina, you need to come and see what I bought today. I really--”

“
I was just going to say good-bye to Stefano.” Carlina hung back and clenched her teeth.

“
Well, you can do so now, can't you?” Emma opened the door of her apartment and went inside. “It won't take a minute, and then you can see what I bought. I'll be back in a minute.”

“
Neatly dismissed.” His voice was ironic. “Does she dislike me so much?”

“
I don't know.” Carlina was puzzled. “I didn't think she did.”

“
Never mind.” Stefano smiled. “Good night, Carlina.”

“
I'm sorry.” She felt miserable.

“
I'll see you soon.” He took her hand and lifted it briefly to his lips, then turned and went down the steps.

“
Carlina? Why are you standing on the landing like a sheep in a thunderstorm? Come in; it's damn cold on the staircase.”

Carlina went into her cousin's apartment and closed the door behind her with care. “Can you tell me why you made a point of interrupting my date?”

Emma rummaged through a glossy shopping bag and didn't look up. “Was that a date? Sorry, I thought he was just investigating that murder again.”

“
He wasn't.” Carlina made sure her voice showed how annoyed she felt. “And you knew that very well. So what's up?”

Emma didn't reply. Her shiny hair had fallen forward and covered her face, and she was still busy pulling things out of the shopping bag and pushing them back in again.

Carlina went to her cousin and took her by the shoulders. “Stop that; I know it was only an excuse to get Stefano out of the way. What's going on here?”

Emma looked up and sighed. Her soft mouth pulled down at the corners. “I just don't like him.”

Carlina narrowed her eyes. “I think you're hiding something. You're afraid of him.”

Emma colored. “Absolutely not. I just don't like his manners. He's so . . . abrupt.”

Carlina had to smile. Lucio,Emma's husband, and Stefano were as different as sugar and salt, but was that enough to make Emma feel antagonistic to that extent? So far, she had egged on Carlina, had encouraged her to get into a new relationship with every unsuitable man she could drag to the surface. “He isn't a soft-voiced Casanova, if that's what you mean.” Though giving her a hand-kiss had blown her away. It was an unusual gesture, outmoded, and yet, he had carried it off with ease and charm. She suppressed the need to lift her hand to her cheek.

Emma frowned. “Why are you grinning like a kid in front of the Christmas tree?”

Carlina wiped the smile from her face. “So you don't want to tell me?”

“
I have nothing to tell.” Emma closed her mouth with a snap. “But I give you a warning . . . make sure you keep your distance from that guy. You can't trust him.”

Carlina lifted her eyebrows. “Noted.” Her voice dripped irony. She turned to the door. “Do you wish to add anything to that warning? Aren't you forgetting something?”

“What?” Emma stemmed her hands on her hips and glared at her cousin.

“
Children.” Carlina opened the front door. “Don't forget they are extremely dangerous.” She shook her head. “Oh, these dangerous children. Vicious, I can tell you.” She slipped through the door. “Not to forget broccoli. Nasty stuff, that.”

Just before she closed the door with a soft click behind her, she caught a last glimpse of her cousin, who stared at her, mouth slack, eyes almost popping out of her head.