page45 (1/2)

She would never forget her reception the balnore DiCastello and the Malverns’dusty journey from Rome Advised of her identity in a letter his servant had sent ahead by expresson the terrace of the front entrance, just beyond where she now stood

The duke hie and stayed her at ar her face as avidly as she inspected his

She saw in him the sharp aquiline outline of Papa’s nose, the saence and fierce purpose, a high proud forehead now lined with age while his hair, wavy as Papa’s, fell snohite to his shoulders

Though Allegra felt she favored her e of her father, for the duke cried, “Dio mio, how I see Emilio in you!” Then he’d drawn her into his arms and wept

“Wool-picking, Allegra?” Alessandro asked, recalling her to the present

“Wool-gathering,” she corrected, a treivera’s Italian maid told her, after the death of his father lish with her In the neorld Italy would build since ridding herself of the Napoleonic invaders, the next duke must prepare himself to deal with men of every country, he’d told her solemnly

“’Tis well-known that a beautiful wo back to Italian as he smiled at her “Did the press of visitors overwhelarden after a day full of activities and callers”

“You’ve caughtan eye, you shall make an excellent diplomat And yes, I did feel the need for some quiet and solitude”

“Anora Bertrude’s co toward the duenna

“No, please stay Unlike soyour escortme”

Alessandro laughed “You cannot bla to pay their respects to so lovely and charhter of the duke!”

“Which, I do not doubt, is why soto soto sort them all out

“Distant Antinori relations,” she began, ticking thee for grandfather Officials froratiate themselves with the aristocrats whose lands and titles they previously tried to confiscate Poets and philosophers entreating grandfather to take up their causes And now, the Austrians beginning their adrandfather to explain it all, but he merely says a lady needn’t concern herself with political matters”

“’Tis true” Alessandro nodded “Here, awhich of her suitors uardian to accept his offer”

“I’ve no interest ineach time she had to repeat this apparently radical staterandfather and ain”

In the months since her fiasco in London, she’d achieved a certain ht often and fondly of Will, even the idea of e was still too painful to contemplate

“Perhaps, but as an Antinori, it will be your duty to marry well, just as it is lish and lish ladies interest thee?”

“So their husband’s friends and allies to debate affairs of govern poets and writers”

Alessandro frowned and shook his head “I should not trustpoets and writers Inflammatory, unstable fellows But one must tolerate them in the new Italy”