Part 24 (1/2)
Francesca glanced sharply from one man to the other, somehow keeping her surprise from her face. Clearly neither man could understand the language of the other, just as neither man would admit his ignorance-a boon to her, if she were cautious.
”We should not keep the admiral waiting, Edward,” she said, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm to draw him away. ”I'm sure Signor Albani will know how to find me if he has any more information.”
”Very well, la.s.s.” He patted her hand fondly, and smiled at the constable. ”I thank you for all you are doing for my wife, signor. Good day to you, sir.”
Albani smiled broadly in return, again lifting his hat with a flourish. ”Good day to you, my lady, my lord captain,” he said in Italian, understanding their farewell from their posture instead of their words, ”and much joy upon your marriage.”
”Thank you, Signor Albani,” said Francesca, then switched to Italian herself. ”We shall speak again soon, I am sure, and until then I appreciate your reticence.”
”Soon, yes, my lady, as soon as possible,” he said, his smile fading. ”You see, I am not always a patient man, especially in a matter as important as this one.”
He began to bow again, but Francesca was already turning away with Edward and up the villa's sweeping front steps and under the makes.h.i.+ft emba.s.sy's British flag.
”An odd little crow of a man, don't you think?” said Edward as they pa.s.sed between the two marines standing guard in the hallway. ”More like a country parson than a constable. Yet he must be praised for his dedication to his duty and to your affairs.”
”Oh, yes,” said Francesca wistfully. ”Signor Albani is most concerned with me.”
”I cannot fault him for that,” said Edward gallantly, his earlier unhappiness with her forgotten-so gallantly that Francesca couldn't bear it. She pulled him to a stop on the landing, ignoring the curious glances of others pa.s.sing on the stairs, but unwilling to wait another minute to speak.
”Please, caro mio, please listen to me,” she begged, her fingers clinging anxiously to his as she tried not to think of how much simply holding his hand had come to mean to her. ”Whatever you hear of me from others, however wrong or foolish or-or villainous it may seem to you, know that I care about you and never, ever wished to bring you harm or hurt. Please always remember that, Edward, won't you?”
He shook his head, not understanding, and who could blame him? ”If this is about what I said in the carriage, Francesca, about children and such-”
”No, no, it's not that, not at all,” she said miserably, wis.h.i.+ng she dared tell him the entire truth, even if she risked losing him. ”It's only-”
”Ah, there you two are!” cried Lady Hamilton at the top of the stairs. She was wrapped in three woolen shawls, red, green, and blue, against the damp chill inside the villa, and her nose was rosy from the cold as well. ”I spied the pair of you arriving from the window, oh, simply ages ago, so long that I'd feared the French had gotten you and carried you off. Come, come, no more dawdling.”
But though her ladys.h.i.+p was trying to be her usual exuberant self, Francesca immediately sensed that something wasn't right. Her blue eyes seemed clouded with sadness, her smile forced, even somber.
Saints in heaven, had Albani already begun whispering tales about her?
”My lord captain, don't you look handsome!” her ladys.h.i.+p exclaimed as she held her hand out to Edward. ”I have always thought that there is nothing quite like a splendid uniform to display a well-favored gentleman to perfection. Go ahead now, through those doors, where Admiral Nelson is waiting for you at his desk. My dear little Robin shall stay with me, here in my own bower, for another moment or two.”
She took Francesca by the arm, leading her into the small sitting room adjacent to the larger chamber that served as the admiral's headquarters. Because the villa had been built for the summer heat, there were no fireplaces, and the small brazier of coals in the center of the room gave off little warmth into the high-ceilinged room with the floor of marble tiles. After Lady Hamilton sent the footman for hot tea, she motioned for Francesca to sit, but Francesca was far too agitated to take the offered chair.
”My lady, I must speak to you,” she began in a rush as soon as the footman had left them alone. ”Do you recall the brooch you were wearing when last you came to my studio, an extraordinary French piece fas.h.i.+oned in the shape of a diamond-covered feather?”
Lady Hamilton looked up toward the heavens, waving the ta.s.seled end of one of her shawls to show her indifference. ”Oh, little Robin, do you truly believe I can recall what I wore this morning, let alone which jewels I chose for a visit weeks ago?”
”But this piece you would remember, my lady,” insisted Francesca, not believing her. ”It was special, my lady, for you told me it had been first a gift from Queen Marie Antoinette to her sister Queen Maria Carolina, and then to you-”
”My dear, this is most fascinating,” interrupted her ladys.h.i.+p, reaching for Francesca's hand, ”and I am most sorry to stop you, but you see I must speak to you upon another matter before the admiral summons you to join him and your bonny lord captain.”
”Summons me?” asked Francesca, her suspicions and fear growing. ”Whatever could he have to say to me?”
”A powerfully great deal, if I am not mistaken,” said her ladys.h.i.+p ruefully. ”Now mind what I say, little Robin. When you see your husband next, he will not be a happy man, and it will be your place to cheer and support him as best you can.”
Francesca shook her head impatiently, not needing this advice from Lady Hamilton. Wouldn't she already do this and more for Edward? And what could make him so desperately unhappy, anyway? ”But I don't see that-”
”Hush,” ordered her ladys.h.i.+p gently, ”and mind me. This very moment Captain Lord Ramsden is receiving news he will not wish to hear, the worst possible news to him.”