Chapter 25
An Orphan Arrives
Upon the group’s return to Villa Montblanc, a small carriage was pulling out of the courtyard, and their equipage was forced to stop until the drive was clear.
“That is the Russo carriage,” Nicoletta said, her brows furrowed. “But it’s empty. Surely Maria would not have—”
“Donna Russo has not paid a call,” Donald said, clutching Nicoletta’s gloved hand. “Donna Nancy and her nurse will be joining us for a time,” he added. Nicoletta’s confusion was evident until he added, “There’s been a terrible accident, my sweet. The Russos have both died.”
Everyone in the coach inhaled sharply and stared at Donald.
“No,” Nicoletta said under her breath.
“When…?” his father started to ask before Donald added, “Last night. On their way home from the ball. I only learned of it before we departed this afternoon.”
“On that awful curve, no doubt,” Nicoletta whispered, referring to a location where a road’s sharp turn was hidden in the dark.
“I didn’t wish to speak of it earlier. To cast a pall over our outing,” Donald explained.
“But Nancy is all right?” Nicoletta asked, her eyes wide with fright. The coach jerked into motion again, and she gasped at the sudden movement.
“She was with her nurse at their villa when it happened.”
Nicoletta lifted a hand and crossed her heart. “She will be devastated,” she whispered.
“Does the girl have any other family?” Barbara asked. “Aunts or uncles?”
“We will host her until we can discover the answers,” Donald stated.
“It is the least we can do for her given how helpful Donna Russo was during Nicoletta’s first few years as a marchesa.
” He glanced out the window as the coach came to a halt in the courtyard and a footman hurried out from the villa.
“She was with me when I delivered Antony, and I was happy to be with her when she gave birth to Nancy,” Nicoletta said. “She had a difficult labor. I worried Nancy would not survive the night, but she proved us all wrong.”
“How old is she?” Will asked.
“Nearly as old as Antony,” Nicoletta replied. “Maria…” She paused to swallow the lump in her throat. “She has raised her to be a proper young lady even as she allows her to be a child. Antony is quite taken with her. They play together sometimes.”
“She sounds adorable,” Barbara remarked.
“Does Nancy have a brother?” Will asked. “Older siblings?”
Donald shook his head. “There are no sons. No other daughters. From what I know of Conte Russo, there may be no close heirs. Mayhap a cousin in Naples,” he said, lifting a shoulder in resignation.
“We will not allow Nancy to go to Naples,” Nicoletta stated. When the others stared at her, shocked at hearing the insistence in her voice, she added, “The family there is rotten. Maria has said so.”
Will and Donald exchanged knowing glances. “It sounds as if Antony might be gaining another sister?” Will asked gently, at the same moment the tiger opened the coach door.
Before anyone made a move to depart the coach, Barbara suddenly gripped Will’s arm, and he turned to stare at her. “What is it?”
She directed a glance at Donald and then at Nicoletta before she turned her attention back to her husband.
“What if David and Donald were to gain a sister?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“I’ve always wanted a daughter,” she reminded him.
She gave Nicoletta an apologetic shrug. “Another daughter,” she quickly amended.
Will took her hand from his arm and kissed the back of it. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he whispered.
Donald dipped his head. “I hardly think it appropriate we take her in.”
“Why ever not,” Will asked, his voice kept low.
Donald dipped his head. “Antony informed me he planned to make her his marchesa when he was of an age to marry,” he replied with a soft chuckle. “They have played together since they were babes.”
Nicoletta allowed a watery grin. “Perhaps it would be best for her to live with you,” she said, her gaze on Barbara. “Seeing as how I will be giving birth to another babe before the spring entertainments.”
Will and Barbara stared at her while Donald merely appeared embarrassed. “You’re going to have another baby?” Barbara asked, her face lighting in delight. “Why, why that’s wonderful.”
“Congratulations,” Will said, punching his son on the arm.
Donald beamed. “I’ve been wanting to tell you since I first saw you at the ball,” he claimed. “Nikky wouldn’t let me.”
Nicoletta dipped her head. “I have not yet told my brother nor Zia Armenia.”
Donald rolled his eyes. “I am fairly sure she already knows,” he murmured, finally rising to make his way out of the coach. He turned and helped his wife down before offering a hand to his mother.
“What makes you say that?” Barbara asked, watching Nicoletta as she hurried off towards the front door.
Glancing around to be sure no one else was within earshot, Donald said, “Because Donna Armenia is the one who first told me,” he said, arching a brow.
By the time their party were all inside, the fate of Nancy’s parents was known to everyone. Barbara had already gone up to the nursery with Nicoletta, their steps quickening until they were nearly running.
“Do you think anyone has told her?” Barbara asked with worry.
“I don’t believe so,” Nicoletta replied. “I don’t think her nurse would be brave enough.” She allowed a sigh of frustration. “Donna Nancy was here only the day before yesterday, playing with Antony as if she didn’t have a care in the world.”
They slowed their approach to the nursery and glanced in to see Nancy and Antony embracing one another.
“Look who has come to see me again, Mama,” Antony said, beaming in delight. “Hello, Nonna.” He quickly bowed as Nancy held out her skirt to one side and dipped an awkward curtsy as Nicoletta and Barbara entered the room.
“Sì,” Nicoletta replied. She knelt before the girl and then noticed the nurse hovering in the doorway to the girl’s new bedroom.”Does she know?” she asked in Italian.
The nurse quickly curtsied and then shook her head. “Only that they were hurt, mia donna. We have been waiting for someone to come with news of what is to become of us.”
Before she had a chance to greet the child, Barbara inhaled softly when Nancy rushed forward, her arms wide until she collided with her skirts and embraced Barbara’s legs. “Nonna,” she said happily.
Awestruck, Nicoletta stared at the girl. “Why do you think she’s your grandmother?” she asked in Italian.
Nancy was about to answer, but Barbara had already knelt to pull the young girl into a hug. “Oh, you precious girl,” she said on a sigh.
“Nancy doesn’t have a nonna,” Antony said. “I told her I would share mine,” he explained. “You,” he added. “I hope it was all right.”
“It’s perfect,” Barbara said, before kissing the girl on the side of her head. “Could you tell her you will share your grandfather as well? That is, if you’re willing?”
Antony grinned before he shared the news with Nancy. When she responded with a query that made her sound excited, Antony laughed.
“What did she ask?” Barbara questioned, her attention on her grandson.
“She wants to know if Nonno will spin her around in circles like he does with me,” he replied.
Barbara tittered, but it was Will who answered from somewhere behind her. “Just try and stop me, young lady,” he said. With his hands at her waist, he lifted her into the air and spun her around over his head.
Nancy squealed with excitement, her laughter infectious. When both Will and she were dizzy, he lowered her until her slippered feet touched the floor.
“I shall never tire of hearing a child’s laughter,” he commented, his gaze on Barbara.
“Does that mean we can keep her?” she asked in a whisper.
He shrugged. “If no one else claims her, we’ll take her back to England with us,” he replied in a quiet voice.
He turned his attention on Nicoletta. “But you do realize it means you’ll have to travel to England on occasion so these two can renew their acquaintance?
” he asked, waving to Antony and Nancy. The young girl’s brown eyes were wide as she stood and stared up at him, apparently well aware she was the topic of a serious discussion even if she couldn’t understand their words.
Nicoletta allowed a watery grin. “I told Donald we could go whenever he thought he could spare the time,” she replied.
“How about every year?” Donald asked. He had joined them in the nursery, hanging back in the doorway to watch. “We stay for a month—”
“When it is the hottest month of summer here,” Nicoletta suggested.
“So… with travel, we’ll only be away for ten weeks or so?” Donald finished, stepping forward to reach out to Nancy. He whispered something in Italian, and she was suddenly shy.
“You have yourself a deal, young man,” Will replied. He paused and asked, “What did you say to her?”
“I told her I was going to be her new brother, but she seems a bit dubious,” he said, feigning offense.
“That’s because you did it all wrong, brother,” David announced, stepping into the nursery from where he had been standing outside in the corridor.
The small room was suddenly crowded, but he was soon kneeling in front of Nancy.
“Mia donna Nancy, may I have the honor of becoming your big brother?” he asked in Italian.
Nancy giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Sì,” she said, grinning.
David chuckled as he patted her back. “I’ll teach you how to play whist,” he said. “And I promise to fend off all those suitors who are going to be breaking down the doors at Devonville House to court you.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Will warned gently. “She might not be ours to simply… take.”
The words had everyone sobering until Antony reached for Nancy’s hand and announced they were going to play a game of Morra.
“I think that’s our cue to take our leave,” Will said.
Barbara sighed but leaned over and kissed the girl’s cheek as well as Antony’s. “Enjoy your game,” she murmured.
Antony bowed as Nancy curtsied, and the two went into the adjacent room.
Will’s gaze fell on the nurse, who was still watching them from the adjacent doorway. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, and he realized right away she was frightened for her future. “You will stay on as her nurse, will you not? Come to England with us if we’re allowed to take her?”
After a quick round of translations between the girl and Nicoletta, the nurse nodded enthusiastically.
“She has no family in Roma,” Nicoletta said. “Because like Nancy, she is an orphan,” she added.
“Then let us hope this works out, or I fear my countess will be heartbroken,” he replied, his words loud enough for only Nicoletta to hear.
Still out in the corridor, Vittoria pressed her back to the wall and wiped a tear from the top of one cheek.
She had surreptitiously followed the rest of the family up the stairs when she realized something had happened, but until she had overheard David’s query to the young girl, she hadn’t sorted what that might be.
Poor Donna Nancy. Although Vittoria had lost her mother when she wasn’t yet seventeen—and still missed her terribly—she was now old enough to become a mother herself. Nancy was far too young to lose both of her parents.
That David would be the one to put the girl at ease—to ask her if he might be her brother—was so unexpected. So gallant.
I promise to fend off all those suitors who are going to be breaking down the doors at Devonville House to court you.
Had she misjudged him? Assumed the worst because she had been so stubborn when Nicoletta insisted she would like him? Maybe even enough to consider courtship should he wish it?
Tomorrow was another day. The viscount would no doubt show his true colors with her—if he hadn’t already.