CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER ONE
Almost ten years later…
‘This way …’
From beneath the hood of her coat, Juliet Adams resisted rolling her eyes as Louanna walked ahead of the small group—she was clearly in good spirits.
It was damp and misty, and Juliet was worried.
There were grey clouds over the Tuscan hills and they seemed headed their way.
Beneath the hood her long red hair was worn down, but clipped back from her face, there were pearls in her ears and the black halter neck dress she wore was more suited to a cocktail party than the middle of the day…
It wasn’t her hair or her attire that concerned Juliet, though. It was the instruments they carried. ‘Louanna we can’t play outside.’
‘But it’s Valentine’s Day in Lucca,’ Louanna insisted, carrying her cello case with practised ease. ‘Lots of love and music to be made.’
There were four of them. Juliet was English, the others Italian, and they all attended the music school here in Lucca and had formed a string quartet—though offers for work weren’t exactly pouring in. Lucca was full to the brim with talented and emerging musicians, and their little ensemble was struggling to get bookings.
Juliet was in her final year and hoping to turn professional soon—though she had exams to focus on and, given her work commitments at the ice-cream store and a local bar, she was behind on practice.
Behind on everything…
Louanna, the cellist and their self-proclaimed manager, had decided to capitalise on this romantic day and persuaded them to perform for free on Lucca’s famous ancient walls.
‘It’s threatening rain.’ Ricco glanced up at the ominous sky. ‘Look, we can’t play. Why don’t we head to the square…set up somewhere sheltered?’ He nudged Juliet. ‘For Valentine’s Day they’re holding speed-dating there. You could give it a go.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Speed-dating—it’s great fun.’
‘In the square?’ she checked. ‘You mean, in front of everyone?’
‘Maybe try it. That is how Gabriele and I met…’
Juliet could honestly not imagine anything more horrific—she was shy at the best of times, but to have an audience watching you blush and bluster your way through first introductions…!
‘It’s perfect,’ Ricco insisted.
He was always trying to matchmake, and lately Juliet seemed to be his project. She found she could talk a little with him—perhaps because he only liked men.
‘You say you don’t have time to meet anyone…’ he went on. ‘There will be ten, maybe twelve guys on each table. It’s short—a timed session. If you don’t get on with someone it will drag, but if you click…’
‘Oh, please.’ Juliet had never clicked with anyone. ‘What would I say?’
‘They’ll know you’re English, they’ll see you’re gorgeous. Say you’re studying music and hope to be a professional musician,’ he turned. ‘What else?’
‘There isn’t much else.’ It was the truth—she lived and breathed music and worked to support it. ‘I could say I’m hoping to get my residency here…’
‘Too much, too soon,’ Ricco said. ‘Keep it light.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Okay, what’s your ideal first date?’
‘A nice restaurant?’
‘You’re as broke as me.’
‘A picnic, then. Flowers? I don’t know…’
‘Just be yourself. But don’t go on about your exes…’
‘I’m not doing it,’ Juliet said, rather than tell him that there weren’t any exes.
Well, hardly.
She’d never got past the getting-to-know-you part—or rather, when her date got to know that she’d never seriously dated, let alone slept with anyone, any fledgling romance came to an abrupt end.
As if being twenty-five and a virgin, and seriously single, meant she must have issues…
‘Give it a go,’ Ricco pushed, but she shook her head.
‘I’ll think about it once my exams are out of the way…’
‘What is there to think about?
She was saved from answering by a welcome drizzle of rain, and Dario spoke up. ‘I’m not playing outside in this.’
‘Okay.’ Louanna turned around and put up a hand to halt both their protests and their steps. ‘We’re not playing on the walls—we have a booking…’ She pointed to a bench. ‘Perhaps take a seat?’
Louanna was a little bossy—albeit effectively so, because they all did as they were told as Louanna stood leaning against the stone wall.
‘You’ve all rehearsed the piece I suggested?’ Louanna checked, nodding to Juliet because, given they shared a flat, she would have heard that she had. Ricco and Dario said they’d practised too. ‘That’s good, because we have a wedding booking.’
‘When?’ Dario asked.
‘Right now!’ Louanna said. ‘Six hours’ paid work and hopefully good tips.’
‘Why on earth didn’t you say?’ Juliet sat up. ‘I’ve been panicking about giving up a shift!’
‘I know, but this is a top-secret event. It’s Gio Casadio’s wedding,’ Louanna said, as if that name alone explained everything.
Actually, it did.
‘The owner of the Casadio Winery?’
‘Yes—amongst many other things.’ Louanna nodded. ‘Serious wealth. This is the break we’ve been hoping for.’
‘But…’ Juliet shook her head at the impossibility of them playing at such an elite function. And it had to be elite—the wine they produced was so well-renowned that even in England she’d heard of it. Not that she’d ever tried it.
Then she swallowed. Actually, she had…
Susie—her and Louanna’s flatmate—had brought some home the other week, along with some other fabulous treats, and invited them to help themselves…
Juliet loathed rumours, but she’d have to be living under a rock not to know that Susie and the very out-of-town Dante Casadio had supposedly had a fling when he’d briefly returned.
‘This is huge for us,’ Louanna said. ‘I nearly died when the event planner called. She asked for our demo tapes before committing and insisted I keep it to myself.’
‘I’d have told everyone,’ Ricco freely admitted. ‘Are you for real, Louanna? Gio is getting married? He must be eighty?’
‘The bride isn’t much younger!’ Louanna had saved the best to last. ‘It’s Mimi!’
Ricco was so excited to hear Mimi’s name that he jumped off the bench and covered his mouth, moaning with excitement.
‘Mimi?’ Juliet gulped. She knew that name—and not just because the woman was helping Susie with her Italian. ‘The famous opera singer?’
‘That’s the one,’ Louanna smiled.
Mimi was incredible.
As soon as she’d heard who it was helping her friend learn Italian, Juliet had fallen into an opera-shaped rabbit hole and started listening to her—studying her, really. Mimi, if she so chose, could stand right where they were now, on the walls, and her voice would reach the beautiful Tuscan hilltops in the distance.
‘Why us?’ Juliet asked, feeling sick with nerves. ‘She could have anyone.’
‘They wanted no fuss…just a small family meal after the service…but Gio has decided to surprise her. Mimi has no idea that there’s to be live music. Pearla’s is catering…’
‘Pearla’s?’ Juliet frowned, glancing along the walls towards the very exclusive restaurant where Susie worked. Oh, goodness… ‘Is the reception being held at the restaurant?’
‘No, no.’ Louanna said. ‘It’s all being held at Gio’s home—the planner is there setting up now. Pearla’s are tearing their hair out at the short notice—Valentine’s is their busiest day. But of course they’re not going to say no to Gio. And musically everyone was already booked.’
‘Are both Sevandro and Dante going to be there?’ Dario asked. Then he added for Juliet’s benefit. ‘They’re Gio’s grandsons.’
‘Yes, as well as Mimi’s sister. It’s really small, just a party of five, so there’s no room for error…’ Louanna warned. They all knew that a bigger audience was in many ways easier. ‘Today could lead to much bigger things, so we have to get everything right. There’re a few details to run through. Juliet, you especially need to hear this—the guys will know most of it already…’
Juliet nodded. Performing at a wedding wasn’t just a matter of plonking down and playing, especially in such an intimate setting as someone’s home, so she listened carefully.
‘It’s a second marriage for both,’ Louanna explained. ‘Gio’s first wife died years ago, whereas Mimi was widowed more recently. She moved in with Gio apparently to help him in the house—though I think they told people that to keep things above board. Gio’s very old school…that’s why they want low key.’
Juliet nodded and smiled, about to pick her violin case up. She assumed they’d discuss the music selections on the way to the venue, as they usually did, but Louanna waved her to sit back down.
‘Wait, Juliet, this is important. A few years ago—actually, it must be almost ten—there was a dreadful accident. Over there.’ She pointed out to the hills. ‘Gio’s son, along with his wife, were travelling to Milan in a helicopter…’
‘He was Gio’s only child,’ Ricco added—which told Juliet he must have died. ‘No one survived. It came down just after take-off. My mother actually saw it happen.’
‘They were a stunning couple,’ Louanna elaborated, as she always did. ‘Really prominent here, and so glamorous…’
Juliet looked out to the hills, currently all misty and grey, as Louanna spoke on.
‘Sevandro’s wife, Rosa, also died in the accident. They’d only been married a few months…she was so beautiful, so young, and there were whispers she was pregnant.’
‘She wasn’t,’ Ricco said. ‘My mother—’
‘Guys,’ Juliet cut in. For while it helped to know what had happened, she didn’t need intimate details. She asked instead for more pertinent information. ‘So what music’s on the forbidden list?’
‘Plenty…’ Louanna gave a dramatic sigh. ‘I’ve gone through it with the event planner…’
They started to walk as they discussed the musical selections. There was a lot to avoid. Not just from the funerals, but also the younger couple’s wedding.
‘It’s a musical minefield!’ Louanna said as they came to a set of huge gates.
She took out her phone to call the organiser and make sure the coast was clear. As they waited Juliet peered in. There were magnificent buildings all over Lucca, and she’d walked past this one often, assuming it was an old palace or a stately home, perhaps a government building. Even now, looking at the fountains and beautiful gardens, it was hard to fathom it was actually someone’s home.
‘Let’s go,’ Louanna said as a groundsman let them in. ‘We have half an hour to set up and hopefully rehearse that piece.’
‘Should we warn Juliet about the brothers?’ Ricco queried as they entered the grounds and walked towards the grand residence. But then he told her anyway. ‘There was a big fall-out—’
‘I don’t need to know.’ Juliet felt she’d already had enough of a window into their world.
But Louanna carried on regardless. ‘They’re rarely together, Sevandro’s based in Dubai—he’s some big shot in the hotel industry—and Dante is in Milan. He’s…’
‘Fine,’ Juliet snapped.
She’d already gleaned from Susie that Dante was a divorce attorney. Oh, please let Susie not have been roped into working at this function…
‘They had a big fight the night before Sevandro’s wedding,’ Louanna rattled on. ‘You’ll see the scar on Dante’s face—’
‘I get it!’ Juliet said.
She simply loathed unnecessary talk about people—and with good reason. Her parents had broken up thanks to careless gossip. Worse, Juliet was the one who’d caused the break-up, having repeated what she’d overheard at school…
‘Sevandro’s a cold bastard.’ Louanna just loved to talk. ‘He doesn’t even visit Rosa’s grave when he’s back. In fact, you might see him in the square,’ she added sarcastically. ‘He certainly enjoys speed-dating…though I don’t think there’s much dating involved.’
‘Stop!’ Juliet hated confrontation but, blushing horribly, she turned and faced her. Louanna was simply too much at times. ‘We’ve been invited to play at a family wedding and we are taking their money,’ Juliet reminded the group. ‘I don’t think it’s appropriate to be talking so nastily about any of them.’
‘I’m just telling you what you need to know.’
‘No.’ Juliet shook her head. ‘I don’t need to know that!’
‘Juliet’s right.’ Ricco backed her up. ‘Let’s go in there and share in their celebration and make the best music we can.’
It was, though, rather daunting…
The event planner led them into a vast entrance hall with an impossibly high ceiling and a curved staircase. It was all so grand and formal that it was even harder to think of it as a home.
‘The dining room is being decorated now,’ they were told. ‘I’ll let you know when the wedding group start to head back so you can stop tuning. It’s to be a complete surprise.’
‘We can store our things here,’ Louanna told them, taking out a key and opening up a door beneath the stairs. She turned the lights on. ‘I brought the stands over last night.’
It was far too large to be called a cupboard—one wall was lined with hooks and there were long benches. Removing her coat, Juliet guessed it had once been a cloakroom, and could picture grand balls and counts’ and countesses’ coats and capes being hung there.
It was nice to have a safe place to leave extra instruments, and such—somewhere that drinks wouldn’t be spilled or have people tripping over them. And it was a treat to have a suitable place to hang their coats and check their appearance before setting up.
In contrast to the austere entrance hall, the dining room was more welcoming. While very grand, the elegant furnishings were rich with family photos and mementoes. French windows led onto a tiled portico and beyond a less formal garden, giving it a cosier feel. It was currently being dressed for the wedding, with portraits of both Mimi and Gio being positioned on easels.
As they set up Louanna nudged her. ‘There’s Susie—she’s in her waitressing gear. I wonder if Dante knows she’ll be here?’
Then she must have recalled Juliet’s rare outburst and abruptly stopped.
‘You could have at least warned her about the wedding,’ Juliet chided. ‘This morning before we left.’
‘I didn’t know she would be waitressing,’ Louanna retorted. ‘I thought she was working in the kitchen at Pearla’s now. Anyway, I promised not to reveal anything.’
‘But surely…?’
‘No.’ Louanna shook her head. ‘The management at Pearla’s have kept it from their staff till the last minute. You told me off for gossiping but now question why Susie wasn’t told. You can’t have it both ways, Juliet.’
Louanna made a good point—but what about loyalty and friendship? Susie was as pale as a ghost, Juliet thought as she gave her friend a wave. She’d been worried about her for a little while. If she had had a fling with Dante, it would be dreadful to have to work at a function he was attending.
It was rather a rush to set up, but they tuned their instruments and then rehearsed the piece they’d practised separately before the event planner called for them all to stop.
‘They’re at the main gates…’
‘Quiet, everyone!’ someone else called, and the main doors to the dining room were closed to shut them in.
Susie came out of a small butler’s pantry carrying a silver tray with glasses of champagne. She was dreadfully pale, as she had often been of late, and Juliet found her eyes drifting down to Susie’s stomach. She was relieved that it looked completely flat, telling herself she was imagining things. But she was truly worried for her new friend.
The pause was long, and they all sat quietly, taking one last look around the beautiful room, and then, as footsteps approached, they took their positions, ready to play.
There was chatter and laughter outside, and then the doors opened…
‘Oh!’ Mimi gasped, as she stepped in, looking so stunned that she lost that gorgeous voice for a moment as their music gloriously welcomed the bride.
She was dressed in emerald silk, her silver curls piled high, and she walked around; her hands clasped, red lips smiling.
‘Oh, Gio…’ she kept saying, clearly overcome as she went over to the portraits.
And even though Juliet’s ears were on the music they played, the piece was so familiar that she allowed her gaze to drift to Susie, her tray proffered as a man came in.
It was Dante. Juliet knew that not just because she’d seen him on television, more because he and Susie were trying too hard to ignore each other as he took a champagne flute from her tray.
Then the other grandson walked in.
About to turn back to her fellow musicians, return her full attention to the music, suddenly Juliet heard the chatter, the laughter, even the sound from her own violin, seem to fade. It was as if she was observing from one of the audio booths at music school. The world seemed to hush even as she played on.
That must be Sevandro.
He wore not a scowl, but a stern expression—as if he were walking into a funeral rather than a delightful wedding. His thick black hair was longer than his brother’s, he was a little taller, a little broader, and quite simply, to Juliet, a whole lot more…
He took a champagne flute from the tray, and whatever he said made the still-tense Susie briefly smile as he turned away.
His suit was the darkest grey, his tie a few shades lighter, and Juliet was filled with a sudden urgency for more detail. Not the salacious kind Louanna so freely gave away, but different details, like the sound of his voice, or the colour of his eyes, but he was too far away.
Deliberately she checked herself, looked at her music, tuned back into the world. Her slight absence had gone unnoticed, the music was sublime… But then she found her eyes drifting again, on high alert when she saw Sevandro was walking towards her.
Juliet’s stomach clenched as it might have if the catch on a jaguar’s cage had been unexpectedly released and the beast sauntered out. There was a sudden confliction, an odd acknowledgment of danger, and yet also a fascination that held her trapped for a moment as he walked towards her.
He was coming over, and so heavy was the pull, so dense the feeling low in her stomach, it seemed almost apt that he should acknowledge her. It took a couple of seconds for her to self-correct and register that rather than walking towards her, he was just moving in her general direction.
Of course…
She played on, unseen and unnoticed, watching from a safe distance as he approached the happy couple. Inwardly she scolded her own overreaction, watching his almost-scowl fade into a slim smile as he congratulated his grandfather and his glowing bride.
She looked away, tuning in to the music, and they were about to move into the second piece when Mimi announced, ‘I have to sing!’
The musicians paused and, still a touch bewildered by her reaction to the very handsome stranger, still on alert, Juliet flushed with pleasure as the gorgeous diva came over. Mimi was the best form of distraction—and Juliet was utterly starstruck as she introduced herself to the quartet and asked everyone’s names.
‘“Una Voce Poco Fa”,’ she said. “A Voice I Once Heard” from The Barber of Seville .
Thank goodness Louanna had made sure they’d practised it.
It was truly a privilege to be there and to accompany Mimi. So much so that it allowed Juliet to put aside thoughts of the handsome widower as she played, revelling in Mimi’s voice that moved like a swan floating on the water; the words so sensual, so seductive, it was as if Mimi was truly transformed into the flirtatious and spirited Rosina.
There was applause from their small audience afterwards, and a couple of ‘Bravos!’—though of course they were for Mimi.
The ensemble played beautifully.
When a performance went well, it felt as if it was just the four of them, appreciating each other, meeting each other. Their instruments complementing rather than competing. Their little squabbles forgotten, the hours of practice paying off as they barely noticed the hours flying by.
Juliet escaped into her music and almost forgot he was there.
Almost.
‘We’ll take a break,’ Louanna suggested after a suitable time had passed.
But as Juliet put down her violin, stood and smoothed her dress, that aching awareness returned. Her head seemed to be fighting with her neck not to turn.
They were led downstairs into the main kitchen.
‘Well done,’ Cuoco the head chef at Pearla’s congratulated them as they came in. ‘Now it is my turn to take care of you.’
It was a sumptuous lunch, and they all fell on it. Performing really was hungry work at times, and today it was profitable too.
The event planner caught up with Louanna and handed her the pay envelopes. ‘You’re here till seven?’ she checked, and Louanna nodded. ‘Can you stay later if they ask?’
‘Of course,’ Louanna said.
‘Did you bring concert dress?’ the organiser asked.
‘No,’ Juliet said, worried she’d messed things up for the group, who had.
But Louanna wasn’t letting this opportunity slip by. ‘Can someone go out and get Juliet some make-up and black stockings?’ she asked. She turned to Juliet and added, ‘I have a bolero you can borrow.’
‘Thank you,’ Juliet said, looking at the cash figure on her envelope. She’d wear a bobble hat if they asked her to! The pay was so generous it meant that for the next couple of weeks she could breathe, as well catch up on exam practice without working at the bar to make her rent.
Thank goodness, she thought as she put her wages in her bag in the room under the stairs. But of course it was unsustainable; there wouldn’t be many exclusive events like this. They really had lucked out.
Stepping out of the large cloakroom, Juliet was almost tempted to duck back in when she saw Sevandro—or rather, Sev, as his family seemed to call him—walking briskly past.
He didn’t notice her—or more likely the Casadios were very used to staff—and he strode through the entrance hall, opened up a door and disappeared into a room, closing the door behind him.
Juliet stood for a second, wondering how the mere sight of someone could make her a little breathless. And why was she staring at the door he’d gone through and picturing him behind it?
What sort of force did he have that she wanted to walk over there? To go in…to see how he was?
How he really was.
It was no business of hers—nothing to do with her. But it was as if she could feel the tension behind that door and understood his need for a moment or two of escape.
It was the same with her and her own family.
Oh, her family surroundings weren’t anywhere near as lavish, but she’d sat at too many family dinners, smiling and pretending everything was okay, or rather wishing it was… Wishing she could take things back and that she’d never repeated what she’d heard…
‘Juliet?’ Louanna had drifted up from the main kitchen with the others. ‘Shall we go back in?’
‘Sure.’
‘Scusi…’
As they moved back to the dining room a male voice called to them and Juliet knew it was his. Deep and rather curt, it halted her, and yet she dared not turn. Instead, she left it to Louanna to take the query, and with Ricco and Dario went back to their instruments. Juliet felt too shy to speak, even in a professional capacity, terrified of blushing or stammering and making a fool of herself.
‘We’re staying on,’ Louanna whispered as she joined them.
Sevandro returned to the dining room too, and took his seat at the large, polished table.
The afternoon session went well, and they took a supper break in the evening, when the family went to freshen up.
Having eaten, they prepared for the evening session—Ricco and Dario heading back quickly, having changed into jackets and bow ties, leaving the women to change.
As Louanna put on a long black dress Juliet pulled on the new pair of black tights and Louanna’s bolero, then took out the make-up bag the organiser had sourced, unwrapping the lipstick—a very dark shade of red.
‘I don’t think my concert dress would have been up to the occasion,’ Juliet admitted. ‘I think it would look a bit faded for here.’
‘That dress is too,’ Louanna told her, in her oh-so-assertive way. ‘Look at it compared to my bolero. You need to sort out your wardrobe.’
Juliet bit her bottom lip rather than respond. She might not like what Louanna had to say, but unfortunately she knew it was right.
Coiling her long hair into a chignon for a final touch, she added the lipstick. ‘How’s that?’ she asked, expecting another little telling-off.
‘Sexy,’ Louanna said, and Juliet laughed in surprise.
‘Back to it,’ she said.
It felt different.
There was no Susie to look out for—the caterers had gone—but there was a new feast spread out on the table, and there was whisky being drunk now, rather than Casadio wine…
Heavy jade drapes had been drawn the full length of the French windows, and the large dining room seemed to have shrunk in the darker, more intimate light. The guests were at the table, the older couple chatting animatedly, while the brothers were more muted, sitting opposite each other, both their chairs pushed back a little. It was as if they were leaning as far back from each other as they could.
The ensemble played quietly, all their favourite pieces. Sometimes a family member would look over and thank them, or suggest something, but really they were background music and enjoying being so.
Goodness, he was handsome, Juliet thought as Sevandro stood and wandered around, looking at the many family photos on display.
‘It’s a long time since we’ve done this,’ she heard Gio comment.
‘I was here in December.’ Sev turned his head a touch.
‘For a quick visit,’ Gio said. ‘You left before Dante arrived. We should get together more. I was thinking for the memorial we might…’
Juliet watched Sev’s shoulders stiffen, his hand, holding a photo, go still. He was not looking around, but perhaps Mimi saw him tense too.
‘Gio,’ she intervened gently. ‘Let’s not discuss that today.’
It was as the night was winding down that the tensions started to rise. Mimi’s sister left, and the newlyweds rose to see her out. Juliet didn’t close her eyes as she played, but nor did she look at her music. Her eyes were drawn to the two brothers, alone for the first time today.
Neither said a word, but there was a certain arrogance to Sevandro as he poured himself a drink but didn’t pour his brother one. Juliet was riveted, and found she could not pull her gaze away. She just stroked the strings with her bow, watching how the brothers stared across the table at each other, neither looking away and neither saying a word, the tension palpable.
Despite her outburst with Louanna, Juliet found she wanted to know more—wanted to know why the brothers didn’t speak.
But there would be no answers tonight. In a slightly insolent gesture Sevandro pushed his half-empty glass across the table and made to stand. It looked as if he was about to go.
‘Boys,’ Mimi said as she returned. ‘Stay.’
They might be boys to Mimi, but as the night progressed the air had become thick with testosterone, and Juliet wasn’t sure that Mimi’s suggestion to prolong the night was the wisest choice. There seemed to have been a slight loss of control in the carefully curated proceedings—or just a true glimpse of the Casadios when duty was done.
Juliet found that she rather liked it.
Louanna was applying rosin to her strings and Ricco was replacing one of his. She took a sip of iced water, the conversation from the table drifting over to her.
Mimi was lighting a cigarette and Gio was telling her off. ‘Watch that beautiful voice,’ he told her, even as he lit his own.
‘It’s my wedding day.’ Mimi pouted.
‘Dante?’ Gio said. ‘Are you able to visit the winery while you are here?’
‘I can’t,’ Dante gave a curt shake of his head.
Gio sighed. ‘Sevandro? How about you? How long before you head back to Dubai?’
Juliet didn’t get to hear the answer as the music resumed, but soon there were more signs that Sevandro was leaving as he glanced at his watch. And as the quartet discussed the next piece, Juliet felt a curious sense of disappointment that soon the night would be done.
‘Perhaps we could play one of Mimi’s favourites?’ Louanna was suggesting, flicking through music sheets.
Juliet’s gaze drifted to the table. Gio was asking Dante why he hadn’t brought a date to the wedding, but he declined to respond.
‘And you?’ Gio turned his attention to his eldest grandson, telling Sev he had a house, a home here, or surely he could stay at Dante’s… ‘And yet always you stay in a hotel.’
Sev put down his drink before responding. ‘I might want to find company.’
‘Then bring her along,’ Gio retorted.
Only his voice seemed to be muted. And Juliet felt as if she’d stepped back into that soundproof booth. Because Sevandro Casadio was looking directly at her. For the briefest second it had felt as if he was addressing her , asking her a question…
She frowned, wondering if perhaps he had a musical request, or was impatient for the ensemble to resume. With one look he imparted the heat of a thousand stars, made her too aware of her painted lips. Turning her gaze, she looked to her music sheet, then to Louanna, who gave her a nod.
The music resumed, the night went on, and really nothing had happened—except Sevandro’s one blistering look.
Juliet’s heart was pounding and she wasn’t quite sure why.
It was an idle glance, she told herself. He’d been bored, just looking over, avoiding his grandfather’s questions. And yet she found she kept wanting to look back and reclaim that moment. To meet his gaze again…to feel whatever she had briefly felt that second when she’d become aware of her red lips, for she’d been too aware of her mouth, had suddenly known how it felt to be absolutely held by eyes too far away for her to know their colour yet. Somehow, they’d held her riveted and still.
Juliet resisted looking over again, scared she would blush, or fumble her music. Surely the night was drawing to a close…
Mimi stood. ‘One more!’
She came over to the musicians and Juliet saw that Dante rolled his eyes.
‘Ah, I know…’ She gave them a smile. ‘“O Mio Babbino Caro…”’
The musicians tensed, and Dante whipped his head up, but Mimi was oblivious, waiting for the music to cue her in. But they knew it was an aria that had been played at Sevandro and Rosa’s wedding, and later at her funeral, and it was on the forbidden list.
Gio would surely halt this, thought Juliet, but he was smiling at his bride, and now Juliet dared look at Sev. His expression was unreadable, almost impassive—if that word could be used to describe features carved from stone. But there was no emotion on display. He simply sat upright and very, very still.
What did they do?
The ensemble shared urgent glances, but Mimi was getting impatient, and Louanna made the decision to play, her cello leading them in.
Juliet didn’t want to do it—she wanted to flee, watching in silent horror as Dante began to protest. But Sevandro gave a brief shake of his head to halt his brother.
With every stroke of her bow she felt as if she scraped it over his traumatised heart, but still he gave nothing away—not a single clue as to how he was feeling. He just sat through it, staring once at his brother, but apart from that he was clearly in his own head, alone.
Juliet wanted to put down her violin, but instead she played on.
She was torturing him.
To Juliet that was how it felt.
Sevandro didn’t even flinch.
On the contrary, he applauded.
‘Bravo,’ he said as they concluded, and then applauded Mimi, before he stood and said he really must go.
He kissed Gio and Mimi…nodded in the direction of Dante.
Juliet did not get a second glance. She simply sat there, watching as he walked off while fighting the most ridiculous urge to run after him…
And she was fighting something else…something she didn’t understand.
That company Sevandro had said he might want to find tonight…?
Juliet wanted it to be her.