Page 11 of Promised to the Don of Naples
"I get out of burying a bride," he said, the smile still showing. "And my brother wouldn't thank me if I let Bianca humiliate you at your first dinner."
"What brotherly kindness."
"Sì. I'm a complicated man." He stood and grabbed his jacket. "Oh, and cognatina..."
"I'm listening."
"The north side won't work next time."
I looked up.
"Come again?"
He tapped lightly on the door frame on his way out.
"I had the wall reinforced yesterday. Sorry."
He walked out laughing, and I sat looking at the empty chair where he'd been sitting.
Raffaele knew about the escape and the north wall. Either he'd seen it, or Luca had told him. And I couldn't decide which of the two was worse.
I called Francesca at eleven at night.
"Bella, do you know what time it is?"
"You never slept before two in Palermo, Fra. Don't give me that."
"I've changed. I'm a new woman. I go to bed with the Madonna at ten." I heard her lighting a cigarette. "Tell me everything."
I told her about the vineyard and the ankle. I told her about the touch on my elbow too, and I explained a little about the people around me, including Raffaele and Bianca.
She listened in silence. When I finished, she took a long drag.
"Gesù Cristo. You got promoted from bride to soap-opera heroine in three days."
"Fra, help me."
"Allora. Let's take it one piece at a time. First: the photo."
"I know."
"You need to find out when the photo was taken. What year. Where. Who else was there."
"How?"
"Is their nonna still alive?"
"The mother's dead, but the paternal nonna is alive. She lives on Capri and she's coming to the wedding."
"Can you get to her before the wedding?"
"Maybe."
"Old Catholic women love telling the things their children don't want told. Second: Bianca."
"What about her?"
"She's going to test you on Friday. She's going to test you in front of your father, the consigliere, and the whole family. You already know that."
