“No, no, I can’t leave yet,” Lucia objected. “I have something very special for my girl. I believe you need something old.” She turned to her husband.
Amo smiled gently at his wife, his eyes shining with his love for her. It had always been that way when Amo looked at Lucia, Nicoletta knew. It was one of the first things she’d noticed about the couple, the way they treated each other with such care. She saw that same light shining in Taviano’s eyes when he looked at her.
Amo took an antique jeweler’s case from behind him, where it was sitting on a table. The case was square, black, and worn in places, but rather tall. He opened the lid and handed it to Lucia. His wife looked down at it for a long moment and then up at Nicoletta.
“My mother gave this to me on my wedding day. Her mother gave it to her. You’re my daughter, so I’m giving it to you, and I hope when your daughter gets married you give it to her, and she treasures it the way I know you will.”
Lucia looked into the jewelry box for a long moment and then lifted the piece out slowly. Nicoletta’s breath caught in her throat. She heard Emmanuelle gasp. The bracelet was a series of thin gold bangles held together by woven gold braided knots. The piece was to be worn from wrist to shoulder.
Nicoletta didn’t know the first thing about jewelry, but just looking at it, she knew it was absolutely unique. Emmanuelle stepped closer to watch as Lucia slid the bangles up Nicoletta’s arm and tightened the knots. They were actually slipknots made of the finest thin gold.
“That’s so clever,” Emmanuelle said. “That’s a genuine Italian piece from the earliest craftsmen. Lucia, it’s worth a fortune.”
“It was my grandmother’s. And then my mother’s,” Lucia reminded in her gentle way as she turned each bangle on Nicoletta’s arm until she was satisfied the gold enhanced the perfection of her skin. “I wore this same bracelet, and now our girl is wearing it. To loosen each bangle, you simple pull the slipknot, see, Nicoletta?” She demonstrated with the last tiny braided knot.
Nicoletta should have protested wearing it, let alone accepting it. A piece of jewelry in such pristine condition from so long ago, crafted by Italian jewelers for wealthy patrons, was only seen in museums and then, rarely. But this was Lucia’s, and it was given to her from the heart, handed down from mother to daughter. The gesture was huge, and the meaning behind it even greater. She never wanted to take the bracelet off.
“Thank you, Lucia. I’ll treasure this incredible gift always, and when my daughter weds, she will wear it,” she vowed.
Nicoletta wrapped her arms around Lucia again and gently hugged her. Lucia always seemed delicate to her, a fragile flower, yet she’d lost two children and she remained standing straight, loving her husband, supporting him through every difficult time. She had a backbone of steel, just as Nicoletta’s birth mother had. Nicoletta was going to maintain that same backbone and make certain her children—boys or girls—did the same. She wanted Lucia and Amo close to be grandparents to her children, to be the amazing examples they were.
“I made certain to show Taviano the piece so he could match the gold with your earrings and necklace,” Amo pointed out, to keep the women from bursting into tears again.
Nicoletta turned back to the mirror to look at herself. Immediately her gaze was drawn to the golden circles going up her arm, complementing her skin. The ivory silk sheath dress could have been planned around the piece. The sheer duster, with its peekaboo shoulders and wispy sheer lace, looked as if it had been made specifically to be worn with the bracelet.
Even the tiara she wore in her hair with the chocolate diamonds had the same Florentine gold woven around the glittering gems.
Emmanuelle beamed at her. “You truly are beautiful. I can’t wait for my brother to see you coming down the aisle to him.”
The door opened and Grace leaned in. She beckoned to Lucia and Emmanuelle. “Everyone is waiting. We don’t want them to get restless, and if we’re not on time, Taviano will panic and come looking for Nicoletta.” She stopped to really look at her newest sister-in-law. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”
Emmanuelle took Lucia’s arm. “She does, doesn’t she? We don’t want to panic Taviano by being late.”
Lucia blew Nicoletta kisses and walked with Emmanuelle out of the room. Grace glanced at her watch. “I’ll come get you in a couple of minutes.” She closed the door, leaving Nicoletta alone with Amo.
“I’m so nervous, Amo, and I don’t even know why. Technically, I’m already married to him. He took my ring back.” She rubbed her finger. It felt bare without her ring. “Even without his ring, I’m still married to him. I shouldn’t be nervous, but look at this.” She held out her hand to show him her trembling fingers.