The words of Alessio’s new private secretary still buzzed in his ears like violent white noise. There had been mention of Stefano’s role as patron of the orchestra, and an important but undisclosed personal request. Now he could barely contain the heat inside him, which reached volcanic levels as he battled the tide that threatened to burst free. The anger at himself for his failure, for allowing Lucy to distract him.
This was his last moment to make things right for his siblings. Whatever the cost, he would not fail them again.
He walked towards Lucy. She looked up at him, her golden eyes wide, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.
‘In the dying days of the Second World War, as the enemy approached to occupy this castle, my family gave Lasserno’s coronation ring to an Australian soldier with links to the underground movement, to take to safety.’
‘Wait...what?’
A frown creased her brow. She appeared confused. But there was no confusing what he’d said. The facts were incontrovertible.
‘I don’t know anything about a ring. I only know about my violin.’
It was a delightful and compelling act—but then Celine had fooled him for five years, professing love and adoration when it had all been lies. It simply proved how easily he fell for a beautiful face. A willing body.
‘I am not interested in some fiddle.’
‘It’s nofiddle—and there’s no ring...only the violin and what my grandfather’s diaries say. Something about it being Lasserno’s heart.’
Stefano’s own heart stuttered, missed a beat. Those words alone were enough to confirm what he knew. But to havediariesas evidence?
‘Another name for the coronation ring was the Heart of Lasserno, after its flawless central ruby. How could your grandfather talk about Lasserno’s heart if he didn’t have the ring? It’s no coincidence.’
His words were hissed through clenched teeth as he began to pace, trying to hold back his frustration at her equivocation wheneverythingrode on this.
‘And yet my investigations show that your family has no great riches. It’s unremarkable except for your father’s parlous financial history.’
Lucy rocked back, a hand to her chest. ‘You had me investigated?’
In a moment of weakness Stefano hesitated, almost reached out to steady her, to take her in his arms and whisper that everything would be okay. Butnothinghere was okay.
‘Exactly how long have you suspected that my family had something valuable of yours?’ she asked.
‘When you mentioned your grandfather’s name. Arthur Hunter. “Art”, you called him. My family archives talk of a man—Art Cacciatore. Despite extensive searches I could never find him, butcacciatoremeans “hunter” in Italian. Something else that’s no coincidence.’
The colour ran high on her cheeks. Two ruddy red strips on her otherwise pale skin.
‘You knew from the beginning. All this time.’
She shook her head, almost as if disappointed. As if he was yet another person to add to a growing list. But she was no innocent in this twisted tale. Her feelings didn’t matter here—only his brother and sister did.
‘Where is the ring, Lucy?’
She threw up her hands. ‘I keep trying to tell you. There’s only the violin. My grandfather’s diary mentions someone telling him to save himself, and he says that Lasserno’s heart saved him. You say it’s a ring, but the violin saved him. I’ve told you this story. In his last days he seemed crippled by guilt over it all.’
What did he care for the violin? He’d not completed the task he’d set out to achieve. There would be no glorious homecoming for his nation’s treasure. His quest for redemption had come to an ignominious end.
Stefano shoulders slumped, and exhaustion threatened to cut him down at the knees. How would he free his brother and sister now?
‘That coronation ring was priceless...’
Lucy took a step forward, looked into his face, faltered. She stepped back. ‘So is the violin. I was told my whole life that it was one of many valuable reproductions, but when my grandfather died and we found his diaries we discovered that it was real. A Stradivarius.’ She pointed, jabbing her finger at the case where it now sat, on top of the grand piano. ‘Up until now it’s been thought that all the existing Strads are known. A new one will create history—a storm in the music world. My grandfather talked of the violin being Lasserno’s heart and Lasserno’s heart saving him. What if...? I don’t know...’
Lucy began to pace, clenching and unclenching her hands. ‘What if they’re one and the same? Maybe he swapped the ring for the violin whilst on the run? To keep himself alive? A jewel couldn’t help him, but a violin could. Maybe he saw the Stradivarius as fair trade, because he knew the value of what he was being given? Swapping one priceless object for another. It’s all a guess, but I can’t be sorry about it. Because without the violin I might not be here.’
Sorry...It was a mere word. It wasn’t enough. She’d travelled to Lasserno for this reason and stayed silent.
‘You came to my home with that knowledge and you did not sayanythingto me.’