Clara didn’t respond, but she did give Anni a small smile.
“What’s all this?” I questioned. “Where’s Adelina and why isn’t she making dinner?”
“I thought I would cook tonight. Why don’t you get the children to wash their hands and get seated. I’ll just be a couple of minutes and then I’ll bring the food in.”
I couldn’t help a sigh of frustration but did as she asked. I liked Adelina’s cooking and had been looking forward to my meal.
A couple of minutes later, Anni carried in dishes of food. She had already laid the table with the formal dinner service for me and her and the silly children’s plates for Clemente and Clara. I didn’t understand why we couldn’t all just use the same plates. The brightly colored kids’ plates certainly didn’t go with the grandeur of my dining room.
“I thought Clemente and Clara might like to try my ma’s recipe for Italian chicken cutlets—she’s famous throughout the Imperiosi for it.” She put some chicken and mashed potatoes onto the children’s plates and then passed the dishes to me so that I could serve myself.
I looked suspiciously at the food.
The stupid cat was also standing next to his bowl in the corner of the room, waiting for his dinner. I’d have to do something about moving the animal back into the kitchen. As soon as Anni put some chicken in his bowl, he started eating straight away.
“Wilbur likes,” said Clara to no one in particular.
“He sure does. This is my ma’s recipe and everyone who has tasted it loves it, including Wilbur.”
As Anni helped Clemente cut up his chicken, I saw Clara take a tentative bite of her chicken and chew it thoughtfully. After finishing it, she had another small mouthful.
I took a bite and was pleasantly surprised. “It’s not bad,” I conceded. As I ate, I couldn’t help frequent glances toward Clara. I smiled to myself, pleased that she was eating.
As dinner went on, I relaxed a bit, and I even had a second helping. Although Clara didn’t finish all her food, she definitely ate a lot more than the night before.
After dinner, I retreated to my study to finish some work. Anni was about to take the children upstairs to bathe them when I heard the front door open and someone come in.
I stuck my head out of his study door and frowned.
“Aloysius, what are you doing here at this time?”
“Your wife left this in my car earlier,” he said casually.
I looked at what was in his hand.
It was Anni’s purse.
I looked at Anni and noticed that she paled under my gaze. What the fuck had she been up to now?
My shoulder tensed as I faced Anni. “How the hell did that end up in my brother’s car?”
Anni hesitated, and I felt my blood boil.
“Anni?” I said in a hard voice.
“I was dropping off some money in your safe, and Anni wanted to go to the grocery store,” Aloysius interrupted. “There wasn’t a free soldier to accompany her,” he said easily, “so I took her in my car.”
“It was a lucky coincidence,” she added.
I paused, staring at my wife. Then I nodded. “Good. You can go out, Anni, as long as you take a bodyguard. I don’t want you going out by yourself.”
“Okay. Um, the children are waiting for me to run their bath. I better go and see to them.” With that, Anni hurried up the stairs.
“I better be going,” drawled Aloysius as we watched Anni disappear up the stairs.
“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”
I returned to my study, but instead of getting on with my work, I sat staring out of the window.