THE CARETAKER BRIDE

s if he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to. My mother, on the other

ting to the painting I'd spent hours on that morning. It was a project I'd been immersed in, esp

throat rather loudly. "We need

attack. The news hadn't affected me as deeply as I thought it would have; we'd only met once, years ago, and there

scandal of me being left without a fiancé at seventeen. Like ... i wasn't e

and," my father announced,

ge to come up eventually, though I'd hoped I might

s!" my mother blu

ptain-a match that had clearly been underwhelming for my over ambitious mother. I wracked my br

ked away. "Ni

it

im to care for his two young children alone. Rumors about her death were rampant: some said he'd killed her in a rage, others claimed she'd died from the stress

er than me," I

He's a man in his prime,"

ed. We'd never met; he didn't even know

families is always desirable," she explained

'd mentioned Nicolas in passing, saying Luca, their Capo, had made him Underbos

as offering me t

sing my mother alrea

r birthday," she r

you waited until I came of age. We'r

tone before meeting Nicolas. A man

ays been to elevate our family's standing in the familiganothing more.

"This will be the event of the year," she de

m not sure Nicolas will approve of

Egidia," my fat

ps. "Pretty, but not so

y, he shouldn't be robb

, my words. My shocking her while my

r sighed, giving me a weary smile. "You

r status. How is marrying a r

turing toward the garde

he warm, humid night. "Nicolas isn't

ept drifting to Luca, my cousin, whose cold demeanor and

se crossed my fac

sabella. Becoming Nicolas's wi

him 'irrevocably

g his eyes. "To his men a

My voice trembled. "Wha

e Nicolas wasn'

t you say he's trying

"I told you

happened to Mrs. Moretti? F

. "Nicolas won't lay a hand on you

Nicolas if it came to it. Nicolas had Luca's

morrow," my father added,

rst meeting would be formal, with me staying in my