Death in the Palazzo Read Online Free PDF

eyes bore into Urbino as if he would search out the answer if Urbino didn’t give it.
    â€œTo himself? Molly knows, and she’s a complete stranger!” Viola looked at Urbino silently for several moments, with much more gentleness than Robert had. Her strong face turned serious. “Perhaps you’re right. I can see that whatever it is, it’s very painful even after all these years.”
    She touched Urbino’s hand with her long, narrow fingers and smiled at him sympathetically.
    â€œMolly’s comment just took me by surprise,” he said. “What happened to my mother and father isn’t a secret. They were killed when their car burst into flames after being hit by a sugarcane truck. It was outside New Orleans.”
    He had tried to say it matter-of-factly, but he was betrayed when his voice quavered slightly, and he averted his eyes from Viola’s to consider the Contessa’s Veronese over the fireplace.
    â€œMolly should show more self-control,” Viola said and threw an angry glance at the woman. Molly was peering with a smile at the Contessa, who, now that Sebastian had finally finished, was describing how enjoyable her sitting for Gemma had been and how she herself couldn’t wait to see the portrait tomorrow evening. “People with Molly’s kind of gift, if that’s what you call it—curse is more like it!—should keep it to themselves.”
    â€œDon’t be so hard on the little lady,” Robert said. “Remember what she said about the damage it would do to her if she held herself back.”
    â€œThere’s no need to be upset on my behalf,” Urbino said. “I appreciate it,” he gave Viola a smile, “but the death of my parents isn’t something I try to hide. And the story’s there for anyone who wants to take the trouble to find out about it.”
    â€œAre you saying that you think Molly doesn’t have a gift?” Viola asked.
    â€œI believe what Urbino is saying is that someone might have put the bug in the little lady’s ear,” Robert said. “Maybe—”
    â€œOh, my God!” Viola interrupted as she looked at the door. “The Zenos and their doctor, I’m sure! What a ghastly crew! Oh, excuse me, Robert, you’re related to the Zenos. Great-grandmother and great-aunt, isn’t it? I wonder if Molly will have anything to tell us about them!”
    Viola, who seemed to have reverted back to her earlier cavalier attitude to Molly and her controversial gift, grabbed Urbino’s arm.
    â€œI’m so glad you’re here this weekend!” she said. “We’re going to have a marvelous time. I’m just the kind of person to draw you out! Wait and see. Come on!”
    And she led Urbino across the room to the new arrivals.

9
    Signora Marialuisa Zeno had insisted on hiring a gondola from the pension, and had sorely regretted that the Contessa hadn’t been at the landing to see them all alight.
    The strange trio had been the cynosure of everyone else’s eye, however, as they had floated down the Grand Canal to the dark building of their past: Dr. Vasco, gaunt and severe, melancholily contemplating the passing scene from beneath his shaggy gray brows; Signora Zeno, a shrunken doll peeping out from dark garments, her black walking stick gripped in her hand; and Bambina in a beribboned gondolier’s hat, sprawled magnificently against the cushions like some superannuated Cleopatra and casting condescending glances at anyone on foot or in lesser craft.
    The three of them now silently surveyed the field of the salotto blu as if unsure of whether they wanted to venture farther in—that is, until Bambina caught sight of Urbino. She started forward involuntarily, a coy smile on her brightly colored lips, but was restrained by what seemed to be a sharp pinch from her mother. She then took out a small silver flask from her pocket, unscrewed the lid,