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The servants laid the bier on the trestles waiting in the center of the large front roomCandles were lit and the two fires built up at opposite ends of the roomFood, they had set up earlier that dayIt was quickly uncovered on the long sideboard along with the wineThe windows were opened to air the cabin and admit the breeze
At a nod from Tomasso the steward led the servants awayThey would go on to the manor further east and return at daybreak
And so they were left alone, finallyTomasso and the lords Nievole and Scalvaia, so carefully chosen two years before
"Wine, my lords?" Tomasso asked"We will have three others joining us very shortly
He said it, deliberately, in his natural voice, dropping the artificial, fluting tone cheap mulberry handbags that was his trademark in AstibarHe was pleased to see both of them note the fact immediately, their glances sharpening as they turned to him
"Who else?" growled bearded Nievole who had hated Sandre all his lifeHe made no comment on Tomasso's voice, nor hid ScalvaiaSuch questions gave too much away, and these were men long skilled in giving away very little indeed
"My brother Taeri and nephew Herado, one of Gianno's by-blows, and much the cleverest He spoke casually, uncorking two bottles of Sandreni red reserve as he spokeHe poured and handed them each a glass, waiting to see who would break the small silence his father had said would followScalvaia would ask, Sandre had said
"Who is the third?" Lord Scalvaia asked softly
Inwardly hermes kelly bag Tomasso saluted his dead fatherThen, twirling his own glass gently by the stem to release the wine's bouquet, he said, "I don't knowMy father did not name himHe named the two of you to come here, and the three of us and said there would be a sixth at our council tonight
That word too had been carefully chosen
"Council?" elegant Scalvaia echoed"It appears that I have been misinformedI was naively of the impression that this was a vigil Nievole's dark eyes glowered above his beardBoth men stared at Tomasso
"A little more than that," said Taeri as he entered the room, Herado behind him
Tomasso was pleased to see them both dressed with appropriate sobriety, and to note that, for all the suavely flippant timing of Taeri's entrance, knock off gucci bags his expression was profoundly serious
"You will know my brother," Tomasso murmured, moving to pour two more glasses for the new arrivals"You may not have met Herado, Gianno's son
The boy bowed and kept silent, as was properTomasso carried the drinks over to his brother and nephew
The stillness lasted a moment longer, then Scalvaia sank down into a chair, stretching his bad leg out in front of himHe lifted his cane and pointed it at TomassoThe tip did not waver
"I asked you a question," he said coldly, in the famous, beautiful voice"Why do you call this a council, Tomasso bar Sandre? Why have we been brought here under false pretenses?"
Tomasso stopped playing with his wineThey had come to the moment at lastHe looked from d |
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