The Glassblower of Murano - Marina Fiorato [103]
it certainly is. She changed her tune!'
Alessandro sat down beside his son and tickled the baby's belly. `Not really. If you'd had the misfortune to know her as long as I have you'd realize that the only thing that matters to Vittoria is an exclusive. She's not a bad person, but she will shift sides with ease to get the best story. That's why we would never have worked. Her job was always much more important than people.'
Adelino had the grace to look sheepish at the mention of work. `Speaking of jobs, we'd ... I'd like you back, as soon as your family can spare you.'
Leonora looked down for a moment, remembering her ignominious departure.
`We need you back. All of us; the maestri too. We're going to be pretty busy. That edition only came out this morning and we've already had hundreds of enquiries about the Manin line. The public is a funny beast - they think Corradino is a hero. We're thinking of going national with the ad campaign. Chiara and Semi are very excited.'
Leonora started to laugh. `I bet they are.' But she began to remember other things, the smell of the Porno, the hot glass growing beneath her breath, taking shape in her hands. She had loved it, but she did not want to give in at once. `How do I know you want me back to be a glassblower, and not just to be some figurehead for your world domination?'
'Ali, you must let me come to my second gift,' said Adelino, patting all his pockets in a mock pantomime which elicited a reluctant smile from Leonora. Then, from the last pocket, he pulled, in the manner of a magician revealing a string of handkerchiefs, a length of familiar blue ribbon. Transfixed, Leonora's jaw dropped as the glass heart popped out ofAdelino's pocket. Perfect as ever, imprisoning light in its core. Leonora looked at Alessandro, who shook his head, equally amazed.
`But how did you ... when did you ...'
`How did you fish it out of the canal?' They spoke together in a rush.
Adelino drew his white brows together. `What do you mean?'
Alessandro told the tale, by now ashamed of his part in it. `So you see, the heart is ... was ... somewhere under the Bridge of Sighs. I'm just surprised that it was found.'
Adelino smiled. `No, no. This is not Corradino's heart. That one has found its rest, and just as well. Leave it for the city and the sea to claim.'
As it claimed Corradino. Yes, it was a.fitting end.
`This,' Adelino waved the heart, which winked in the sun, ,is one of the ones you made at the fornace, Leonora. This is why I want you back. You must be a better glassblower than you think to mistake your workmanship for your ancestor's.' He smiled expansively, including them all in this new word.
Leonora examined the heart and could not see the flaws she had imagined before. `Very well,' she said. 'I'll be back. But not yet. I have my son to take care of at the moment. Give me a few months.You can use all the ad material in the meantime: She smiled.'But I'm sure you would anyway.' Adelino's grin, the grin of a merchant, a pirate, a buccaneer, had returned.
She looked down at the heart where it shone in her hand. 'I'll keep it close as you asked,' she said quietly, a whisper to a long-dead man who had loved his child too. She made as if to tie the heart round her neck, in its old place, but Adelino stopped her.
`Hey, hey, what are you doing? It's not for you!' The familiar twinkle was back.
`It's not?'
`No, it's for Corradino,' said Adelino, pointing to the baby.
Leonora and Alessandro exchanged a look. Started to smile.
`Here, Corradino,' Leonora dangled the heart over the sheepskin rug, `how do you like your birthright?'
One tiny hand reached up for the bright glass, closed over it, and didn't let go.
THE END
Acknowledgements
Writing a book is a solitary experience, but I was lucky enough to have someone along for the journey. So most of all I'd like to thank my husband Sacha Bennett for being my editor, muse, psychiatrist,