Morning dawned brightly sunny but with a winter chill that could be detected even through the walls of the house. Christopher and Katerina ate a quick breakfast of hot sweet rolls and powerful coffee before meeting Alessandro in the parlor of his spacious manor.
It was a gorgeous room, boasting delicate blue walls and several floor-to-ceiling windows decorated with ornately cream-colored wood frames and moldings. The wood floor was covered with a mostly-red rug accented in a blue that complemented the walls.
Cream and dark wood furniture stood in several seating areas, and in the open space between the furnishings, a small crowd of people in uniforms stood stiffly at attention.
Alessandro rose from one of the dark armchairs at their approach. “Everyone,” he boomed in a hearty, carrying
