Marta shrugged. “Jacopo is . . . was . . . the first of Antonio’s apprentices to love baking. The previous apprentices did it for a few years, then went off to do other things. From something Jacopo told me, I think Antonio shared more with him. I wonder if he was grooming Jacopo to take over. At least until Dario joined the crew.”
“And maybe with Dario on board, Jacopo had to rethink his future.” Stella mused aloud.
“My guess? Jacopo never meant to betray Antonio, he needed to get out and tend his own path, ” Marta said softly, smoothing Ascanio’s wild curls and letting them spring back up. “And now, in a way, he’s left Aramezzo. But he’s also here forever.”
Something bothered Stella, like the lingering scent of garlic on her fingers. “But there must be more to it. Especially given wha
