Ezio: cold comfort [continued]

“You know I like to use that time to prepare for my afternoon classes,” she protested.

“Make an exception, for me?” he wheedled, fastening the pasha’s diamond pendent around her throat so that the lovely jewel nestled just between her breasts.

Her breathing stuttered and the blood drained from her face at the sight of the gem.

“Where did you get this?” She had gone ashen-pale.

“In Armenia-”

“From my Uncle Krikor,” she whispered, fingertips hovering over just over the pendant. “His finest work.”

“He remembered you fondly, mogliettina,” he replied uncomfortably, cursing his stupidity for not realizing that she would recognize her uncle’s necklace.

But you knew she’d recognize it, didn’t you? You knew she would know how I got it and you wanted to make sure I couldn’t hide my sins from her. Clever old devil.

“He said he liked the idea of you wearing a necklace made for a pasha’s wife while you played on the floor with our children.”

A small, shaky laugh, pitched high and nervous, escaped her lips. “That sounds like Uncle Krikor.”

He smiled hesitantly, unsure how to gauge her response, and slid his hands over her upper arms to rub her shoulders. Her body was tense, but she permitted his touch. He pressed gentle kisses against the side of her neck, working his way up to her cheek. This wasn’t the reaction to the necklace he had expected. He thought she’d be delighted to receive such a beautiful and valuable gift, that his gesture would be rewarded with affection, praise, maybe even sex – if she liked it enough – that it would make her happy; he wasn’t prepared for her to react with thinly veiled shock and horror. He hoped he hadn’t made things worse.

“He’s dead then, isn’t he; him and all of my cousins. This wouldn’t have come to me otherwise,” she said softly, unflinchingly meeting his eyes in the mirror.

He looked away first.

 

- The Garden Season 2

Done