Chapter 42: Poison in the Well

“So, let me get this straight,” Reesa said as she and Myko walked leisurely back to the main house. “The siren sculptures at the fair were done by Federico’s father, who learned the craft in Greece from the same instructor, at the same time, as Ms. Lyra?”

“Precisely.”

“And they’re getting reacquainted?”

“Something like that. My mother says Signore Fiori was her first love. In fact, they were engaged.”

“Really? Why didn’t they marry?”

“His parents objected to the match because she was an orphan. They had very strong ideas about family connections and backgrounds, you see. My mother didn’t want to come between her love and his family, so she ran off, and when he couldn’t find her, he started over in Venice. But since his son moved to Manarola, and you and I were just there, they’ve finally crossed paths.”

Reesa shook her head. “Who would’ve thought? Do they want to pick up where they left off?”