What did they think she was going to do? Poison the food from up here? Set the courtyard on fire with sheer bitterness?
The insult of it nearly choked her. Her lips curled, and a furious sound escaped her. Of course. Of course this was what she had become to them now. A threat to be contained.
Bianca stepped back. The suite behind her, dim and dead, seemed suddenly preferable to standing there another second under Carol's scrutiny. Her pride gathered around her.
With one last look toward the courtyard below, Bianca turned sharply and headed back inside the suite.
*****
Luca found his father in better shape than he had expected. He had gone up to Massimo's suite that evening before dressing for the party, intending to check on him properly, Luca had seen the state he had been in after Julian. He had seen the way grief had hollowed him out. So yes, he was relieved to find him up, dressed, and moving.
Still, relief did not erase concern.
