Page 129 of Diavolo

Benedetto picked up his glass and toasted,"Alla salute!"

Elyse raised her glass as well to join them."Alla salute!"

One of the maids brought out theantipasti. They were served a classic Sicilian starter dish calledcaponatawith eggplant and octopus, seasoned with olive oil, tomato sauce, celery, olives, and capers in a sweet and souragrodolcesauce. Everyone began to eat.

Benedetto glanced over to Elyse."Hai gli occhi di Gianna."

Mariposa translated in bored tones, "He says you have your mother's eyes."

Elyse nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, I think Alessandro mentioned it to me once before."

Theprimicame next. Benedetto'spasta con le sarde. Elyse smiled at her grandfather. "I heard this was your favorite."

He took a large bite of the pasta and grunted in approval,"Sei una ragazza premurosa. Come Gianna."

"Your grandfather is praising you for being thoughtful. Like your mother," Mariposa supplied.

"Thank you," Elyse murmured to the younger woman. "Do you think you could ask my grandfather to tell me a little more about my mother?"

Alessandro had once claimed that Gianna was her grandfather's favorite child. Certainly, Elyse was very curious about her mother as a person, but, more than anything, she wanted to understand why Benedetto had loved Gianna so much. It would give her more insight as to what her grandfather valued in a daughter and granddaughter so that she might be able to mold herself in Gianna's image to worm her way into Benedetto's good graces.

After Mariposa conveyed her wishes to Benedetto, his grizzled face darkened with sorrow, but he didn't deny Elyse's request. Elyse learned more about her mother in the next ten minutes than she had in her entire life. As her grandfather recounted his memories of Gianna to Elyse, she felt like a child listening to a sad fairytale.

According to Benedetto, Gianna had been a shy, sweet child who grew into a shy, sweet woman. She never lost her temper. She never caused trouble. She always placed her family's needs before her own. Gianna also loved music. She had been a verytalented pianist. Chopin and Vivaldi were her favorites. All her life, Gianna had been a dutiful daughter until—

The maid re-appeared with thesecondo, and, suddenly, the flow of Benedetto's storytelling was disrupted by Mariposa'spesce spada alla ghiotta.

"This one's for you," Elyse said to Mariposa with a wry look.

Elyse's thoughts, though, were still lingering on the stories her grandfather had told her about her mother. Dutiful. Obedient. Virtuous. These were the qualities Bendetto had esteemed in Gianna. Her mother sounded like the perfect woman for a man in the mafia. Elyse didn't embody the same qualities. However, Elyse intended to convince her grandfather that she was her mother's daughter in every way.

Mariposa pursed her lips as she eyed thepesce spada alla ghiottaas though it might be poisoned. "Your grandfather was right. You are beingverythoughtful tonight.But why?I wonder."

Elyse tilted her head innocently. "You seem suspicious."

Mariposa snorted. "That is because Iamsuspicious! What do you want from me?"

"Friendship."

"My loyalty is not free."

"I wouldn't expect you to do anything for free. I intend to make it worth your while."

Mariposa's eyes glimmered with interest. "How?"

Elyse offered demurely, "Let's talk more. In private. I'll be going to the shooting range tomorrow. Would you like to join me?"

Mariposa's dark eyebrows rose in surprise. "You shoot guns now?"

"I thought it would be smart to learn how to handle a firearm," Elyse explained, "especially after what happened at your party."

"Bene, bene, bene!You have captured my interest," Mariposa murmured with a low chuckle, "I will go tomorrow just to see if you are a better shot than me!"

At this time, thedolcewas served,cassata siciliana, a round sponge cake that was moistened with liqueur and layered with ricotta cheese and candied fruit.

Elyse spent the rest of the evening doing her best to charm her grandfather by acting the part of a dutiful, obedient, and virtuous granddaughter. She couldn't tell if her efforts were successful. Benedetto was a hard man to read. Her grandfather didn't seem to warm up to her any more than he had during their first meeting at the wedding, but he did end up asking Mariposa to check on her weekend plans.

"He is inviting you to his villa," Mariposa said, "for chess."

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