her

addressed.

recommended.

The next evening, when she opened the door, the man who entered made no attempt to walk quietly. Not that he clumped, even as big as he was. The noise his feet made was more in the way of a shuffle. As if he were trying to disguise embarrassment.
“Mademoiselle de Chevreuse,” he said, bowing and kissing her hand. “I was delighted to receive your invitation to pay you a visit, of course. Didn’t feel I could refuse. But—”
“Please, come in!” Smoothly, Francesca closed the door and guided him into a chair. “And I insist you call me Francesca.”
The man cleared his throat. “Francesca, then. But—”
He fell silent, obviously groping for words. “I must explain—”
“You need explain nothing.” Francesca smiled and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I asked you to come, did I not? I am well aware of the straightened financial circumstances you are suffering from at the moment. I simply wanted the pleasure of your company, that’s all.”
The man stared up at her; his eyes disbelieving, at first. Then, slowly, the stiffness in his face began to ease. “It’s been a long time,” he murmured.
“Too long, I think.” Francesca took his hands and lifted him out of the chair. “Come.”

Quite some time later, as he stared at the ceiling of the bedroom, the man’s face had lost all of its customary sternness. “I haven’t felt this good in years.”
“Not so old as all that, eh?” She lifted herself on one elbow and smiled down at him, running her hand across his wide chest.
He rolled his head on the pillow and met her gaze. “What do you want from me, Francesca?”
“I want you to think about the future, for a change. That’s all, Lodovico. Your grand-daughter is my best friend. Your—­obsessions—are not good. Neither for her nor for you.”
For a moment, the old man’s face grew fierce. Then, he chuckled. “I make no promises. But . . . yes, I’ll think about it.”
“You’ll do more than think about it, you old vendettist!” Francesca laughed. “If you’ve got any coins to spend, I’ll expect you to spend them on me. I dare say I’m a lot more capable at what I do than those incompetent e