Love, Cindy
Smiling, Jordan set the note aside. Harry’s was a short walk past the Doge’s Palace and along the waterway. Crowded?very crowded at night. She liked Harry’s and was in a mood for the crowd that would be there. The bar was always busy, and during Carnevale, she was certain that the wait would be very long, except that Jared would have made reservations, and he knew the people there well. She looked forward to a nice night with her cousin and his wife.
She glanced at her watch; she had plenty of time.
Walking into her bathroom, she filled the tub and added scented bath oil, making sure that the water was very hot Stripping down and slipping into a bathrobe, she called room service for a pot of hot tea.
She threw open the window as she waited, looking out to the bustling calle and canal. Venice was already coming alive for the night. Turning back into the room, she switched on her television and attempted to watch the news in Italian, trying to find out if there was anything going on in the city that might have upset Sal so much.
She saw a weather map and nothing more. A knock sounded on her door. She absently bade, “Come in!”
A cheerful waiter arrived with her tea. The tray was adorned with little cookies as well. She thanked the room service man, signed her bill, and made certain to lock her door when he left.
Cup of tea in hand, she went into the bathroom and slipped into the tub. She closed her eyes. The water was hot and wonderful. She thought about rising to look through the vampire book once again.
Why?
It would just get her going again. Tomorrow, with luck, Federal Express would find her and she’d have another book on the subject. Eyes closed, steam misting around her, she relaxed. No costumes tonight.
She was going to wear the wicked new heels she’d gotten in Charleston just before leaving, and the backless black cocktail dress. She was going to get a little buzzed, maybe. And like Cindy, pig out on pasta.
She was so relaxed that she didn’t know what suddenly startled her.
She sat up in the tub, frowning, looking around, wondering what had so suddenly drawn her from her comfortable introspection.
Jordan listened.
Nothing ...
She rose from the tub anyway, grabbing her robe. Leaving the bathroom, she walked into the bedroom and saw instantly that she had left the window open. The cool night air was drifting in, battling with the heater. Wind and whispers seemed to stir around her face and hair, chilling her.
She closed the window.
She was still cold.
Jordan gave herself a shake, walking around the room. She looked into the closet, then under the bed, and then felt like a fool. There was no one in the room. Yet she still felt the same sense of unease.
The bath was ruined.
She was definitely not getting back into it.
Nor did she feel comfortable in her room. She was suddenly eager to leave.
Too early to meet Jared and Cindy.
But never too early to take a walk over to Harry’s and buy herself a drink.
She dressed quickly, barely touching up her makeup and brushing her hair with no more than a lick and a promise.
When the knocker sounded, Tiff was upstairs. Feeling pleased, she’d filled the Jacuzzi tub with scented crystals, and sank in. She hadn’t been expecting anyone, and she considered staying in the tub. She was wonderfully relaxed. And the idea of getting up, toweling off, walking down the stairs and answering the door to just anybody was not pleasing.
The brass knocker sounded again.
It occurred to Tiff that it might just be him. Her latest obsession.
He’d been cordial enough in the street, even if he had seemed to be in a hurry.
Maybe, just maybe ...
She jumped out of the tub and grabbed her robe. Since it was silk, it clung to her warm, damp flesh.
Maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. She still had a nice enough figure. Well, all right, it wasn’t exactly hers ...
well, yes, it was. She’d paid for it; it was hers!
So thinking, she pulled the towel from her hair, shook it out, and went hurrying down the stairs.
Thank God for the plush carpet lining! Her damp feet would have gone sliding right off marble! She could have slid down the stairs, her obsession leading straight to her demise! Broken bones, broken neck, what a way to go!
“Hold your shorts on!” she called, rocketing to the door.
She should have looked out the little peephole, put in by the current owner, but by the time she reached the door, she was in far too much of a hurry.
She threw open the door... to a woman of medium height in costume, mask, and sweeping long cloak.
“Yes?” Tiff said, noting instantly that the clothing worn was expensive, that the mask was exquisite, lined with crystal, probably Swarovski.
“Tiff?”
She recognized the rich, cultured, slightly accented voice, even though her name had been the only word spoken.
“Contessa?” she said, too surprised to hide her incredulity.
“I was in the neighborhood. I heard you had taken this palazzo. It’s so rude of me to come without warning, yet...”
“No, no!” Tiff said quickly, stepping aside. “I’m delighted to see you!”
“You were expecting someone.”
“No ...” She laughed a little nervously. “I guess I was a little anxious. I wanted to reach the door before the knocking stopped. I’m so glad I reached the door before you went away.” The contessa smiled slightly.
“You must forgive my appearance,” Tiff said. She shouldn’t have gushed so much.
“But you are busy,” the contessa said, indicating Tiff’s robe and damp hair.
“I was pruning, ready to go out. Please, please, come in.”
“Well, I won‘ t stay long.” The contessa stepped into the foyer, allowing her cowl to fell, and sliding off her mask.
“Here, let me take that for you,” Tiff said, very carefully setting the mask on the carved oak stand by the door. “And your cape ...”
The contessa surrendered her cape, and looked around the palazzo. “Quite nice. I’ve actually been here before .. . years ago. The work they’ve done is lovely.”
“It’s very comfortable. Far better than a hotel, though there are many lovely hotels here,” Tiff said. She was trying not to babble. Here was the contessa, visiting her. This was almost as exciting as a visit from the man she had hoped to see. Of course, she was standing there in a robe, her hair damp, clinging to her face. She was hardly dressed for a contessa.
“If you give me just a minute, I can find something?”
The contessa waved her hand, her beautiful, ageless features curling into a smile. “No, no, do nothing!
I’ll be but a few minutes, and you can sink back into your tub. I would leave very unhappy if I ruined your bath!”
“Then I’ll get some wine. We’ll sit upstairs.”
“Red wine, please. May I wander?”
“Yes, of course. The bar is upstairs?”
“Wonderful.”
Still feeling awkward, stunned, and complimented beyond all measure, Tiff started up the stairs. The contessa followed her. But as Tiff went to the wine cabinet, the contessa did indeed wander. With two glasses of her very best wine poured, Tiff looked around and did not see the contessa. “Contessa?”
“In here!”
She had gone into the master bedroom. She turned as Tiff came into the room, smiling and accepted a glass of wine. “Magnifico!” she said. “They’ve done beautiful work. The room where the bath is now was a dowdy, closed-in place. Now ... what a lovely ... lair.” Tiff flushed, wondering if the contessa could be aware of her reasons for wanting such a sumptuous suite.
“I admit, I enjoy creature comforts.”
“Something we share,” the contessa said. She wandered to the long windows, which were open to the terrace beyond. “Quite wonderful. And this is my favorite time of day. When the colors of sunset fade away, day is gone, and night is with us! With all its shadows and secrets!” Standing there, she looked almost as if she were in rapture. Tiff walked over to the grand, silk-covered bed and sat, watching her.
“So much time is wasted sleeping,” the contessa said. She walked over to where Tiff sat and sank down beside her, swallowing her wine. “Fruity, yet dry, rich and bold. A fine choice, thank you.”
“May I get you some more?”
“No, no, just sit! Let me enjoy your company. I take my time when I savor a new taste,” she said softly.
“So! You fascinate me.”
“I fascinate you?” Tiff said.
“Yes, I truly admire a woman such as you. It’s a difficult world. Too many men, far too often, for too many years, have preyed upon women.”
“Well, I’m not sure?”
“Ah! Think about it. The businessman with a young secretary who needs his approval to advance? The aging executive has an affair with the sweet, young thing while his trod-upon wife sits at home and can do little since her own life and livelihood depend on him. Movie stars ready to decay find young starlets for wives. While you, my smart and lovely and more mature woman, turned the tables. Here you are?a woman of substance! You needn’t bow to anyone because you are your own master. And now, while you are still relatively young, you have the ways and means to do what you will, with whom you like!” Tiff had to smile. “Well, there are those, including a few of my stepchildren, who have tended to think of me as a money-grubbing bitch. And I’m not so terribly young, I’m afraid.” She hadn’t realized that she’d twisted, exposing the length of her legs, as she’d turned to the contessa on the bed so that they could converse. Now, she noticed the contessa looking at her exposed flesh. She felt the warmest flush envelop her. She started to close her robe, but the contessa’s hand landed on her knee before she could do so.
“Young enough. Look how beautiful you are! You’ve kept yourself up, another point I admire very much.”
The contessa’s long fingers, covered with jewels, moved over Tiff’s knee, slightly down her calf, slightly up her inner thigh.
