Free Renaissance Man by Unknown Page B

background, thought about that
    „Doing what?“ she finally asked curiously.
    „Running errands for Vittorio Molina,“ he told her calmly, but the emerald eyes gleamed.
    The slice of sauteed cucumber on the end of Alina’s fork fell ignominiously to her plate as she flinched in reaction.
    She shut her eyes in rueful despair. „I never stood a chance. No wonder he called you to ask why you wanted a
    microfilm of those letters.“
    „He was a little curious as to why I hadn’t asked for them myself,“ Jared admitted dryly, sipping his Riesling and
    watching her with barely concealed amusement.
    „Oh, dear.“
    „I told him you were tracking down information for me from any available source and simply had pursued the letters
    on your own. Which was the truth as far as it went“
    „I feel like an idiot! 1 guess I would never make it as a black-market art dealer. Little mistakes like that could destroy
    that sort of career!“ Jared’s mouth quirked but he said nothing, watching as she mulled over her faux pas. „Running
    errands for him, hmmm? What sort of errands?“ she asked finally, anxious to change the conversation.
    „Molina is one of the most brilliant financiers I’ve ever met He took me on as an assistant and taught me
    everything I know. His art and rare-book collection is an integral part of his life, so it became a part of mine.“
    „What happened? 1 mean, you don’t still work for him----“
    „We had what could be termed a parting of the ways,“ Jared explained deliberately, his eyes on the wine in his
    glass as he swirled it gently.
    Alina tried to figure out exactly what that meant. „You wanted to go off on your own eventually?“
    He looked up. „Yes.“
    She frowned. „Was he angry when you left? Did he think you should have stayed with him?“
    „We parted amicably. There were no hard feelings because I left before our independent natures came into severe
    conflict“ Jared grinned dryly. „I think he knew our relationship had reached a point where I would have to go off on my
    own. I was no longer an apprentice. He gave me his blessing and a very beautiful copy of Baldassare Castiglione’s
    Courtier.“
    „lb sort of round out your education?“ Alina chuckled, thinking of the famous Renaissance book of manners which
    had influenced Western social behavior to the present day. The Courtier covered everything from table manners to
    bedroom manners.
    „It’s a very useful book, you’ll have to admit,“ Jared said with a small laugh. „Castiglione was well aware of the
    need for gamesmanship in a gentleman’s behavior! Vittorio Molina understands such things. And he approves of the
    Renaissance ideal of the worldly, broadly educated man who can do everything with that easy nonchalance the
    Renaissance termed sprezzatura.“
    „And which we, today, have downgraded to the phrase ‘being cool,’“ Alina concluded. „So you had a humanist’s
    education, after all.“ The notion of a liberal arts or humanistic education had begun in the Renaissance.
    „I’m afraid so. Not as formal as yours, perhaps, but rather varied when I think back on it. Did you major in history in
    college?“
    She nodded. „But it didn’t really become a passion until I started working in the book shop. Exposure to the rare
    materials Nick handles bred a kind of obsession in me. And for some reason that obsession focused on the
    Renaissance.“
    There was a short pause and then Jared asked carefully, as if he had to know, „This Nick Elden. Has he tried to
    become more than a teacher and partner?“
    Alina’s head came up at once, her eyes cooling. „Nick is a friend. I owe him a great deal“
    „Did you plan to take him as a lover one day?“ he persisted grimly.
    „If I did, it wouldn’t be any of your business, would it?“ she retorted, goaded.
    „Of course it would. I have no wish to come home some day and find I’m obliged to call him out,“ Jared murmured
    baitingly.
    She saw the