Free Venetian Masquerade by Suzanne Stokes Page A

isn’t he?”
    “I want a papa.”
    Amy hugged him. “I know, James. I know. I wish I could solve that for you. Now, why don’t you go and play with Snoopy in the garden?”
    “Okay.” Looking rather forlorn, he clattered down the bare staircase, but Carmela and Antonio soon had him laughing, throwing a ball for the puppy outside.
    It was a cool, still evening, and taking a warm wrap with her, Amy strolled to the boat quay and sat watching the twinkling lights around the bay. The vaporetto was approaching, overflowing with workers on their way home. She found a seat and enjoyed the half hour journey to St. Mark’s Square, where Gabriel was waiting.
    He beamed with pleasure as she stepped off the boat. “You look gorgeous,” he enthused, kissing her warmly and taking her hand.
    “So do you.” Gabriel, in immaculate evening dress, looked more than presentable, and she slipped her arm through his as he led her to his favorite restaurant in Danieli’s Hotel, next door to the Doge’s Palace.
    “Oh, this is so beautiful.” She sighed with pleasure as they entered the pink-marbled lobby with its wonderful Rococo staircase.
    “It was originally built for the Dandolo Doge of Venice in the fourteenth century,” Gabriel told her. “But now it is furnished in the eighteenth century style, which was of course the real heyday of Venice. It‘s the place where you are likely to see the rich and famous dining, especially during the carnival and the film festival in a couple of weeks.”
    “Well, I feel rich and famous tonight, so let’s go and swagger into the restaurant like stars.”
    She took his hand, and laughing, they wandered into the fabulous dining room to be greeted with a bow by the head waiter. He led them to a table overlooking the lagoon, now alight with thousands of lights on boats and gondolas. Happily, she swiveled in her chair, surveying the other diners, and then froze. At a table a few yards away was Alessandro, talking intently to a very glamorous blonde. He lifted his gaze to Amy and stared at her with eyes like flints. Amy turned back to Gabriel, pale with shock.
    “What is it? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost."
    “Alessandro. He’s over there by the pillar, and he’s with his wife.”
    “Ah… Well, don’t let him see you are flustered. You knew this had to happen sooner or later. Now, what shall we choose from this delectable menu? I’m ravenous…Amy, ignore him!”
    Amy took a deep breath, gave Gabriel a weak smile, and decided he was right; the evening was not going to be spoiled by Alessandro. “Will you order some champagne, Gabriel? I think we deserve it.”
    “Good girl.”
    Gabriel signaled the waiter, and a few moments later, they toasted each other.
    “Don’t take this the wrong way, but will you kiss me?” she asked.
    “With pleasure.” And he did so, first on the lips and then raised her hand to his mouth, enabling him to hide a wicked smile.
    To her surprise, Amy was able to enjoy her dinner, in spite of Alessandro’s presence, and she managed to resist the urge to turn and look at him. Gabriel kept making her laugh, and to anyone watching them, and especially to Alessandro, they looked like a young, very attractive couple deeply in love. Finally, when they rose to leave, she turned with some trepidation to face the table where Alessandro had been sitting. But it was empty.
    The concert afterwards was a very emotional experience for Amy. The beautiful music by Vivaldi and Mozart was played by a string quartet, accompanied by a young soprano with a voice that reached to Heaven. It seemed to touch a chord within Amy’s heart, and she sat letting it wash over her. In her imagination, the music drifted into a bedroom, where she lay entwined with Alessandro, whispering words of love, making promises...so many things that could never be.
    Gabriel offered to take her back to the Lido in his boat afterwards, but she refused, preferring to go back alone on the vaporetto