Harbinger Of Glory

”Vittoria.”

She glanced sideways and found one of her older cousins.

Jolie stood there with a drink in her hand, watching her with an expression that had slowly turned amused.

”How many times have you said that tonight?”

Vittoria frowned slightly.

”What?”

”That,” Jolie said, raising her glass and copying Vittoria’s welcoming smile with exaggerated politeness.

”Buonasera, è un piacere vederti. Felice anno nuovo. Come stai? Come è stato il viaggio?”

(”Good evening, it’s a pleasure to see you. Happy New Year. How are you? How was the trip?”)

Vittoria’s lips curled.

”I do not sound like that.”

”You absolutely do.”

Vittoria opened her mouth to argue, but another guest appeared at the entrance before she could get a word out, and her expression immediately changed.

”Buonasera! Felice anno nuovo.”

Jolie looked at her with a smile, but Vittoria ignored it.

The guest greeted her, exchanged a few words, and continued towards the villa.

By the time Vittoria turned back, Jolie was already laughing.

”I don’t even remember how many times I’ve said something along those lines this evening, Jolie.”

”That makes it worse.”

”This is why I didn’t want to come,” Vittoria said, causing Jolie to chuckle.

She was still smiling when she started to say something else, but a familiar voice called from behind them.

”Jolie?”

They both turned.

One of the household caretakers approached, a woman Vittoria recognised immediately.

She had been working around the family for years and carried the comfortable familiarity of someone who no longer needed to behave like a guest whenever she was on the property.

”Your daughter is looking for you,” she said.

Jolie’s face dropped.

”She’s up already?”

”She asked me twice.”

Jolie sighed through her nose and then nodded.

”Of course she did.”

The caretaker smiled.

”She wants to know where you are.”

Jolie glanced towards Vittoria, but she shrugged, as if to say, ’I wasn’t the one who gave birth to her.’

Jolie rolled her eyes, then handed her drink to the caretaker.

”Fine. Tell her I’m coming.”

The caretaker took the glass.

”I will,” and then she walked off.

Jolie gave Vittoria one last look before walking back towards the house.

Vittoria watched her disappear through the entrance, then let out a quiet sigh.

She still had her back to the gates when she felt and saw a shadow falling across her form.

Someone had stopped behind her.

Vittoria’s brow furrowed slightly as she hadn’t heard anyone approach.

Still, she straightened almost instinctively, smoothing the front of her dress, but before she could turn, a familiar voice came from over her shoulder.

”I am looking for someone.”

There was no telling if she’d misheard, but she knew she couldn’t have.

Her eyes widened, and that was it, because she knew that voice.

Vittoria spun around so quickly that Leo barely had time to react before his hands caught her lightly by the arms, keeping her from colliding with him, and for what felt like a long time, the two just kept looking into each other’s eyes.

”Leo,” Vittoria finally muttered, and she didn’t know if it was the night, the surprise, or everything all together, but in that moment, Leo looked like the most enchanting thing she’d seen in her entire life.

Finally, she reached for him.

Her hands settled against his arms first, then his shoulders, as though she needed to feel something solid beneath her fingers before she could convince herself that he was actually standing in front of her.

Leo couldn’t help but laugh softly.

”Vittoria, why are you acting as if I died...”

”How...”

She stopped while her eyes searched his face.

”When did you...”

Whatever words she tried to say, they never came out.

She shook her head, almost laughing at herself as she tried to gather her thoughts while Leo smiled.

”You’re having a hard time with this.”

”I wasn’t expecting you.”

”I know.”

While he spoke, she looked past him.

Another car was approaching the gates, and further up the drive, another group of guests was making their way towards the villa.

Her eyes widened slightly.

”Oh.”

Vittoria turned back towards the house and spotted the older woman who had come looking for Jolie earlier.

”Signora Bellini!”

The woman looked over, sizing Leo up as she approached, before turning her attention to Vittoria.

”Could you take over here for me for a moment?”

Immediately, she said that. Signora Bellini shook her head.

”Your mother won’t be pleased if she sees you leaving your post.”

”Just a second.”

”Vittoria...” she tried to say, but she was already reaching for Leo’s hand, and she didn’t even wait for an answer.

Leo barely had time to react before Vittoria was pulling him away from the entrance.

They slipped around the side of the villa, leaving the steady stream of arriving guests behind.

Vittoria continued until they reached a quieter section of the grounds, partially hidden from the main drive by a row of hedges and the old stonework of the house.

Only then did she stop, and when she did, she turned towards him, still holding his hand.

”What are you doing here?”

Leo looked at her.

”I came for you.”

Vittoria stared at him, and her expression changed almost imperceptibly, the surprise giving way to something softer.

Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak.

A tear gathered at the corner of her eye, one Leo noticed before she did, and he immediately lifted his hand and gently swept it away with his thumb, catching it against her lashes before it could reach her cheek, lest it mess up her makeup.

”You shouldn’t be crying at a time like this.”

Vittoria gave a small, unsteady laugh and then nodded.

”I know.”

As she said that, Leo opened his arms and she didn’t hesitate.

Vittoria stepped into him and held on tightly, pressing herself against his chest as Leo wrapped both arms around her.

For a while, neither of them said anything.

Leo stood there with her, one hand moving slowly over her back, and after a moment, he looked down.

”Are you okay now?”

Vittoria shook her head against his chest.

”No,” and her arms tightened around him.

Leo smiled faintly and then nodded.

”Okay,” he said and continued patting her back.

”But I think I took you from a post. We’ve got the whole night.”

Vittoria finally lifted her head as Leo gave her a small smile.

”So you should probably get back to what you were doing.”

She looked at him as though she didn’t appreciate the suggestion.

”I don’t want to be the reason you get into a scuffle with your mother.”

That earned a reluctant smile as Vittoria sighed and slowly pulled herself away.

”Fine.”

She took a step back, but Leo caught her lightly before she could get too far, drawing her back just enough to place a quick kiss on her mouth.

When he pulled away, he smiled.

”I missed you.”

Vittoria stared at him for half a second before lightly hitting him on the chest.

”You’re making it very hard for me to leave.”

Leo chuckled.

”Okay. I’ll stop.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, though the smile on her face gave her away.

”Good.”

Vittoria finally let go and began walking back towards the entrance.

She managed a few steps before turning her head to glance at him, as if he would disappear if she didn’t keep her eyes on him, and Leo just waved.

She looked away quickly and continued, and a few moments later, she glanced back again.

This time, Leo had already started following.