"Michela's charity?"

  "She runs a group that provides practice areas, scholarships, and instruments to young musicians. Didn't she tell you?"

  "She only said that she used to be a teacher."

  "Strange. It must have slipped her mind," said Laura offhandedly.

  My mind, stimulated by the coffee and sugar and sweet cake, was already onto another concern. I was steeling myself for my first meeting with the Bartolinis and my first performance as Laura's mother. More than anything else, I was anxious to meet Tomaso Bartolini, the young man Laura was to marry.

  *****

  The Bartolini family home was an enormous, three-story villa with a veranda running around the entire building, set in a walled estate. An imposing set of stone steps lead to the first floor entrance. Before Laura and I had reached the top step, the front door opened and a very attractive young man came out. He went straight to Laura and kissed her. He whispered, "It's been too long." He turned to me. "I'm Tomaso Bartolini, Signora. It's an honor to finally meet Laura's mother." He smiled a charming smile.

  I put on my most motherly smile and said, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Tomaso. I'm looking forward to getting to know you and your family."

  "We'll start right away, then!"

  Tomaso led us through a vast front hall, past many luxuriously decorated rooms, and into a reception room in the far corner of the house. The reception room was the most elaborate of them all. I decided that the Bartolinis had wealth and were not afraid to show it off. Laura and I sat down on a delicate-looking, silk upholstered sofa.

  As Tomaso prepared apéritifs, he explained, "All the fabrics you see in this room are from our factory. We make high quality fabrics. We sell to all the top fashion designers and decorators, even in America!"

  "Have you been to the States, Tomaso?"

  "No, not yet! They all insist on coming here to see the factory and to see Bell'Italia." He laughed pleasantly, but with some embarrassment. "Please forgive me if I sound like I'm selling. I'm the Marketing Director. I love to sell!"

  I had a good view of Tomaso as he crossed the room with our drinks. His body was tall and lean, and clothed flatteringly. He was probably thirty-five, roughly Laura's age, I guessed. Tomaso had medium dark hair that he wore stylishly long. His masculine and handsome face was made up of a striking combination of strong features. He seemed open and friendly, but most important, he seemed completely taken by Laura.

  Tomaso continued selling himself. "I'm not good with routine. I know that about myself, so I leave the paperwork to my assistant, Cinzia, and the finances to my brother, Ernesto. He's Financial Director. That way I'm free to do what I do best, sell."

  We were interrupted by the arrival of a very beautiful young man. He was taller than Tomaso and perhaps five years younger. He entered the room with a young woman who looked nearly his same age. She was small, thin, with dark coloring, and had a striking face. Her facial features were too strong for a woman, I thought, but arresting.

  "Cinzia! This is Cinzia, my assistant and a close friend of the family." Tomaso put a brotherly arm around Cinzia's shoulders. "She keeps my office running. This is Laura's mother, Bert." Cinzia said nothing as she offered a cold hand for me to shake. Her eyes were not welcoming, but their dark color made it difficult to read any expression in them. "And this is my brother."

  The young man took my hand and held it as he studied my face. "A great pleasure, Signora. I see where your daughter gets her beauty."

  I was surprised, but not taken in, by the flattery. Besides, how could Laura's looks come from me when I was not even her real mother? "You must be Ernesto."

  "Oh, no! Not Ernesto!" The young man laughed. "Wait 'til you meet the real Ernesto, Signora, then you'll see how funny that is! I'm Antonio, the youngest and most attractive son. As you can see." He indicated his form and face with a sweep of his arm. "Hard to believe we had the same father!"

  Tomaso looked unimpressed by his brother's antics. "You're not staying for dinner, are you?"

  "I wouldn't miss it!" Antonio asked me, "What do you think of my English? It's better than Tomaso's, isn't it? I have almost no accent."

  I said diplomatically, "You do have less of an accent, but I like your brother's accent very much. It's charming. Do you work for the family company, too, Antonio?"

  "Sometimes, but I'm not suited to factory work. I'm too artistic. I hope some day to take over my mother's job."

  Tomaso set down the drink he was preparing and said with what sounded like deep-seated frustration, "How can you expect to run the company, when you're never there?"

  Antonio shrugged to show his impatience with his older brother. "I meant my mother's other job of production manager. I'm very artistic and would be perfect designing fabrics and choosing materials and colors. It would also relieve our mother of so much stress and extra work." I thought Antonio was someone too preoccupied with himself to spare any time thinking of his mother's stress and extra work. "Tomaso, I'd like to speak to you before dinner, in private."

  Tomaso did not look happy with the request, nor with his brother. He pointed to the veranda beyond the French doors. "Outside." He turned to Laura and I and said, "I'll only be a moment." A woman entered the room. "Here's my mother, Giovanna Bartolini!" Tomaso made the introductions quickly, and then left with Antonio.

  Giovanna pulled up a chair so she could sit near her guests. "I'm so glad to meet you, Bert. I've wanted to meet the mother who brought up such a wonderful young woman." She smiled with real affection at Laura. "I'd always hoped for a daughter, but I pleased my husband instead, giving him three sons!"

  Laura responded to the warmth and sincerity in kind. The two women spoke easily together. While we chatted, I was able to get a good look at Giovanna. She was an attractive, energetic woman in her late fifties. She was of medium height and had dark eyes and dark hair that she wore cut just above her shoulders. I thought Giovanna's warm and sincere voice was her most lovely feature.

  Giovanna called out to a woman who had just entered the room. "Anna, come meet Laura's mother!" Giovanna confided in me, "Anna's an old family friend and my personal assistant, and she's Cinzia's mother. They live with us."

  Giovanna and Laura continued chatting about the trip from Rome, so I took a moment to watch Anna. Anna went to Cinzia who stood by the French doors. She affectionately brushed a stray strand of hair from her daughter's face as she spoke to her. I could not hear what she was saying, but I noticed Cinzia glare with undisguised hostility at her mother, then step out of her reach and go abruptly onto the veranda. Anna was clearly hurt. Even in her late fifties the mother was much prettier than the daughter. Anna had a pale complexion and pale blue eyes. Her hair was naturally blond, only just starting to turn gray. Anna's features were delicate, which gave her round face a childlike appearance, making her appear younger than her years. She came over to us and sat down next to Giovanna. She smiled at me and shook my hand.

  Giovanna asked suddenly, "Where did Tomaso go?"

  "Antonio wanted to speak to him. It was something about the company, I think," Laura answered.

  "The company? Antonio?" Giovanna laughed. "If only it were true! Someday I hope to leave the company in my sons' hands, all my sons. Ernesto and Tomaso have found positions in the company, but Antonio is my despair!" Giovanna looked at Laura and said, "What he needs is to meet a woman like you. You've worked wonders with Tomaso!"

  I wondered what miracles Laura had worked with Tomaso. What was he like before? Perhaps that was why no one had anything good to say about him. Tomaso was a changed man and Laura had changed him!

  Giovanna insisted we take a walk in the garden before dinner. She took Laura's arm in hers and led us onto the veranda, down some steps, and into the flood-lit formal gardens. We followed the paths and chatted about Rome, Siena, and the sights I was to see in Florence. Laura and Giovanna walked ahead of Anna and I on the narrow paths.

  Anna slipped her arm in mine and said, "You have a lovely daughter. She's so kind, but also intelligent and strong."

  I was startled to hear Laura called my daughter, but quickly recovered. "Yes, Laura is kind, intelligent and strong, but I think of all her traits, the one I admire most is her self-discipline."

  Anna confided, "I'd like to think that if I'd been born later, maybe in a different country, I would be a woman like Laura."

  "I think you would have become a model. You're a very beautiful woman, Anna." Anna looked surprised and not necessarily pleased by my compliment. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

  Giovanna called to us, "It was a lovely compliment, Bert. I think Anna was just surprised. At our age we don't expect to get compliments on our looks. And beauty can be both a gift and a burden."

  Anna said with pride, "Giovanna was an artist's model."

  Giovanna laughed. "That was a long time, and three sons, ago!" We returned to our walk down the garden paths. "Ovidio, a sculptor who lives in our guest house, used me as model and muse many years ago. My husband made that stop. He said it was degrading. My husband was a fool." Anna nodded her agreement. "Ovidio's very talented and famous, even outside of Italy!"

  Giovanna led us to the end of the garden at a pace that was difficult to match in the shadows. Anna and I became separated as we hurried to keep up. The sound of voices nearby made me stop. I heard Antonio and Tomaso arguing not far from where I stood. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed someone else listening to the brothers. Cinzia stood quietly behind some tall ornamental trees. I then heard Giovanna calling for me so I hurried in the direction of her voice.

  "There you are!" Giovanna exclaimed. The women were standing next to an ivy-covered, two-story cottage. Through the window, I saw a man scraping clay from a life-sized statue. "That's Ovidio Olvidi at work," Giovanna whispered.

  Together, we watched the man shape his sculpture. I saw that Ovidio was a short man in his late fifties. What little hair he had left on his head was mussed and splattered with clay. I found the process of his work fascinating.

  "You'll meet him at dinner," promised Giovanna. "We should let him work in peace. He's working to a deadline to cast the sculpture." Giovanna led the way back to the house, this time arranging to walk beside me. "Bert," she lowered her voice so the other two women could not overhear. "I hope you don't think I'm trying to steal your lovely daughter away from you."

  I hated lying to this warm, vibrant woman, but I had promised Laura I would play the part. "Laura's a long way from home. She needs support from friends. I appreciate all you've done and all you will do to make Laura feel a part of your family, Giovanna." I had no problem speaking these words from the heart and was gratified by Giovanna's pleasure in hearing them.

  *****

  "That's Ernesto and his family," Giovanna said as she hurried into the hall. Everyone had returned from their turns in the garden. We were gathered in the reception room awaiting the final arrivals before dinner.

  The daughter-in-law's voice reached us before she did. "Ernesto had to finish those reports for the tax people, Giovanna. You understand, don't you? When it comes to the company, Ernesto won't compromise. It always comes first!"

  "Of course, Graziella, dear. Come, I'll introduce you." Giovanna led the bejeweled and stylishly dressed woman to me. "Bert, this is my daughter-in-law, Graziella, and this is my middle son, Ernesto, and his children Beatrice and Leo."

  I greeted Graziella, who studied me intently as she showed off some more of her excellent English. "Pleasure, I'm sure. Finally, we meet Laura's family."

  "Your English is excellent, Graziella!"

  Graziella was very pleased with the compliment. Ernesto managed only a mumbled greeting. He was of medium height, medium coloring, very plain featured, and a bit overweight. It made his expensive clothes look rumpled instead of stylish. Graziella gave him his orders, "Sit down and I'll bring you a cocktail."

  The two children were moving so quickly about the room that I could only get an impression of them. Beatrice looked about nine years old. She was a bit chubby and had light hair and a few freckles. Leo was perhaps seven years old. He had a strong body and a plain face. They finally stopped moving and hugged Anna affectionately.

  "Don't hang on Anna like that!" Graziella chastened her children.

  "There's no harm," Anna insisted.

  They ran to Laura's side. Beatrice said in perfect English, "I'm the president of my class. We had an election this week."

  "Presidente Beatrice!" Leo yelled as he took a seat between Laura and me on the sofa.

  "Don't yell, Leo!" Graziella yelled at her son.

  "Congratulations, Signorina Presidente. I was president of my class one year, too."

  "Don't encourage her!" Graziella instructed Laura.

  In less than a minute, I had counted at least four commands by Graziella to her children, her husband, and Laura. I thought it looked like Ernesto, rather than marry his mother, as the expression had it, had married his overbearing father!

  Beatrice asked me, "What was Laura like in school?"

  "What a silly question!" Graziella laughed.

  "Not so silly," I disagreed. "Laura was very studious and learned things very quickly. Her teachers always said so, all the way through University."

  Beatrice's eyes widened in amazement. "Laura went to University?"

  "Of course! All bright young girls and boys should go to University to learn all they can. What do you want to study at University, Beatrice?"

  "I don't know." Beatrice looked like she had never considered the question before and was afraid to consider it now.

  Graziella interrupted, "Leo is going to study accounting like his father and work for the family business." I saw that Graziella's statement did not please Leo. He pushed out his lower lip in silent protest.

  "No, he won't." Beatrice spoke up for her brother. "He wants to be an engineer or an architect. He wants to build things."

  Leo looked with gratitude and affection at his older sister.

  I said, "I think those are wonderful professions. My brother was an architect. He enjoyed his work very much."

  Leo smiled up at me.

  The entrance of Ovidio, the sculptor, stopped any further discussion with the children. "I'm sorry I'm late. I was working and lost track of time, as usual."

  "There you are," Giovanna called out affectionately. "You're not late. You're just in time for dinner. Let me sort you out." Giovanna adjusted the man's tie and jacket as he stood before her like a docile child.

  Then he came to me and kissed my hand in greeting. "A great pleasure, Signora. Please let me escort you into dinner. You must sit by me so we can talk about your beautiful daughter."

  Ovidio took my arm and escorted me into the opulent dining room. The table was dressed with linens, crystal, and silver. The veranda doors were open, filling the room with sweet-scented air from the garden below. The service, provided by a capable young man and woman, was as impeccable as the food. Most of my attention throughout the dinner was occupied by Ovidio's gallantries. He spent the whole time complimenting four women: Laura, Giovanna, Anna, and me. The others had reverted to speaking Italian and seemed always to be discussing things having to do with the family business.

  At the end of the meal, Giovanna announced in English, "Everyone, please remember that tomorrow is a holiday and we've been invited to a party at Laura's home. It's a welcome party for her mother, and a pre-wedding party. Tomaso and Laura marry in four weeks, followed by their honeymoon."

  Graziella said, "You could take a holiday, too, Giovanna. Ernesto can run things while you are away."

  Antonio said angrily, "Trying to pull off a palace coup, Graziella?"

  "I just meant she should take some time for herself. Her children can take over her responsibilities." Graziella stopped there at a signal from her husband, Ernesto. There was silence around the table for a split-second as everyone looked at Ernesto in amazement.

  Tomaso said, "Antonio, you have no right to say who should run the company and who not. At least Graziella works there."

  Antonio laughed at his older brother. "What about you? Your interest in the company is pretty recent. Only last year you wanted mother to sell the business and split the money between us. And what about Cinzia?"

  "What about Cinzia?" Anna stepped in to defend her daughter.

  "She's Tomaso's assistant, so by Tomaso's logic, shouldn't she have a say, too?" Antonio laughed at his older brother's anger. "Besides, what do you care about the business? You're going to have a rich wife and mother-in-law."

  Rich wife and mother-in-law? I tried to catch Laura's eye but failed.

  Anna turned on Antonio. "Your mother did what was best for all of you! The company is worth more today than it ever was. That's all due to her!"

  Ovidio shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked at Giovanna's children in disappointment.

  "That's enough out of you, Antonio. Not in front of our guest! We'll discuss business on Tuesday morning and not before!"

  Antonio glared at his two brothers as he rose from the table. "I don't think there's anything to discuss. Everything is just fine as it is." He left the room.

  The next few minutes were full of apologies and kind words all around. They agreed that it was time Antonio grew out of his bad habits. I doubted they were just bad habits and that the young man would ever grow out of them, but I said nothing.

  *****

  "Let me apologize, again, for Antonio's behavior, Bert." Tomaso had walked us to the front gate of their walled property. He and his family had entertained us after dinner with stories of their illustrious ancestors and their roles in the history of Florence. Tomaso had been especially attentive to both Laura and I.

  "Don't worry about it, Tomaso. I know all about brothers and their feelings of rivalry. You have a very normal family that has to deal with living and working together. That's always difficult. I've had a wonderful time this evening and I'm looking forward to the party tomorrow, which I'm sure will be smooth sailing."