Nicholas found himself lying face down on a wooden floor.

          “Ellie?”

          “I’m right next to you,” she said.

          “Thank God,” he said. It was dark, but his eye began to adjust to the dim light that shone through a small dusty window.

          “Where are we?” he said.

          “I think we’re in an attic.”

          He looked up and saw wooden beams that formed a triangle above the two of them.

          “Look!” Ellie said. She was peering through a crack in the floor. She gestured for Nicholas to join her.

          An empty room lay below them.

          “Where do you—”

          “Shh,” Ellie said. “I can hear footsteps.”

​

          The door to the room opened and a man and a woman entered. He was wearing a dark purple slashed doublet and matching hose. She was dressed in a teal colored long silk dress with long balloon sleeves and gold trim. Her long hair was tucked into a bonnet. 

          They crossed the room to where a chest stood, and the man pulled the top drawer open. He turned to the woman. “The magical diamonds will be safe, Foresta.”

          “Adamo, do you think they would turn into one red diamond like they did when Lorenzo’s great-great-grandfather had them?”

          “Perhaps,” Adamo said. He put the sack in the chest drawer and pushed it closed.

          “Wherever we keep them,” she said, “we’ll preserve them for dear Caterina—our little gift from Heaven.”

          They kissed for a moment, and then left the room.

 

          “Everything is so weird here,” Nicholas said. “I knew they were speaking Italian, but it sounded like English to me. I understood what they were saying. How can that be?”

          Ellie shook her head, “I don’t know exactly, Nicholas. There are many things I can’t explain to you—or to myself. But somebody is helping us translate Italian into English in our minds.”

          “Who?”

          “They are our angels, who help us during this time-travel and everyday in our time.”

          “I don’t understand.” Nicholas said.

          “I don’t understand all of what’s happening either. I’m relying on the feelings I’ve been getting from somewhere. Let’s stay here for a while and see if we can find out what happened to the diamonds.”

          “So can we take the diamonds now and bring them back to San Francisco?” Nicholas said.

          Ellie shook her head. “We can’t take anything back to San Francisco. But we do need to find out where the diamonds ended up.”

          “How long will that take?” Nicholas said, his voice desperate. “Remember I’ve only got two weeks left before—”

          “Don’t worry about that,” Ellie said. “The time in this realm doesn’t affect the time back in San Francisco. We’ll find out what we need to know here, and when we get back to our own world, it will be the same time it was when we left it. Trust me.”

          “Okay. What do we do now?”

          “Find a way to get out of this attic and find a place to get some sleep. From then on, we just play it by ear.”

​

​

Early next morning, Ellie and Nicholas woke up in the hayloft of Adamo’s barn, where they’d spent the night.

          A short while later, Adamo came into the barn with one of his servants. “Make sure the horses are fed,” he told the servant. “Then hitch them to my carriage. I’m leaving in half an hour to visit my father and my brother.”

          “Will you be staying long?” the servant said.

          “Not really,” Adamo said. “I just want to tell them in person that Foresta and I are adopting a little girl.”

​

​

When Adamo’s driver stopped to open the Adamo’s gate, two figures hurried from behind a clump of bushes and climbed onto the back of the carriage.

          The carriage drove through the walled village of Chiesta. On the way, Nicholas saw a big church made of stones. It was the church in the picture Daniel had shown him. He appreciated the beautiful round stain glass window set into the stone wall above the front door. An hour later they hopped to the ground just outside the gate to Giovanni Balducci’s estate.

          Giovanni was delighted to hear Adamo’s news about Caterina. He’d now have two grandchildren, a boy and a girl. Adamo didn’t mention the diamonds to him. He would someday, but for now he wanted to show him that he could develop his village and land through his own ingenuity and efforts, not through any kind of magical powers.

          As Adamo left his father’s estate and headed for Savino’s, Nicholas and Ellie sneaked back on the carriage again.

          On the way there, the carriage passed through the village of Torre. The bells in the great tower rang out and Nicholas noticed that the tower—except for not having a clock—looked very much like the tower on his father’s pictures.

          The village was bustling with life. In the open square in front of the tower, merchants with booths or wooden tables displayed their goods. Potential customers eyed tools, clothing, jewelry, produce, and a variety of other goods.        

          At one end of the square, a line of people with bottles, bowls, pots, and buckets waited their turn to draw water from a community well. An old man in the line nudged the woman in front of him, and they both turned toward the wagon and laughed. They waved to the little thieves who were stealing a ride.

          Nicholas and Ellie waved them back.

          Another woman stared at them with a bewildered look on her face.

          “What’s wrong with her?” Nicholas said.

          “It’s probably our outfits.”

The carriage exited Torre through its rear gate, and the horses picked up speed. They finally slowed when they drew near to Savino’s estate.

          The carriage stopped in front of the gate to Savino’s estate, and Adamo hopped out. He approached the gate and shouted something. A moment later it swung open. As Adamo stepped forward, the driver snapped his reins and followed him in.

          Once inside the walls, the driver turned his horses toward a stable that was located fifty feet or so from the entrance.

          “Now!” Ellie said.

          She and Nicholas jumped to the ground. A cluster of bushes bordered the wall. They scooted behind them and dusted themselves off.

          “We made it,” Nicholas said. “So what do we do now?”

          Ellie chuckled. “What I told you last night. We play it by—”

          “Hey!” a deep voice said.

          The bushes parted, and a huge baldheaded man stepped in front of Nicholas and Ellie. He crossed his brawny arms over his massive chest and frowned down at them.

          “Where did you two come from?” he said. “And why are you wearing such strange clothes. It’s a little early in the day for a masquerade ball, isn’t it?”

          “We've been traveling for days,” said Ellie.

          “That’s not what I asked,” he said. “And it’s not likely either. You’re both too clean for that.” He grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks. “Let’s go!”

​

​

Adamo’s purpose in visiting his brother was to tell him he was going to adopt a daughter. He’d also considered discussing the magical diamonds with him. Savino’s wife, Margarita, was from the north, where the jewelry business thrived, and her father, Cosmo Capello, was acquainted with many of the fabled jewelry dealers in Venice. Could she have heard about those diamonds from him? On the other hand, since he hadn’t mentioned the diamonds to his father, would it be wise not to bring up the subject with his brother? 

          He’d think about it. First, though, he’d tell him about Lorenzo and Caterina. But he’d leave out the business with the diamonds.

​

​

“Amazing,” Savino said when Adamo had finished. “A brave man, that Lorenzo. A pity he couldn’t get help sooner.”

          A knock sounded on the office door.

          “Come in,” Savino said.

          The door swung open and the man who’d caught Nicholas and Ellie pushed them into the room.

          “Excuse me, my lord,” the man said, “I found these two lurking about on your property.”

          Savino eyed the two. “Are you brother and sister?” he said.

          Ellie and Nicholas shook their heads.

          “Do your families live near here?”

          “No, sir,” Ellie said, “they live far from here.”

          Savino nodded. “And where exactly is that?”

          Ellie and Nicholas exchanged glances, but neither spoke.

          “Well,” Savino said, “you don’t look like villagers, and you don’t seem to know where your families are. That suggests to me that you are orphans and probably beggars.”

          “We’re not!” Nicholas said. “We have families but we’re separated from them.”

          “And you don’t know where they live?” Savino gave them a crafty smile. “I see. You’re not orphans, you’re not beggars, you have no homes hereabouts, and you have no means of support. Is that right?”

          The two looked at each other again and nodded.

          “All right,” Savino said. “I think we can find something to keep you busy until your . . . families . . . decide to find you.”

          He looked at Nicholas. “What’s your name, boy?”

          “Nicholas.”

          “Well, Nicholas,” he said, “Mariotto, my young son, needs a playmate—a big brother, so to speak. You will have a good life with us here. My son will be glad to have you around.”

          “And you,” Savino said to Ellie, “what’s your name?”

          “Ellie.”

          “A lovely name.” He turned to Adamo. “Brother, would you take care of the girl? She needs a home and somebody to look after her. She can be a big sister to your new daughter.”

          “A wonderful idea,” Adamo said. He turned to Ellie. “My wife and I would welcome you to our family. And don’t worry; we live nearby, and you and Nicholas can see each other often.”

          “Ristro,” Savino said to the big man, “take these children to the kitchen and tell Agnola to feed them.”

          Savino made a dismissive gesture with his hand, and Ristro led Nicholas and Ellie out of the room and closed the door behind him. 

          The unexpected arrival of the two children gave a boost to Adamo’s spirits. In almost no time at all, he and Foresta had acquired two lovely daughters. Maybe there was something to the story of those diamonds having magical powers. His luck was indeed changing for the better.

          He made up his mind. He would share the secret of the diamonds.

          “Brother,” he said to Savino, “I received a wonderful gift from Lorenzo, a reward for looking after Caterina.”

          Savino raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

          “He gave me three unusual diamonds: one green, one purple, and one pink. According to him they have magical qualities. He says they might make my wishes come true.” He chuckled. “I don’t believe that story entirely, yet I’m still curious about it. Foresta and I thought we’d always be childless, but you yourself have seen how we’ve come to be doubly blessed.”

          Savino shrugged and said nothing, stroke his beard. Adamo recounted the story that Lorenzo told him; however, he held back the part about the transformation of the red diamond—just in case.

          When Adamo finished, he said, “Have you or Margarita ever heard of such a legend?”

          “I never have,” Savino said. “Margarita may have heard something about it from her father. I’ll ask her and let you know. If the story’s true, I’d like to get my hands on some diamonds like that.” He smiled. “In fact I’d like to get my hands on any kind of diamonds. So, Brother, be content with them—even though the claims of their magical powers are doubtful.”

          “I’m skeptical too,” Adamo said.

          “What size are they?”
          “They’re big. Like cherries.”

          “Hmm,” Savino said, “that is big. You’re a lucky man, Adamo.”

          “I am,” Adamo said. He felt a wave of joy sweep over him. It was brought on by both his good fortune and by the pleasure of sharing the news of it with his brother.

​

​

In the kitchen, Agnola, a young servant, bluntly put two bowls of stew and some dry bread on the table for Ellie and Nicholas. She was incredibly skinny. Her eye bowls were so big, almost sticking out from her skull, that Nicholas and Ellie could see their own reflections on her eyes. Nicholas thought she must eat like a sparrow.

          Agnola handed spoons to Ellie and Nicholas and hurried from the room.

          “Ellie, what should we do now?” Nicholas said. “I’m trapped here, and you’re trapped with Adamo’s family.”

          “Don’t worry,” Ellis said. “We’ll be okay if you trust what I told you: Try to keep track of where the diamonds are located, but don’t do anything to them. And find out what is the relationship between Vix Tower, the Dark Shadow, and the diamonds. These will help us find the missing diamonds when we get back to our own time.”

          Nicholas nodded. He stared at the food, but didn’t really feel like eating.

          Oh, well, he thought, who knows when I’ll see another meal?

          He reached for a piece of bread.

​

          Agnola climbed the stairs to her lady’s room. Margarita had gone to Florence for the day to shop for jewelry, clothing, and maybe some delightful sweets. Agnola hoped she’d share some treats with her. Her mouth watered at the thought of the only kind of food she really craved.

          Savino’s six-year-old son, Mariotto, was out in the garden playing hide and seek with another servant. Savino was in his office talking with his brother. The coast was clear.

          She opened the door to Margarita’s room, stepped in, closed the door behind her, and went to a bookcase across the room. She knelt on the floor and pulled out a thick leather-bound book from the bottom shelf. She took an envelope from her apron. It was folded into a small rectangle and closed with a string. It was a letter for Savino from a lord in another region that had been delivered that morning. She opened the book, tucked the envelope into it, and returned it to the shelf. 

          Ristro, who was fiercely loyal to Savino, handled his outgoing messages. Still, Margarita was able to garner a great deal of information about her husband’s doing from the messages that came in.

          She stood up and went over to a portrait of Margarita and Mariotto that hung next to a couch. She tilted it slightly to one side—a sign to her lady that a letter was waiting for her inside the leather-bound book.

​

          “Are you done eating?” Agnola said sharply when she got back to the kitchen.

          “Yes,” Ellie said. “And we’ve cleaned the dishes and put them in the cupboard.”

          Agnola looked surprised. She stood there for a moment, her bony hands resting on her hips. “Hmm!” she said.  She frowned at the two children, and then turned and walked out of the kitchen and off down the hallway.

          Ellie and Nicholas waited in silence. When the sound of the servant’s footsteps finally faded away, they turned to each other and burst into laughter.