Ellis, sitting on the edge of the bed, fixed her eyes on the bedroom door, anxious for the moment when Vittorio would enter and they would finally talk. Each accelerated beat of her heart echoed in the silence of that moment. She mentally rehearsed the words she wanted to say, searching for the best way to explain why she hadn't revealed Antonietta's secret to Vittorio. The importance of that conversation hung over her, as she knew the future of their marriage was at stake.

Ellis could ...