The Roman(85)
Beyond the villa, on a hill at the other end of the island, there stood a chapel where her husband spent time in meditation and prayer. Where he sometimes spoke to his teacher. Where she joined him on occasion as she navigated her own uneasy spiritual journey.
Raven spent her days painting and sketching, much of her work inspired by the island or their time in Italy. William explored the limits of his human body, learning to snorkel and surf. But their evenings were always spent together. They’d tell one another stories next to the fire, or make love on the beach, or simply enjoy one another’s company.
Most of their art collection was still housed in Geneva, awaiting final decisions of where the various pieces should go. Raven and William had sold several works privately in support of their fund for abused children. The fact that they could continue their support from their island sanctuary gave their lives added meaning.
Perhaps a day would come when they could travel to America and she could see her sister again. For now, they lived a simple life together while their enemies appeared to be chasing other foes.
Raven had no idea why William had been spared. She had no idea why they’d been given a second life together. But she lived every day grateful and full of hope.
FIN
Epilogue
December 2013
Cambridge, Massachusetts
“DARLING, CAN YOU GET THE DOOR?” Julia called to her husband. “I have my hands full.”
Clare was covered in milk. Somehow, in her exhausted state, Julia hadn’t closed the baby bottle securely and milk had poured all over Clare’s face and body as it splashed to the floor.
Clare currently sat in the kitchen sink while Julia attempted to separate her from her wet, milky sleeper.
“Did you order something?” Gabriel stuck his head into the kitchen on his way to the front door.
“No. It could be Christmas presents.”
“From whom?”
The doorbell rang again.
“I don’t know, Gabriel.” Julia grew impatient. “Could you just answer the door?”
She heard her husband’s solid footsteps crossing the hardwood. She heard the opening of the door, the faint murmur of voices, and the door closing.
Gabriel entered the kitchen carrying a very large box.
Julia eyed it curiously. “Who is it from?”
“Some shipping company I’ve never heard of.”
“I meant who’s the sender?”
“The name was left off the label.”
Gabriel retrieved a knife and began opening the box.
He pawed through a great pile of Styrofoam packing material in order to uncover another box.
He cursed.
“Language,” Julia whispered, angling her head toward Clare.
“Dada.” Clare giggled and bounced on her backside, cheerfully half-naked and still sitting in the large kitchen sink.
Gabriel lifted the second, smaller box and placed it on the kitchen table.#p#分页标题#e#
He opened it and sifted through the contents.
Then he took a very large step back.
“What is it?” Julia was alarmed by his sudden movement.
Their eyes met.
Gabriel reached into the box and pulled out a protective sleeve. Then, very carefully, he opened the protective sleeve and drew out an etching.
Julia dropped the cloth she’d been holding. “Holy crap.”
Clare mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like the words her mother had just uttered.
“There are a lot of them.” Gabriel appeared bewildered. He pulled out more of the sleeves and began arranging them carefully on the table.
“Are they ours?” Julia’s eyes grew wide.
Gabriel began checking the sleeves. He found the illustration of Dante and Beatrice in the sphere of Mercury and flipped it over.
There, on the back of the illustration, was a faint pencil mark. He showed it to Julia. “This one, at least, is ours. I remember the mark.”
Julia covered her mouth. “They must have found them. Interpol must have found them.”
Gabriel placed the illustration back in its protective sleeve. “I don’t think so. Interpol would have contacted us. We would have known they were coming.”
“Then who?”
He checked the sender’s address label on the largest box. It showed an origin of Geneva, Switzerland, but no name.
He scratched at his chin.
Julia’s eyes met her husband’s. “Could it be…”
Gabriel placed his arm around her shoulder, drawing her into his side. “I don’t know. I think it doesn’t matter who they’re from. Dante and Beatrice are finally home.”