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managed to ignore the fact that Falconer was the only one who did not join in. He was, after all, a stern man by nature.
    “Grazie, di cuore. Grazie mille.” Bettina pulled Lillian toward the house. “Vieni. Presto, vieni!”
    “She says you must come with us now,” Serafina called over. “Mama, where does this go?”
    “Cos’ e`?”
    “A table, I think. With drawers.”
    “It is called a sideboard,” Lillian explained.
    “Oh! What wood! Che grande! ” Bettina would not let go of Lillian’s hand.
    The three women disappeared inside the house, chattering in a pair of languages, not really caring now that little was being translated. Reginald Langston observed, “I do believe they have become the best of friends.”
    “Sir, Mr. Langston.” Alessandro extended his hand over the stream of items and workers proceeding into his house. “I am speechless.”
    “First of all, you must call me Reginald.”
    “Reginald. I am Alessandro.” The man’s eyes shone with astonished delight. “One moment we are homeless and wondering whether we shall even have clothes for the morrow. The next, we have a home and all the furnishings.”
    “First of all, the home was Falconer’s doing.”
    “Yes, yes, of course.” A trace of the stiff formality returned as Alessandro bowed to Falconer. But not much. “We are ever in the gentleman’s debt.”
    “As for me, sir, I must tell you, we are here because we expect something in return.”
    “Ah.” Alessandro wished to become the skilled merchant and negotiator. But the day was too much. “Anything, good sir. If it is in my power, it is yours.”
    “Not your power at all, sir, but Falconer’s. We seek him to join our firm.”
    “But . . . but, Mr. Falconer has agreed to help me.”
    “As he has explained. We shall wait because we must. But Falconer has agreed to join us.” Reginald did not even attempt to hide his vast satisfaction. “Finally.”
    Langston’s Emporium in Georgetown was but one segment of the merchant empire. Reginald Langston and his partners controlled a fleet of merchant ships and had established trading stations in such far-flung spots as Philadelphia, Wheeling, London, Paris, and Amsterdam. Falconer saw no need to explain to Alessandro Gavi that he had agreed to Reginald’s request with just one condition. That his work in the company require that he be sent far away.
    “Surely, sir, there must be something I can do for you as well,” Alessandro offered. “The Gavis are known far and wide as merchants of quality.”
    “I thank you, and I look forward to seeing how and where our interests mesh,” Reginald replied evenly.
    Even Falconer noticed the sudden shift.
    “But there is something more I can do for you, yes?” Alessandro asked.
    “Falconer has told me in no uncertain terms that he will only join my establishment once he has concluded his work for you. But he will not tell me what this work is, nor how long it will take.”
    Alessandro bit his lip, his former good humor gone. “It must remain a secret, good sir, only because it is dangerous.”
    “If you do not trust those you can, how can you be sure that you will succeed?”
    “True, true.” Alessandro Gavi searched about him, ensuring that the square remained empty. He cast a glance at Falconer. “I must thank you for being so guarded with my confidences.”
    “It is your secret,” Falconer replied. “Not mine.”
    “But you feel I should trust him, yes?”
    “If it were my decision, I would have confided in him long ago.”
    “Bene.” Alessandro turned to Reginald. “I represent a council of Venetian merchants. As payment for a debt, we have been given ownership of a gold mine.”
    “Whereabouts does it lie?”
    “Two days ride from Charlotte in the Carolinas,” Falconer answered for Alessandro, very glad to have it out. “In the Appalachian foothills, or so I am told.”
    “Don’t know it; don’t have business there. Our trade has all been north and west. But