Italian Masquerade

Chapter 6: Harlequin's Serenade

Sara smiled at Neal sitting next to her at the restaurant and clasped his hand under the table. He was wearing his Matthew wig. She had Alicia's blond mop of curls on her head. Their fictitious friends were enjoying their final fling before New Year's. But the wigs would live on. Neal was keeping the Matthew St. John alias and Alicia Thornton could come in useful in her work as well.

The evening felt like a rehearsal party before their upcoming performance. The restaurant was a casual hole in the wall. It lent an air of intrigue to their plotting. The management at La Bottega ai Promessi Sposi had seated them at a back table far away from the front door. Mozzie and Janet were sitting facing the entrance on the remote chance Henry and Eric entered.

"El, with the ostrich headdress I've designed, you'll be a standout in the crowd," Janet predicted.

"That's the idea," El said, smiling appreciatively. "We want Henry and Eric to identify us first."

Peter and El were going to the ball as French courtiers in elaborate white costumes which would have looked appropriate at Versailles. They'd both wear white make-up instead of masks. El's cheeks would be adorned with a couple of beauty patches.

"And what do you want them to think about Mozzie and me in our Harlequin and Columbine costumes?" Janet asked. "I'm so much shorter than Sara, they won't mistake me for her."

"Perhaps not," Mozzie said, "although many have commented on what a close resemblance I have to Neal's physique."

Either because of the mellow glow they were in from the excellence of the wine or the gratitude they all felt for Mozzie financing the trip, no one cracked a smile, least of all Sara.

"But just in case Henry misses the obvious," Mozzie added, "I planted clues in his bedroom which will undoubtedly divert his mind to the right track."

"Some of them are a little literary for Henry's tastes," Neal said, "but I'm counting on Eric to help him out. By the time dinner is announced, we want the unmasking to have occurred. I have no intention of missing out on the feast."

"What clues did you leave?" Peter asked.

"Clue is the operative word," Mozzie said. "In the cabinet under the TV, they'll find a collection of handpicked DVDs including Clueless, Pride and Prejudice, The Scarlet Pimpernel—"

"—as well as Comedy of Errors," Neal said. "Even if Henry isn't familiar with Shakespeare's plot of mistaken identities, he can't miss the meaning."

"We also included West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet," Sara added. "They provide hints about Neal and my costumes."

"Peter and I are going to visit the art museums tomorrow," El said. "That should keep us away from Henry and Eric."

"We have additional security measures in place," Mozzie said. "In their room, they'll find complimentary tickets to a four-hour cruise of the islands in addition to a walking tour and gondola ride."

Would Henry take advantage of the gondola ride to serenade Eric? Neal thought he wouldn't be able to resist. Sara hoped they were as happy as she and Neal were. As the time for the unveiling grew near, she found a little nervousness mixed in with the excitement. How would Henry react to the knowledge he'd been conned? Would he wait at least a couple of months before retaliating?

The Diziani Ball, December 31.

"Wow," Eric murmured when he stepped inside the palace, and Henry seconded the sentiment. He'd thought he was prepared for the Baroque extravagance of the evening. He'd seen photos of past balls with costumed guests and performers in the ornate surroundings of a Venetian palace, but this was beyond what he'd imagined. Up to now, he'd felt his courtier outfit was a little over the top, especially during the short gondola ride to their destination, but he soon discovered many of the costumes were even more elaborate.