Chapter 8: The Providence Don

There was a strange car in the drive at Harrow House when we got back.

It was a long black sedan with Rhode Island plates, and the engine was still ticking.

Santino stopped our car behind it and put it in park.

"Stay here," he said.

"No."

"Helena."

"I live here. And I'm not asking, Santino."

He closed his eyes for a second, and then he got out and came around and opened my door.

The front hall lights were on.

Every member of the Council stood in the Great Hall in their coats and nightclothes.

Edmund stood at the head of the table with both hands on his cane.

Harrison stood behind him with a grey face.

Across from them stood a heavy man in a camel overcoat.

He was fifty or so, bald, with a gold watch on his wrist and two younger men standing at his shoulders.

"There she is," he said.

He smiled at me.

It was a friendly smile, and I disliked it immediately.

"Mrs. Carraro, is it? Congratulations."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'm the man from Providence who paid two million dollars for you, sweetheart."

Santino stepped in front of me.

The two men at the camel coat's shoulders each moved one hand to a pocket.

Santino's six men came in through the front door without a sound and stood along the wall.

"Easy," the man from Providence said, and raised both palms. "I came to talk. This is a family house."

"Then talk," said Santino.

"The Council promised me Miss Crowninshield in May. I have it in writing, and I paid half up front."

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