Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno 4)

Rachel held the baby carrier with both hands as they approached the kitchen. “I wasn’t going to leave before you came home. Aaron had to work, otherwise he’d be here, too.”

“It means a lot. I know you’ve been fielding phone calls and deliveries and everything else.”

Rachel shrugged. “That’s what families do, Jules. They take care of each other. I’m just lucky I had some vacation days left. Rebecca has been spoiling us with her cooking. You should see what she made for lunch.”

“Good. I’m starving.” Julia’s stomach was already rumbling. She stepped into the kitchen.

The kitchen table was set with the Emersons’ best china, silverware, and crystal. Pink helium-filled balloons were tied to Julia’s chair at the foot of the table, and a huge arrangement of pink and white roses formed a centerpiece. Almost every surface of the kitchen was covered with food, flowers, or brightly wrapped presents.

“Surprise!” An older woman with short white hair and gray-blue eyes stepped forward.

“Katherine?” Julia fanned a hand over her mouth.

“I thought you were in Oxford.” Gabriel shook off his surprise and greeted his former colleague with a kiss on the cheek.

“I was. I came to Cambridge to meet my goddaughter.” Professor Picton embraced Julia and stepped back, her eyes sparkling. “Can I hold her?”

“Of course.” Gabriel removed Clare from her baby carrier, pressing a kiss to her head before transferring her to Katherine’s arms.

Clare opened her big blue eyes.

Katherine smiled. “Hello, Clare. I’m your aunt Katherine.”

The baby opened her tiny rosebud mouth and yawned.

“Clare is a beautiful name,” Katherine continued, undeterred by the infant’s sleepiness. “I thought your parents might have named you Beatrice. But I can see you look more like a Clare.”

“There’s only one Beatrice.” Gabriel placed his arm around Julia’s shoulders.

“Oh, what fun we’ll have,” Katherine whispered to the child. “I’ll teach you Italian and all about Dante and Beatrice. When you’re old enough, I’ll take you to Florence and show you where Dante lived.”

The baby seemed to stare at her aunt. Katherine bent closer and recited,

“‘Donne ch’avete intelletto d’amore,

i’ vo’ con voi de la mia donna dire,

non perch’io creda sua laude finire,

ma ragionar per isfogar la mente.’”

Gabriel recognized the lines from Dante’s La Vita Nuova, as Katherine quoted his praise for the lovely Beatrice.

Julia stood, frozen.

Then suddenly, like an unexpected cloudburst at a picnic, Julia began to cry.

Chapter Four

The room grew very still.

Everyone looked at Julia, who clapped a hand over her mouth as she tried to suppress her sobs.

Richard, Katherine, Rebecca, and Rachel stood in shock, not knowing what to do.

“Give us a minute,” Gabriel murmured, his arm still wrapped around Julia’s shoulders. He led her into the living room to a quiet corner near the window.

“Darling, what’s the matter? Are you in pain?” Stricken, he bent to look at her.