The Thief Lord

The door opened. The sister with the loud voice poked her head into the room. "Caterina?"

Hornet jumped. How did she know her name?

"Ah, so that really seems to be your name. Fine, come with me. There's someone who wants to see you!"

"Who is it?" Hornet asked. She wasn't sure whether she should be happy or afraid.

"Why didn't you tell us who your godmother is?" the sister scolded as she walked Hornet down the bare corridor. "Such a famous lady. You probably don't know how much she has done for the orphanage."

Famous? Godmother? Hornet was now completely confused. She had a godmother? The sister seemed to be very excited. She kept fiddling with her glasses -- they had thick lenses that made her eyes look enormous.

"Come on now, Caterina!" The sister impatiently pulled Hornet along. "How much longer do you want to make her wait?"

Hornet wanted to shout out, Who? What's going on? But she swallowed the words as soon as she saw Ida. She almost didn't recognize her at all in that hat. And who was the man next to her?

"It seems that you were right, Signora Spavento!" the sister boomed loudly. "The name of our anonymous girl really is Caterina. So this is your goddaughter?"

Hornet suddenly felt as light as air. She wanted to run to Ida and hug her, hide underneath her wide coat and never come out. But she was afraid to spoil it, and so she just smiled shyly and walked hesitantly toward Ida and her strange companion.

"Yes, that's her. Cara! Sweetheart!" Ida spread her arms and held her so tightly that Hornet felt all the warmth return to her heart.

"Hello, Hornet," the strange man at Ida's side whispered. Hornet looked up into his face with surprise -- and now she recognized him too: Victor, the snoop, with a new beard! Bo's friend Victor. Her friend now too.

"This is my lawyer, cara," Ida explained after she had let go of Hornet.

Hornet mumbled "Buongiorno" and smiled at Victor.

"Why do you always take your parents' little quarrels so seriously, cara?" Ida asked. She sighed deeply, as if she had already had to talk to Hornet too often about her silly parents. "She's run away three times already because of their little tiffs," Ida explained to the nun, who was looking at Hornet with deep sympathy. "Her mother, who is my cousin, will get divorced soon, and until then I will take the girl in. Otherwise she'll probably run away again, and who knows where the police might find her then. Last time, they found her hiding somewhere in Burano. Imagine!"

Hornet was in seventh heaven as she listened to these lies. All the time she held on to Ida's hand as if she would never let it go. Ida's story sounded so true that, for a moment, Hornet herself almost believed in these quarreling parents.

The sister with the loud voice had tears in her eyes.

"Can I take Caterina with me right away?" Ida asked, as if it was the most natural question in the world.

"But of course, Signora Spavento," the sister answered. "We are so happy we could, for once, be of service to you. After all your generous donations. And the photographs you took of the children -- I tell you they all treasure them."

"Don't mention it." Ida avoided Hornet's curious looks. "Please give my regards to Sister Angela and Sister Lucia and also the Mother Superior. Just send any papers that need signing."

"Of course!" the sister hurried to the door and held it for Ida. "Have a nice day, Mr. Lawyer."

"Thank you," said Victor, trying to look dignified.

Hornet's heart was beating wildly as they crossed the courtyard. Countless windows looked down at the pavement. Gray windows, empty except for a few Christmas stars stuck to the panes on the ground floor.

"So many windows," Victor muttered sadly. "So many windows, and so many children."

"Yes, and nobody to take them in their arms and be grateful for them every day," said Ida. "What a waste."

"Arrivederci, Signora Spavento -- until next time!" called the sister who had run out of the porter's lodge to open the gate for them.

"Heavens!" Victor grunted as they passed through the gate. "They treat you like a saint!"

Hornet tore herself away from him. Suddenly, she was in a great hurry. She ran to the nearest canal, spat into the water, looked at the boats cruising on the Grand Canal, and took a deep breath. For a moment she just stood there, her lungs filled with the fresh, damp air.

Then she breathed out slowly, very slowly, and all the fear and the desperation that had crept into her since the police had brought her to the orphanage left her. But then she remembered Bo.

She turned around and looked at Victor and Ida. "What about Bo?" she asked. "And what about the others?"

Victor tugged the false beard from his chin. "Mosca and Riccio are at Ida's," he said. "But Bo is still with his aunt."

Hornet hung her head and kicked a cigarette butt angrily into the canal. "And Prosper?" she asked.

"Riccio is looking for him," Victor answered. "Don't look so worried. He'll find him.'

38 Prosper

Riccio found Prosper in front of the Hotel Sandwirth. He was standing on the promenade as if frozen solid, oblivious to the crowds passing him by. There was always quite a crush on the Riva degli Schiavoni, even on a biting-cold day like this, since this was where some of the city's best hotels were to be found. Hundreds of boats docked at the moorings along the canal and there were constant comings and goings. Prosper heard the wind pushing the boats against the piers; he heard the dull thud as they bumped against the wood. He was aware, somewhere, of people laughing and talking in many languages. But he just stood there, his collar turned up against the chill, and looked up at the windows of the Sandwirth. When Riccio put his hand on his shoulder, Prosper spun around.

"Hey, Prop, there you are!" Riccio said greatly relieved. "I've been looking for you all day. I came here a few times, but I didn't see you."

"I'm sorry," Prosper apologized. He turned around again. "I followed them the whole day, without being seen. I think Bo nearly spotted me a few times, but I quickly ducked out of the way. I was afraid he'd flip if he saw me." Prosper pushed the hair from his forehead. "I followed them everywhere. They bought clothes for Bo. Esther even wanted to put a bow tie on him, but he chucked it into the garbage when they weren't looking. You probably wouldn't recognize him anymore. He looks completely different now that he's not in those huge sweaters Scipio used to bring back. They even insisted on taking him to a hairdresser's. There's not a trace of black left now. And then they took him from one cafe to another, but he never touched anything they ordered for him. He just kept staring past them. I think he saw me once through a window because he tried to run away. But my uncle quickly caught him again like a naughty puppy.

"They're in there now," Prosper said, pointing up at the brightly lit windows. "I even went and asked the porter which room Esther is in, but he just told me the Hartliebs won't see anybody."

For a few moments the two boys just stood next to each other, gazing up at the windows. They were beautiful windows, glowing behind shimmering curtains. Which one was Bo behind?

"Come on!" Riccio said finally. He caught sight of a man swinging his camera around rather carelessly. "You can't stand here all night. Don't you want to know where we're staying now? Ida took us in without batting an eyelid! We've even got our own room, in the attic. We couldn't take our old mattresses, but Ida had two old beds and so we've pushed them together for now. It's a bit cramped, but it's definitely better than sleeping outside. It's great! Come on, dinner will be ready soon. I tell you, that housekeeper can cook!" He took hold of Prosper's arm, but Prosper just shook his head.