Flustered, Elisabetta kept an eye on the children. “I’m sorry, ladies. I didn’t get your names.”
“I’m Nedda Rotunno, and my sister-in-law is Martina Bellolio.” The tall woman scanned the breakfronts, her dark eyes agog. “Giuseppina lived like a queen! We’re in luck. We’re going to love it here.”
Elisabetta hid her dismay. “You mean you’re all moving in? There’s only the one bedroom downstairs, and I have the one upstairs. I was told only one woman—”
“We’ll squeeze in with ease.” Nedda turned to Martina, delighted. “How lucky are we? This china will bring a pretty penny. We’re going to be rich!”
“Pardon me?” Elisabetta asked, aghast. “You can’t sell Nonna’s china. It’s antique.”
“Of course we can.” Nedda gestured around the room. “This is a gold mine. It’s all going to the estate sale, and so are these breakfronts. We’ll make a fortune!”
“No, no.” Elisabetta felt a wrench in her chest. “Nonna collected that china. She chose every plate and every pattern for a specific reason. Some of it is decades old. It took her years to amass—”
“E allora?” Nedda waved her off. “She’s gone now, isn’t she?”
“That’s disrespectful.” Elisabetta cringed. “You mustn’t say such things, and you can’t sell her collection. Sofia won’t allow you.”
“Yes, she already has. Sofia arranged the whole thing. The appraiser is coming this week and he’s going to give us a price.”
“That can’t be right.” Elisabetta recoiled. “Sofia didn’t tell me, and she doesn’t have a legal right to dispose of Nonna’s property. Only Paolo does.”
“Beh, Paolo’s not here, is he?”
“No, he’s at war, but he’ll be back.” Elisabetta fought back tears. “The china is what Nonna loved the most. It was hers, and she didn’t ask for anything from anybody. She earned it all herself.”
“Elisabetta, this is none of your business. You’re only a freeloader.” Nedda scowled, and just then one of the little girls dropped a plate, one of the blue-patterned Staffordshire that Nonna had loved, which shattered on the floor.
“Oh no!” Elisabetta reached for the broom, then hurried over to clean up. She knelt down, picked up the pieces, and put them in the dustpan. The characteristic chink of the shards could have been the sound of Nonna’s own bones, as the china was made from bone and ash.
“You clumsy girl!” Nedda smacked the little girl in the face, provoking a wail. “Do you know how much that dish cost? We could have eaten for weeks! Don’t touch the plates!”
“Don’t touch the plates!” Martina joined in, and the children raced into the dining room like a horde.
“Look, a white cat!” a little boy howled, reaching for Gnocchi, who sprang from the chair in alarm, then froze under the table, arching her back.
“No, leave her alone!” Elisabetta dropped the broom and ran into the dining room.
“There are two cats!” shouted one of the little girls, when she discovered Rico on the chair. “Two! Two!”
“Catch them, catch them!” a boy squealed, and the children swarmed after the cats. Rico scooted smartly to the stairwell, realizing that these dirty little humans were to be avoided at all costs.
“Stop!” Elisabetta blocked the children’s path as Rico and Gnocchi fled past them and up the stairs. “You must leave the cats alone!”
“Cats! Cats! Two cats!” The children exploded in excited chatter. “One is white and one is striped!”
“Nedda, Martina, please, I have a request.” Elisabetta had to find a way to live with these people. “Please don’t let the children tease the cats. They’re accustomed to a quiet life.”
“Boh!” Nedda scoffed. “The children are playing.”
Martina nodded. “They love cats. We used to have a cat.”
“We ate it!” a little boy called out.
Elisabetta recoiled, horrified. “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”
The boy burst into laughter. “We loved it! It was delicious!”
Nedda snorted. “Elisabetta, don’t be so high and mighty. The bombs destroyed our farm. Our cow and goats were killed. Our husbands are in the army. I held my family together, and so did Martina. You don’t have a family, so keep your snotty opinions to yourself.”