A young woman, a priest, and a secret that keeps them bitterly bound to each other . . .
MARIA LANDRO led her little son by the hand as they hurried down the winding road from Bella Terra toward the village. Distant, dark clouds gathered in the morning sky. Looked like a storm coming. The anxiety that had been churning for days in the pit of her stomach now spread to chill every part of her body. It was all she could do to keep herself from turning back.
Nico tugged on her wrist. "Are we almost there, Mama?"
She squeezed his hand in return, the hem of her skirt rustling against the pebbles as it swished along the cobblestone road. "Almost, darling. Are you all right?"
He looked up at her. He had her father's eyes. Kind, deep, and probing. They always made him so easy to love.
"I'm well, Mama." But his fingers fidgeted in her hand.
His nervousness only fueled her own. She squeezed his hand more tightly. Please let the village be kind to him. Regardless of what they believed about her.
A sudden gust of wind caught the end of her headscarf, pulling it back past her temples. "My, the wind is getting stronger. Let's hurry before the storm breaks. We don't want you to arrive at school soaking wet on your very first day, do we?"
"No, we don't, Mama. I would look silly." He laughed, and an arrow pierced her heart.
If anyone hurt him . . .
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Book Reviews
"This book had my attention from the very start, hard to stop reading it once I started.”
~ Janice Sisemore, Reader
"Excellent read! . . . Beautifully written . . . .”
~ Alison Strittmatter, Reader
"Excellent characters, dramatic plot. Beautifully written, giving wonderful feeling for the setting in place and time. Emotionally intense situations, satisfying resolution. Among the two or three best novels I have read this year. Highly recommended.”
~ Dr. Donn Taylor, Author of Fiction
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About the Author
Dr. MaryAnn Diorio is a widely published, award-winning author of compelling fiction that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart. Her books for both adults and children consistently receive excellent reviews for their content and their style. MaryAnn holds the PhD in French with a concentration in Comparative Literature from the University of Kansas. She resides in New Jersey with her husband Dominic, a retired physician. They are the blessed parents of two awesome daughters, a wonderful son-in-law, and five rambunctious grandchildren. When not writing, MaryAnn loves to read, to paint, and to make up silly songs for her grandchildren.
