Post by Joanna Montefiore on Jan 13, 2018 18:38:55 GMT -5
Weeks transpired since the almost violent altercation between Caterina and herself, where her elder sister made it crystal clear that she blamed Joanna for the ruination of her life as it existed, and that she felt the younger was a sneak-thief, a seductress luring Cesare astray from the betrothal agreement contracted in Anzio. Caterina shouted at her, swore at her, labeled her with names that scored deeply into the gentle Dove's heart, yet Joanna showed a little spine for a change and defended herself.
The results were a shattered wine bottle, a torrent of angry weeping, and a threat that Joanna dreaded might come to pass if Caterina continued to seek solace in the bottle. She was further upset and humiliated when compelled to explain the confrontation to Niccolo, especially when it resulted in relocating Joanna to the Deliambre home for her own safety while Niccolo dealt with Caterina.
Joanna mutely accepted the exile, though the separation from her other sisters, from her cousins, from Niccolo and Elena nearly broke her heart. The Deliambres were kind and welcoming, doing their best to make her feel at home, yet she'd never been so long from her family. Fortunately, Elena and Demetrio came to visit often, and she was able to meet with Piero at morning mass, but it was not the same. She hated knowing there was a bleeding, jagged wound between Caterina and herself, feared that her sister hated her. Elisa's wedding was soon, as was her own; Joanna wanted both to be happy occasions without strife or fear.
With that in mind, she wrote to her sister Allegra, hoping that she could prevail upon Allegra to aid her in making peace with Caterina. Joanna did not fail to notice the new maturity in her younger sister, or the way in which Allegra carried herself. Aware that Allegra was Cat's favorite, she prayed that this would work. Inviting Allegra to visit her at the Deliambre home to talk, she paced, waiting for her sister to arrive. Never had anything felt so important in her life. If Cat would not make the first move to repair the relationship - something Joanna thought she understood as Cat deemed herself the injured party - then Joanna would. It was time.
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Allegra Montefiore