La Contessa followed my gaze, then raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need to be coy about it, child. I sent you to this library that day for a reason; I wanted you to know. Yes, he’s returned to take up his new post as Chancellor of the Exchequer.”

“It …” I swallowed. “It doesn’t seem right, Mamma.”

“Right has nothing to do with it. We can’t risk rebellion in a city three days’ ride from Raverra over my cousin’s feelings. The fact that Astor Bergandon instituted those illegal taxes at all shows Ignazio wasn’t the right man for the job anymore.”

Rebellion. My breath snagged on its way in. When I’d been in Ardence, sometimes the young nobles’ sons lamented their proud city owing fealty to Raverra, with typical Ardentine passion. But in restless Ardence, that was mere drawing room conversation, with no spark of true rebellion behind it. Something must have changed.

La Contessa’s voice dropped to a murmur. “So far as Ignazio is concerned, the decision to replace him was the doge’s alone. We can spare him that much.”

I didn’t like the idea of helping my mother mislead Ignazio, even to spare his feelings. But I nodded. “He’s coming here?”

“Yes. I invited him for a glass of wine, to welcome him back to Raverra. Don’t mention Ardence unless he does first. Follow his lead, and mine.”

Since Ignazio was family, my mother received him in the parlor. Its wide windows opened on the fairyland of water-mirrored light that was the Imperial Canal in the evening. Lush pastoral paintings adorned the inner walls, and a harpsichord stood in the corner.

Ignazio rose when we entered, a glass of wine in his hand. He wore his customary sober gray, with a white lace collar spreading across his shoulders. His pale, thin face lacked my mother’s vivacious beauty, but his eyes held the spark of the Cornaro drive and intelligence.

“Amalia,” he greeted me, in his dry voice. “A pleasure to see you.”

Ignazio wasn’t the sort of man you hugged, and I wasn’t wearing skirts to curtsy, so I bowed. “And you as well, Uncle Ignazio.”

“You seem well. How is your stock of the elixir? Do you need me to make any more?”

“It’s fine,” I began, embarrassed. But my mother didn’t wait for me to finish.

“We could use a few more bottles.” She bestowed one of her smiles upon him. “I think she’s down to four. Thank you so much, Ignazio. I don’t know what we would do without you.”