Infinite Devotion Read Online Free

in court lines up to welcome them. Trumpets ring out as they approach on decorated mules, Jofre in front, looking young and gawky with reddish-tinged thin hair. I see why my father doubts his paternity, since Jofre doesn’t have any of the beauty of the Borgia’s. He’s dark in complexion and rather greasy, with a prominent scar over his left eye from a fencing match. I see no features that improve him.
    Sancia catches my attention with her long, shiny, black hair and poised stance in her saddle. She’s not so fine-featured, but her aura is very enticing and charming. Jofre looks like a poor messenger boy next to her regal air. I sympathize with her at once, with how she’s forced into such an odd marriage for family betterment. Father’s at the front of the welcoming line. Juan and Cesare stand beside me, behind Father. Sancia gracefully dismounts, and Jofre awkwardly takes her arm. She dwarfs him by two inches. Sancia curtsies to my father, kisses the ring on his right hand, and as her eyes come up to see Juan and Cesare, she blushes. Juan and Cesare both reach for her arm, and in her graceful way, she smiles and holds both hands up to be kissed by the charmed brothers.
    She turns to me and gives me a beautiful white-toothed smile. “I can tell you’re Lucrezia, since you’re the most dazzling woman at court.”
    I like her immediately. “Second only to you, Sancia.”
    “Oh, and a graceful liar too.” I see a slight scar on her forehead between large honey-brown eyes as she smiles easily.
    That night, Juan, Cesare, Sancia, and I perform a bassa dance. Jofre sits quietly next to Father. During the dance, Juan is forced to leave Sancia and switch partners with me. Yet his head remains turned toward her even while displaying his light-footed prancing for me. Cesare now beams as he is finally allowed to perform for her.
    Juan glances back to me as it is my turn to dance for him and he asks, “Whom do you think Sancia favors?”
    “Jofre?” I say between hops, and we both laugh.
    He waits for me to answer honestly.
    “Either she favors both or neither,” I say, watching her laugh as Cesare takes her hand high to lead her in a glide around the circle, “or she may treat every man this way.”
    He says nothing back. After taking me around the circle as well, he stirs the air with a sweeping bow and moves on to the next partner. Cesare comes to me, still watching, glancing over his shoulder to Sancia, sizing up her new partner.
    “I feel like Sancia’s leftovers.” I smirk.
    “You’re never leftover, not in a dress such as this.” He looks at my gown with charitable admiration. “But I do wonder who will be in her bed tonight.”
    After the dance is over, we sit down to our first course. Sancia’s seated that night next to Father, who never fails to seat all beauty nearest to him, and I’m on her left. Juan and Cesare are positioned out of hearing, and I see them leaning to catch occasional glimpses of Sancia.
    Sancia turns to me during the main course and says, “You have three very distinguished brothers.”
    I know she’s being kind, including Jofre.
    “Yes, and they seem very enraptured with you.”
    She sparkles at the confirmation she’s been fishing for. I know then, since she doesn’t ask more, that she fancies both. This is yet another competition between Juan and Cesare.
    When dinner ends, both brothers lurch out of their seats to help her leave the table. Juan reaches for her hand first and leads her away to her sleeping quarters. Cesare, fuming, comes back to help me up and motions for his henchman, Don Michelotto. He says to him as he comes close, “Follow them, and watch their door. When he leaves, come and find me.”
    Michelotto fixes his steel-grey eyes upon the flirting pair and nods.
    Cesare turns to me with a grin. “The main course always follows the appetizer.”
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    I decide to leave in the morning while Cesare and Juan sleep in from