Chapter 10 Secrets Exposed
The gang waited outside of a grand house, surrounded by other big houses. The only grander house they saw was across from the canal.
"This cannot be the place" Riccio stated as the group huddled together. It was fairly cold outside.
"This is the address Victor gave us" Hornet said checking a small strip of paper again.
Bo and Prosper knocked using the golden knocker on the front of the door.
"Who is that " Abby and Scipio got up and made their way to the top of the stairs. They heard the maid let someone in.
"Probably a client of my father's" Scipio eased Abby's fears.
Abby was always worried that the gang would found out where they lived. The gang would not like it that they pretended to be poor and that Scipio pretended to be an orphan. Although in his mind he was. His father didn't treat him like a son; his mother divorced his father and left Italy, so he hardly got to see her.
"We probably need to go down and say hello. After all that what an officer and his wife would do" Abby teased.
"You are probably right" Scipio relied, heading for the stairs.
Abby followed beside him. They started walking down the stairs.
Abby spoke first, complaining "I don't want to do lesson again. I mean we've just had a whole day of lessons already today. I know it is fencing your favorite -" she was cut off mid sentence.
Standing in the foyer was Prosper and Bo. Scipio and Abby ran back up the stairs followed by
Prosper and Bo. They ran through some doorways near Scipio's father's study trying to get away from the two brothers chasing. Abby's worst fear was realized, the gang would know the truth. A voice broke the beat from running feet.
"What are you both doing here. Do you have lessons starting." Dottor was standing in front of a doorway.
Abby and Scipio came screeching to a halt.
"Not for another hour" Abby said unusually quiet, looking anywhere but at Dottor, Bo, or Prosper.
Prosper and Bo followed suit but Dottor saw them.
"Who are these two?"
"Friends of mine" Scipio said turning to go into the lesson room. Scipio deliberately did not look at his father.
" How are you two going to bring respect to yourselves when you are hobnobbing with street urchins." Dottor screamed at Abby and Scipio. Dottor turned back to his study.
Abby stuck her tongue out at him as he walked away. She turned toward Scipio.
"Was that your dad? Do you have a mom too?" Bo asked from behind Prosper's arm. There was disappointment in his eyes. Abby started to tear up.
"Don't look at us like that. We were going to tell you, eventually." Scipio said as he put his hands in his pockets. Abby put her arms around Scipio's neck.
"We can explain." Scipio said holding Abby close to him.
"You both can explain to the others, they are waiting outside" Prosper stated.
"We got lesson now" Scipio said as he and Abby turned toward the door, "but we can get away tonight, as for the break in everything goes as planned."
"You expect us to believe you, everything was probably taken from this house. The Thief Lords were just a little rich couple's game. And we were the fools." Prosper stated as he and Bo turned to leave.
Scipio and Abby walked into the lesson room. Abby grabbed her violin and looked out the window as Scipio started to get his fencing gear on. She watched as the gang walked away from the house. Prosper and Bo must have already told them what happened. She saw Riccio run back to the door.
There was banging on the door.
"Scipio, Abby open up I know you are in there" they could hear Riccio shouting.
Dottor marched into the lesson room, "Come with me both of you" Dottor grab Scipio's and Abby's arm and marched them down the stairs to the front entrance
" I don't know what you want with my son and ward but I don't ever want to see you or the other disgusting street urchins around this house again." Dottor screamed at poor Riccio and he displayed the well dressed Scipio Massimo and Abigail Russio to the boy. Then Dottor slammed the door closed.
Abby couldn't play that day. The music was gone. She felt like she just lost her family all over again. She ran to her room, closed the door and slid down the wall crying. Scipio ran after her, banging on her door to let him in.
"Go away" Abby shouted at the door
"No" Scipio shouted back, "open the door or I am going to open it for you"
"I wanted to tell them from day one but you said to wait. We waited too long and now they are mad at us. I just lost the only real friends I have ever had, next you Scip." All of a sudden Abby stopped screaming and opened the door.
Her eyes and cheeks were red. Scipio pushed the door open and hugged her tightly.
"You are not alone any more. You haven't lost your family. Your best friend is still right here." Scipio whispered into her ear. She kissed him. He kissed her back.
Abby pulled away. "Scip, we have problem, we never have actually broke into a house before."
"Yeah we have. We broke into yours on several occasions." Scipio smiled at her.
"That does not count. I'm feeling better. You better leave before your father comes this way to say goodnight." Abby said pushing Scipio out of her room.
"Goodnight Thief Lord" Abby said behind a coy smile.
"Goodnight Thief Lord" Scipio smiled back from his bedroom door.