Chapter 6

“Flash of mauve, splash of puce,

fool and king, ghoul and goose.

Green and black, queen and priest,

trace of rouge, face of beast.

(Faces!)

Take your turn, take your ride

on the merry-go-round of an inhuman race.

-Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Masquerade”

The limo arrived to collect Troy and Julie Equals at 7 PM precisely. Julie had half-expected Helen to send a horse-drawn carriage with page boys in powdered wigs attending.

They sat holding hands as the car made its way out of the city center towards Finzione Castle, modern asphalt giving way to older roads still made from cobblestones, other limousines passing them or trailing behind. In the now darkened sky above them, several searchlight-illuminated helicopters waited in holding patterns to use the castle’s helipad and deposit those of La Contessa’s guests who thought taking a car to be beneath them. Troy turned to his wife.

“Allow me to be the first to say this evening, Mrs. Equals, how absolutely glorious you look tonight.” He looked up and down at the sequined blue gown she wore. A long slit up the left side revealed her stockinged leg to him, terminating in white, strappy heels. Her sunflower hair was pulled to the left side of her head and draped down over her shoulder. The V-shaped neckline showed just enough cleavage to be enticing without being enough to be obvious about it.

Julie had chosen sapphire jewelry to go with the dress. Sapphire and diamond teardrop-shaped earrings dangled from her ears. A matching bracelet in white gold adorned her right wrist, her wedding ring the only decoration on her left side. It was identical to Troy’s, except that whereas his ring was engraved with the words “I love you,” Julie’s was engraved with “I know.”

Troy had opted for a tuxedo with a white jacket. When Julie put the carnation in his lapel, she made a joke about where he was going to hide his Walther PPK, which invited some more of his bad Sean Connery impression.

“And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight,” Julie responded, singing the words. Troy followed up by making the guitar sounds for the next part with his mouth.

The limo turned away from the line of expensive vehicles winding up the hill to the castle and into a neighborhood where the buildings had probably been old when Napoleon’s armies were a genuine concern for the people. Troy knocked on the partition. The driver pressed the button and it lowered with a whirring noise.

“Si?” The driver asked.

“Wasn’t that the way to the castle,” Troy asked him.

“I have special instructions from La Contessa,” the driver explained without looking back. “She tell me Signor and Signora Equals no would want pictures taken by paparazzi. I am to take you to other entrance.”

“Well, yeah, we’re both sort of allergic to the spotlight,” Julie said. “But does that mean you’re bringing us round to the kitchen entrance?”

“No, Signora. Is special way, few know; only me, La Contessa, and La Contessa’s maid.”

“What, through the Bat Cave,” Troy asked. “Did Helen buy Stately Wayne Manor?”

The driver didn’t have an answer for that. They came to a stop in front of a one-room house older than all the others, made from old stone and wood, but well-maintained despite its age. No power or phone lines led from the street or overhead poles to the house.

Maria stood waving to them in the wooden doorway, wearing a modest black evening dress, being illuminated by the light of an old camping lantern she was holding. A simple gold cross on a chain hung around her neck and an emerald ring around the middle finger of her right hand were the only adornments she wore. The young woman was made more beautiful by her smile of genuine pleasure to see them.

Troy and Julie returned the smile as the driver got out and opened the door for them. Julie walked up to her and greeted her with a kiss.

“Hi, Maria. What’s this place?”

Maria ushered the two of them in. Troy took in the room. It was furnished, but the furniture didn’t seem to have ever been used. It looked old and hand-made, but nothing that could be called an antique.

“Is old family secret,” Maria said. “But La Contessa say is ok to share with you. Come.”

She led them down the stairs into an old cellar with a dirt floor. Set into one of the walls was an alcove for cooking fires. Maria touched a stone on the wall and the alcove opened up.

Troy and Julie looked at each other and said “A secret passage!” together, trying to sound like Scooby-Doo characters.

“Si,” Maria responded. “Only la familia know. And the driver because he has to come here too. And now you.”

Once they were inside, Maria pulled a lever and the wall slid back into place. She gestured to several more lanterns hanging on hooks for them to each take one.

“You look lovely tonight, Maria,” Julie said as they turned on the lanterns and started walking down the tunnel. “You’re coming to the ball too, right? If Helena hasn’t invited you, I’ll...”

“I shall be there,” Maria replied, holding up her hand so that they could see the emerald ring more clearly. “I too am a San Finzone, I am expected to attend.”

The pair nodded and continued up through the passage. A few flights of stairs and some long tunnels later, they reached another set of hanging lanterns. They turned off their lanterns and hung them as Maria pulled another lever and the wall opened up into the study.

“Is not usual way visitors come in, but welcome to Finzione Castle,” Maria said, closing the passage once everyone was inside. “This used to be war room in old days. La Contessa make it her study.”

“So, nothing’s changed, then,” Julie said as Maria was about to open the door and let them into the rest of the castle. Maria stopped and turned around, a look of “Ok, I let it go cause it was funny at first, but that’s enough talking shit about my friend” on her face.

“Julie, Troy. I think you only see bad in Contessa because of her past. You cannot have...” she paused as she searched for the English words “Special love like ours in big familia without being found out. Even if you do what she and you two do, they find out eventually. La Familia get angry, they come to castle and demand answers. They demand to see La Contessa. Some of them bring weapons.”

“I can guess how that went,” Troy said. Maria continued.

“Everyone leave castle thinking ‘Hey, she San Finzione, but no by blood. And she make our little Maria happy, so we happy.’ How many people find out they not who world tell them they supposed to be and all familia be happy?”

Julie walked up to Maria and took her hand. “Maria, you didn’t find out who you are, Helen told you who she wanted to you be and you agreed. Because she made you agree. Then she did it to them. That’s not the same thing.” Maria turned to Troy.

“Troy, you familia from this part of world; you know there two kinds of hate. There the estupido kind: ‘Eh, you skin no like mine; eh, you God no like mine, ‘“ she crossed herself before continuing. “‘Eh, you got something different between you legs.’” She stole a glance at Troy’s pants, fondly remembering what was in there, before continuing.