Kate could still hardly believe they were going to Poland. Princess Kolodenko’s only stipulation was that Nessa and Johnny had to go, too. Mr. Day was willing to let Johnny miss work, given that the rejiggered filming schedule was going so well, and they were still waiting on several costume issues to be resolved for the later scenes.
Nessa was less enthused about traveling with Lidka, but after a talk with the princess, she had come around. Now, instead of fussing, she was outlining detailed sightseeing excursions, which completely irritated Lidka. They’d never have enough time for all Nessa was planning, but Kate suspected Lidka’s frustrations were the point of Nessa’s enthusiastic organizing. Lidka, in her matter-of-fact way, proceeded to arrange for everyone’s paperwork to be completed, but was silent on her plans for when they got there.
One evening when everyone seemed to be a little antsy waiting on their travel plans, Mr. De Luca taught them a popular card game called scopa, the Italian word for broom. Lidka refused to participate, instead hovering on the fringes of the group, watching.
While he was shuffling, Johnny said, “That tagliatelle we had for dinner was tasty. I hope you got the recipe, Kate. We could whip up a batch for your mom when we get home.”
Kate nodded. “She’d like that.” Cooking with Johnny. Now I’d like that.
“Just wait until Ferragosto,” Nessa said. “You’ll have all kinds of new foods to try.”
“What is Ferragosto?” Mr. Day asked, picking up his cards.
“Big Italian holiday,” Mr. De Luca said, opening wide his arms and punctuating each word with a shake of his hands. “Not as important as Christmas, but big like . . .” He looked to Princess Kolodenko for ideas.
“Like your Thanksgiving? It is a time of celebration that the harvests have come in and it is the start of holiday season.”
“Before we lived at Avanti, we would come here for Ferragosto,” Nessa said.
“When is it?” Kate asked.
“August fifteen.”
Kate raised her eyebrows at Lidka in a silent question of whether they would be in Italy or Poland then.
Lidka looked unhelpfully away. But after Johnny and Mr. Day had gone back to the guesthouse, she announced they were leaving for Poland the next morning.
“What?” Kate stopped putting away the playing cards. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I need to pack. I’ve got to tell Johnny.” She dropped the cards on the table. Lidka was a hard one to understand sometimes.
Nessa rolled her eyes. “You could have given us some warning.”
“I could not get you a permit. Only Kate and Johnny.”
“What? Did you even try?” Nessa looked at her babcia in exasperation.
“You have a history in Poland,” Lidka said. “Kate and Johnny are tourists. They were easy.”
Nessa crossed her arms. “Then we’ll have to wait until I can get mine.”
Lidka shook her head. “I’m going tomorrow morning, with or without anyone else. Six o’clock.” She looked pointedly at Kate before leaving the room.
Mr. De Luca took over putting the cards away. “What do you want to do, Kate? Go or wait?”
“I have no choice. I need to go.” She frowned at Nessa. “I know Lidka well enough to know she doesn’t offer second chances.”
Princess Kolodenko sighed. “Run and tell Johnny.”
Kate flew out the door. “Johnny!” she called. He was standing in the light of the open door to the guesthouse about to follow his dad inside. He let the door close.
“What is it?” He took the stone path to meet her.
“Lidka says we’re leaving early in the morning.”
He tilted his head, looking annoyed. “And she just learned this?”
Kate shrugged. “I don’t know what her problem is. We have to take her the way she is.”
“Can’t you wait for me to be finished with this one scene? A few more days would be better timing.”
“Lidka is pretty determined. I have to go when she goes. No one else will take me, and she couldn’t get Nessa’s paperwork.”
Johnny frowned. “I don’t like it. We’re supposed to all go together. How safe is it, where Lidka is taking us?”
“I think it’s fine. Otherwise the Kolodenkos wouldn’t let me go.”
He looped his hands behind his head and walked around, thinking. “Okay. I’ll talk to Dad and see what we can work out. Did your mother give her okay?”
“Telegram came this morning. I think she remembers the old Poland. She sounded happy I was going.”
“All right. I’ll get back to you soon.”
He opened his arms and Kate rushed in. “Thank you,” she said.
“No problem. But I have ulterior motives, you know.” He kissed her neck until she giggled and pushed away. “I want you to be happy.”
“You make me happy.” She felt the heat rise to her face at her boldness. “See you tomorrow.” She returned to the villa and pulled out her bag to start packing. Nessa crept in and closed the door gently.
“I can’t believe Lidka did that,” she whispered, standing close to Kate. “She’s trying to get you alone. Don’t let her manipulate you.”
“I think you’re overreacting,” Kate said. “Johnny will be with us.”
“You don’t know her like I do. You should not go. Wait until I can come with you.”
“I’ll be careful.” She’d seen Lidka’s expression earlier; she never planned to take Nessa with them. When Nessa’s visa didn’t come in with the others, she saw her chance to leave her behind. But Kate needed Lidka more than she needed Nessa. She couldn’t wait. Johnny would be enough to help keep Lidka in line.
Nessa bit her lip, her fists clenched at her sides. “Keep making her speak English. Don’t let on how much Polish you know. And if you find the shoes, bring them back. Hide them in your bag or at a locker in a train station. I think Babcia is wrong. The shoes belong with the dress.” She lifted her eyes to Kate. “Don’t you agree?”
Kate stared back at her. Everyone was missing the point. Dresses. Shoes. The feud. She was missing her dad. The shoes were a tool to help find him. “I don’t know what is going to happen. Any decisions will be made in the moment.” Kate tried not to bite out her words. She sighed. “The real reason I want to find the shoes is that I hope they will lead me to my dad. Like how the prince used them to find Kopciuszek.”
“Oh.” Nessa looked at Kate with sad eyes. “Now I understand.”
“It could happen,” Kate said quietly. “Fairy-tale magic.” She held her hands out as if trying to catch some of that magic.
“Fine. Then leave the dresses here so they don’t steal them.” Nessa stepped closer to the door.
“They can’t just take them, remember? The ball gown protects itself.”
“I know. But you might give them away . . . if they trick you.”
Kate didn’t answer. If she found out her dad was still alive, she would do whatever it took to get him back. She couldn’t promise Nessa anything.
“I forbid you to take them.” Nessa stamped her foot.
“Forbid me? No wonder Lidka didn’t want you along. Everything is not all about you.” Says the Keeper to the Princess. Inwardly, Kate cringed.
“Wha—” Nessa narrowed her eyes. “Remember at the castle when I was feeling something but couldn’t place it? Well, I’ve thought about it, and I think I was sensing people and what they were thinking. I don’t know how else to describe it. Lidka wants to help, but she is conflicted. I don’t trust her.” Nessa jabbed her finger at Kate. “And neither should you.” She huffed, and stalked out of the room.
Kate sat down hard on the bed. She put her head in her hands and breathed out a long, calming breath. She didn’t completely trust Lidka, either, but what choice did she have? And of course she thought the shoes belonged with the dresses. She’d do whatever she could to keep them, after she found her father.
She channeled her energy into packing, then went back downstairs to wait for word from Johnny. Mr. De Luca stayed up late with her. He had all kinds of questions about New York and how Nessa would fit in. They both kept glancing at the clock, waiting for Johnny to report back. It got to be so each time one would look, they would both laugh.
“You need to sleep,” he said. “Staying awake won’t change anything. You’ll know in the morning.” He got up and started turning out the lights. “Buona notte.”
“Good night,” she answered back, and went up to her room.
Reluctantly, she turned out her light and lay down. Her emotions were all over the place. She was finally on her way to some answers. But if the Kolodenkos wouldn’t even return to their homeland, how safe could it be? Despite Lidka’s assurances all would be well, Kate was afraid. If she slept at all tonight, she’d be surprised.
She was finally fading out when a ping sounded from the window. Ping. Ping. She blinked sleep out of her eyes and looked into the moonlit garden. She laughed. There was Johnny with a handful of pebbles. She waved so he would stop risking breaking a window to get her attention. She hefted up the window and called down, “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?”
“Nice to see you, fair Juliet,” he replied. “Good news. I can come with you. Dad wasn’t happy about it, but he doesn’t want you going alone.”
Kate felt a lightness in her chest. She sputtered something about thanking his dad and how happy she was they’d be going together.
He laughed. “See you in the morning, Sparky.”
Excitement replaced the fear in her heart, allowing Kate to relax and eventually drift off to sleep. With Lidka leading the way and Johnny there for support, the task seemed less impossible.