mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

Eleanor Herman
bygones be bygones. But there was no forgiveness in Olimpia’s heart, and
she didn’t know the meaning of the word bygones. Once an enemy, always
an enemy. And the pope, more than the princess of Rossano, more than
Cardinals Astalli-Pamphili and Chigi, more than Nuncio Melzi, was her
enemy. The extent of her revenge would be equal to the depth of her former
love, her betrayed trust, and her agonizing pain.
She had loved Gianbattista Pamphili for thirty-eight years, devoted
her life to him, made him rich, and made him pope. As a reward, he
had thrown her to the dogs, stripped her of prestige and power, humiliated
her internationally, and caressed her enemies. But no one else was
smart enough to run the Vatican in her absence, and she had laughed
when everything fell to pieces. Now he called her back. Well, she returned,
chirping apologies, dripping syrupy smiles, and Innocent was
naïve enough to think she was sincere. She was not sincere. She would
make him pay for what he had done every single day until he died, and
even then she would not be through with him. Sitting in San Martino,
she had had a great deal of time to plot her revenge, a great deal of time
indeed.
Olimpia’s second urgent need was safety. She knew that she had
numerous enemies in the Sacred College. If one of them were elected
the next pope, she would find herself exiled, as she had exiled the Barberinis.
Even worse, she might be imprisoned, with all her property confiscated
to repay the papal treasury for her depradations. Everything she
had worked for hinged on which cardinal would be elected the next
pope. And, casting a sidelong glance at Innocent, his right hand shaking
violently, she knew the next conclave would not be too far in the
future. She must work fast.
One cardinal often mentioned as the future pontiff was none other
than Antonio Barberini, still fuming in self-imposed exile in Paris.
Olimpia had to get Cardinal Antonio firmly on her side. Even if he
were not elected pope, he would control a large block of votes, which he
could swing against Olimpia as his revenge for what she had done to
him. Or he could swing his votes for Olimpia, electing a cardinal known
to be a friend of hers.
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