The Borgherini Enigma - Theartofpainting.be

The Borgherini Enigma Page: 34 / 179Pierfrancesco thought that over. He remained silent. He doubted his father would ever confideanything of his business in him. Yet, soon now, he, Pierfrancesco, would learn the truebusiness of banking and not just the accounting of it.Finally, he changed subjects and said something that was far closer to his heart, ‘Margheritatold me I could be at your studio when she comes to look at her portrait and when you need todraw her.’‘The picture is finished,’ Bachiacca said. He saw Pierfrancesco’s pleading eyes. Bachiaccasmiled as Pierfrancesco’s disappointment showed so obviously. He shook his head, ‘oh, well,all right, I suppose I might need to call her in a couple of times still to modify a few lastdetails and bring the portrait to perfection.’Granacci shrugged but added, ‘oh no, there we go again! There is nothing but trouble from ayoung man in love! What will Roberto di Donato dei Acciaiuoli say when he finds out that hisdaughter is seeing a boy-lover in your shop, Bachiacca?’Pierfrancesco was puzzled. ‘In love,’ he thought, ‘am I now really in love? Is this what love isabout? Is this love? Sweet Jesus! Am I in love with Margherita? Is this what people call beingin love?’**********Three days later, Salvi di Francesco dei Borgherini, the patriarch of the Borgherini family ofFlorence, received a neatly folded and sealed note brought by a liveried messenger boy. Thenote was from the Acciaiuoli, summoning him to the Acciaiuoli palazzo for a private meetingthe following day at noon.Salvi was nervous when he walked the few paces from his own palace to the Acciaiuolipalace at the other end of the Borgo Santi Apostoli. He remembered well the barely concealeddisdain with which he had been received the last time he had seen Roberto di Donato. Robertodi Donato Acciaiuoli welcomed Salvi personally and cordially, however. He immediatelyinvited Salvi to have dinner with him, but he first drew the Borgherini patriarch into a littleroom near the courtyard, into his private office.Salvi Borgherini was awed. Not only were the Acciaiuoli in quite another range of wealth ashe, but their family famed in titles such as of the Dukes of Athens, and they prided inmarriage alliances to the Medici.Roberto di Donato, a burly man with a sagging belly and a big, red face, prayed Salvi to sit ina fine chair on one side of a sturdy table covered with sheets of paper, scrolls and books.Roberto then lowered himself with a groan on the ample cushions of a large sculptured chair,on the other side of the table.Roberto scrutinised Salvi Borgherini, coughed to clear his throat, and then said, ‘I apologisefor asking you to come to my palace, but I rarely go out of doors these days for I am ailing alittle. I needed to speak to you in private. The Acciaiuoli and the Borgherini do businesstogether here and there, and that is going well. I want not so much to talk about banking andtrade. I must talk about our children. My Margherita and your Pierfrancesco have beenattacked by thieves a few days ago. Pierfrancesco defended well my daughter, for which Ithank you. I heard he was wounded. Please tell him I wish him well.’Salvi nodded.Copyright © René Dewil Version 2 Number of words: 108230 July 2009