Rebecca Winters: To Catch a Groom

Both Greer and Olivia nodded.

“So do I. Let me check to see if there’s a room available for the seventeenth. By the time the twenty-eighth rolls around, we’ll have had our fun and can stay in a youth hostel if our funds are running low.”

Greer’s eyes narrowed. “A hostel will be the perfect place to invite our ‘would be’ husbands when we drop our little bombs.”

Olivia started chuckling. “You have no heart.”

“You’re scary,” Piper told Greer.

She gave them her innocent look. “Did Cinderella have a choice when the carriage turned into a pumpkin on the way home, leaving her with one glass slipper?

“Can we help it if all we’ll have to show for our attendance at the ball is the pendant we were wearing when we arrived?”

June 17, House of Lords, England

“MY LORDS, we will begin by hearing the opening statement from Signore Maximilliano di Varano of the House of Parma-Bourbon. He is the chief counselor avvocato for the Emilia-Romagna Farmers Consorzio of Italy, of which the Federazione del Prosciutto de Parma, a member, is the appellant in the case brought against the United Kingdom Supermarket Cartel, known as UKSC, represented by Lord Winthrope.”

Back in the House of Lords for the second time in a year, Max got to his feet, determined his appeal would force the case to be moved to the European Court of Justice for a definitive decision.

“Thank you, my lords,” he began with virtually no trace of accent, thanks to an elite private school education that included four years at Oxford and extensive travel in the U.S. and Canada with his cousins.

“To refresh your memories, Prosciutto de Parma, or Parma ham, has been made in Parma from pigs reared in northern and central Italy since Etruscan times. It is famous throughout the world with a name that is a protected designation of origin.

“The Corona Ducale, a five-pointed coronet symbolizing the ancient Duchy of Parma, is the outward guarantee of authenticity. According to Italian law, it has to appear upon the product in whatever form it is sold to the customer. If he buys a complete ham, or slices cut up at a shop, it has to bear the brand. If he buys prepackaged slices, it must appear stamped on the package.

“The second respondent, Prime Choice Affiliates, is a reputable food processor in Herefordshire that prepares packages of authentic Parma ham slices and pieces to be sold to the first respondent, UKSC, which sells them to the public in its supermarkets. Unfortunately it’s done without the Corona Ducale on the package.

“The Federazione del Prosciutto de Parma maintains this is an unlawful practice under Italian law, as well as European law, enforceable in the courts of all the member states.

“In the present proceedings, the Federazione claims a continuing injunction against Prime Choice Affiliates and the UKSC, restraining them from marketing the packages as Parma ham until the European Court of Justice can hear the case and make a definitive ruling. I now yield my time back to Lord Winthrope.”

When Max sat down, his assistant, Bernaldo, handed him a note.

With one ear taking in the QC’s opening remarks, he read the message. But his mind was focused on the case to the degree that it didn’t register until he’d read it a second time.

Your secretary in Colorno just received a call from the head of security at Cristoforo Colombo airport in Genoa Sestri. You’re to phone Fausto Galli at 555 328 as soon as possible. It’s a classified matter of great importance.

Translated, it meant there was no crisis such as his own personal family or extended family being injured in an accident or some such thing. Relieved, he put the message in his suit pocket, making a mental note to call Signore Galli back during the recess.

For ten minutes Max listened while the QC pontificated. Finally the man came to the point.

“In my view there exists a fair argument that the supervisory role of the Parma Federation in ensuring that only the genuine product is sold as Parma ham, has been discharged once it leaves the Parma area. I yield back to Signore di Varano.”

Once again Max got up from the chair. “My lords, the issue here is whether the Federazione del Prosciutto de Parma’s prohibitions contained in a legislative measure of a member state can achieve community wide effect to the U.K. and elsewhere. Therefore I respectfully appeal this case to the European Court of Justice. Otherwise it will continue to remain at an impasse which achieves nothing for either party.”

Following his remarks, presiding judge Lord Marbury announced a fifteen-minute recess. Curious to discover what the call from Genoa was all about, Max pulled the cell phone from his breast pocket and dialed the number written on the paper.

He only had to wait two rings before he heard a male voice say, “Pronto. Signore di Varano?”

“Si?”

“It is an honor to speak to you. I have some news that I know will be of great interest to your family. Since you handle its legal affairs, I felt it prudent to alert you first.”

“Go ahead, signore.”

“A half hour ago three American women passed through customs after deboarding their flight from New York. My men detained them using the excuse they were vetting incoming passengers for information due to a suspicious person being aboard the plane. In truth, it was discovered they’re each wearing the Duchesse pendant.”

“Each?” Max shook his dark head in exasperation. “That’s impossible!”

There was only one pendant in existence, but it could be anywhere because well over a year ago the Duchess of Parma jewelry collection on display at the family palace in Colorno had been stolen.

The pendant was the least valuable of the items taken in terms of monetary worth, however its historical and sentimental value was inestimable, especially to Max’s family.

“Did you consult an expert?”

“Si. During the interrogation, photographs were taken. They were enhanced for our forensics expert who compared them against the photo of the pendant you had distributed to the police after the theft. They were a perfect match.”

Max blinked in astonishment.

“That’s why I’m calling you, Signore di Varano. Do you wish me to confiscate the pendants so they can be examined? So far the Americans still don’t know why they’re being detained.”

“That’s good. Let’s leave it that way for now. I appreciate your discretion and quick thinking, Signore Galli. You’ve handled the situation perfectly.

“However we’ve had many leads since news of the theft was made public and a reward for its return was offered. So far all the leads have turned out to be false. But I must admit this little joke initiated by some brazen Americans was meant to draw attention for a reason. One can only wonder why.”

“My very thought, particularly since the joke gets even stranger.”

The odd inflection in the other man’s voice intrigued Max. “Explain what you mean.”

“They’re sisters.”

“You mean professed nuns?”

“No, no. They are the same age with the same birthday.”

“Triplets?” You didn’t see that every day. “How old are they?”

“Ventisette.”

Twenty-seven and already leading a life of crime…

“Molto bellissima!”

Beautiful, of course.

“Their paperwork states they are the Duchesses of Kingston from New York.”

Duchesses of Kingston?

Max flicked his gaze to Lord Winthrope. If such a title existed, the esteemed QC would know who they were in an instant.

“Unfortunately I’m in London and can’t return to Genoa before evening to investigate this matter. Did you find out their purpose for being in Italy?”