The Heart of Rome

Baroness Volterra reached Palazzo Conti at nine to recruit Donna Clementina's name for a new charity. The gray-bearded porter leaned on his broom instead of summoning a servant through the speaking tube. You step into this one-chapter preview with Sabina Conti at the center, where choices turn on the people, promises, and pressure already in the room. I must return before this palace loses more than light, wages, and reputation. The chapter closes on a continuation question rather than resolving the novel's larger arc.

Chapters

1. The Empty PalazzoRome · 4 min

More Literary Drama