‘Si,’ Ezio replied. ‘I wonder how much more work we have to do.’ He paused reflectively. ‘Perhaps it will soon be finished.’

‘Would that be so bad?’

Ezio was about to reply when he was interrupted by the sound of an explosion: cannon fire from the direction of the town. He drew his sword, rising in his saddle to scan the ramparts.

‘Don’t worry,’ said Mario, laughing heartily. ‘It’s only exercises. We’ve upgraded the arsenal here and installed new cannon all along the battlements. We have training sessions daily.’

‘As long as they aren’t aiming at us.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Mario again. ‘It’s true that the men still need to get their eye in, but they have enough sense not to fire at the boss!’

A short while later they were riding through the open principal gate of the town and up the main thoroughfare that led to the citadel. As they did so, crowds gathered to line the street, looking at Ezio with a mixture of respect, admiration and affection.

‘Welcome back, Ezio!’ one woman called.

‘Grazie, Madonna,’ Ezio smiled back, inclining his head slightly.

‘Three cheers for Ezio!’ a child’s voice rang out.

‘Buongiorno, fratellino,’ Ezio said to him. Turning to Mario, he added, ‘It’s good to be home.’

‘I think they’re more pleased to see you than me,’ said Mario, but he was smiling as he spoke, and in fact much of the cheering, especially from the older townsmen, was for him.

‘I’m looking forward to seeing the old family seat again,’ said Ezio. ‘It’s been a while.’

‘It has indeed, and there are a couple of people there who’ll be looking forward to seeing you.’

‘Who?’

‘Can’t you guess? You can’t be that preoccupied with your duties to the Brotherhood.’

‘Of course. You mean my mother and my sister. How are they?’

‘Well, your sister was very unhappy when her husband died, but time heals most things, and I think she’s much better now. In fact, there she is.’