The Thief Lord

Lucia, Ida’s housekeeper, prepares a feast for Ida’s welcome home party. Riccio and Mosca are so happy that Victor asks about the counterfeit money. Riccio intends to spend it and refuses to reveal its hiding place. Victor decides it’s best to forget about the money. The other children are talkative at dinner and play cards afterward, but Prosper doesn’t say a word and goes upstairs after eating. He curls up on a mattress but can’t sleep. After everyone else goes to bed and Victor goes home, Prosper creeps out of bed through the garden and into Ida’s boat, which is moored in the canal. He cries: He thought he and Bo would be safe in Venice, but his aunt still took Bo away. Prosper hears a motor and sees Scipio in his father’s boat. Scipio apologizes for leaving Bo alone with Hornet and asks Prosper to come with him to Isola Segreta. The Conte cheated them, so he owes them a ride on his carousel. Prosper hesitates, so Scipio reminds him he has nothing to lose now that Bo’s gone. Prosper thinks that he wouldn’t have lost Bo if he were an adult, so he boards Scipio’s boat.