Again, Katerina and the Count of San Bonifacio, somewhere between pages 495 and 499:
Not in mood to rise to the old man’s bait, Katerina asked, “Why did you want him? What use was he to you?”
Vinciguerra’s laugh was weak. “I had a hope – a slim one, I confess – that I could cause the Scaliger to resign in my favor. I would have even granted him land – there’s an island in the middle of the Laga da Garda that would be a fit home for a young, exiled nobleman. But I had a secondary plan – one that could not have failed.”
“And that was?”
“Guess, my sweet girl, guess.”
“I have no time for games.”
“A pity, that. It seems to me that I am the one for whom the sand is slipping.” The Count lowered his voice for emphasis. “I planned to raise the boy myself.” Her eyes flickered in surprise and he grinned, looking like a naughty child. “Ah, you understand. Cangrande’s son has the best hereditary claim to the ancient throne of Verona, as well as a link to the greatest Scaliger in the history of the city. Yet the Pup hasn’t formally adopted his son, nor claimed him as the heir. I wanted to beat him to it – adopt the child as my son, make him my heir. The next Count of San Bonifacio, sprung from the loins of the great Scaliger. Cangrande’s son, my heir. With my title and Cangrande’s blood streaming through him, he would be untouchable.”
Katerina was still for a long moment, thinking of al-Dhaamin’s prophecies. “It is a good plan. But what of your blood, Count? Doesn’t the concept of Cangrande’s son usurping your bloodline bother you in the slightest?”
“Let us just say I see no impediments in it. There’s a delicious irony in it, don’t you think? Using heredity to bring down the new ruling class. Which was why I was determined to take the child while he still is a child. I wanted to bind him to me as to no other.”
