Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis

I love this author.  My neighbor, Denise Tiller, turned me on to this author and she is so fun to read.  Her books are historical fiction novels and the ones I have read so far are during the early 1400's with European royalty.  Those early royals were so devious but delicious to read.
This story involves Italian royalty.  It all starts with a woman from Florence, who is a seer.  She has a son and a newborn daughter before she is killed.

Dea, the daughter, is raised in the house of the Duke of Milan by the Duke's wife Bona.  Several of the Dukes children are raised in the house and they are from various mothers.
When Dea is old enough the Duke offers her hand in marriage to an old man and a young admirer named Matteo steps up an asks for Dea's hand in marriage.  Dea doesn't know what to think but she accepts it and try's her best to make the marriage work.  Matteo is very sweet and loving but he refuses to have relations with his wife.  Dea doesn't understand this at all but she learns to love Matteo anyway.

The Duke is known to rape women and everyone looks the other way.  This behavior catches up to the Duke finally, when one of the raped girl's brother, kills the Duke while in church.  After this, the duke's favorite daughter Caterina is married off and insists that Dea go with her.

Dea's life becomes very eventful as a lady in waiting to Caterina.  Dea has to support Caterina in her sexual and military adventures even though Dea does not approve.  She learns to be a seer like her mother and she becomes a widow and later a new wife again and knows love in the all ways including the physical way.  Along the way in the adventure she learns about her past, her mother and the mysteries of her beloved husband Matteo.

I enjoy this author so much.  She really spins a tale with fictional characters blended into the lives of non-fictional European royalty.  I will definitely be reading more of her.