Shortly after we arrived in Cetona and finished restoring our house, Dad settled part of the bill with the geometra—the draftsman of record—with a violin, one of the first he had built.

This geometra, Fabio Angiolini, famous in Cetona, a great and authentic Senese of generations, became a family friend and kept the violin through the years.

After I got married here in Cetona, and my parents had split, and my father had left violinmaking and returned to architecture, Fabio promised to give me this violin—because I had no instruments of my father’s—if and when I brought him my first-born child.

When the years went by and I did not have children, some years back Fabio modified the promise: He would give me Dad’s violin if and when I brought him my first book, published.

Then, a few months ago Dad died and the promise became more solemn for me and its fulfillment more urgent. Retrieving this instrument that Dad made some forty years ago was part of my mission on this trip.

Today I drove out into the glorious countryside of Siena to see Fabio and his wife, Laura, at their agriturismo, Miscianello. As promised, I took my book, The Girl from Borgo, now published, and in exchange Fabio gave me my father’s violin.

Thank you, Fabio, for this gift of infinite value.