While traveling to visit their grandfather, two children are told the story of a family curse that has lasted 200 years. During Napoleon's Italian invasion, Elisabetta Benedetti fell in love with French soldier Jean, but while Jean was distracted, Elisabetta's brother Corrado stole some gold that Jean was guarding, and set the curse in train. The Benedettis become wealthy, corrupt, and hated by their former friends, who rename them the Maledettis--the cursed. The children's grandfather Massimo is the last man to be directly affected by the curse--but will he pass it on to them?—Michael Brooke <[email protected]>