cortigiana onestà —and enjoy riches the likes of which you’ve never imagined, or you can sell candles on the church steps and live in poverty and filth.’ You don’t seem to have many more alternatives than I did.”
“Perhaps not, but—”
“Tell me, why did you choose to become Lorenzo’s mistress instead of taking orders? You must have known that you would not be accepted in most society, that it would make it much more difficult for you to marry well.”
“I wanted my freedom.”
“Exactly. ‘Freedom is the most precious gem a courtesan possesses. Given this privilege, even infamy seems honorable to her.’ Francesco Pona wrote that. Once you’re accustomed to freedom, it’s impossible to give it up. And believe me, there is no freedom in poverty.”
“I believe I have more choices than what you’re offering.”
“Do you? I see only three: you can become a nun, you can become a courtesan, or you can join the whores on the Bridge of Tits and sell yourself for cheap. If you’re smart, you’ll be at my house Wednesday at noon.” She stood up and walked to the door. “Tell me, did you love him?”
“Lorenzo?” It seemed shameful to admit that she had never loved him, that she suspected she would never love anyone. “I don’t know.”
The courtesan gave her a penetrating look. “That’s good. It’s better if you don’t love them. You must take my word on this.”
Chapter Four
C LAIRE PUSHED OPEN a heavy glass door and walked into Forsythe Academy’s main corridor. Meredith had called her that morning and insisted that Claire meet her at the school at one o’clock. As she turned right off the corridor and into the suite of offices where Meredith worked, she was still unsure as to why she’d been summoned.
“Good, I was hoping you’d get here first,” Meredith said as Claire entered. Her office was reminiscent of her well-furnished home, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, decorator lamps, and two upholstered chairs facing an antique mahogany desk.
“First?” Claire asked.
“Someone’s going to be joining us.”
“Who?”
“Why don’t I start at the beginning?”
“Fine.”
“The father of one of our students is getting married next week. His second marriage, obviously. He and his new wife will be honeymooning in the south of France. Originally, his daughter was going to stay with her mother for the summer, but her mother is…well, she’s not well. She’s in the hospital, in fact. This morning he called to ask if we knew anyone, perhaps a teacher, who could take his daughter to Paris for a week. That way, he and his new wife can enjoy their honeymoon, then go back to Paris, pick up the daughter, and spend another week en famille before coming home. But summer school begins in a week and I’m shorthanded as it is.”
“Are you suggesting that I take this kid to Paris?”
“No! To Venice. The dates of their trip and your conference coincide perfectly. I spoke to him already and he said it was fine as long as Gwendolyn is in Paris in time to meet them. I get the feeling he’s desperate. Apparently the new wife isn’t keen on having a stepdaughter along for the entire honeymoon.”
“And what am I supposed to do with her while I’m at the conference?”
“Take her with you. She’s not a child, she’s fourteen. Tell her to sit still and shut up for the duration, then do something fun together afterward.”
“I don’t know how to have fun with kids,” Claire protested.
“You don’t like kids?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like them, it’s just that I haven’t been around teenagers since…since I was a teenager.”
“I’m around teenagers all the time, and they’re not any different than we were. Most of them are really quite nice. Gwen’s a normal kid. Perfectly normal. But the thing that’s most important to remember about this plan is that Gwendolyn’s father is very well off, and he’s going to pay for everything. He may even cover
“Perhaps not, but—”
“Tell me, why did you choose to become Lorenzo’s mistress instead of taking orders? You must have known that you would not be accepted in most society, that it would make it much more difficult for you to marry well.”
“I wanted my freedom.”
“Exactly. ‘Freedom is the most precious gem a courtesan possesses. Given this privilege, even infamy seems honorable to her.’ Francesco Pona wrote that. Once you’re accustomed to freedom, it’s impossible to give it up. And believe me, there is no freedom in poverty.”
“I believe I have more choices than what you’re offering.”
“Do you? I see only three: you can become a nun, you can become a courtesan, or you can join the whores on the Bridge of Tits and sell yourself for cheap. If you’re smart, you’ll be at my house Wednesday at noon.” She stood up and walked to the door. “Tell me, did you love him?”
“Lorenzo?” It seemed shameful to admit that she had never loved him, that she suspected she would never love anyone. “I don’t know.”
The courtesan gave her a penetrating look. “That’s good. It’s better if you don’t love them. You must take my word on this.”
Chapter Four
C LAIRE PUSHED OPEN a heavy glass door and walked into Forsythe Academy’s main corridor. Meredith had called her that morning and insisted that Claire meet her at the school at one o’clock. As she turned right off the corridor and into the suite of offices where Meredith worked, she was still unsure as to why she’d been summoned.
“Good, I was hoping you’d get here first,” Meredith said as Claire entered. Her office was reminiscent of her well-furnished home, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, decorator lamps, and two upholstered chairs facing an antique mahogany desk.
“First?” Claire asked.
“Someone’s going to be joining us.”
“Who?”
“Why don’t I start at the beginning?”
“Fine.”
“The father of one of our students is getting married next week. His second marriage, obviously. He and his new wife will be honeymooning in the south of France. Originally, his daughter was going to stay with her mother for the summer, but her mother is…well, she’s not well. She’s in the hospital, in fact. This morning he called to ask if we knew anyone, perhaps a teacher, who could take his daughter to Paris for a week. That way, he and his new wife can enjoy their honeymoon, then go back to Paris, pick up the daughter, and spend another week en famille before coming home. But summer school begins in a week and I’m shorthanded as it is.”
“Are you suggesting that I take this kid to Paris?”
“No! To Venice. The dates of their trip and your conference coincide perfectly. I spoke to him already and he said it was fine as long as Gwendolyn is in Paris in time to meet them. I get the feeling he’s desperate. Apparently the new wife isn’t keen on having a stepdaughter along for the entire honeymoon.”
“And what am I supposed to do with her while I’m at the conference?”
“Take her with you. She’s not a child, she’s fourteen. Tell her to sit still and shut up for the duration, then do something fun together afterward.”
“I don’t know how to have fun with kids,” Claire protested.
“You don’t like kids?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t like them, it’s just that I haven’t been around teenagers since…since I was a teenager.”
“I’m around teenagers all the time, and they’re not any different than we were. Most of them are really quite nice. Gwen’s a normal kid. Perfectly normal. But the thing that’s most important to remember about this plan is that Gwendolyn’s father is very well off, and he’s going to pay for everything. He may even cover
Similar Books
