reluctantly. "We knew
this could happen."
Nicoletta stood very still, recognizing the faint hint of resolve in Maria
Pia's voice. She rarely used that inflection, but when she did, she meant
business. "We do not know yet, and I will not let him drive me away from
my home without even knowing. Perhaps we should turn the test back on
him," she said thoughtfully.
"Nicoletta!" Maria Pia was used to Nicoletta's defiance of
convention, but defying a man as powerful as Don Scarletti was suicide.
"We know there is no one sick enough at the palazzo that you cannot
care for alone. Take our neighbor, old Mirella, with you. She will enjoy being
frightened by and later gossiping about the experience. Besides, she has
accompanied you many times in the past delivering
bambini
in the
villaggi.
You can easily claim to have more than one assistant. The don did not say which
of your assistants you were to bring. Should he ask about me and why I did not
accompany you, tell him you wished me to rest my leg another day or two."
Nicoletta suddenly began to laugh. "Don Scarletti left us a way to slip
out of his noose. He thought mere women would be easy to trap."
Maria Pia took her time thinking over Nicoletta's plan. The branches
overhead swayed gently, making the leaves glint silver in the sunlight. They
could smell the ocean, fresh and salty. The breeze was beginning to pick up,
bringing a fine spray of mist with it.
Ketsia stayed very quiet, but her fingers were wound tightly in Nicoletta's
skirt. Her eyes were wide, and her lower lip was trembling. "Nicoletta
cannot go far from us, Maria Pia," she said. "What would we do
without her?"
"It will work, Maria Pia. It will allay his suspicions," Nicoletta
said. "A man such as the don will not continue to waste his time on
something so insignificant. He will accept you as the healer, believe you have
several assistants, and soon his busy life will continue, and—poof!—we will be
gone from his thoughts." Nicoletta's dark eyes were twinkling in
anticipation. "I know it will work. He had curiosity, that is all, but it
is fleeting, soon to be lost amidst more important matters of state."
Ketsia was nodding in agreement. "Do not make Nicoletta go away, Maria
Pia. I do not want her to go."
"Neither do I,
piccola.
I will go to the palazzo with Mirella
while Nicoletta rests her leg. You will watch over her and make certain she
does not dance around. I do not wish to utter a lie, may the good Madonna watch
over me." She made the sign of the cross. "Nicoletta must rest her
leg," she decided piously. "She is really not nearly as healed as I
would like." She fixed Nicoletta with a stern eye. "I will take no
nonsense from you,
bambina.
You must rest while I am gone. I will not
get on the bad side of the good Madonna."
Nicoletta raised an eyebrow, her expression innocent.
"I did not know the good Madonna had a bad side, Maria Pia."
Outraged, Maria Pia erupted into a barrage of scolding, even going so far as
to deliver a rap to the young woman's behind. Ketsia backed away, frightened by
the unexpected display from Maria Pia, but Nicoletta stood her ground, smiling
and slipping her arms around the old woman.
"Scusa,
Maria Pia. I am
so ignorant, I am uncertain what is causing you distress." Her dark eyes
were alight with mischief.
Maria Pia firmly pushed her away, blessing her several times in the process.
"If I did not see you devoutly at your prayers, Nicoletta, I would fear
for your soul. You have more knowledge than is good for a woman. Go to your bed
and stay there while I attend the don."
"I can rest up here, Maria Pia," Nicoletta pointed out. "The
fresh air will aid my healing, and I can continue to do my work."
Maria Pia took in her disheveled appearance and sighed. "You were not
working, Nicoletta, but flitting around again. No good can come of your
continuing such behavior. I intend that you marry soon. I have noticed Cristano
looking at you often."
Ketsia giggled but kept her gaze
this could happen."
Nicoletta stood very still, recognizing the faint hint of resolve in Maria
Pia's voice. She rarely used that inflection, but when she did, she meant
business. "We do not know yet, and I will not let him drive me away from
my home without even knowing. Perhaps we should turn the test back on
him," she said thoughtfully.
"Nicoletta!" Maria Pia was used to Nicoletta's defiance of
convention, but defying a man as powerful as Don Scarletti was suicide.
"We know there is no one sick enough at the palazzo that you cannot
care for alone. Take our neighbor, old Mirella, with you. She will enjoy being
frightened by and later gossiping about the experience. Besides, she has
accompanied you many times in the past delivering
bambini
in the
villaggi.
You can easily claim to have more than one assistant. The don did not say which
of your assistants you were to bring. Should he ask about me and why I did not
accompany you, tell him you wished me to rest my leg another day or two."
Nicoletta suddenly began to laugh. "Don Scarletti left us a way to slip
out of his noose. He thought mere women would be easy to trap."
Maria Pia took her time thinking over Nicoletta's plan. The branches
overhead swayed gently, making the leaves glint silver in the sunlight. They
could smell the ocean, fresh and salty. The breeze was beginning to pick up,
bringing a fine spray of mist with it.
Ketsia stayed very quiet, but her fingers were wound tightly in Nicoletta's
skirt. Her eyes were wide, and her lower lip was trembling. "Nicoletta
cannot go far from us, Maria Pia," she said. "What would we do
without her?"
"It will work, Maria Pia. It will allay his suspicions," Nicoletta
said. "A man such as the don will not continue to waste his time on
something so insignificant. He will accept you as the healer, believe you have
several assistants, and soon his busy life will continue, and—poof!—we will be
gone from his thoughts." Nicoletta's dark eyes were twinkling in
anticipation. "I know it will work. He had curiosity, that is all, but it
is fleeting, soon to be lost amidst more important matters of state."
Ketsia was nodding in agreement. "Do not make Nicoletta go away, Maria
Pia. I do not want her to go."
"Neither do I,
piccola.
I will go to the palazzo with Mirella
while Nicoletta rests her leg. You will watch over her and make certain she
does not dance around. I do not wish to utter a lie, may the good Madonna watch
over me." She made the sign of the cross. "Nicoletta must rest her
leg," she decided piously. "She is really not nearly as healed as I
would like." She fixed Nicoletta with a stern eye. "I will take no
nonsense from you,
bambina.
You must rest while I am gone. I will not
get on the bad side of the good Madonna."
Nicoletta raised an eyebrow, her expression innocent.
"I did not know the good Madonna had a bad side, Maria Pia."
Outraged, Maria Pia erupted into a barrage of scolding, even going so far as
to deliver a rap to the young woman's behind. Ketsia backed away, frightened by
the unexpected display from Maria Pia, but Nicoletta stood her ground, smiling
and slipping her arms around the old woman.
"Scusa,
Maria Pia. I am
so ignorant, I am uncertain what is causing you distress." Her dark eyes
were alight with mischief.
Maria Pia firmly pushed her away, blessing her several times in the process.
"If I did not see you devoutly at your prayers, Nicoletta, I would fear
for your soul. You have more knowledge than is good for a woman. Go to your bed
and stay there while I attend the don."
"I can rest up here, Maria Pia," Nicoletta pointed out. "The
fresh air will aid my healing, and I can continue to do my work."
Maria Pia took in her disheveled appearance and sighed. "You were not
working, Nicoletta, but flitting around again. No good can come of your
continuing such behavior. I intend that you marry soon. I have noticed Cristano
looking at you often."
Ketsia giggled but kept her gaze
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