Lady of Asolo (22 page)

‘I beg a word, domina,’ I say to the Queen.

‘Yes, my dear. What is it?’

I show her the seeds I found in Lodovico’s pocket, and start to describe what I’d witnessed at the banquet. From the corner of my eye, I spot my husband watching me. One minute he’s there, the next he has disappeared.

‘Guards!’ my lady calls out. ‘Arrest that man!’

In the meantime, the physician tastes one of the seeds. ‘Apple,’ he says. ‘The fruit itself is perfectly harmless. However, apple seeds are poisonous and contain cyanide. If you swallow one or two seeds at a time it is unlikely you will feel anything at all. But crushed into a powdered form, they’re lethal.’

I put my hand to my mouth. This is terrible.
Terrible!
Such shame my husband has brought upon us. ‘My lady, I beg your forgiveness.’

‘Not your fault, my dear. Tis mine for allowing that vermin anywhere near us. When you voiced your suspicions six months ago, I thought we were too strong for him. I’m sorry, Cecilia, but I’ve always considered your husband such a
little
man. More like an annoying flea than anything else. How wrong I was!’

I can’t help smiling at her description of Lodovico, and cover my mouth with my hand.

My lady’s guards burst into the hall. I stare at them. Where’s my husband?

‘Gone, domina. The stable-boys report that his horse is missing.’

The sound of retching comes from my lady’s brother. He’s vomiting.
Praise the Holy Mother of God!
The Republic needs him to live, for we are surrounded by enemies and Giorgio Cornaro is the only man with the experience to lead our army against them.

Zorzo has materialised at my elbow, his eyes wide with concern. ‘How fare you,
dolcezza
?’

I take in a deep breath and straighten my back. ‘Ashamed of my husband and fearful of the future.’

My lady must have overheard us, for she says, ‘Fear not, Cecilia. You are under my protection.’

I drop into a deep curtsey, relief washing through me. To live in my lady’s shadow will be an honour; I shall serve her for the rest of her days. ‘Thank you, domina.’ I put to the back of my mind my worries about her health.
The future will look after the future.

The Queen’s brother staggers to his feet and is taken to his quarters. My lady orders the court to retire. I go to my room, and ’tis not long before Zorzo comes to me.

Our lovemaking is unhurried this night. He kisses my hairline, the lobes of my ears, and my chin; his lips are soft and warm. His fingers probe my
figa
and then his lips are where his fingers were. It occurs to me that I should give him the same pleasure.
How?
He lets out a soft groan, and runs his hands though my hair as I swirl my tongue over the tip of his prick; it tastes of salt and of Zorzo. Then I swallow him further into the hot wetness of my mouth.

He moans and flips me over. And now we are loving each other together, and he’s thrusting into me, my legs wrapped around his body, and ’tis so, so good to reach our joy at the same time. Zorzo kisses me deeply. ‘I love you,
dolcezza.
’

‘I wonder if I’ll ever see Lodovico again?’

‘I expect he’ll not show his face around here anymore.’

‘Then you and I can love each other when we want. And you can teach our daughter to paint. Make her your apprentice, when she’s old enough.’

Zorzo laughs. ‘And what if we have a son? Will you want that for him too?’

‘If he shows talent. Why not?’

‘Do you love me,
dolcezza
?’

‘With all my heart,
amore mio
.’

He enfolds me in his arms, and I snuggle against him. Finally, we shall have the time for love to take a firm root in both our souls. My body relaxing and, a smile touching my lips, I drift off to sleep.

‘Fern! Fern! Wake up!’ Luca was shaking her gently. ‘We should return to the villa.’

‘With all my heart,
amore mio
.’

‘Fern!’

‘What?’

‘The villa, we need to go.’

‘What time is it?’ she asked, dazed.

‘Gone eleven.’

‘Isn’t it a bit late? We could spend the night here.’

‘For you to continue your communion with Cecilia?’

‘You heard me tell you everything that was happening?’

‘Yes, my darling. Perhaps it’s not such a good idea. Let’s go back to the villa and recharge our batteries. Tomorrow is another day, as they say.’

‘You sound worried.’

‘Hmm.’ He frowned. ‘How did you think I felt when you told me about making love with the painter? And the treachery of Cecilia’s husband doesn’t bode well.’

‘It wasn’t me with Zorzo, Luca. Please don’t be jealous. I need to see this through. If I leave Italy without finding out what happened to Lorenza, Cecilia will be waiting for me when I get back from London.’

He kissed her on the forehead. ‘You plan on returning?’

‘I love it here, in spite of everything that’s happened.’

‘Oh? And what about loving the people?’

‘That too. Especially a certain person.’

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. ‘And who might that be?’

She lifted her chin and his mouth came down on hers, kissing her so thoroughly her knees began to swim away from her. He ran warm kisses across her cheek and down her neck. ‘You, of course. I love you,’ she said.

And she did. She knew that now. A warm feeling spread through her. Harry would want her to be happy. It wasn’t her fault that he’d died. A tragic accident that took the life of so many. She owed it to him to live hers to the full.

‘Lorenza!’

‘Did you hear that?’

‘Yes,
amore mio
,’ Luca said.

Chiara was out of bed and sitting on the patio, plugged into her Walkman whilst Fern and Vanessa were sorting through boxes of correspondence that the contessa had found stored in the villa’s basement. ‘These date from the time when the family had its palaces on the Grand Canal,’ Vanessa said. ‘I never knew they were here until the other day.

‘Do you think we’ll find anything useful for your genealogical research?’

‘Hopefully. Oh, by the way, when I was sitting with Chiara last night, I read an old book that was stored with the letters. And I found out a lot more about what happened in 1509.’

Vanessa reached into her handbag and pulled out a notepad. She started reading, ‘Shortly after issuing his excommunication interdict against Venice, the Pope’s forces invaded Romagna and seized Ravenna. They had the assistance of Alfonso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, who’d been appointed
Gonfaloniere della Chiesa
, Standard-bearer of the Church. He went on to seize Rovigo, which belonged to the Republic, for himself.

‘I expect Lodovico was caught up in that battle,’ Fern said. ‘He was a cavalryman.’

‘In April the French King left Milan at the head of his army and moved rapidly into Venetian territory,’ Vanessa continued reading. ‘To oppose him, the Serenissima raised what they called “the greatest and best-paid army ever seen on Italian soil”, under the command of two cousins - Bartolomeo d’Alviano and Nicolo di Pitigliano.’

‘That’s interesting. So Giorgio Cornaro was no longer in charge of the troops. I wonder if he survived the poisoning attempt?’

‘I think he did. I seem to remember he didn’t die until sometime in the 1520s.’

Vanessa looked down at her notes. ‘Alviano and Pitigliano disagreed on how best to stop the French advance. When Louis crossed the Adda River near Brescia in early May, Alviano advanced to meet him. But Pitigliano, believing it best to avoid a pitched battle, moved away to the south.’

‘With half the army?’

‘Yes,’ Vanessa continued to read, ‘On 14 May, Alviano confronted the French at the Battle of Agnadello. Outnumbered, he sent requests for reinforcements to his cousin, who replied with orders to break off the battle.’

‘What happened next?’

‘Pitigliano continued heading south,’ Vanessa read. ‘Alviano, disregarding the new orders, carried on with the engagement and his army was eventually surrounded and destroyed.’

‘How terrible!’

‘Pitigliano managed to avoid encountering Louis. His troops, mercenaries, hearing of Alviano’s defeat, had deserted in large numbers by the next morning, forcing him to retreat to Treviso with the remnants of the Venetian army.’

‘Was there any mention of the Emperor’s attack on Asolo?’

‘That’s as far as I’ve got. If I have time, I’ll read on and fill you in when you get back here after the re-enactment this evening.’

‘That will be perfect, thanks.’

***

Watching the re-enactment was a bit like seeing the film of a favourite novel. Not a patch on the real thing. The woman playing the role of Caterina Cornaro was tall and dark, whereas the Queen had been short, blonde and rather stout.

The costumes were only an approximation of the clothing Fern had seen through Cecilia’s eyes. The men wore longer doublets than those she’d known as her nemesis, not showing their codpieces, perhaps for modesty’s sake. The women’s hair, her own included, held back in garlands, didn’t sport the intricate plaits woven with jewels and hair-nets with which she was more familiar. The smell of unwashed bodies that had pervaded in the past, not to mention the lack of sanitation (outside privies were the norm), made the early 16th Century a much smellier period of history, however, than 1989. Only the music and dancing were authentic.

Tonight was too warm, and very humid. Fern felt the perspiration trickling down the back of her neck and legs as she moved through the steps of the dance. There was an excellent turn-out to watch the performances, however. Good for Asolo’s cafés and restaurants, and made people aware of the history of the town. She could sense the pride of the locals in the uniqueness of their heritage.

After they’d finished their dance, Luca took her for a drink in the Caffè Centrale. They managed to find a table on the terrace, in spite of the crowds. Aunt Susan, who’d said she wouldn’t have missed seeing the re-enactment for the world, had sat herself down next to them. ‘I’m dying of thirst,’ she said. ‘I’d love a fresh orange juice.’

‘It seems we’ll have to wait to be served,’ Luca said. ‘Or perhaps not.’ The barman, in a white jacket and black bowtie, was approaching their table.

‘
Una telefonata urgente!
’

Luca leapt up. ‘A phone-call for me.’

Fern watched him stride towards the bar and pick up the receiver. He returned within a couple of minutes. ‘That was the police. I’m needed at the villa. My brother, Antonio, has been trying to get in touch with me. There’s been an intruder.’

‘Would you like me to come with you?’ Fern asked, her heart thudding.
What the hell?

‘Better not. I want to find out what’s going on and make sure Ma and Chiara are all right.’

‘It would save you having to come back and fetch me.’

‘I don’t know what’s happened, sweetheart. The policeman on the phone was relaying a message from the Commissario. He couldn’t say if they’d caught the prowler or not. I’m worried sick, and don’t want to put you in any danger.’

She gave him a hug. ‘For once, I won’t call you a caveman.’

Luca kissed her. I’ll see you shortly. You’ll be safe enough as long as you’re not on your own.’

‘Surely Fern can stay the night at my house?’ Aunt Susan interjected. ‘There’s no need for you to put yourself out.’

‘No, I think it’s for the best if she comes back to the villa. Just not straight away.’

‘Vanessa still needs my help with Chiara,’ Fern said.

***

‘What did Luca mean when he said “You’ll be safe enough as long as you’re not on your own”?’ Aunt Susan asked Fern as they sat in her kitchen, a plate of biscotti in front of them and glasses of Vin Santo in their hands. Fern had changed out of her costume and had put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

‘Luca believes I’ve been regressing to the past,’ Fern said, dipping a biscotto into the wine. ‘And he’s worried about my safety.’

‘Stuff and nonsense! I would have thought better of Luca. He seems such a sensible young man.’

‘Gosh, it’s hot tonight,’ Fern said, changing the subject.

‘There’s a storm on the way. Do me a favour, my lovely. Pop upstairs and check on the shutters for me, there’s a love. I’m suddenly feeling extremely tired.’

When Fern returned to the kitchen, her aunt had moved to the sofa in the sitting area, Gucci Cat on her lap, and her deep, rumbling snores bore witness to the fact that she’d fallen asleep. A crack of thunder rent the air. With an uneasy feeling of foreboding, Fern retook her seat at the table.

I hear the thunder and, through the open window catch sight of a fork of lightning. Lorenza rushes into my arms. My poppet is frightened of storms, and no amount of kisses and cuddles will still her fear. ‘’Tis only giants playing skittles in the sky,’ I tell her.

Lorenza gives me a quizzical look. ‘Tell the naughty giants to stop.’

I kiss her soft, warm cheek and hold her close. We’re at the Barco, but the court is not with us. Given the option to go with my lady to Venice last month or remain in Asolo, I made the decision to stay here. I could not have taken my daughter with me, because of my lady’s strict rule about “no children at the Venice court,” and no one could have foretold the way events have unfolded.

After Lodovico’s attempt to poison him, Giorgio Cornaro retired to Brescia with kidney problems. However, we all believed the magnificent army raised by the Serenissima would quell the French without difficulty. It’s been the greatest shock to everyone that the Republic has lost such an important battle.

And now the Emperor has raised his flag over Asolo castle. My whole body quakes. Maximilian and his soldiers came down the Sugana Valley, leaving a sea of devastation. How has it come to this? The Doge hasn’t raised a hand to help the defence of Asolo. Our hope rests with the troops in Treviso. Zorzo has gone to fetch them, and has sent word they’ll be here momentarily.

These past months with my true love have been so happy. He has been with me almost all the time, teaching me about art, loving me and our daughter. The women he played with in the past, the courtesans of Venice he also painted, are no longer in his life. Of that I am sure.

There’s the sound of horses neighing in the yard below. Then the stamp of hooves, the jingle of harnesses and the shouts of men. Could Zorzo be back with our soldiers already? I go to the window, Lorenza tugging at my skirts.
Holy Mother of God!
These troops aren’t ours; they’re Austrian. I can tell from their standards and the guttural sound of their language. Fear spikes my entrails. I pick my daughter up and make for the door. If I can get to Pegaso before the soldiers find us, there’ll be a chance for us to escape.

A shadow crosses the floor and I step back. A man bars our exit. I peer at him.
Maria Santissima!
Lodovico stands before me, smiling his thin-lipped smile. ‘Greetings, wife! I have come to take you to safety.’

I back away. ‘With you? A traitor? Never!’

‘I can’t leave you and Lorenza here.’ Lodovico grabs me and shakes me. ‘The Emperor’s troops are half-starved, half-crazed, and set on pillage. They’ll make mincemeat out of you. My job was to show them the Barco’s location. I had no idea you were still here. Thank God your maid told me.’

Lorenza is crying, and I put her down. She cries even more loudly when her supposed father pulls me against him. ‘You are my wife. Do as I say!’

‘I will not.’ I lift my hands and push at his chest. The
little
man, as my lady called him, takes hold of my wrists. Even if he is short and thin, he’s stronger than I am. ‘Leave me!’ Zorzo is due to arrive with the troops from Treviso, I tell myself. He won’t know where to find me if I go with Lodovico.

‘Is that what you wish? That I should leave you?’ He smiles again. ‘With pleasure. You’ve been less use to me as a wife than a jouster’s dummy. But my daughter comes with me.’

Before I know what’s happening he snatches Lorenza up and scurries out of the room, slamming the door. I hear the key turn in the lock. There’s another crash of thunder and dark clouds obscure the sun.

She blinked in the darkness. She had to find Lodovico and get to Lorenza. Where had the door disappeared to? She peered through the gloom, but couldn’t see it. Letting out a gasp, she doubled over with sudden shock. She was at Aunt Susan’s house, not the Barco.
And the bloody lights have gone.
The storm raged outside, forks of lightning splitting the sky.

Where the hell is the torch?
She felt her way to the kitchen cupboards and rummaged around.
A candle. Good.
Her fingers encountered a box of matches and she struck a light.

‘What’s happening, my lovely?’ Aunt Susan asked from the sofa, her voice groggy.

‘Nothing to worry about,’ Fern said.
There’s everything to worry about for Cecilia.
‘The storm has come, and the lights have gone.’

‘As ever. Well, we’re perfectly safe. Luca sent someone to install that conductor this afternoon.’

‘Oh, he didn’t tell me.’

‘I expect he had other things on his mind. Talking of which, when’s he coming to fetch you? It’s just that I’d like to go to bed.’

‘You go up, Auntie. I’ll be all right.’
I hope.
‘Where’s your torch?’

‘The battery ran out and I forgot to get a new one. There’s another candle in the drawer. I’ll take that.’

Fern saw her aunt to the stairs, then settled herself on the sofa. She could feel Cecilia clamouring in her head, and there was nothing she could do to stop her. The television set disappeared before her eyes and her fists were suddenly pounding.

I hammer on the door, screaming,
Lorenza!
I go to the window. Lodovico is on his horse, my struggling daughter on the saddle in front of him. He catches my gaze and waves. Then he gallops away, leaving the soldiers to rampage in his wake. If I jumped I would land in the midst of them.
Madre di Dio!
They might break down the door; I have to hide.

Trembling, I search the room for somewhere. There’s a large wooden chest in the corner, half-filled with blankets. I run to it. Then I squeeze into the space beneath the layers, and let the lid slam shut. Putting my hands to my ears I try to shut out the mayhem below, but the shouts of the soldiers and the screams of the kitchen maids still echo inside my head. What are the troops doing to them? And what they will do if they find me?