Rain drops were drumming on the glass of the latticed windows. The sirocco flew away together with a heavy heat, and the cotton-wool fog returned to the streets. It was cool in the house as the servants didn`t have to make fire in the rooms anymore. Standing in front of the window in the salon of the Granacci house, I was rereading a letter from donna Arsago, in which she asked me to return and stay with them a little longer.

"Looks like the Сount can't do without you," Ricardo joked. "He must have asked his wife to write to you."

I thought so too. Donna Arsago had always been very gentle with me, but I had the feeling that she was a little afraid of me and would be happy to send me somewhere far away from their house.

"You'll be safer there," Rico said. "Don Arsago has good guards, and I can't keep an eye on you all day. Someone has to do our family business, am I right?”

I didn't want to leave. I felt that returning to the gay society of Arsago's house would betray aunt Assunta`s sufferings. Which had been completely my fault, by the way. I wasn't very good at nursing, though. I got terrified at the sight of blood, so that just one look at her wound made my knees numb and my eyes black out. This stupid fear made me clumsy, always spilling water or getting her medicine mixed up. In the end, Melina and I shared our duties: she only trusted me to read easy books to my aunt and take care of her fever, which never subsided, unfortunately. Doctor Faletrus came every day with his black bag, change a bandage, listened to aunt`s hard breathing and got gloomy by day.

Alessandro di Goro himself came to escort me to the Count's house. It seemed the don Arsago was really concerned for my safety! Right at this moment I left the room to make arrangements for dinner and ran into my guard on the stair landing. Alessandro was going upstairs, as composed and serious as ever, wearing a discreet black-and-gray doublet and a dark raincoat damp from the weather. When he saw me, the usual concern on his face gave way to another expression, which I couldn`t discern yet. I gave him the nod, trying not to look startled.

We didn't finish our conversation that night. Alessandro hadn't told anyone about the letter the murderers had used to lure me away from the party, but he certainly hadn't forgotten about it, so I cringed in anticipation of the new interrogation. Instead, he gently took my hands into his warm palms.

"How are you, Julia?"

I was ashamed to look him in the face.

"Better, thanks," I said.

“I see you have a weapon," he noticed with a faint smile. The seasoned eye of the detective immediately noticed the dagger, which I had been carrying with me since that night. No one would be able to catch me off guard!

I looked up indignantly and got his reassuring smile.

“No one will ever dare to touch me!” right? I like your mood, really.”

That was strange. Why didn`t I notice before that smile suited him so much?

I was tempted to tell him everything, but suddenly there was a noise in the next room. We could hear muffled curses, quick footsteps, and Ricardo came out like a whirlwind.

"The Fair Ferroniere has some problem at the customs, so I have to go to Dito at once!" he blurted. "Hey, Fabrizio, get the boat ready! Julie, have you packed your things?”

If only I could think of just one reason to delay my departure! But all my things were still in the house of Arsago, so there was nothing to pack.

But still there was a good reason.

“I haven't seen my aunt today."

After a brief conversation with the maid, I went to my aunt's bedroom. Ricardo also expressed his wish to see her, and Alessandro followed us too, so that the three of us came into the room. I straightened the pillows at the head of the bed. Assunta's face had grown even more haggard during the night, the brown shadows under her eyes got darker. The two men lingered awkwardly in the doorway. Assunta turned her head slowly and stared at me. The dark eyes in the waxen, emaciated face were burning as if her whole life was concentrated in them. For a moment there was recognition in her eyes, but then she glanced fearfully at the two tall figures looming in the distance.

"These are Ricardo and don Alessandro, auntie," I said softly. “Do you remember them?”

Swallowing, she looked back at me. With a feeble hand she pointed to the chest on the table beside the bed. The chest of polished walnut with which she had met me on my first day at home.

"To you... from your mother... take it." It took her a great effort to say these words.

I was confused. Take it with me? But what for? In the lower part, I remembered, there were some old Beatrice Granacci`s jewels, and in the upper part my aunt had placed all sorts of beauty bottles, including the hated whitewash, which I avoided now. I didn't know what all that meant. Did donna Assunta recognize me as a member of her family? Or was it so important to her that I should not lose face in front of the don Arsago's important guests? Given our aunt's inflexible temperament, she would have risen from the grave to watch me and make sure I did not disgrace the Granacci family with my indecent look.

Donna Assunta's eyes darted from me to the two men, as if she wanted to say something but didn't dare. Sweat broke out on her sallow temples, and I dabbed gently at it with my handkerchief. The room was stuffy.

"Mela," she whispered as I leaned closer to her face.

“Melina!” I called the maid. I guessed the aunt was thirsty. Or maybe she suffered a lot. And I was too silly to do anything about it.

A maid rushed into the room, pushing me away from the bed. The bottles clunk. The sharp, pungent smell of medicine wafted through the room. Melina softly asked us to leave, and the three of us, too afraid to cause more trouble, stumbled out the door in embarrassment. In the corridor Alessandro took the chest from my hands – which was as heavy as my conscience. And when I put on my cloak and went to the terrace, I finally realized why my heart was so heavy. Assunta's gaze, it was strange. A glaze of a person who was close to death. "I doubt we`ll see each other again..." I tried to ward off that idea, fearing invite disaster into our house.

***

Don Arsago`s jester appeared like a bolt from the blue as soon as our gondola docked near the poles. He bowed mockingly, sweeping the pier cobbles with his cap. The bells tinkled.

"Welcome back, senhorita … a sea-witch!" he said with a grin. ‘Well, well, people are right when they say that neither the steel nor moray`s teeth can do a harm to a sea-charmer!”

"Shoo," Alessandro flicked him off. The jester, making a frightened face at once, somersaulted backward, rolled deftly to one side and disappeared into the dark opening of the archway.

The dock was crowded. Almost at the same time a water-carrier arrived with its valuable cargo. The storm had spoiled the water in the wells the day before, so that fresh water was now brought from Brenta. Two servants were wheezing as they rolled the barrel onto the dock. At the same moment a young man sprang up to Alessandro, brandishing a letter and speaking rapidly. I couldn`t hear them from the distance. Signor di Goro took the letter and gave the lad my aunt's box, telling him to take it to my room. While they were talking, someone behind me tugged gently at my cloak. The water-carrier? My fingers gripped the hilt of the dagger hidden in the folds of my skirt.

"Hush! Hush, senhorita!” he recoiled and looked back. " St. Marina's Church, tomorrow afternoon."

Then he turned away as if nothing had happened and went back to the barrels. Very soon his overloaded vessel turned around, steering towards the next house. The Count's servants, cursing, were wheeling the heavy barrel toward the entrance

My first impulse was to shout to the guards, but then I thought better of it. It was nonsense to suppose that the men who had tried to kill me three days before would risk appearing in the daylight outside Arsago's house again. I don't think my opponents were that stupid. But who on earth was trying so hard to lure me into the church?

At dinner, I was afraid that don Arsago's guests would start expressing their sympathies, gasping and asking about that night. Even now, the memory of it made a lump rise in my throat. However, my fear was in vain. I'd forgotten one thing about Venetta: no one wanted yesterday's news here. The news spread as quick as a flash there. Gossips, scandals, overheard conversations, rumors from the Doge's Palace, exchange rates... My adventures looked boring compared to the other news that stirred the city now: our Doge suddenly declared that he was too old for his position, so he decided to resign and handed his ring to the Secretary.

“He`s a cunning man,” don Sacketti shook his head respectfully, motioning to the footman to pour more wine. “If the election of a new Doge is held now, while he is still alive, his nephew will have a better chance of getting the coveted cap. You'll see, the Council of Ten won't approve it!”

After a while, we learned that the Council really did not approve. The Doge was politely though inexorably required to perform his duties to the end.

In the evening I put on warm clothes and went up to the main balcony, hoping to stay alone for a while. After the silence and solitude of Granacci's house, it was hard to get used to the noisy, glittering company. The twilight sky looked as if someone had smeared blue ink on it. The weather had completely deteriorated, and over the humped roofs the wind was tearing to shreds the muddy clouds running from the sea.

To my surprise, the cozy corner near the balustrade was occupied. Bianca was already there, playing with one of the Count's greyhounds. She, too, had taken the precaution to bring a warm cloak and a lantern.

“I come out here from time to time when I want to think in peace," she smiled. "Usually no one comes here. Donna Arsago doesn't like this place, the seagulls are annoying.”

My gaze involuntarily slid toward the glass dome of the Count`s collection room, near which Pulcino was supposed to be on duty.

"Seagulls? How many are there?"

“Too many, I`m afraid. Especially in the last few days. Donna Arsago says they haunt her even in her dreams.”

And not just her, I thought to myself.

I sat down beside her and tried to change the subject.

“What are you thinking? A secret?"

“Well, your brother has asked me to help him with a deal...” she said as negligently as if helping a man in his trade operations was a normal thing for her.”

“He asked you for advice? Really?”

Now I felt jealous. Ricardo would never call Bianca "a worthless girl”, for sure.

“Yes. What's wrong with that? My father taught me a lot. He knew I'd have to replace him one day.”

"Yes, that's reasonable…”

I wished Ricardo and Julia's father had been so prudent too.

“Listen, Julia,” leaning closer, Bianca gently touched my arm. The gold embroidery on her dress glinted in the dim bronze light of the lantern. “I know you didn't like me much, but…”

The twilight had softened her sharp mermaid features a little, and her large eyes looked deep-dark.

“A lot of people don't like me. People think I'm too arrogant and vain …”

That's for sure. Bianca was known for her great insight and sharp tongue. Even the men preferred not to talk too much in her presence, mindful of Bianca's ability to ensure a week of public ridicule with just one witty word.

"...but I assure you, Ricardo and I are a perfect match. He's smart and pleasant to talk to. I have experience and useful connections. Together we will make the best trade in the whole Venetta! I'll tell him which galleys are better to charter, what deals are safer to invest. My father introduced me to the old merchant families, who had been keeping their trade books over generations. And I wouldn't be Sanudo if I couldn't get the best contracts out of them!”

The greyhound barked softly and tried to attract Bianca's attention. The girl patted her behind the ear, which was enough for a dog to spin nearby trying to catch its tail and then lie down, its face on its paws and one ear up, so as not to miss something interesting from our conversation.

“I'm sure you and Ricardo will make a lovely couple," I said, utterly confused.

I had little experience in "girlish" conversations. Until now, only one friend had poured out her heart to me before marriage, and her enthusiasm sounded very different. I could not imagine that a cordial union could be regarded as a business transaction! I was stunned by Bianca's practicality and sanity, although now I could understand why Ricardo was so mad about her.

That morning after the assassination changed a lot of things in me. If someone had told me a few days ago that we were going to have a friendly chat with Bianca, sitting side by side on the terrace, I would not have believed it! Even looking at her infuriated me. And every look of Ricardo in her direction made my heart ache. But all I felt now was sadness... and loneliness.

“Have you announced the wedding yet?" I asked, thinking that "brother" might have forgotten to tell me.

"We wanted to do it when the "The Fair Ferroniere” returned, but because of the assassination and donna Assunta's illness, the engagement had to be postponed," she said with a guilty look.

"Don't think I'm so callous," she added after an awkward silence. "I'm really sorry. I can imagine what you've been through.”

The crescent peeked out from behind the clouds, outlined in a pale blue glowing. Bianca's face blurred out of the darkness – the dark hollows of her eyes, the cold set of her lips. I wasn`t sure she felt sorry at all. Maybe a slight annoyance at having to change her plans a little.

"I got off lightly, unlike donna Assunta," I said angrily.

Bianca gave me encouraging smile.

"Everything'll be all right. Ricardo said that Assunta will be fine. And then we will play three weddings at once!”

I thought that human selfishness is mind-boggling. Some people are so pleased with themselves that their souls are like polished tables on which the suffering of others does not leave even a scratch. But why three weddings?

"Three?" I asked with surprise.

"Oh, Ines will be the third," Bianca said with a conspiratorial wink. "You know, I used to think she was a little taken with your Enrique. Have you noticed? Anyway, it's all in the past now. Now she`s engaged to signor di Goro!”

What did she say?!

For a moment I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. Even the dog beside us looked up in surprise. What a day today – a complete surprise! Ines and ... Alessandro?! She was pretty, of course. I remembered the lush blond curls and blue eyes that looked like seashells. A rare beauty, indeed.

For some reason the wind from the sea suddenly seized me with a chill. I pulled my warm cloak closer around me, pulling the hood over my head. Bianca continued, taking no notice of my depressed mood.

"...Joanna's happy!" At first, she was afraid Ines would become a nun, when she got into the habit of running to confession every day. For Joanna, it's like burying herself alive! No offence.”

"None taken," I whispered.

“But now she's over the moon and says she wouldn't wish her daughter a better husband! I've seen Ines with Alessandro many times, and in her case, it certainly means something. Although you can never tell if she`s in love or not. She's like a cat, always hides her true feelings!”

And Alessandro can do that perfectly well too, I thought. What did he say: "I`m not into masks"? He flattered me that I was beautiful, pretended to be a friend, tried to find out my secrets, and all the while he was thinking of Ines?

" I think she only went to the church to see him,” Bianca's voice seemed to come through the wall. “Still waters run deep. Joanna wouldn't let her go alone, of course, but she managed to deceive us, so it wasn`t a problem to deceive a stupid maid.”

Yes, the morning service is a convenient place for such a meeting. I pictured the mysterious gloom, the glitter of marble and precious mosaics, the smell of incense in the air, the soft singing and rustle of the worshippers ' robes as they moved toward the door... I pictured Alessandro's eyes on Inez as she walked slowly toward the door. Then their gazes met over the bowl of holy water…

It could be. Someone invited me to the church, too.

Suddenly I decided to accept the invitation.