Then it was time for the floors. They swept each one, with the girls patiently showing Nina how to angle the broom so as not to set the dirt flying, and even though she made more work for them all they were generous with their praise.

She helped to carry the buckets of hot, soapy water upstairs, and then, after learning how to fold the extra dust rags so they cushioned her knees, the girls taught Nina how to scrub a floor.

“Start in the corner so you don’t go over the parts that are clean,” Angela advised.

“Give the scrubbing brush a good shake so you don’t get the floor too wet,” Agnese added. “And use the clean cloths to dry as you go. Will you be all right in here? Angela and I can get a second bucket and start on Papà’s room.”

“That’s a sensible idea. I’ll call if I need help.”

By the time she was finished with her bedroom floor the girls had scrubbed the other bedrooms, all three of them, but she helped them with the corridor and stairs, and by the time they had finished drying the bottom step it was time for lunch.

She ate the food that was placed in front of her without looking up or joining the conversation, and despite her fatigue she did enjoy her meal. For a first course they had pastina in brodo, and then for the secondo there was a chicken stew that had little in the way of chicken but a great deal of greens and potatoes, all of it delicious. She ate every bit of her food, and drank the entire glass of wine Aldo poured for her, and even finished the cup of caffè d’orzo she was given at the end.

All the while, she wondered how she would get through to the end of the day. How was it that she was so tired? Not even the long nights helping her father on his visits to patients had left her so exhausted, and she’d never been an idle sort of person. Yet one morning of chores had left her flatter than a week-old cornhusk mattress.

“Agnese, Angela, you finished ages ago. Time for you to get started on the henhouse,” Rosa ordered.

“Would you like me to help?” Nina asked. It would make a nice change to be outside.

“You can clean the parlor,” Rosa said.

“Lucky you,” Agnese said. “It takes forever to clean up all the chicken poop.”

“I don’t like the chickens,” Angela added. “It hurts when they peck.”

Rosa glared at the girls. “Enough with the coarse talk while others are still eating.” Then she turned her attention back to Nina. “Start by dusting everything, and don’t forget the picture frames. The girls always forget.”

“I won’t forget.”