“Good morning, Signor Favaro. I have a list of items that my sister-in-law prepared.” She handed him the list and, in response to Agnese’s nudge, set the basket of eggs on the counter.

“Good, good. Let me see,” he said, setting a pair of spectacles on his nose. “‘Eight eggs of lamp oil, six eggs of washing soda, four eggs of cheesecloth, a spool of black thread and another of white if six eggs is enough. Otherwise only the black thread.’ Yes, that is quite in order.”

He busied himself gathering the requested items without any further comment, as if paying with eggs rather than lire was entirely to be expected. The girls stood quietly beside her—their manners really were faultless—and together they waited, watching Signor Favaro as he bustled about. All the while, though it was almost impossible not to look out the window and see what was happening with the German car, Nina forced herself to remain still and silent and in so doing set a good example for the girls.

The door opened and closed, a flurry of footsteps sweeping past so quickly that she didn’t have time to turn and see who had entered. The newcomers’ voices carried, however, and it was impossible not to hear what they were saying. Especially since they were talking about her.

“What do you think of her? That Venetian girl Niccolò went and married?”

“Such a timid thing. Have you seen the way she clings to his arm on the way in and out of Mass?”

“Imagine what Rosa has been saying. I mean, you can just tell from looking at her that she hasn’t the first idea of how to do anything.”

“What was he thinking?”

“He wasn’t using his brain—that’s for certain. Typical man. They see a pretty face and pfft—they’re done for.”

“That’s Papà’s awful cousin and her friend,” Agnese whispered. “Don’t listen to them. If Rosa were here she’d tell them off.”

“It is true, you know,” Nina whispered back, and she added a smile so they wouldn’t worry. “I didn’t know a thing about cleaning and cooking and all the things you already understand so well.”

“Maybe at first,” Angela admitted, “but you’ve learned a lot already.”

“And I think they call you the Venetian girl because they’re jealous,” Agnese added. “None of them have ever been to the city. None of them have ever seen the sea.”

“Have you?”

“Not yet, but Nico says he’ll take us to the seaside after the war. To the Lido.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Agnese. We’ll all go. We’ll sit on the beach and go swimming and we’ll eat gelato in every flavor there is.”

“I’ve never had gelato. Is it nice?” Angela asked.