“We have fields to work elsewhere, and relatives to help, even as they in turn help us. I’m sorry for having wasted your time on your previous visits. Had I known you were coming I would have tried to stay closer to home.” More silence, broken only by the hiss of the fire in the hearth. “My sister told me that you’d asked about my brothers.”

“I did. I cannot help but notice that on this small farm alone you have four men of working age, yet none of you have seen fit to offer your service to the greater good.”

“This is part of your duties with the SD?” Nico asked, and Nina had to wonder if Zwerger could discern the anger simmering beneath the question.

“Of course not. I have nothing to do with such pedestrian concerns. But you leave yourself open—”

“I’ll remind you that I am here because my elder brother was killed in North Africa.”

“Your sister took the same insolent tone with me, Niccolò. Surely you are not so stupid as to do the same.”

“I’m not being insolent. And I’m not saying the republic cannot take the boys for their work details. You have the upper hand here and we both know it. I’m asking only that you consider the circumstances. Look around you. You know we’ll struggle if you take Matteo or Paolo. We are barely surviving as it is.”

“What of your wife?” Zwerger asked.

Nina couldn’t help herself. She got to her feet, ignoring Rosa’s restraining hand, and inched forward until she was standing in the shadows, mere centimeters from the door to the kitchen.

“What of her? She’s a great help to my sister, but she can’t be expected to work in the fields.”

“Other women do. No better than animals.”

“I don’t know about that,” Nico said easily. “I’d rather spend a day with my mule than with any number of men I’ve met.”

“Then why is your young wife not out in the fields? Too much the city girl to dirty her hands?”

“She’s a city girl, yes. But she’s not afraid of hard work.”

“She was training to be a nurse—isn’t that what you said, Signora Gerardi? I can see you hovering there. You might as well come in.”

If only she had stayed put on the stairs. Nina came forward, though it was a real effort to convince her legs to take even a few steps, and stood behind Nico.

“How far advanced was your training?” Zwerger asked.

“I had only completed a year.” That was close enough to the truth.

“I see. Forgive me for persisting, but would you know what to do when confronted with an infected wound? Or one that needed stitching?”

“Yes, providing the wound is not too deep, or the infection acute.”