‘Make sure they serve him the wine we received from the Lana Guild. It arrived last week. The vintage is ready to drink. Don’t let his cup run empty.’

‘Is that not the wine set aside for the baptismal celebration?’

The question was innocent but Giulia was in no mood to be challenged. ‘What if it is? Do not question me today of all days; I have barely the wit to speak.’

The rosary beads clicked loudly in Camilla’s hands.

‘Forgive me, Camilla.’ Giulia wiped her brow and breathed deeply. ‘I did not mean to sound harsh, only this day has drained the very marrow from my bones. Tonight the wine is needed.’

Giulia blew out the candle closest to her, but still the room felt unbearably warm. The air caught in her nostrils. Another rush of hot liquid seeped from between her legs.

‘Did you finish sorting the linen? I will need more before the night sets in. The birth has left my body in a pitiable state.’

‘I will fetch clean sheets,’ Camilla answered but she did not move.

The first star shone beyond the glass-panelled window. Giulia took a deep breath and silently offered a prayer to the heavens that tonight there would be stars in the sky to balance out the full Moon’s wanton light. She felt an urge for the sting of cold air upon her cheek.

‘Come, come, Camilla, I am not contagious! Must I even ask you to open the window?’

The woman skirted round the bed, crossing herself discreetly as she went. Giulia saw herself as the maid must: a pale-faced, weakened mistress. She breathed through the stab of pain in her abdomen as she raised herself to sit again and frowned. From her maid’s demeanour she guessed the household was already talking and any further frailty now from her would be taken as a sign she was most assuredly to blame for the baby’s deformity.

‘Get rid of all these candles so that I may breathe clean air. And pass me the stone. I will flush this curse out myself.’

Giulia clutched the cold, waxen rock in her hand and rubbed it across her belly until another wave of pain overtook her. She would take on whatever challenges the Heavenly Mother saw fit to send her way, as long as Mary kept her in Vincenzio’s favour.

Camilla curtseyed and crossed herself, stopping by the window momentarily to acknowledge the full Moon. Giulia heard her soft incantation, ‘Benvenuta Luna che mi porti fortuna’, but did not chastise her servant, for surely they could all do with some luck this night.