That evening the same situation: cold meats and bread put out for me and no sign of my landlady. I was so shocked that I could hardly eat. Here was a woman who had been nothing but friendly to me until now. I had been a model tenant—no noise, no visitors, no late nights, and I helped with the household chores. But in her mind I was now condemned to hell, and therefore she could have no contact with me in case my sin somehow came to roost on her. I was glad this wasn’t my idea of God or religion!

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 31

Juliet, Venice, December 11, 1939

The next day was Sunday and it was still raining. Again my landlady left food for me and disappeared to her own room. On Monday we’d had another episode of aqua alta with the high tide, and I had to pick my way across patches of standing water and stranded seaweed to get to the accademia. But I came out into the rain after morning classes to find Leo hidden under a big black umbrella.

“Ciao, bella,” he said, bending forward to kiss my cheek.

“You shouldn’t do that,” I said. “People will see.”

“We Italians kiss everybody,” he said. “It means nothing. Shall we have something to eat?”

“All right. Let’s go somewhere quiet where we can talk.”

“Good. Come under my umbrella. There is room for two.”

I joined him, conscious of his closeness, the warmth of his breath on my cold cheek.

“So you experienced your first aqua alta, did you not? I hope you didn’t get caught outside. It can come up so fast.”

“I did get caught, and drenched. The traghetto was not operating in the storm, and I had to walk all the way around to the bridge.”

“You poor thing.”

“More than you know,” I said. “My landlady was most solicitous and helped me to take off my wet clothes—and then she saw my belly and she flew into a rage. She accused me of being a loose woman and said she wanted me out of her house immediately.”

“Dio mio!” he exclaimed. “Still, it is not a bad thing, huh? You would want a home of your own as you prepare for the birth.”

I hadn’t really let myself think about this too much. Would I have the baby at home? In hospital? And if an adoption was to be arranged, would they take the baby from me immediately?

“Don’t worry.” Leo changed the umbrella to the other hand and slipped his arm around me. “I will find you a good place to live. A place where you can be happy, yes?”

“That would be wonderful,” I said.