“Give me a day or two and let me see.” He came to a halt outside a rather grand-looking trattoria and ushered me inside. We then had a meal of spaghetti with clam sauce, a veal cutlet and for dessert a sponge cake with a hot chocolate sauce. I ate every morsel, realizing that I had eaten almost nothing for the past twenty-four hours. It would be good to cook for myself, I thought. I could eat the food I wanted, good nourishing food like the doctor recommended.

I felt hopeful and energized as I went back to my afternoon classes.

Henry came to sit beside me. “I saw you with a man,” he said. “Just a friend?”

“Just a friend,” I replied. “Why, are you jealous?” I grinned, teasing him.

He flushed, and I realized that perhaps he was. That was something I hadn’t anticipated. He must be several years younger than me. And I hadn’t encouraged him in any way. But then saw that perhaps I had. I had sought out his company to go and eat, to spend time on free days, mainly because he was friendly and safe and I enjoyed speaking English with him.

Now I didn’t know what to say. “You should find yourself a nice Italian girl your own age,” I said.

“You make it sound as if you are a grandmother. There’s not that much difference between us. I’m twenty-four, and you are?”

“Thirty,” I said. “Practically middle-aged.”

“It doesn’t matter. I think you’re beautiful. And kind. I like that.”

Oh dear. How could I ever tell him the truth? He’d be devastated. It seemed that my whole life was a minefield of not wanting to let someone down.

December 13

Leo met me at lunchtime to tell me he had found the perfect flat for me.

“It is here, in Dorsoduro,” he said. “So you will not have to cross that infernal bridge in the wind and rain. And also it is far from places where my family go. And it’s very nice. You’ll like it.”

He led me away from the accademia to the other side of the island. As we walked, I was surprised to see straw placed outside some of the houses. Not much straw, sometimes on the doorstep and sometimes in baskets.

“Is the straw some kind of defence against the aqua alta?” I asked, making Leo laugh.

“It is for Santa Lucia’s donkey,” he said.

“What?” Why did everything that happened in this city surprise me?

“It is Santa Lucia’s Day. A big day for us, as her bones are contained in a church here. The little children believe she brings presents, so they leave out straw for her donkey. And we have a special pasta dish, made just for today.” He paused. “You see, we are very much into tradition here. We love our saints.”

“And you? Do you love your saints?”