BooksBarbecue
Back The Woman in Red Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Epigraph
  4. Prologue
  5. Part One
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Ten
  16. Eleven
  17. Twelve
  18. Thirteen
  19. Part Two
  20. Fourteen
  21. Fifteen
  22. Sixteen
  23. Seventeen
  24. Eighteen
  25. Nineteen
  26. Twenty
  27. Twenty-One
  28. Twenty-Two
  29. Twenty-Three
  30. Twenty-Four
  31. Twenty-Five
  32. Part Three
  33. Twenty-Six
  34. Twenty-Seven
  35. Twenty-Eight
  36. Twenty-Nine
  37. Thirty
  38. Thirty-One
  39. Thirty-Two
  40. Thirty-Three
  41. Thirty-Four
  42. Thirty-Five
  43. Thirty-Six
  44. Thirty-Seven
  45. Thirty-Eight
  46. Thirty-Nine
  47. Forty
  48. Forty-One
  49. Forty-Two
  50. Part Four
  51. Forty-Three
  52. Forty-Four
  53. Forty-Five
  54. Forty-Six
  55. Forty-Seven
  56. Forty-Eight
  57. Forty-Nine
  58. Fifty
  59. Fifty-One
  60. Fifty-Two
  61. Fifty-Three
  62. Epilogue
  63. Author’s Note
  64. Acknowledgments
  65. Discover More
  66. Reading Group Guide
  67. Discussion Questions
  68. ESSAY FROMDIANA GIOVINAZZO
  69. Antoinette’s Sister
  70. Chapter One
  71. Chapter Two
  72. About the Author
  73. Praise forThe Woman in Red

I went rigid. José froze, looking to Anzani. France had caused enough damage to Italy. They claimed to be supporters of Italian unification when the public’s eyes were on them. However, everyone knew that Louis-Philippe was the patron of the Papal Army. Anything the pope requested; France provided. They were no one’s savior.

“Tell him what happened next,” Anzani added.

“They insulted us. They said we were cowards.”

“Just because a group of drunken Frenchmen call us cowards is not a reason to fight,” José scolded.

“They insulted you, José,” Anzani interjected. “Our people got into a pub brawl because they felt the need to defend your honor.”

“They said you were the biggest coward of us all,” a young comrade interjected. “They said the reason we lost the Ragamuffin War was because you couldn’t even save toy ships.”

José’s eyes became very focused on the block that he held in his hand. A deep red blush creeped up his neck.

My patient flinched, and I realized I was tying his bandage too tightly. I apologized, my cheeks growing hot at my beginner’s mistake. I couldn’t help but be distracted. A loud, boisterous José was not afraid to let you know what he thought; you knew exactly where you stood. But a quiet, contemplative José? There was no telling what you were in for.

Anzani kneeled next to him. “We need you.”

I stopped tending to the men and watched my husband. A hush fell over the room. José continued to train his eyes on the block, turning it over in his hands.

Then he glanced up at me. He gave me the same look that he gave when he was about to apologize. I returned a curt nod before he turned back to the men staring at him, letting his eyes scan each and every one of their faces. He pushed his shoulders back and straightened. His chin rose as he transformed from my José to Captain Giuseppe Garibaldi.

“We are here in South America because the European powers have made it unsafe to stay in our own country. They have taken almost everything. I say ‘almost’ because they have yet to take our pride. Our pride in ourselves and our pride as Italians.” He looked around the room. “I don’t know about you, but as for me, I would sail the world twice over to challenge anyone who attempted to steal my pride.” He got up from his seat on the floor. “We shall see to it these Frenchmen never speak ill of an Italian again.”

*  *  *

José stood by the door offering kind words to each man as he exited, keeping vigil as they disappeared into the night. “I’m going to have to play the politician again,” he said to no one in particular.