She walked past us into the nursery, where she proceeded to introduce herself to Teresita and Menotti.

“Come with me, I will show you to your room.” Paolo led us to the end of the hall, where a set of double doors opened into an expansive suite. Our bedroom, if you could call it that, was the size of my first home in Laguna. A large canopy bed stood in the center. To the right I saw a small table with two chairs. On top of the table was an overflowing plate of fruit.

“There is fresh water in the basin if you would like to wash. Dinner will be served at eight. Feel free to rest until then.” Paolo left the room, closing the doors behind him. I continued walking around our new dwelling in awe.

José sat down on the bed with a huff and watched me with a hunger in his eyes. “You know, you are allowed to enjoy yourself.”

I stroked the gilded brushes that perched atop the vanity. “The smuggling business seems to be treating the Antonini family well.”

“The Antonini brothers have sacrificed for the Italian cause time and time again. They pride themselves on being able to get almost anything under the long nose of Austria. They use this wealth to the benefit of the rebels. The Antonini family is devoted to making Italy a unified country. Life in Italy is going to be very different from the life we knew in the Americas. I suggest you start getting used to it.”

“Different is an understatement. I could fit the whole village I was born in inside this house.”

José laughed, pulling me toward him. “I can bet this bed is softer than any bed in Laguna too.”

“I am sure it is,” I said, letting him pull me down onto the bed. As José began to nuzzle my neck there was a knock at the door. With a sigh he let me go. Three months on a ship didn’t allow for much alone time, and this disruption was not welcome. “Come in,” José called, the sting of disappointment in his voice.

One of the footmen held a message out for him. “I am sorry to disturb you, sir, but it is urgent.”

“Thank you,” José said as he took the letter. After a moment of reading he looked up at me. “I have to go back into town. It’s Anzani. They don’t expect him to make it through the night.”

“Well, wait. I’ll go with you,” I said, gathering my things.

“No. Stay here.”

I stopped and stared at him. “You said that we were stronger together. We just got here and now you want to leave me?”

“Anita, it’s not like that.” He took my hands in his. “Italy is not like South America. The men, they wouldn’t accept you as a soldier.”

“I don’t care what others think,” I said, pulling my arms out of his grip. “And since when have you?”