Elisa entered, her little feet tapping against the terra-cotta tiles. “Mrs. Garibaldi. I am so glad that you called upon me.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” I smiled, doing my best to charm her. “It is so important to hold on to friendship when you are in a new land.”

“You are quite right, madam. Why, I was just remarking to Mrs. Polizzi the other day how pleased I am that you have been welcomed into our little social circle.” She smiled warmly as a servant brought in a tray of espresso and small chocolate cookies. “The Garibaldi family is one of the oldest in all of Genoa. Though they are younger than mine, of course. We Genoan families have a duty to Italy.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” I paused for effect. “Elisa, I was wondering if I could ask you something rather personal.”

“Oh, by all means, Donna Anita, I am an open book, as the saying goes.”

“Does your husband still allow you the freedom to purchase what you please?”

Elisa sipped her espresso from the milk-white teacup trimmed with delicate pink flowers. “Yes, but our recent escapades have caught the attention of the Austrian magistrates. I have been advised to use discretion. I hope you understand, we can’t have the Austrians looking too closely at us.”

“It is completely understandable. No one wants the Austrians at their front door.” I sipped my espresso. Having the attention of the Austrians on us was going to be a problem. I looked over to Elisa. She admired me; it wasn’t a secret. She wanted to hear every story I had. She wanted…“I was only hoping that we could have an adventure, you know, like the kind that I used to have back in South America. I am so homesick.”

She reached a hand out to me. “Of course you are homesick, darling. You are in a strange land. I do hope that my fellow Italians have been kind to you.”

I grasped her extended hand. “Oh yes, you have all been so kind to me. Especially you, Elisa. It’s just that sometimes a woman like myself, well, you see, she needs to stir up a bit of trouble. To feel complete. Do you understand?”

“Oh yes, Mrs. Garibaldi. You have no idea how much I understand. You don’t know how often I imagined that I was the crusader who brought John the Baptist’s ashes here to Genoa. I heard the story so many times that I hoped I could be like him. Live up to my family’s name.” Blond ringlets dangled like earrings as her head tilted to the side. “Did you have an idea in mind?”

I smiled. This was playing out exactly as I wanted. “José’s legion needs weapons. Paolo can obtain them, but we need a generous sponsor to help us. This is where you come in.”

“This sounds like a mischievous bit of fun.” She moved forward in her seat as if I were offering her candy. “I assume you already have a plan?”