Chapters (73)
- Cover
- Title Page
- Epigraph
- Prologue
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Part Two
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Part Three
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Part Four
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Epilogue
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgments
- Discover More
- Reading Group Guide
- Discussion Questions
- ESSAY FROMDIANA GIOVINAZZO
- Antoinette’s Sister
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- About the Author
- Praise forThe Woman in Red
My words landed heavily between us. “I am not leaving anytime soon,” José began, “but how can I not be excited about going home? My people need me.”
“And what about my people? They still need you.”
“I am committed to freeing southern Brazil. You know that. Anita, what is this really about?”
I looked at him, unable to answer. He reached for me, but I pulled away.
“Do you think I am going to leave you here?” When I was silent, he took my hand. “Tesoro mio, I could never leave you behind.”
I let him stroke my face, blinking back tears that stung my eyes. “When you go home, what will become of me?”
“You will raise our son and the other children we will have. We’ll grow old and sit under the olive trees, watching our grandchildren play.”
“But José, I know nothing of your home. I don’t even speak the language.”
“Then Rossetti, the Costas, and I will teach you. The language really is not all that different from Portuguese.” He wiped a tear from my cheek. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn.”
He pulled me to him. “In fact, you already know two words.”
“Tesoro mio,” I said into his chest.
“My treasure.” He stroked my hair. “How could I possibly contemplate leaving behind my greatest treasure?”
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Two
The next morning, I woke to find myself alone in bed. As I dressed, I could hear quite a bit of commotion; I picked up a small orange and made my way outside to investigate.
Walking to the shore, I squinted in the glaring sunlight, peeling my fruit as I went. The regiment was cobbling together a small number of boats.
“What’s going on here?”
Rossetti continued to hammer, not looking up at me. “There is an Imperial garrison north of us.”
“And you’re going to fight them? Now?”
Rossetti set his tools down before squinting up at me, frustration shadowing his face. “Some of us have work to do. You’re about to give birth. Shouldn’t you be in your confinement?”
I took a breath, trying to control my temper. “Antonia says that walking is good for me.”
Rossetti grunted as he turned back to his work. I continued to walk along the shore.
“Tesoro mio, what are you doing out here?” José was dragging a small rowboat to the shore. “Why aren’t you resting?”
“I wanted to see what was going on. Rossetti says that you are leaving?”
José was slightly out of breath as he dropped the boat on the ground. “Yes, there is an Imperial garrison in the north. We’re going to raid them for supplies.”
“But now?”